Reference no: EM133279900

Assignment:

Caleb has made no secret of the fact that he wants to become a unit head. He has openly, even in front of the current head, stated that, in two years' time, he is planning to be the head of the unit. Caleb communicates and acts very assertively during meetings, and many people are starting to respect him for his 5 boldness in challenging existing assumptions and behaviours, even those of senior managers. The plant manager was overheard saying that this was the kind of person they wanted in the organisation. However, not everybody is impressed. Andy, the head of dispatch, thinks Caleb is rude and obnoxious. Andy has studied public relations and he believes that one can achieve goals without walking over people or being rude to them. During meetings, Andy makes sure he does not sit too close to Caleb as he finds it hard to disguise his irritation.

At a previous meeting, when Caleb tried to force his opinion on others, Andy suggested that they first form a cross-functional team, with the inclusion of employee representatives, to investigate the issue and then make a collaborative decision. Andy's suggestion was overruled by a senior manager who said that it would waste too much time and money, and that Caleb had to go ahead making a decision and implementing his ideas. The managers did warn that Caleb would then also have to take full responsibility if the ideas do not work. Andy cannot take the attitude of senior management.

Overtime they have become results-driven to a point where they don't care about people anymore. One manager even remarked that they were valuing people, but only the right people - those that directly influenced the bottom line. Andy has worked at the company for the last ten years and was it not for the investment he made in building up a high performing dispatch unit, and his relationship with his employees and customers; he would have looked for another job long ago.

a) Explain how the components of attitudes manifest in Andy's attitude towards Caleb.

b) Would you describe Andy's attitude as peripheral? Explain.

c) Comment on Andy's level of job satisfaction and organisational commitment.

d) Discuss cultural values that can be linked to organisations, and comment on the cultural values evident in the above organisation.