Reference no: EM133149872

Step 1: Read the Following Scenario

The President of Star Reach Media read the semi-annual advertising figures and knew that he had made the right decision a year ago in promoting Angela Fleming as his Sales and Marketing Manager. The media industry is fiercely competitive and for his radio and television station to have increased its advertising sales by 26% over a six-month period is very impressive.

Jack Mollar, the President of Star Reach Media, was willing to acknowledge and give credit for this amazing increase in sales to Angela Fleming, who had been promoted to her current position a year ago. Fleming had joined Star Reach Media less than two years ago as a sales associate, after having moved from a similar job at a rival media outlet. Angela was one of the few indigenous women working at Star Reach Media and had a promising career with the company. Angela also had a strong educational background with an MBA from a prestigious university. Mollar wished that she had brought with her more experience in the actual radio and television broadcast side of things. Mollar had worked for several years in Radio and moved his way up through the ranks to become General Manager of the radio station before ultimately becoming the President of the company.

Fleming's annual reviews were always positive, and Mollar felt that this would be the perfect time to push Fleming's career along. At the meeting with Fleming this afternoon to discuss the elevated marketing and sales figures, Mollar had intentions of moving Fleming into the Assistant General Manager (AGM-Radio) role. Although technically only a lateral transfer, the AGM job would give Fleming broader experience, which would enhance her career with Star Reach Media. Mollar had worked as the AGM in Radio and then moved to the AGM role in Television so he sees the AGM (Radio) position as a great opportunity. In fact, Mollar was impressed enough with Angela's potential that he could see her in the President's role one day.

Mollar was excited enough that he sent Fleming an email mid-morning to tell her that "We are meeting this afternoon at 2 but I wanted to tell you now that I would like you consider moving to the Assistant General Manager (Radio) role. We can talk more about it at our meeting."
Angela read the email and was stunned at what she read. She knew that her figures were great and that she had worked amazingly hard to increase the sales figures. She had felt so good about herself and thought that she had found a home in Star Reach Media. Mollar had even told her how pleased he was with her work in such a competitive market. And now, out of the blue, she was being removed from her job that she did so well and was being moved into some "assistant" job, where her MBA skills and experience would not be recognized or used. Angela felt that her career was being sidetracked and that she was being treated very unfairly.

Angela and Jack met at 2pm and the meeting started with Jack congratulating Angela for all her great work over the past 6 months. Jack then moved to the topic of Angela's being moved to the Assistant General Manager (Radio) position. Angela was still processing the mid-morning email and was not really hearing the President talking to her. She responded to his offer with a very flatline "thank you, Mr. Mollar," as she did not want to react negatively to the President of the organization. She really wanted to explode and tell him how much she resented his offer to sideline her from her career ---but that was not who she was. Inside, however, she was angry and was telling herself that no one had the right to treat her this way.

Meanwhile, from Moller's perspective, he thought that the interview went well. In fact, he was thrilled at being able to open career doors for such a great employee. Although Fleming was very quiet and subdued during the discussion, Mollar interpreted Fleming's reaction to the news of the job offer as being very positive and he knew that it was obvious to Fleming what a wonderful career opportunity he was giving her. He justified her lack of reaction to perhaps being a part of her culture. He was setting Fleming up for a direct path to the executive offices. Mollar had been delighted several years earlier about his temporary transfer to the AGM position to round out his media experience. "This move will be good for both you and Star Reach Media," said Mollar as he concluded the meeting.

Later that evening, sitting and thinking about the day---and trying to process what had taken place, Angela felt like she was not a lucky person i.e., that things always seemed to happen "to" her. She felt that she was being parked in her career, despite the amazing work that she had put in over the past 6 months. She was one of very few top women in the organization and the only indigenous woman in a powerful role and now she was being placed into a clerical role as someone's assistant. Angela feared that she was being sidelined because the company did not want women or minorities in top management.

Her previous employer had made it quite clear that women were not suitable to handle the pressures in management and her previous employer tended to place women in technical support positions rather than in management positions.

Obviously, thought Angela, Star Reach were following the same game plan. The fact that she was being moved to an "assistant" role, in her opinion a clerical function, was all the proof she needed to confirm her fears about being sidelined.

In her mind, Fleming faces the difficult decision of whether to confront Mollar and try to change Star Reach's sexist and possibly racist practices or to leave the company, like she had to with her previous employer. Angela feels that she is just not a lucky person.

Step 2: Complete the Following Tasks

Provide a summary of the scenario, pointing out what you feel to be the main issues in the case study. Explain what role the organization played in creating this situation.

Apply your knowledge of stereotyping and social identity theory to explain what went wrong.

Describe what other perceptual errors are apparent in this scenario.

Outline what communication issues you see in this scenario.

Provide suggestions for what each person could have done differently in the scenario.