Reference no: EM133775370

Part - 1

Case Foreign Auto Shop Part 1 Alan is the owner and manager of a small auto repair shop with seven mechanics. The auto shop has a steady and loyal clientele who appreciate the fact that they receive quick, reliable service at a fair price. Alan takes care of customers when they drop off their cars in the morning, then he plans the work schedule and assigns the mechanics to work on particular cars. Most of the work is done by individual mechanics, but occasionally a job requires two mechanics to work together. The work of repairing cars and conducting routine maintenance on them is well defined; there are standard procedures and standard times to perform each type of repair task. Mechanics receive feedback about the quality of their work from testing the car and from customers (who will complain if something is not fixed properly). Alan does not spend much time actually directing or supervising the repair work. He leaves the mechanics alone unless they are having a problem and need technical advice. He almost never tells someone to do something in a directive way. Instead, he suggests various ways to deal with a problem, or he shows them how he would have handled it. When not busy with administrative responsibilities, Alan enjoys working alongside his mechanics, where he is available to answer any questions about the work. Alan's style of leadership suits his easygoing personality. He encourages his employees to participate in making decisions such as what new equipment to purchase or how to improve quality. They know that Alan is sincere in asking for their opinions and is not just doing it as a manipulative strategy to minimize their opposition to decisions that have already been made. Alan's fairness and openness have earned him the continuing respect and trust of his employees.

Part - 2

Alan looked anxiously out of his office window at the heavy rainstorm that had advanced rapidly from the nearby hills to the valley where his auto repair shop was located. He noticed that the creek behind his repair shop was already running high, the result of melting snow during the warm spring days. After 30 more minutes of heavy rain, Alan went out to look at the creek again and found that it had already risen to almost the level of its banks. Alan figured the muddy water would soon flood the parking lot and come swirling around the shop doors. He ran back into the shop and announced in a loud voice that the creek was going to flood. He told three of his mechanics to drop everything and start moving the cars that were parked next to the creek to the high ground across the road. Alan told the other mechanics to put the tools away and help move all the boxes of parts and supplies off the floor and into the storage racks in the storeroom and the office. Alan had their attention, but nobody seemed to be moving. If anything the mechanics seemed to be amused. Gil, the oldest mechanic, pointed out that the creek had never flooded into the garage before. Alan interrupted, looking him right in the eye, and 1. What is the usual leadership situation in the auto repair shop (consider the nature of the task, subordinates, and environment)? 2. Describe Alan's typical leadership style and evaluate whether it is appropriate for the leadership situation. said in an assertive way, "You and the rest of the crew are going to do what I say right now! We can talk later about whether it was a good idea." This time, the mechanics dropped everything and began preparing for a flash flood. Alan barked instructions as he helped them move everything that could be damaged by water. All of the boxes were off the floor before the first trickle of water came under the door. By the time the water was ankle-deep, all the cars inside the shop had been jacked up and were sitting on cement blocks. At its peak, the water was 10 inches deep in the shop, but by then the rain had stopped and the sun was already shining. The water level began to recede slowly, but did not drop below the shopfloor level until after 9 p.m. At 10 p.m. the mechanics voluntarily returned to the shop to help with the cleanup, which was not completed until 3 a.m. Alan personally thanked each one and gave them all the next morning off. The next afternoon, Alan gave an informal "speech" during the coffee break. He gave the mechanics all the credit for avoiding thousands of dollars of property damage. He even went to the trouble of pointing out particular contributions each of them had made. For instance, he thanked Gil for quickly throwing the master switch before the water reached the electric outlets, and another mechanic for the idea of jacking up all the disabled cars inside the shop. You really surprised us yesterday!" Gil told Alan. "We could hardly believe it was you." "What do you mean?" Alan asked, pretending to be offended. Gil replied: "You are usually so mild mannered we forget you are the boss!

Read the case study at the end of Chapter 3, "Foreign Auto Shop Parts 1 and 2" and answer the following questions:

Which of the mediating variables from the multiple-linkages model did the management consider in this case?

What are the potential short-term and longer-term effects for employees at this auto shop?

Relate the case to the guidelines of adaptive leadership.