Reference no: EM133040083

Case -Her Vision of a Model Research Center

Rachel Adams began as a researcher at a large pharmaceutical company.After several years of observing how clinical drug studies were conducted,she realized that there was a need and anopportunity for aresearch center not connected with a specific pharmaceutical company.In collaboration with other researchers, she launched a new companythat was the first of its kind in the country. Within 5 years, Rachel hadbecome president and CEO of the Independent Center for Clinical Research (ICCR). Under Rachel's leadership, ICCR has grown to a companywith revenues of $6 million and profits of $1 million. ICCR employs 100full-time employees, most of whom are women.Rachel wants ICCR to continue its pattern of formidable growth. Hervision for the company is to make it a model research center that willblend credible science with efficient and cost-effective clinical trials. Tothat end, the company, which is situated in a large urban setting, maintainsstrong links to academia, industry, and the community.Rachel and her style have a great deal to do with the success of ICCR.She is a freethinker who is always open to new ideas, opportunities,and approaches. She is a positive person who enjoys the nuances oflife, and she is not afraid to take risks. Her optimistic approach hashad a significant influence on the company's achievements and itsorganizational climate. People employed at ICCR claim they havenever worked at a place that is so progressive and so positive in howit treats its employees and customers. The women employees at ICCRfeel particularly strongly about Rachel's leadership, and many of themuse Rachel as a role model. It is not by accident that the majority (85%) of the people who work at ICCR are women. Her support forwomen's concerns is evident in the type of drug studies the companyselects to conduct and in her service to national committees on women'shealth and research issues. Within ICCR, Rachel has designed anon-site day care program, flextime scheduling for mothers with youngchildren, and a benefit package that gives full health coverage topart-time employees. At a time when most companies are searchingfor ways to include more women in decision making, ICCR has womenin established leadership positions at all levels.Although Rachel has been extremely effective at ICCR, the success of thecompany has resulted in many changes that have affected Rachel's leadershipat the company.Rapid growth of ICCR has required that Rachel spend a great deal of timetraveling throughout the country. Because of her excessive travel, Rachelhas begun to feel distant from the day-to-day operations of ICCR. Shehas begun to feel as if sheis losing her handle on what makes the companytick. For example, although she used to give weekly pep talks tosupervisors, she finds that she now gives two formal presentations a year.Rachel also complains of feeling estranged from employees at the company.At a recent directors' meeting, she expressed frustration that peopleno longer called her by her first name, and others did not even know who she was.Growth at ICCR has also demanded that more planning and decision makingbe delegated to department heads. This has been problematic forRachel, particularly in the area of strategic planning. Rachel finds that thedepartment heads are beginning to shift the focus of ICCR in a directionthatcontradicts her ideal model of what the company should be andwhat it is best at doing. Rachel built the company on the idea that ICCRwould be a strong blend of credible science and cost-effective clinical trials,and she does not want to give up that model. The directors, on theother hand, would like to see ICCR become similar to a standard pharmaceuticalcompany dedicated primarily to the research and developmentof new drugs.

Questions

1. What is it about Rachel's leadership that clearly suggests that she isengaged in transformational leadership?

2. In what ways has the growth of ICCR had an impact on Rachel'sleadership?

3. Given the problems, Rachel is confronting as a result of the growth of the company, what would yourecommend her to do?