Case Study

Emefa Jewellery dealers in gold ornaments have been in existence for the past 15 years. They have been making profits which has enabled them to stay afloat in this hard economy. Due to clear goals and positive instrumental values of the company, staff have a high identification with the company. In the ornaments making business, there are always new technologies being produced with the aim of making life easier, effective and ornaments unique to the purchaser. In the past quarter, there have been occurrences of thievery and management has accused staff of this wrongdoing. Management has decided to take a percentage off the salary of staff in order to accommodate for the losses incurred during the thievery. This led to a conflict between management and staff. The staff resorted to sit down strike to protest the decision by management. Staff have also complained about the inconsiderate nature in which management go about forming teams and groups to work on marketing and sales of the jewellery being made without a consideration of the right process.

a). What is organizational commitment? 

b). Explain 4 challenges that Emefa Jewellery will have to overcome as a company. 

c). Suggest two (2) ways in which management can resolve the conflict between it and employees with examples.

d). Discuss the appropriate stages of group formation that Emefa Jewellery will have to consider in the future.

Case Study of a Soap Factory

The story is set in a factory manufacturing cleansing products like soap bars. This factory is part of a large company where the headquarters are in a geographically and culturally faraway place. A majority of the 500-workforce works on the factory floor.

The workers in the factory have a practice of bringing back the products that they have produced for their own use. To them, it is perfectly normal because everybody does it. There is no malice or ill intent behind the action, and they don’t perceive their action as illegal.

Recently, the headquarter (HQ) management has decided to implement an ERP system in the factory to improve the efficiency of the processes, in addition to enhancing governance and accountability. The headquarter management has long been aware of the issue where workers brought back products for their own use. With the ERP system, the shortfall in the stock produced will easily come to light. The management realised that the local team in the factory may therefore resist the implementation of the ERP system as it would mean that they could no longer had the liberty to consume those stocks.

Therefore, the management wanted to have a plan to address this possible resistance before the ERP system was implemented. However, they were also aware of the cultural sensitivities around the issue.

Exercise:

1. What would you do if you were in the shoes of the headquarter management?
2.  
3. Introducing the MARS Model to solve the problem