Case Study Report—Difficult Transitions

Case Study Report Difficult Transitions
Writing a Case Study Report
Direction: Analyze the following case and write a report by following the discussed pattern in the course. It is expected to be submitted on Dec 29. Remember to include a cover page to show your name, class and student number.
Difficult Transitions
Tony Stark had just finished his first week at Reece Enterprises and decided to drive upstate to a small lakefront lodge for some fishing and relaxation. Tony had worked for the previous ten years for the AAA Company, but AAA had been through some hard times lately and had recently shut down several of its operating groups, including Tony’s, to cut costs. Fortunately, Tony’s experience and recommendations had made finding another position fairly easy. As he drove the interstate, he reflected on the past ten years and the apparent situation at Reece.
At AAA, things had been great. Tony had been part of the team from day one. The job had met his personal goals and expectations perfectly, and Tony believed he had grown greatly as a person. His work was appreciated and recognized; he had received three promotions and many more pay increases.
Tony had also liked the company itself. The firm was decentralized, allowing its managers considerable autonomy and freedom. The corporate Culture was easygoing. Communication was open. It seemed that everyone knew what was going on at all times, and if you didn’t know about something, it was easy to find out.
The people had been another plus. Tony and three other managers went to lunch often and played golf every Saturday. They got along well both personally and professionally and truly worked together as a team. Their boss had been very
supportive, giving them the help they needed but also staying out of the way and letting them work.
When word about the shutdown came down, Tony was devastated. He was sure that nothing could replace AAA. After the final closing was announced, he spent only a few weeks looking around before he found a comparable position at Reece Enterprises.
As Tony drove, he reflected that "comparable" probably was the wrong word. Indeed, Reece and AAA were about as different as you could get. Top managers at Reece apparently didn’t worry too much about who did a good job and who didn’t. They seemed to promote and reward people based on how long they had been there and how well they played the never-ending political games.
Maybe this stemmed from the organization itself, Tony pondered. Reece was a bigger organization than AAA and was structured much more bureaucratically. It seemed that no one was allowed to make any sort of decision without getting three signatures from higher up. Those signatures, though, were hard to get. All the top managers usually were too busy to see anyone, and interoffice memos apparently had very low priority.
Tony also had had some problems fitting in. His peers treated him with polite indifference. He sensed that a couple of them resented that he, an outsider, had been brought right in at their level after they had had to work themselves up the ladder. On Tuesday he had asked two colleagues about playing golf. They had politely declined, saying that they did not play often. But later in the week, he had overheard them making arrangements to play that very Saturday.
It was at that point that Tony had decided to go fishing. As he steered his car off the interstate to get gas, he wondered if perhaps he had made a mistake in accepting the Reece offer without finding out more about what he was getting into.
I. Statement of the Problem
A.Definition: Tony Stark may have to hunt for a new job if he can’t adapt to the
current working environment or take any efficient actions to change it.
B.Analysis: Tony felt very puzzled and depressed because he found the new
working environment was very different from the previous one and he had some problems fitting in. Reece was a bigger organization than AAA and was structured much more bureaucratically. It was difficult to be allowed to make any sort of decision. Besides, his peers treated him with polite indifference and he had difficulty getting along well with them. So he couldn’t be part of the team. In addition, t op managers at Reece apparently didn’t worry too much about wh o did a good job and who didn’t and there were never-ending political games. In a word, the new job didn’t meet Tony’s personal goals and expectations.
II. Suggestion of Possible Solutions
A.Tony could go back to his previous company and join another operation group.
B.Tony could leave the new company and find another job.
C.Tony could try his best to adapt to the new working environment.
D.Tony could stay and take some active actions to make the working environment
positive and efficient.
III. Evaluation of Possible Solutions
A.Tony could go back to his previous company and join another operation group.
1)Advantages: The job in his previous company meets his personal goals and
expectations perfectly. And his work would be appreciated and recognized.
So he could grow greatly as a person.
2)Disadvantages: It is difficult to join another operating group in his former
company. Because there are no vacancies. So this solution is almost
impossible.
B.Tony could leave the new company and find another job.
1)Advantages: Tony’s experience and recommendations would make finding
another position fairly easy. And there would be no more depression for
him. What’s more, a new job with a good working environment could bring
her more space to grown up. Hence, by move on to a new company, Tony
maybe could get a suitable job and have a better career.
2)Disadvantages: Tony would lose the current job and i t’s not easy to find a
good job with better working environment in a short time. Maybe he would
meet the same situation or other problems.
C.Tony could try his best to adapt to the new working environment.
1)Advantages: This would be the simplest way to solve the existing problems.
In this way, Tony has no choice but to do his utmost to adapt to the new
working environment and share the same rulers with other colleagues.
2)Disadvantages: Tony has to work in the working environment which is
bureaucratic. And this may ruin his career future, because it goes against
his long-term career development. What’s more, Tony doesn’t like this
lifestyle in her mind and would be depressed all the way.
D.Tony could stay and take some active actions to make the working environment
positive and efficient.
1)Advantages: Tony could explore his interpersonal relationship with the
staff and the leader, encourage open communication between staff and
management. And he could encourage people to work together as a team by
his own effort. Besides, Tony could try his best to persuade the leaders to
change the current situation and make the firm decentralized. Thus, he
could influence all the company and make the corporate culture easygoing
step by step. It would improve efficiency and create a more relaxed and
friendly working environment. And there would be no depression for him.
Only in this way would the problem be solved completely.
2)Disadvantages: It would be very hard to change the corporate culture and
organization in such a big company. He may meet many difficulties in the
process. Besides, top managers and his colleagues may not be supportive in
cooperating with him. So it would be difficulty to achieve his goal and he
may put a lot more efforts into this. It is a big challenge for him. And if he
failed, he may lose his new job, which is a big blow for him.
IV. Selection of a Solution
A.Choice: (D) Tony could stay and take some active actions to make the working
environment positive and efficient.
B.Justification: This is a good chance for Tony to practice management skills. He
has to work at improving communication channels and avoid any personality clash. In addition, Tony could persuade the top managers to support him in changing the corporate culture and organization. Not only it is a big opportunity for him, but also it would provide him with great personal development opportunity. If he could solve them perfectly, it will be a good fortune and achievement for him. He could enhance his capacity of turning a disadvantageous environment to an advantageous one by this chance and thus he can stand firmly in the company. And the experience he earned from this opportunity is the precious capital for his further career. Besides, it would also add value to the company. Even if he failed, he still has the time and energy to choose again. In a word, only in this way would the problem be solved once and forever.。