1 Identify one or more symptoms that something has gone wrong here. 2. Analyze the causes of these symptom(s) using one or more communication concepts from this chapter. 3. What do you recommend that Sophia do at this time regarding her interaction with Thomas and the Winnipeg team? Assume that Sophia cannot back out of her assignment to the Winnipeg project. 4. What should Alicamber Ltd. do to minimize these problems in the long run?

Please give all 4 questions answers.

by Steven L. MeShane, University of Newcastle (Australia) Sophia Reddy is an accountant in her late 20 s who works in the downtomn Toronto office of Alisamber Ltd., a well known accounting firm with two dozen offices across Canada. A few days ago, a senior manager in the Toronto office asked ber to participate next month in a special project located in Alizamber's main Winnipeg office. The project includes accounting valuation analysis of an insurance firm, nnd Sophia's specialized knowledge of muditing inssurance firms is apparently important for the project tean's skill set. She will spend two weeks in Winnipeg morking on site with that team. For two weeks before her visit, as the project gets under wayl, she will work remotely from Toronto with Thomas Kerbakker, the project leader, and his team members in Winnipeg. Saphia initially looked forwand to her imolvement in the Winnipeg project. The brief secondment applies her specialized knowledge. she will meet and learn from colleagues in another city. and working in Winnipeg will be an interesting change from Toronto. Two dinys after being advised of the assignment by the senior manager in the Toronto office, Sophia had not received nuy text message from Thomns, so she tonk the initiative to message him first. Reakty: Sophia expected Thomas to reply the same day. preferably within an hour or two after her messape was sent. Coworkers in her Toronto office typically texted back within that time frame. But no reply was received ly the end of that doy: When Sophia checked the next morning. Thomas still hadn't replied. So, she sent the text message a second time. Thomas still bad not tested bocs to her by the end of that day. Thomas's silence was beginning to irritate and nony Sophia. [ither her specialized knowledge for the project wasn't valued, or the project had been delaged. which would throw off her schedule working on other projects with Toronto clients. On the third morning, with no communication from Thomsas, Sophia checked in with the manager who had assiened leer to the Winnipeg project. To her surprise, the manager explained that althought Thomas has a compang-provided smartphone (whose mumber Sophia had used for the messages she senti, he is one of those near retirement managers who apparently doesu't do text messuges. Staff' in the Winnipeg office are aware of this, so they typically speak to him in person or over the phone. The mannger ncknowledged that sorting out schedules is important, but also mentioned that the project wouldn't begin for another month. Armed with this information, Sophia retarned to her office to finally make contact with Thomas. She picked up her phone, looked at it for a moment, then slowly set it down again. Sophia visualized an awsward conversation. She had never met Thomas, he is plviously much older than her, and his reluctance or inability to send text messiges was a sure sign that the rwo have considerably divergent ways of thinking. In fact, Sophia mondered whether the entire Winnipeg office does things differently than her collengues in Toronto. Sophia calls clients when required, but even these eonversations are setting rarer in favour of text messiges, emails, and on-site visits. As with mary people her age, Soplua uses her plsone to do almost everything, exceps make phone calls! As a converomise, Sophia decided to send Thomas an email. It was a variation of her earlier text message, but with much more formality as well as a sabject line, greeting, salutation, and company signature lines. Saphia even changed "Thomas" to "Mr. Kerbakker" in the greeting. She surmised that Thomas mould prefer this status laden introduction, given his age and phobia with text messages. Sophis felt odd writing so formal an email to a co-worker of manager, but Thonas Kerbakker seemed to be the type who would expect this appronch. As a compromise, Sophia decided to send Thomas an email. It was a variation of her earlier text message, hut with much more formality as well as a sabyect line, greeting, salutation, and company signature linex. Sophia even changed "Thomas" to "Mr. Kerbakker" in the greeting. She surmised that Thomas mould prefer this status laden introduction. given his age and phobin with text messages. Sophin felt odd writing so formal an email to a co-worker of culanager, but Thomas Kerbakes seemed to be the type who would expect this approach. A few hours later, Sophia received an email reply from TQryas. It consisted of terse comments to each sentence that she had written in her earlier email: I Hello Mr, Kerbakker: II am exsited to join the [insuranee soenpony] projest team I in Wintipes. good IIt will be an exellent oppoctunity to med the Winaipes I group and learn from eleh other- y it will | Hease send the delails of the team members and your I proposed project seheduling. Ang background information I you and send this week would be helpful. noted Thoms 1 pase 253 Sophia felt bewildered and dejected as she stared at Thomns's reply. Was he angry with her for some unknown reason? He seemed too busy to welcome her and certainly didn't seem to care whether she was involved in the project. "He didn't cren take the trouble to capitaliee his wordst" Sophia guipped under her breath. Al50. Thomas's reply didn't give her confidence that the information she needed wo.ld be forthcoming very soon. Sophia increasingly regretted being assigned to this project. "This Winnipeg assignment isn't going to be a5 erjoyable as I thought. "Soghia inumbled to herself. I It will be an exsellent oppoctunity to meet the Winniper I group and learn from eleh other- Jes it will | Hease send tae delails of the team members and your | jpropered project scheduling. Ang bakeround information I jou san send titis week woukd be helpful. noted Thomas Sophis felt bewildered and dejecred as she stared at Thomes's reply, Was he anery with her for some unknown reason? He seensed too basy to welcome her and certainly didn't seem to sare whether she was invoived in the project. "He didn't even take the trouble to capitalize his words!" Sophia quipped under her breath. Also, Ihomas's reply didn't give het confidence that the information she needed wox.ld be for theonning very soon. Sophia incressingly regretted being assigned to this project. "This Winnipeg assigntment isn't going to be as enjoyable ss I thought. "Soghia iumbled to herself. Discussion Question5 1. Identify one or more symptoms that something his gone wrong here. 2. Analyze the causes of these symptom(s) using one or more comnunication concepts from this chapter. 3. What do you recommend that Sophia do at this time regarding her interaction with Thomas and the Winnipes team? Assume that Sophia cannot back out of her assignment to the Winnipes project. 4. What should Alicamber Ltd. do to minimize these probiems in the long run