CASE STUDY: CREATIVE PEOPLE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

You and the rest of your MBA group members have decided to establish a people management consultancy firm, namely Creative People Management Solutions. The members of the group form the management team of the company, but you also operate as full$-$time consultants. Several part$-$time consultants are contracted in as needed. Although each consultant has an area of specialisation, you are all skilled in human resources management and general project management. As the founder members of the company, you have decided to assign consultants $($including yourselves$)$ to the incoming projects, based on your areas of expertise and the personal profile of each member, including personality preferences, interpersonal communication style, team roles and leadership behaviours. It is important to the team that all of you should enjoy your work, while adding maximum value.

You have decided to appoint one of the members of the management team as the managing director, and another member to be responsible for the marketing of your new company. Currently, five new projects from different clients need to be assigned to different consultants. You must therefore choose five consultants from your MBA group and assign each consultant to a different project.

Short descriptions of the different clients $($projects$)$ follow.

CLIENT A

Client A is a health services non$-$governmental organisation $($NGO$).$ The organisation received international funding for a specific project relating to HIV$/$AIDS orphans to build several safe houses for such children across the country, based on a national needs analysis. The NGO needs a consultant to train the different project leaders in project management. The training period is six months. Apart from the formal training, the project leaders also need continuous coaching, assistance and support. The consultant will thus be involved with the client on a full$-$time basis for six months and will have to travel extensively to provide assistance and individual coaching. The project leaders are based in four different provinces. The consultant must work within the current structures of the organisation.

CLIENT B

Client B is a relatively small privately owned mining company in Namibia. The client needs assistance with the maintenance division of this company. The CEO states that he has received several complaints from the operational manager about the poor service that the maintenance division delivers to in$-$house clients. There are constant machinery breakdowns, equipment repairs are slow and the division$$s costs are high. Possible reasons are poor management of the division, maintenance personnel$$s lack of skills, low morale of employees and$/$or poor quality equipment. Client B would like to buy in the services of a consultant who can analyse and diagnose the division$$s problems and assist in improving its effectiveness.

CLIENT C

Client C is a medium$-$sized computer company. The company started out two years ago with ten employees. Its client base and employee numbers have grown exceptionally fast. Currently, the company has $70$ full$-$time employees and $25$ contract workers. The average age of employees is $28$ years. The CEO is concerned that despite the incredible growth in clientele and employees, the company is not displaying financial growth. He suggests that one of the reasons may be the lack of sound human resource and$/$or management systems in the company. He requested a consultant who would be able to analyse the human resource and other management systems of the company and ensure that the required systems and controls be implemented.

CLIENT D

An events management company has requested the assistance of a consultant who can advise on and oversee the recruitment and selection of staff for arranging an important international music and arts festival. The project entails the creative design and building of the d$$cor$,$ lighting and sound, as well as the construction of a temporary stage for the festival. The consultant does not have to be an expert in entertainment field since their role is purely to ensure that the best people are selected for the project and to coordinate the human resources functions so that the project is completed successfully. An engineer will be responsible for the general management of the project and the consultant will work side by side with the engineer. The project must be completed within six weeks, which means long hours, a highly pressurised environment, and quick and innovative decision$-$making.

CLIENT E

Rand Banking International has requested a consultant that can assist in the development and facilitation of a personal and leadership development programme for their six senior managers. This will most probably include the establishment of a coaching and mentoring programme. The company is looking for a consultant for a period of two years.