Case Study Ventel Microchip Company

Ventel is a mobile phone microchip manufacturing company with few competitors but high demand for their products. For years, the company has become a known name in the microchip business. The Head of Human Resources (HR), Miss Marie Antoinette Addo, is very protective of her employees. This is reflected in her effort to prevent downsizing and make the work environment pleasant. She socialises with the employees, is supportive and maintains an extensive network of personal friendship with employees. Marie is liked by the employees for her willingness to try new things. She was imaginative, curious and open-minded.

The performance of the organisation is not encouraging at all. Work is structured around departments. The Head of Production Department, George Awmaadak, is noted for his values based on hard work, diligence and commitment. He has however, complained bitterly about the current production method which has been imposed on his team without any training. Though this new method, which was introduced through Maries in-depth knowledge of the tasks and techniques at Ventel, was simpler and allowed for interaction among staff. Some of the staff, however, took advantage through the informal groups and did their private work. One staff, Maame Kwamah, has had five verbal warnings on lateness and absenteeism. She is noted for hiding in other offices when she is supposed to be at the plant working. She was scarcely aware of what was going on in the organisation and did not care to participate in any thing. She got away with this most of the time because Derrick, Bernard and Oluchuku covered for her and did her work. The team work between Derrick, Bernard and Oluchuku was such that, both could easily handle the work at the whole department. These three people, Derrick, Bernard and Oluchuku, have always demonstrated an all-consuming motivation to make Maries ideas work at all costs.

The Production Department has recently been hit by constant returns of products by customers. George was disturbed when he received a letter from the National Communication Authority through the HR, cautioning the organisation about the number of complaints from customers on the wrong specification and poor quality as well as wrong packaging and labelling of products. The head of production department seems no longer sure of what to do. At a meeting at the production department, members concluded that the Research and Development were incompetent in picking up the current trends in the market and this has resulted in the returning of chips. George has openly criticised the Head of Research and Development Department, Kofi Baffour, for not understanding the demands of the market. This has resulted in a strain in the otherwise beautiful friendship that they shared. Several meetings have been held to put on the table the exact specifications of chip currently in demand.

At the packing department headed by Vivian Elizabeth Atta, compliance to health and safety measure were not being adhered to. The staff in this department had the zeal for the work but always wanted to use short-cut measures to get around health and safety measures. Performance appraisal meetings indicated that the department had not been trained on the right procedures and were relying on knowledge and procedures from previous work experiences. Jasmine, one of the staff, at one point shouted at Vivian Elizabeth Atta and demanded to know how an untrained person was expected to achieve ridiculous targets. The longest serving employee in the production department, Derrick Osei, was of the view that Vivian had it all wrong in her analysis of their performance as the head of HR had a good relationship with all employees and would have told them if they were not performing satisfactorily.

Previous years saw Vivians department always meeting targets. She was bent on maintain these standards at all cost and demanded better performance from the packers. Vivian did not mix words when she put it to the members at a meeting: I do not mind dropping you like a hot pawpaw and replacing you with new set of people, if you do not meet targets. This made Christopher, Alfred and Eliah, who were introverts to shiver and wonder if this statement was intended for them. The extroverts like Kutin Agyemang and Jasmine had always undermined Vivian because they felt she was not fit to be a leader. They regarded her statement as empty treats from a toothless bull dog.

The Head of HR knowing how peoples experiences are like and their feeling and anger boiling, and what this could generate into, organised a two days Management retreat at Royal Senchi Resort for management to look into issues affecting Ventel. At the retreat, Marie presented a detailed report on the performance of the organisation. She identified patterns and connections between related situations and critically analysed the effect of each on organisational productivity. A new inspiring vision was set together with the managers. After Maries presentation, Kofi Baffour recommended her for the new ideas and insights shared which has motivated everyone to achieve. George recommended her for the determined spirit in spite of the difficulties and hurdles involves.

Questions:

1. Identify and explain any five cognitive factors of Marie, quoting to support your case. 5 marks

2. What leadership motive can you identify with the following characters? Quote to support your points.
   1. Marie Antoinette Addo 3 marks
   2. George Awmaadak 3 marks
   3. Vivian Elizabeth Atta 3 marks

3. Using the Michigan Leadership style, what style did the following leaders use? Quote to support your points.

1. Marie Antoinette Addo 2 marks
2. George Awmaadak 2 marks
3. Vivian Elizabeth Atta 2 marks

d. Identify any two stakeholders in the case and explain their general interest in an organisation. 4 marks

4. From the Harvard Business Schools study on followers, what type of followers are the following employees? Quote to support.

1. Maame Kwamah (3 marks)

2. Derrick, Bernard and Oluchuku. (3 marks)

3. Kuttin Agyemang and Jasmine. (3 marks)