Case-based questions Application 3 Group Assessment worth 10%. Instructions:

The rise and fall of Barry Biswell for a long time, Barry B. (Bazzaz) Biswell was one of the best-known CEOs in Australia, if not the whole world. Brought in as Human-Designs (HD) CEO in 2009, Bazzaz was instantly recognisable for his charisma, visibility and aggressiveness. Bazzaz was featured on front pages across the country and was a frequent guest on morning media panels across Australia and New Zealand. He was even mentioned as a possible cabinet member for both Federal and State Government. Widely praised as a change agent and a visionary leader at Anatomical Technologies (an innovative and agile medical research company) which he led before joining HD Biswell had a way of generating enthusiasm and excitement in his staff. Some called him a rock star CEO. However, under Biswells leadership, HD struggled as the worlds second-largest medical Instrument company. Although revenue climbed steadily under his leadership, profits did not. Nor did the stock price an investor who bought HD stock the day Bazzaz was hired would have paid around $25AUD for each share. Only 10 years later in mid-2019, that same share certificate was worth only $11.55AUD. In 2015, he pushed for and won a bid to acquire Anterior Designs (a body mapping company specialising in deep cell imaging). However, this went against the express wishes of the board and the two founding directors. The resulting outcome, just two years later, was a major disaster for him and the firm. The acquisition cost HD $3.5 billion, but in 2017, HD was forced to sell off Anterior Designs, and while they did gain some crucial 3-D mapping technology which boosted their own sales, they eventually sold the company for just less than $1 billion. This loss placed a big strain on the company, and they were forced to fire 25% of their workforce. As a result of these struggles, the HD board tried to find a way to limit Biswells powers and give more authority to other executives. A month before his final dismissal, Bazzaz was told point-blank by three board members that he had to change his leadership style and be more receptive to the companys internal operations, its staff and to be more aligned to long-term goals and financial sustainability of the company. He adamantly refused. A month later, when informed of the boards decision to fire him. Biswell was stunned. After his firing, there was no shortage of experts to point out his failings. Some felt that Biswell spent too much time on the road talking to groups, motivating staff and engaging with customers and suppliers, and not enough time inside the company, consolidating operations, refining the strategy and focussing on bottom-line issues. Others felt he overpromised results and was overly-positive and lacking realism. One HD executive stated, there were people inside HD who loved Bazzaz because of his ability to envision a strategic dream that inspired people to move forward and work harder. However, then there were the people who thought that he was drawn to all the pomp and circumstance, that he was stuck in big picture mode and failed to see the finer details, and the cracks that were beginning to undermine his over-arching enthusiasm. Another HD observer claimed after Bazzaz was ousted, The talk on the grapevine is that nobody really liked Bazzazs leadership all that much. Others argued that HD employees never accepted Biswells attempts to change HD culture, or his high-profile ways. (He placed his portrait in HD headquarters next to the HD founders, and he frequently rubbed elbows with rock stars from bands such as U2, Cold Chisel and Savage Garden.)

Week B QUESTIONS

1. Some have argued that Biswell failed because his personality was too big and that he became more focused on himself than on the nuts-and-bolts of business.

a. Can a persons personality be too strong?

b. How is this the case?

2. Biswell had to complete a two-hour, 900-question personality test as part of the process to select him as CEO.

a. Does this suggest that personality testing has little value?

b. What are the advantages and disadvantages of personality testing?

3. Use the Myers-Briggs Model of personality dimensions to characterise Biswell. Complete the chart below by placing an X in each scale and explain your reasoning with theory and case justification:

Extroverted vs. Introverted:

Sensing vs. Intuitive:

Thinking vs. Feeling:

Judging vs. Perceiving:

4. Using the framework for the six differences in happiness between East & West (see below),

characterise Biswells management approach and discuss ways you might shift his style one

way or the other.

East: self-transcendence, eudaemonism, harmony, contentment, valuing suffering, spiritual foundation

West: self-enhancement, hedonism, mastery, satisfaction, avoiding suffering, relative disconnect from spiritualism