Please read the case study below and answer the 6 questions at the end

C & D F OOD S, IN C. Leadership: Who Is Best for the Job?

C & D Foods is a stable, old-line, family-owned food broker located in Birmingham, Alabama. The firm was started in 1948 by Marty Wilson and later managed by his sons, Steve, William, and John Wilson. C & D carries some top food brands, most of which are found in the frozen-food cases in supermarkets and in neighborhood grocery stores. Almost 200 salespeople sell to retail and wholesale accounts in Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle. Some brands C & D sells are Pillsbury Frozen Food Products, Green Giant, Mrs. Paul's, Ore-lda, Weight Watchers, Totino's and Gino's Pizzas, Minute Maid, and Hot Pockets. Sales have grown steadily over the years, and the sales forecast predicts continued yearly increases of approximately 12 percent.

Tom Pirkle has been with C & D foods for almost seven years and has been in the top 10 percent of sales producers over the past three years. He started with the company directly out of college and has earned the reputation of being easy to work with and professorial in every way. Not only has Tom been a top salesperson at C & D, but also he has become a leader in the Birmingham business community. He had applied for an area sales manager's position with C & D that would soon be opening in Birmingham because of an upcoming retirement. In the past few months, however, Tom had become uneasy about his chances for promotion and had talked with his retiring area sales manager, Bob O'Brien. He had thought about talking with the general sales manager, Don Hendon, but had not yet gotten around to it. O'Brien told him he was truly appreciated and respected by the company and would be given "full consideration" for the upcoming vacancy. But the area sales manager was not very encouraging about Tom's chances of getting the position. Tom knew Bob O'Brien well enough to know that he was not being up front with him and that something else was probably going on privately.

In 1987 an inside salesperson, Mary James, filed a discrimination suit against C & D Foods. She made the allegation that her employer had not promoted her to an outside sales position, which involved significantly more pay, because she was a woman. The company quietly resolved the dispute, and Mary was given a territory in the Birmingham metro area. Within two years Mary James had become a top producer in the company. The com- pany was so pleased with her success that it apparently began to show preference for female applicants. Eight female salespeople now work at C & D. Eight of the past ten persons hired have been women. The two new male salespeople were both African American. Mary James was promoted in 1992 to area sales manager in Columbus, Georgia.

This is the background for Tom's current concerns. He wants to become the next area sales manager in Birmingham when his friend retires, but he has heard through the grapevine that Barbara Howard, who has been with the company only three years, will probably get the job. It is true she is a good salesperson, but not in the same league with Tom Pirkle in sales volume or leadership qualities.

Tom talked with his friend George Montgomery, a management professor at the university, about his predicament. George explained that owners Steve, William, and John Wilson were probably so frightened by the 1987 lawsuit that they may have decided to push the affirmative action and equal opportunity programs beyond their intent. It is possible that Tom is now in a "reverse discrimination" situation. However, his chances in litigation would be about zero, according to Dr. Montgomery. He did agree it was an unfortunate turn of events for Tom, who had never been a part of any discrimination or sexist activity. George's parting words to Tom were "You just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Tom thought to himself as he walked to his car, "I studied hard in school and took my marketing classes seriously. Since then I have tried to be the best salesman that I could possibly be, and I have worked so hard in my territory and in the community. This window of opportunity will soon pass, and my chances of promotion will disappear. What can I tell my friends and my family? Where do I go from here?"

Questions

Each question is worth 5 marks

1.From the facts available in the case, who would make the best area sales manager Pirkle or Barbara Howard?

2.Is Tom Pirkle being objective in this matter?

3.Was Professor George Montgomery's thinking objective?

4.Should performance be measured by other standards? Explain your answers with examples.

5.What else can Tom Pirkle do to get more facts or to resolve his present situation?

6.What risks does the company take if it promotes Barbara Howard over Tom Prickle?

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Please state what's the real issue i cant see any, so i can update the question thanks