Practice of Management
The Regional Administration Office of a company was hastily set up. Victor D’Cuhna a young executive was directly recruited to take charge of Data Processing Cell of this office. The data processing was to help the administrative office in planning and monitoring. The officer cadre of the administrative office was a mix of directly recruited officers and promotee officers (promotion from within the organization). Females dominated the junior clerical cadre. This cadre was not formally trained. The administrative office had decided to give these fresh recruits on-the-job training because when results were not upto the expectations blame was brought on the Data Processing Cell. Victor D’Cuhna realized that the administrative office was heading for trouble. He knew that his task would not be easy and that he had been selected because of his experience, background and abilities. He also realized that certain functional aspects of the administrative office were not clearly understood by various functionaries, and systems and procedures were blindly and randomly followed. Feedback was random, scanty and controversial, and Data Processing Cell had to verify every item of feedback. Delays were inevitable. D’Cuhna sought the permission of senior management to conduct a seminar on communication and feedback of which he was an expert. The permission was grudgingly given by the senior management. Everyone appreciated the seminar. Following the first seminar, D’Cuhna conducted a one week training course for the clerical cadre, especially for the junior, freshly recruited clerks. Amongst other topics, D’Cuhna laid emphasis on filing system, information tracking, communication, and feedback. This helped reorient attitudes to some extent. But the female clerks preferred to ignore the theme and widely circulated the belief that D’Cuhna was an upstart and a show off. Within a short time, considerable friction had been generated in the administrative office While directly recruited officers supported D’Cuhna’s initiative and the specialist officers admired him, senior management became cautious and uncomfortable. The junior promotee officers were prejudiced against him. The grand finale followed swiftly. D’Cuhna happened to get annoyed with a female clerk. During the absence of her officer, who was on sick leave and had not been substituted by another officer, she began submitting nil returns. D’Cuhna took pains to explain to her that for certain topics a nil feedback was not tenable. The current status had to be reported— the stage at which the matter was pending, what had been done, and what would be done about it? The lady reported that it was none of his business to tell her this. He should talk to her officer when the officer reports back from leave. D’Cuhna said he would, but in the meanwhile she should present the correct picture. When D’Cuhna called for the files, she refused to part with them. D’Cuhna fired her and reported the situation to the Chief Regional Manager. The other ladies were up in the arms against D’Cuhna. The lady also complained to higher management that D’Cuhna had made passes at her. Other ladies supported her complaint. She also complained that D’Cuhna had no business to scold her. D’Cuhna countered that had there been a male clerk in her place he would have scolded him too. When females enjoyed equal rights with males, D’Cuhna felt he must remain impartial. Nevertheless, D’Cuhna was transferred to another place. The transfer to another place, rather than to another department in same place, was particularly humiliating to him. A shocked and disillusioned D’Cuhna quit the enterprise.
Questions:
1. Diagnose the problem and enumerate the reasons for the failure of D’Cuhna.
2. What could D’Cuhna have done to avoid the situation in which he found himself?
The Regional Administration Office of a company was hastily set up. Victor D’Cuhna a young executive was directly recruited to take charge of Data Processing Cell of this office. The data processing was to help the administrative office in planning and monitoring. The officer cadre of the administrative office was a mix of directly recruited officers and promotee officers (promotion from within the organization). Females dominated the junior clerical cadre. This cadre was not formally trained. The administrative office had decided to give these fresh recruits on-the-job training because when results were not upto the expectations blame was brought on the Data Processing Cell. Victor D’Cuhna realized that the administrative office was heading for trouble. He knew that his task would not be easy and that he had been selected because of his experience, background and abilities. He also realized that certain functional aspects of the administrative office were not clearly understood by various functionaries, and systems and procedures were blindly and randomly followed. Feedback was random, scanty and controversial, and Data Processing Cell had to verify every item of feedback. Delays were inevitable. D’Cuhna sought the permission of senior management to conduct a seminar on communication and feedback of which he was an expert. The permission was grudgingly given by the senior management. Everyone appreciated the seminar. Following the first seminar, D’Cuhna conducted a one week training course for the clerical cadre, especially for the junior, freshly recruited clerks. Amongst other topics, D’Cuhna laid emphasis on filing system, information tracking, communication, and feedback. This helped reorient attitudes to some extent. But the female clerks preferred to ignore the theme and widely circulated the belief that D’Cuhna was an upstart and a show off. Within a short time, considerable friction had been generated in the administrative office While directly recruited officers supported D’Cuhna’s initiative and the specialist officers admired him, senior management became cautious and uncomfortable. The junior promotee officers were prejudiced against him. The grand finale followed swiftly. D’Cuhna happened to get annoyed with a female clerk. During the absence of her officer, who was on sick leave and had not been substituted by another officer, she began submitting nil returns. D’Cuhna took pains to explain to her that for certain topics a nil feedback was not tenable. The current status had to be reported— the stage at which the matter was pending, what had been done, and what would be done about it? The lady reported that it was none of his business to tell her this. He should talk to her officer when the officer reports back from leave. D’Cuhna said he would, but in the meanwhile she should present the correct picture. When D’Cuhna called for the files, she refused to part with them. D’Cuhna fired her and reported the situation to the Chief Regional Manager. The other ladies were up in the arms against D’Cuhna. The lady also complained to higher management that D’Cuhna had made passes at her. Other ladies supported her complaint. She also complained that D’Cuhna had no business to scold her. D’Cuhna countered that had there been a male clerk in her place he would have scolded him too. When females enjoyed equal rights with males, D’Cuhna felt he must remain impartial. Nevertheless, D’Cuhna was transferred to another place. The transfer to another place, rather than to another department in same place, was particularly humiliating to him. A shocked and disillusioned D’Cuhna quit the enterprise.
Questions:
1. Diagnose the problem and enumerate the reasons for the failure of D’Cuhna.
2. What could D’Cuhna have done to avoid the situation in which he found himself?