C91OC Organisational Culture – Coursework Assignment scenario ideas
Three (A-C) scenarios, and ten ideas (1-10)
Three scenarios. In each case consider how the CEO might find various psychological theories of
motivation useful. Single theories or combinations. They could be useful for (1) diagnosing the cause of
the problem, and/or (2) contributing to the framing of potential solutions.
Scenario A Edinburgh chips
The CEO has taken over the company following problems with the founder CEO at the HQ in Edinburgh.
The Edinburgh HQ is the creative hub of the organisation. There are distribution centers in Dubai and KL,
and the manufacturing plant is in Guangzhou. The old CEO never accepted the subsidiaries as part of the
organisation. Recent TV reports revealed substandard working conditions in the Guangzhou plant. This
damaged the company brand. In addition, there are tensions at head office, where many employees feel
let down by their company promoting morally questionable values. The founder CEO retired, and the
new CEO was appointed by the shareholders. The previous CEO did not approve of her appointment.
The company produces add-ons for gaming consoles of all types. Currently, main markets are in South
East and the Middle East.
Scenario B Dubai accessories
The founder CEO in Dubai is concerned that the subsidiaries in Malaysia, Glasgow and Kochi are “doing
their own thing”. The subsidiaries are all manufacturing units of different sizes. The largest is Glasgow.
The company designs and manufactures ranges of fashion clothing accessories “with an ethnic twist”.
She feels it’s essential for the culture of the head office to be replicated in all the subsidiaries because:
(a) the company culture and the product range are inseparable. The “ethnic twist” comes as much from
the way the subsidiaries interact with their retailers and customers, as from the physical products
themselves; and (b) homogenous culture means she has more control.
Scenario C Kuala Lumpur exotica
The CEO is the daughter of the founder who died last year. The head office is in Kuala Lumpur. The
company designs and manufactures bespoke wooden furniture. Craftsmanship and exotic wood are key
ingredients of a successful product, but even more important are the close relationships with customers
that enable the sales representatives to develop highly invidualised products that make clients feel
unique. The company caters for corporate clients and private buyers. Manufacturing plants are in Dubai
and Samarkand, as well Kuala Lumpur, with a significant distribution centre in Edinburgh. The CEO plans
to improve cash flow by moving one of the manufacturing plants into larger scale, less specialized
production of the more popular items in the range. This has caused a crisis within the workforce, both
manufacturing and sales, where there are cries of “betrayal”, and general disquiet about the direction
the company is taking.
C91OC Organisational Culture – Coursework Assignment scenario ideas
Scenario 1
The CEO has determined to align cultures because she wants the national subsidiaries to be the same as
the parent organisation. She feels that they are not representing the “mother-ship” authentically.
Scenario 2
The CEO has determined to align cultures because she wants the original organisation and the national
subsidiaries to develop better, more productive links. She feels that the various parts of the company
are not exploiting the diversity of experience and knowledge potentially afforded by multinational
context.
Scenario 3
The CEO is a founder of the company and feels very strongly that the original mission needs to be
reinforced across the whole company.
Scenario 4
The CEO is aware that the company is reaching the “Diffusion/Dispersal” stage of the company’s life
cycle and needs to revitalize the company with a new vision.
Scenario 5
The CEO has a new strategy in mind and wants to align the organisational culture(s) with this. She wants
enough alignment across cultures to support the strategy.
Scenario 6
The CEO acknowledges that the company needs a new strategy and hopes that the process of aligning
cultures across the company will provide a strong foundation from which to launch a new strategy.
Scenario 7
As a manufacturing company, the organising form is hierarchical/bureaucratic in each country. The
overall structure across borders is divisional. The CEO wants to prevent the drift of power from central
office to the subsidiary plants at a distance.
C91OC Organisational Culture – Coursework Assignment scenario ideas
Scenario 8
It is a manufacturing company that is evolving into an “Innovative” structure, where the creative work
goes on within the organisation, and the physical production is subcontracted out. Will the other sites
become subcontractors, or components of the creative hub?
Scenario 9
The company is in Schein’s “mature” phase, and there is a need to standardise RPPs, IT, recruitment and
other mechanisms of internal integration. Alignment will be part of this process.
Scenario 10
The company is going through a period of change, and the CEO is using the call for alignment as an
excuse/opportunity to clear away some power bases. This could involve broadening or narrowing the
stakeholder base, depending on her longer-term aims.