An Analysis Of A Case Study Titled: Ricks New Job (Case Study Sample)

Case Analysis: Rick's New Job
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Reinforcement Theory
Rick was more motivated to work with the Peterson Paper Product organization, expand his knowledge acquired at school and do his best for the organization. After getting the job as the permanent sales manager, he was full of expectations on how he can implement various strategies which could positively improve sales. But being a freshman in the organization, the other organization’s managers including Diane, Rosie and Mr. Ball did not get well with him, since they saw him as a threat to them within the organization. The management did not appreciate the need for change, and this can be classified as their culture. Blame was set on Rick, through his actions of bringing in the centralized computer system for the sales department. The fear of the unknown, pushed the other managers planned to have Rick let go, since they feared the outsider, as they considered him, is moving on a higher notch than they have been doing in their departments, hence threatening their existence.
The reinforcement theory urges that an individual’s behavior can be changed by using reinforcement, punishment, and extinction (Premack, 1965). In this case, extinction was used to ensure the behavior of Rick which was seen as a threat to their existence was tamed. Rosie, Diane Able, and Mr. Ball gave warning to Rick whenever he tried to push for an idea which could benefit the growth of the organization. These warning can be explained through the reinforcement theory where they were used to prevent Rick from performing his duties.
Resistance to change
Implementing change in an organization is paramount since it helps in creating a competitive edge through efficient delivery of services. But on the contrary, one of the main challenges faced in implementing change is the resistance to change by various stakeholders (Watson, 1971). In the case study, Rick as the sales manager saw the need to implement change through the introduction of the centralized computer system. Rick shared the idea with Mr. Ball, but Walter brought a view that the system may be faced with security issues. The concerns raised by Walter were invalid because security issues can be addressed and handled well and therefore this can be translated to resistance to the proposed change. On the case of Rosie, she warned Rick at several times to work with moderation by reminding him that he is an outsider, hence she feared that Rick could overrule by taking her position of job evaluation in the sales department.
The two had the feeling that the freshman from the university may be proving how outdated they are by showcasing his talent on the technology hence the resistance to the change process.
To address the issue, Rick should have adhered to the advice of Rosie and Walter of slowing down. He should have waited to stay longer in the organization, have a close relationship with the other managers, and then continue discussing the issues affecting the management over time and through this, he would slowly convince them to adopt the latest technology measures.
Social Learning Theory
Social Learning theory explains the view that people are capable of learning various individuals’ traits by just observing them (Rotter, 1982). This theory urges that it is possible for people to learn new values, behaviors, and attitudes from other people. On this case, Rick was the odd one out within the organization. This is because the entire management of the company consisted of family members as well as old friends. Rick did not fit well because, as a new member, he should have taken time to study the current organizational culture and adapt to it instead of applying his concepts in performing his duties. From the case analysis, it is evident that the family members were not willing to accept anyone outside the family or the friend's circle be part of them and therefore, Rick should have understood this concept, work under them, and study them effectively to fit perfectly into the structure.
The breakdown occurred in the case where Rick failed to focus on how to align to the family effectively, but instead, he started focusing on how to improve service delivery within the organization. Considering the social learning theory, Ric...