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Introduction, Situation Analysis, Instructions, Technical Background

Case 19 Hosting a Visit From a Prospective "Customer"

Setting: Business School; Your Position: Dean


You are dean of a small, but growing, business school attached to one of the country's leading universities. One of your goals has been to increase the number of major organizations which recruit students at the school to work after graduation. The placement of graduates in good jobs is a key indicator of the success and reputation of the business school. This task has been neglected by your predecessors to the detriment of the school's ability to attract the very best students.

Many of the prospective employers wish to visit the school prior to interviewing students. You generally handle such visits personally, and they have proven to be quite productive and successful. Recruiters like to get a picture of the educational program as a background for their interviews. One prospective employer has asked for such a visit next week, but unfortunately, you will be out of the country. To coordinate the visit, one of your faculty must be designated to meet with the recruiter, showing that person your facilities, offering the chance to sit in on a class session to get a sense for the pedagogical environment, and taking him or her to lunch.

You feel confident that any one of several faculty members could easily handle the responsibilities of the visit if she or he were willing. They all have the necessary skill and expertise to explain the curriculum, and in fact, they have performed this role effectively in the past. Their interest in this assignment is, unfortunately, another matter. Most of the faculty view themselves as "creative scholars" and look with attitudes ranging from indifference to contempt at the necessary process of "wining and dining" prospective recruiters.

There is only one of your faculty who does not hold such an attitude, and that person has frequently expressed an interest in greater involvement in helping to market the school. You believe that the rest of your group shares your view that this individual is uniquely qualified for this assignment.

Your answer: Decide


Decision SignificanceHow important is the "quality" of the decision, i.e. to what extent does the decision have material, strategic impact on your clients or beneficiaries inside or outside of the organization. (click for details)   Group ExpertiseDoes the group collectively have the necessary knowledge to solve the problem and or make this decision? (click for details)
Importance of CommitmentTo what degree will the implementation of the decision require the support and cooperation of the group to be effective? (click for details)   Interaction ConstraintAre there time or geographic constraints which would prevent you from bringing the team together (physically or by telecom) to make the decision? (click for details)
Leader ExpertiseTo what extent do you, the leader, have the necessary knowledge to solve the problem or make this decision? (click for details)   Team Competence How competent is the group at working together as a team in solving problems or making decisions. The issue is not their factual or analytical technical knowledge, but rather their ability to work together synergistically. (click for details)
Likelihood of Commitment How likely is it that the group would accept your decision as the best course of action even though not included in the decision making process itself. (click for details)   Time/Dvpt PreferenceChoose the importance of time and development individually or use the values specified by either the Time or Development Driven model.(click for details)
Goal AlignmentTo what degree are the members of the group committed to the achievement of the oganization goals which are at stake in this decision? (click for details)      Value of TimeThe value of time varies with the number and intensity of other activities confronting you and your group. Considering your current workload, rate the value of time. (click for details)
Likelihood of DisagreementHow controversial is this decision likely to be among the members of the group? (click for details)      Value of DevelopmentHow important is it to you to develop the capabilities of your group or team, i.e. increasing their knowledge, their commitment to the organization, and their effectiveness in working together? (click for details)
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