XAT 2014 — Decision Making Question 20
Read the following case-let and choose the best alternative for the questions that follow.
Ajay was thinking deeply about a problem that his organization, a business consulting company, faced. Globalization had affected his company like many other companies. Despite the downturn, the current revenues remained healthy. However, Ajay knew it was inevitable that the company could not do business the same way. The complexity of managing the business had increased with time. Consultants were under pressure to deliver good and innovative solutions. The organization had consultants from different age groups having a good mix of domain and industry expertise. It was a flat organization with three levels. The biggest challenge for Ajay was to have consultants with latest knowledge who would also earn revenues. Getting additional business was a challenge as all the consultants were busy and it was very difficult to hire new consultants.
After Ajay implemented some of the steps mentioned above, consultants wanted to renegotiate their contract with the organization. It seems that the organization had never mentioned that consultants have to work across industries and domains. Some of the old consultants were reluctant to change their ways, while many of the younger consultants were willing to follow Ajay’s advice. Which of the following decision can be taken by Ajay to handle this situation?
Answer & solution
- A
Retrench old consultants and recruit young consultants.
- B
Pressurize non-conformists by giving preferential treatment to the conformists.
- C
Negotiate with the old consultants and communicate that the new rules would apply to the new consultants only.
- D
Do nothing and wait for a right solution to emerge, as with time resistance would die down.
Discuss the issue in an open house and let solutions emerge democratically.
From what is mentioned in the caselet, the old consultants seem to have entered into a comfort zone as far as their work is concerned. The fact that them working across industries and domains was not mentioned earlier added to their discomfort in the said scenario. Given that the job requires them to mend their ways, the problem calls for a platform where they can raise their concerns openly. Only option 5 puts forth a viable solution for all the stakeholders involved i.e. the company, the old consultants as well as the younger consultants.
Options 1 and 2 are extreme and can very well be avoided.
Option 3 is unfair to the younger consultants.
Option 4 is passive in nature.
Hence, the correct answer is option 5.