Demands Result, Teamwork Boost, and Feedback Challenge

Business Case Studies
Student Name
Department, University
Course Number and Name
Instructor Name
Due Date
Business Case Studies
Case Problem B
Question 1: Influence Tactics
Katerina seemingly does not believe in consultations or negotiations as the means of improving productivity. She appeals to the pressure tactic to push the staff to register better sales. In this approach, the staff members are expected to take full responsibility for the performance recorded regardless of the circumstances involved. The method is seemingly not practical as the store managers have rational grounds for objections. Thus, Garth argues that the demanded 3% improvement can only be recorded in a holiday season through the statement, “the holiday shopping season is behind us, and we can expect a normal sales decrease” (Dubrin, 2019). Sonya also argues that the sale of luxury products requires intense persuasion because of cheaper alternatives. Katerina also legitimizes sending a standard email to all the twelve store managers because they structurally respond to her. Although the approach should be practical, it is degraded by the pressure tactic.
Question 2: Alternative Approach
The store managers are more informed of the market dynamics than Katerina. Thus, top management needs to develop marketing strategies for better sales. It will be more viable for Katerina to take the consultation approach to arrive at practical decisions. Katerina’s depicted method seemingly gave no room for the rational breakdown of the goal and the means of its fulfillment. Katerina should submit her preferred strategy for ensuring better sales while at the same time welcoming alternative ideas from the store managers. Submitted ideas should be harmonized to generate more viable and efficient marketing strategies and achieve the anticipated revenue increase. The consultation approach can be utilized even while the legitimating process is retained. The store managers will strive to present the most relevant and creative ideas to please the authority.
Question 3: Abrasiveness
Katerina is exploiting her legitimate authority and overstretching the pressure approach. She thus appears to be too abrasive. As a regional manager, the store managers regard her and respect her as a superior. However, unnecessary expression of legitimate power is counterproductive because it diminishes the respect that it is meant to inspire. The store managers respond in arrogance in each instance that Katerina was arrogant. Such an aspect would not be the case if Katerina were magnanimous.
Moreover, being courteous despite rank is a quality that additionally serves to inspire the subordinates. Katerina’s abrasiveness is optimally depicted in her disregard for rational reasons. She fails to offer logical alternatives to the logical claims of the store managers. To Garth’s claim that sales are relatively low off the holiday season, Katerina responds, “No moaning, no groaning, no excuses. Your goal is a 3 percent sales increase, and it’s not negotiable” (Dubrin, 2019). A suitable response would probably be to give a detailed strategy to increase sales from the holiday seasons or at least commission research.
Ashley Wants to Boost Teamwork
Question 1: Effective Team Leader
It is essential to complement Ashley for communicating the established organizational changes to the staff respectfully. However, she missed a critical aspect in her delivery. Other than explaining that the transition is a company decision, the motivations have remained unstated. The reluctance in embracing the change can be attributed to the staff’s perception that it is superfluous. This aspect is deducible from the concern, “What’s so special about calling us a team?” to which the response, “Just go along with the team idea for now,” is not satisfactory (Dubrin, 2019). An effective leader should logically and emotionally persuade her team of the viable course in such an instance. Ashley herself is seemingly not adequately informed on why the organization decided on the transition...