Running head: ANALYSIS OF THE CASE OF CHRIS CUNNINGHAM 1

Analysis of the case of Chris Cunningham

Name

Metropolitan State University

ANALYSIS OF THE CASE OF CHRIS CUNNINGHAM 2

Analysis of the case of Chris Cunningham

1. Please use the terms and definitions of the structural frame concepts as you describe what is
happening and offer suggestions for resolution.
The structural frame is defined as the “bolts and nuts” of an organization because it
focuses on the architecture of the organization. The structural frame involves the coordination
of aims, structure, technology, roles and relationships. The structural frame seeks to answer the
question of differentiation. Differentiation involves the allocation of responsibilities and roles
across the organization. Furthermore, the structural frame seeks to answer the question of
integration. Integration comprises the amalgamation of various efforts in pursuit of a defined
common goal.
Every organization is faced with unique challenges. The structural frame should be
designed to fit these unique challenges of the organization. The rationale behind the structural
organization is that using the structural frame, roles and responsibilities will be allocated to the
right people. Therefore, there will be reduced level of distractions and confusion. Additionally,
maximum human productivity will be achieved. The structural frame ensure that people are
put in the right roles and responsibilities. Once the people are arranged in that way then the
individuals, the common goal, and their differences get accommodated in the organization.
In the case of Stover Industries, the structure was not well defined after the mergers
took place. For instance, the sale representative initially were territory rivals and they had
overlapping clients. After the mergers, the sale representatives were confused because of their
initial position with the clients. To solve this challenge, the company should have assigned
individual sale territories to avoid confusion and unproductivity. Moreover, Mr. Chris is
brought on board by the president of the Stover Industries as a sale representative. While Mr.
Chris is enthusiastic and records high sales, he does not follow the operating procedure. For
example, he pushed other co-workers order so that his order is processed first. Therefore, I
would recommend that the sale representative of the Stover Industries to be allocated individual
sales territories to avoid tension and confusion within the sale representative team. Also, Mr.
Chris and other employees should be trained on standard operating procedure to help them
carryout the complex routine operations of the company.
2. Please review these additional resources related to the structural frame. Think about your
personal organization experience (work, school, family, teams, etc.).
What are your biggest take-aways? What connections did you make to your personal
experience? How might you apply this learning going forward?
The structural frame is the architecture of an organization. The structural frames unify
the employee’s roles, procedures, policies, rules, systems, division of labor, responsibilities
and the hierarches into efforts for achieving a common goal. The organizations and their leaders
must design and align the structural frame with their unique circumstance, goals and tasks.
Therefore, if the structural frame does not align with these factors, problems start arising.
A structural frame is important in the running of an organization. It helps the assignment
of roles and responsibilities to the right people. Accurate role assignment is crucial in an
organization and it ensure that people are assigned to roles that they are better suited for.
Employees allocated tasks they are best suited for are highly motivated to carry out the
responsibilities and tasks as opposed to employees who have mismatched tasks. Additionally,
the structural frame can be used to identify the gaps in roles assignment and coordination.
The structural frame of an organization is specific to the organization. It is important to
create a structural frame that is unique to the organization. Different organization are faced by
different challenges. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to use a structural frame from
another organization and use it in a different organization no matter the similarities of both
organizations. The rationale behind the use of a unique structural frame is that each
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organization is faced with unique challenges that are specific to that organization. Therefore, a
structural frame should be designed to overcome the specific challenges faced by the
organization.
The review related to my experience in the organization procedures. I appreciate that a
lot goes on in an organization for it to run successfully. I would apply this knowledge in cases
where I am working in a team. I will suggest to the team members that each member to be
assigned a specific role and responsibility. This approach will reduce possibility of confusion
and enhance productivity in the team.
3.Please use the terms and definitions of the HR frame concepts as you describe what is
happening and offer suggestions for resolution.
The human resource frame focuses on the recognizing people and their relationship.
Like other people, people working in organizations have needs, fears, feeling, prejudice, skills
and personal development opportunities. The human resource attempts to understand
individuals and how they fit in an organization. Also, the human resource frame attends to
people and seeks to find gaps in the personnel. Such gaps are filled by training or by other
feasible approaches by the organization. After filling the gaps, the employees are best suited to
work towards achieving the organization objectives.
It can be argued that an organization’s success heavily relies on the attention the
organization pays to its personnel. The people who feel good about their selves and their jobs
are more likely to be high motivated and productive. On the other hand, people who do not feel
good about their selves or their job will not be productive. Therefore, it is important for
organizations to pay attention to their personnel. Additionally, a good analogy of the human
resource frame is a family. Every member of a family is taken care of by the family.
Considering the case of Stover Industries, some employees resigned because they were
not able to work in the organization’s working environment. Moreover, some employees felt
discontented by the actions of Mr. Chris who is a new sales representative hired by the president
herself. Mr. Chris does not have any respect for organization. For instance, if Mr. Chris gets a
hot order he goes directly to the plant with the order and he makes sure that it is delivered. He
does not consider that other orders were placed before his. Additionally, Mr. Chris harasses co-
workers from other departments. For example, he got mixed up with the engineering
department. Also, he made his co-workers in the purchasing department angry by needling
them to hasten an order.
I would recommend that the Stover Industries create a better working environment for
its employees. The conducive working environment will be an incentive for the individuals to
work more efficiently. Secondly, I would recommend that the company develop guidelines that
will help the employees to understand the proper procedure of carrying out their sales
proposals. Moreover, Mr. Chris and his co-workers needs to be trained on proper procedure
when dealing with colleagues and clients. Specifically, Mr. Chris should be made aware of his
behavior and the challenges he has caused because of disregard the set-out procedures in the
organization.
4.Please review these additional resources related to the HR frame. Think about your personal
experience. The diversity of people can make working with others interesting and challenging.
What are your biggest take-aways? What connections did you make to your personal
experience? How does EQ and personality play into effective and cohesive work
environments? How might you apply this learning going forward?
The success of an organization is chiefly dependent on the people who work for the
organization. Therefore, the organization should pay attention to the people who work for it.
People who feel good about themselves and the organization they work for are more likely to
be motivated and work more productively. Due to this, the organization should recognize that
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employees have needs, feelings, preconceptions, skills and seek personal development
opportunity.
An organization should understand its employees. The organization should seek to find
out if the personnel that it has hired are comfortable. This can be achieved by provision of a
conducive working environment for the employees. Additionally, the organization should
empower its employees to work better. For example, if an organization finds a gap in the
employees then it should seek to address it. Gap can be addressed through trainings and
workshops.
The organization should ensure that human contact within the organization is achieved.
Human contact can be achieved by carrying out team building activities and team goal sharing.
Team building activities enhances cooperation between employees and the employees and the
organization. In addition, the team building activities alleviates any tension that builds up
between employees and the employees and the organization.
Emotional intelligence is the practice of handling emotions without letting the emotion
to get in the way. Emotional intelligence has significant concepts such as self-awareness, self-
management, empathy and skilled relationship. Self-awareness involves recognizing what a
person is feeling and possibly identifying why the person is feeling that way. Secondly, self-
management encompasses handling of distressful emotions in an effective way and marshaling
the positive emotions to enhance productivity. Thirdly, empathy is identifying what other
people feel about other people’s action. Finally, Skilled relationship is living out and the
display of the sum of all the mentioned significant emotional intelligence concepts. Emotional
intelligent helps employees to relate better with each other by being considerate of other people.
Moving forward, I can continue to appreciate the role played by the human resource
frame. It focusses at understanding people and their needs while ensuring development
opportunities and job satisfaction. I also will recognize the role of emotional intelligence in my
immediate setting. For example, when I am walking down the hall way carrying books on my
hand and somebody knocks me off, I will apply emotional intelligent skills and respond rather
than react.
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Reference

Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2013). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership

(5th ed.).