BOB KNOWLTON

V.N.M.Nair, Professor, SBMJCE, Bangalore 22/11/2006

Bob Knowlton
CASE FACTS
MAJOR CHARACTERS BOB KNOWLTON- HEAD OF PHOTON LAB. SIMON FESTER - NEW RESEARCHER ASSIGNED TO PHOTON
LAB. TO ASSIST KNOWLTON

Dr. JERROLD- PROJECT HEAD LINK- MATHEMATICIAN OLIVER - RESEARCHER DAVENPORT- RESEARCHER THURLOW- RESEARCHER LUCY&MARTHA- SECRETARIES

BOB KNOWLTON

BACKGROUND
THE CASE PRESENTS A TYPICAL AMERICAN RESEARCH
LABORATORY WHERE SPONSORED RESEARCH IS GOING ON IN CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES. TYPICAL AMERICAN

VALUES PREVAIL. INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT IS GIVEN

MORE WEIGHTAGE. EVERYBODY IN PHOTON LAB UNDER BOB KNOWLTON IS HAPPY. KNOWLTON HAS A GOOD

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP WITH Dr.

GERROLD WHO IS THE PROJECT HEAD.

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THE WHOLE SCENARIO CHANGES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF SIMON FESTER

INTO THE PHOTON LAB. THOUGH KNOWLTON WELCOMES HIM , AN

UNKNOWN FEAR CREEPS INTO HIS MIND. FESTER IMPRESSES EVERYBODY WITH HIS SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE AND PRACTICAL WISDOM. LINK TOO IS VERY MUCH IMPRESSED WITH FESTER

AND STARTED MOVING CLOSELY WITH FESTER. FESTER COMES OUT WITH
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE WORKING AT. Dr. JERROLD PRAISES FESTER IN KNOWLTONS PRESENCE. KNOWLTON BECOMES INSECURE AND FEELS THAT HE IS VERY SMALL BEFORE FESTER.

KNOWLTON LOOSES INTEREST IN WORK AND FINALLY DECIDES TO LEAVE

SIMMONS LABORATORIES

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MAJOR ISSUES IN THE CASE

WRONG PERCEPTION COMMUNICATION BREAK DOWN WRONG ASSUMPTIONS PERSONALITY RELATED PROBLEMS EGO CLASH JEALOUSY FEAR LACK OF SELF CONFIDENCE INTOLERANCE

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OUTCOMES

GROUP COHESION STARTED DISAPPEARING LOSS OF WORK MOTIVATION GROWING SENSE OF INSECURITY AMONG PEOPLE FINANCIAL LOSS SUSPICION KNOWLTONS RESIGNATION Dr. GERROLDS UNHAPPINESS LOSS OF CREDIBILTY

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MAJOR PROBLEMS DIAGNOSIS

PERCEPTION RELATED ISSUES PERSONALITY RELATED ISSUES COMMUNICATION RELATED ISSUES BEHAVIOURAL RELATED ISSUES

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QUESTIONS POSED?

HOW THE PRESENT CRISIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVERTED? WHAT IS DR. JERROLDS CONTRIBUTION IN THIS CRISIS? WHAT IS FESTERS CONTRIBUTION IN THIS? WHAT WENT WRONG WITH KNOWLTON? WHAT IS LINKS CONTRIBUTION IN THIS FIASCO? WHO WON AND WHO LOST? WAS THEIR ANY SOLID REASON FOR THIS CRISIS?

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POSSIBLE PREVENTIVE MEASURES

1.

Dr. JERROLD SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED WITH KNOWLTON

BEFORE SENDING FESTER TO THE PHOTON LAB. PHOTON LAB HEADS CONCURRENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN

OBTAINED
2.

OFFICIAL THINGS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MIXED WITH PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

3.

Dr. JERROLD SHOULDNT HAVE TAKEN KNOWLTON FOR

GRANTED

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4.

FESTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIPLOMATIC

5. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD NOT HAVE DISCUSSED THINGS

FESTER WITHOUT FESTERS BOSS KNOWLTON.

ALONE WITH

6. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD HAVE TOLD KNOWLTON THAT FESTER WAS TO JOIN SOME OTHER GROUP LATER 7. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD HAVE CONTIUED HIS USUAL DIALOGUE WITH KNOWLTON SO THAT KNOWLTON SHOULDNT HAVE GOT TIME FOR WILD IMAGINATION. 8. FULL BREAK DOWN OF COMMUNICATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY ALL.