Basket exercise and case study and role play

Vikas kumar

1st m.com

IN-BASKET

• In-basket is a popularly used device in identifying executive potential in executive assessment centres. It can also be utilized in teaching decision making skills.

Decision Making Skills

Knowledge, Skills and Attitude

Communication and

Interpersonal Skill

Strategic Knowledge

Procedural Knowledge

PROCEDURES OF IN-BASKET TECHNIQUE:

• Give the trainees a description of their role (a current or future job) and general information about the situation.

• Then give them a packet of materials (such as requests, complaints, memos, messages, and reports) which make up the in-basket.

**They are asked to respond to the materials supplied within a particular period of time (usually 2 to 4 hours).

• When the in-basket is completed, the trainer asks the trainee to identify the processes used in responding to the information and to discuss their appropriateness.

• The trainer then give feedbacks to the trainee

**Trainer must reinforce appropriate decisions and processes and explain some alternatives it to the trainee.

ABILITIES CAN BE DEVELOPED ENCOMPASS

(1) Situational judgment in being able to recall details, establishes priorities, interrelate items, and determine need for more information

(2) Social sensitivity in exhibiting courtesy in written notes, scheduling meetings with involved personnel, and explaining reasons for action taken

(3) Willingness to make decision and take action

CASE STUDIES

• The case method of development utilizes actual case examples collected from various organizations for diagnostic purposes. It is most often used to simulate strategic decision-making situations, rather than the day-to-day decisions that occur in the in-basket.

• Identify the major and minor problems in the case

• Filter out the significant facts from the insignificant

• Analyse the issues and use logic to fill in the gaps in the facts

• Arrive at some means for solving the identifiable problem

PROCEDURES:• Trainer presents the history of the situation in which a real or imaginary organization

finds itself to the trainee. The key elements and problems, as perceived by the organization's key decision makers, maybe provided. Case studies range from a few pages in length to more than a hundred. .

• Trainer asked trainees to respond to a set of questions or objectives through written or oral form.

*Longer cases require extensive analysis and assessment of the information for its relevance to the decisions made. Some require the trainee to gather information beyond what was in the case.

• Once individuals (trainees) have arrived at their solutions, they discuss the diagnoses and solutions that have been generated in small groups, large groups, or both.

* In large groups a trainer should facilitate and direct the discussion. The trainer must guide the trainees in examining the possible alternatives and consequences without actually stating what they are.

• Then, trainer evaluates the oral/written responses provided by the trainees. The trainer should convey that there is no single right or wrong solution to the case, but many possible solutions depending on the assumptions and interpretations made by the trainees.

ROLE PLAYING• Role playing is a simulation in which the trainee is asked to play a part in a problem

situation requiring interaction with others.

• Basic mental sets are stated for all participants, but no dialogue is provided. For example, a supervisor, on the advice of a motion and time study engineer, has decided to change the work methods of subordinates. The supervisor’s role may contain, among other items, such statements as, “ You get along well with your people; this idea of the methods man makes pretty good sense for both the employees and the company; the data provided by the expert are fairly clear”.

• Roles are also provided for each of the subordinates.

• One may exhibit great suspicion against the motion and time study expert.

• Another may be structured as a potential ally of the supervisor in the projected change.

• Still another may show a fear of working himself or herself out of a job if methods are improved. All will probably reflect the usual human resistance to any change, good or bad.

• No dialogue is provided, and the trainees attempt to play themselves in the roles as structured. They are not actors. Each will have to respond to the impromptu statements and questions of the other role players.