T. Samuel Pongen1211643

QUESTIONS

1) Which influence tactic(s) does Garjan Singh rely on the most? If you were a

management consultant, what advice would you give him about influencing

others?

There are nine influence tactics that are relevant to a manager’s effectiveness namely

Inspirational appeal, Consultation, Ingratiation, Exchange, rational persuasion,

Personal Appeal, Coalition, Legitimating and Pressure.

The influence tactic that Garjan Singh heavily relies on is:-

Pressure - which can be defined as the use of threats, demands and persistent

reminders it is the use of coercive power.

This is evident from his actions such as having top executives carry books with

‘DO IT NOW’ inserted on the front cover. He even lashes out at employees using

abrasive language and humiliates some to make them an example to others, thus

using fear as a motivator; he also expends a lot of energy to keep in touch with his

employees. He takes no excuses.

As a management consultant I would advise:

Nullify the amount of pressure on employees.

Constant exposure to high pressure may lead to cynicism, resistance and probably

self damaging sabotage on the worker's part. For those who are used to high

pressure of work it can become habitual and addictive. May lead to psychosomatic

illnesses.

He needs to learn to trust his employees

Evident from his remarks to his employees calling them ‘spineless dogs’ and

constantly checking up on them calling one employee 21 times on work related

matters. Without good relationship it may build tensions and discomfort in

superior subordinate relationship. This violates Henri Fayol’s principal of Equity

and Espirit-De Corps.

Delegate authority to trusted individuals, so the work load can be reduced.

Delegating authority can help reduce his work load providing initiative to

employees can build good relations and blossom hidden potential.

Patience is a virtue

“I am not very long on patience” claimed Garjan Singh. In Garjan Singh’s case

patience was not existent he was short tempered and desired immediate results.

Patience can improve mental ability, reduce tension and sense of emergency,

stable their train of thought and not throw them off balance and with patience they

can realise time is an ally rather than an enemy.

2) What is Garjan’s primary power base? What are the long term implications of

his reliance on this power base?

There are various types of powers a manager can use namely; Coercive Power,

Legitimate Power, Referent Power, Expert Power and Multidimensional Power.

Garjan Singh primary power base is;

Coercive Power

The ability of a manager to force an employee to comply with an order through

the threat of punishment. Coercive power typically leads to short-term

compliance, but in the long-run produces dysfunctional behaviour, it is extremely

useful In times of economic crisis or threats to the survival of the organization at

large. This is true in the case Balle International Ltd.

Long term implications

Coercion reduces employees' satisfaction with their jobs, leading to lack of

commitment and general employee withdrawal

Management theorists, such as Philip Crosby and W. Edwards Deming

suggests that there is a decline in productivity and creativity when coercive

power is employed.

Results in an atmosphere of insecurity or fear

Damages employee and superior relationships for example Garjan Singh’s

employee’s frequently remarked how he berated and pressurised them.

3) “Garjan Singh has made me rich by getting results. The price of the stock has

appreciated tremendously. If he has to be a tough guy to get results, that’s fine

with me”. How would you respond to a BLL shareholder who made this

statement?

I do not agree with the shareholder.

True his methods are useful for the short term operations to revive a falling company

but the use of coercive power is not only unethical but it will lead to damaging long

term implications. In the case of Garjan Singh his search for efficiency and results has

left a trail of damaged relationships with his employees and even forcing them to quit

from their job.

In the United States, Canada, and Western Europe, coercive power has seen a decline

in the last 50 years. Several reasons contribute to this, ranging from the erosion of

employment-at-will and the awareness of employee violence or other forms of

retaliatory behaviour.