Organizational Behaviour and Processes

COMM 5405/OR2

Module 8

Individual Case Report

Ellen Moore (A): Living and Working in Korea

Presented to:

Professor Jeff Young

Submitted by: Andrea Watson Group C

Submission date: May 10, 2015

Contents

Page 1 of 13
Executive Summary:......................................................................................3
Key Facts:...................................................................................................4
Symptoms:...................................................................................................6
OB Theory:...................................................................................................6
Problem statement:.......................................................................................7
Analysis:......................................................................................................7
Alternatives..................................................................................................9
Recommendation:........................................................................................10
Action plan.................................................................................................11
Annotated Bibliography ................................................................................12
References..................................................................................................13

Page 2 of 13
Executive Summary

Ellen Moore is a highly qualified, experienced and successful American systems

consultant who has been sent to work in Korea on a major systems implementation
project. Her section of the project is supposed to last 7 months. She is co-project
manager with Korean J. T. Kim (Jack) a recent Ph. D graduate in computer systems,
from a reputable American university.

Jack is inexperienced, and has never worked on a systems implementation before. Jack
was told he would be the sole manager of the project and does not appreciate having to
share power and authority with Ellen. Jacks lack of experience causes him to make
decisions that are outside the scope of their work, such as ordering market surveys to be
done. There is a lack of communication and conflict between Ellen and Jack, as each
tries to be the leader of the group.

Ellens superior Andrew Kilpatrick has determined that the project is now one month
behind. The Korean executives blame for the delay while Jack blames the Korean
consultants.

It is recommended that Andrew take over the project. This would remove the cross-
cultural dilemma of a female lead, and would require minimal, if any, additional costs to
get him on board for the next 3 months. Clear leadership lines would be established and
there would be no conflicting instructions being given to the Consultants. The
consultants and organizational goals would be in congruence. Working with Ellen and
Scott, Andrew should be able to get them back on target and be in a better position to
train Jack to take over. This would also get the project back on line and reduce/remove
any damage to the relationship with JVI.

Page 3 of 13
 Key Facts:

1. Joint Venture Inc. (JVI) was formed from, WSI is an American information technology
company and Korean Conglomerate Inc. (KCI). System Consulting Group (SCG), is a
part of WSI.

2. Ellen, an employee of SCG, is sent Korea to assist Korean Consultants on a system

design and to create recommendations of implementing the system;

3. Ellen, the only senior female working in a male dominated environment, is working
with a group of male consultants who have neither the experience, background or
knowledge to complete the assignment in the required time;

4. Although very bright (graduating top of her high school, is a Fellow in the Institute of
Banker, and has an MBA) and successful (first female and youngest to manage a banking
entity), she is only accepted because the Senior Consultant (who is male) guaranteed
her extensive qualifications;

5. Is a driven and highly motivated individual who previously worked successfully in

Bahrain, which also has a male dominated culture;

6. Although Korea is starting to accept a mix of Western and Korean lifestyles, there are
still many traditional beliefs influenced by their Confucian values. The causes inequity
between male/female, superior/subordinate, teacher/student;

7. Ellen observes the rules and goes out of her way to learn Korean traditions, signs and
symbols, including how to exchange a business card and how to use a persons name, as
a non-Korean;

8. Koreans believe the client is more important than the consultants, and are allowed to
interfere in projects, which may contribute to delays and budget overruns. Consultants
do not know how to say No to clients. This can result in misunderstandings and the
client not getting what they expected. This also translate to Ellen not being able to get a
straight answer from the team as they believe saying no is bad manners;

9. Saving face is very important in Korea. It does not mean avoiding negative feedback
or sharing failures. Managers are expected to express disappointment to employee in
front of all other team members for work not done to requirements. No comment is
expected for work done as expected. Leader considered weak if continuously
compliments work completed as required

10. Many team building events occur, but normally after work and normally for the guys
only. They made an exception for Ellen because of her seniority. She was invited to one
such event where she drank her fair share, earning herself additional respect and the
compliment of you are now Korean; (Case book page 91)

11. Ellen works with 2 other consultants. Andrew, the Senior Consultant who works on
the project on a part-time basis, and Scott, who arrived in Korea 3 months after Ellen
did;

Page 4 of 13
12. Ellen works as co-project manager with Korean J. T. Kim (Jack) a recent Ph. D
graduate in computer systems, from a reputable American university. Jack is
inexperienced, and has never worked on a systems implementation before;

13. Jack is surprised that he has a co-manager when he had been told specifically that he
would be the sole project manager. The relationship between Ellen and Jack,
controversial at first and now they tended to skirt around each other;

14. Having 2 project managers lead to conflict and if the leaders issued conflicting
instructions, the Korean team members follow his as they see him as the boss. This is
not good for organizational goal congruence;

15. Jack undermines Ellens authority every opportunity he gets and tries to cut her out of
the main path by having meetings with the team after regular team meetings and
instructing them to carry out something different from what was agreed on with Ellen;

16. Project a month behind and Jack has ordered a market research study, which is
outside the scope of the project, will add to the costs and may further delay the
completion of the project;

17. Although the project is a month behind, in part to the Korean consultants
inexperience; Mr. Song, senior Korean project director and Mr. Park, Manager, JVI rather
than trying to figure out the reason behind the delays are blaming Ellen. Hence she
overhears Andrew defending her and saying Ellen is not the problem ;

Page 5 of 13
Symptoms:

There is resolved conflict and heightened tension between Ellen and Jack. Informal
meetings held after official team meetings were over, to which Ellen was not invited and
Jack gave differing instructions to the Korean consultants which they obey;

Budget over-run and deadline delayed, by Andrews estimate, by approximately one

month so far. Everyone is playing the blaming game. The Korean heads blame Ellen
and the North Americans blame the Korean consultants;

Jack orders research project which is outside scope of project which could lead to further
delays and budget overruns. Jack routinely ignores Andrews and Ellens instructions;

The Korean consultants by their own admission have limited knowledge and experience
in this kind of venture and the Korean co-project manager, Jack, is also very
inexperienced and has never worked on a systems implementation;

Jack invites Ellen to team building event to supposedly humble himself. Instead, he
overdrinks and midway starts speaking in Korean and stops the translator from
translating,

Organizational Behaviour Theory

Power Distance/ Cross-cultural Behaviour

Team Norms

Communication

Conflict/Conflict Resolution/Motivation

Page 6 of 13
Problem statement:

Ellen and Andrew her immediate supervisor are concerned that the project they were
sent to complete within 7 months is already a month behind and Ellen, a highly qualified
and experienced Project Manager for SCG, is being blamed, even though the Koreans
consultants by their own admission are have limited knowledge in the area and Ellens
co-project manager has none.

Analysis:

Ellen Moore is a highly qualified and experienced Project Manager from SCG, who comes
strongly recommended to the project. Joint Venture Inc. (JVI) was formed from WSI an
American information technology company and Korean Conglomerate Inc. (KCI). System
Consulting Group (SCG) is a part of WSI.

Ellen has had success in North America as well as in Bahrain, in similar projects. She is
very motivated and determined to succeed in her job, and she immediately, starts to
teach herself about the customs and traditions of Korea and learning their signs, symbols
and language.

Andrew Kilpatrick, management consultant of almost 13 years, is managing the project

on a part-time basis due to other commitments. He is experienced in similar systems
implementation in NA and was instrumental in them getting the much sought after
government contract.

Ellen was accepted for the traditionally male position, because Andrew Kilpatrick, her
superior, highly recommended her and guaranteed her qualifications. Her job is to assist
the Korean Consultants with system design and creating recommendations for system
implementation.

Ellen knew that she would be co-project manager on the project with Korean J. T. Kim
(Jack) a recent Ph. D graduate in computer systems, from a reputable American
university. She did not know that Jack was inexperienced, and had never worked on a
systems implementation before. With the team reporting to both Jack and Ellen, there is
no clear delineation of duties.

Jack, on the other hand, is surprised that he has a co-manager when he had been told
specifically that he would be the sole project manager. This does not sit well with Jack
and the relationship between Ellen and Jack, controversial at first, may now put the
project at risk of having a late completion date.

WSI/SCGs relationship with JVI is in jeopardy and that needs to be fixed quickly

There is a culture of team cohesiveness in Korea. The team of Korean consultants, who
report to Ellen and Jack, consists of 5 male members, who have frequent team building
events to unite Korean & North American members. These are normally conducted
outside of work hours, where male members go out for food, drink, singing after work.
They had special drinking rituals which were sometimes excessive. They made an

Page 7 of 13
exception for Ellen as she was a senior member. After 4 months, Ellen determined that
the Assigned Consultants did not have the necessary experience, background or
knowledge to complete the project within allocated time and they would need additional
resources.

Koreans have high Power distance, which is defined as A cross-cultural value describing
the degree to which people in a culture accept unequal distribution of power in a society
(p. 50. McShane, S. L. and Steen, S.L.). Although Koreans are now mixing Confucian
values with western lifestyle, Confucian principles generally guide their code of morals
and ethics. These included loyalty to hierarchical structure of authority, duty to
parents and strict rules of conduct regarding obedience, respecting the
superior/subordinate relationships eg. male/female, teacher/student.

Tension grew between Jack and Ellen as Jack essentially ignores Ellens opinions and
would issue differing instructions to the team from what he and Ellen agreed on. Based
on the culture, where women are generally considered inferior, Korean team members
always followed his lead over Ellen, preferring male leadership. He would also meet with
the team after the official team meetings were over and give them differing instructions
form what was agreed on with Ellen. Jack would deliberately not follow Ellens or
Andrews instructions and would tell the team to do something else. Jack has even
ordered a market survey to be conducted which is outside the scope of the project.
These counter-productive behaviors have culminated in Ellen calling the North American
project sponsor, the Senior Vice-President George Peterson, when she couldnt reach
Andrew. He locates Andrew who flies to Korea and assesses that the project is one
month behind.

With the North American Consultants, based on the agreement, having only 3 months
left in Korea to complete their part of the project, the project is one month behind, Mr.
Song is blaming Ellen for the delay while Andrew is blaming the Koreans.

Page 8 of 13
 Alternatives:

Alternative 1

Appoint Ellen sole manager of the project for the remaining 3 months left in that stage of
the project, and reassign Jack to another project to lead.

Pros:

1. Jack gets to save face;

2. Team has one person to report to, and take instructions from

3. Cordial relations continue between the Koreans and Americans;

4. A greater probability of the project being completed in time.

Cons:

1. Jack may still not be appeased;

2. There may not be another project of similar magnitude to place Jack in;
3. The one month delay may have longer lasting impact and Ellen may still not be able to
complete the initial 7 month phase of the project on time.

Alternative 2

Allow Ellen and Jack to continue as co-project managers with clearly defined rules and
job descriptions for them both. Ellen trains Jack gets to take over when her 7 months are
over.

Pros:

1. Jack will get to be the sole project manager, in the near future;

2. Removes conflict and competitiveness between Ellen and Jack;

3. Improved team cohesiveness as team understands the expectations from both Jack
and Ellen;

4. Each more focused on their responsibilities.

Cons:

1. Jack may still feel slighted and not want to cooperate with Ellen;

Page 9 of 13
 2. Team may still feel more loyalty to Jack;

3. Project timely completion still not guaranteed.

Alternative 3

Have Andrew head the project with Ellen and Jack reporting to him. Andrew can train
Jack to take over when he and Ellen leave in 3 months time.

Pros:

1. The source of conflict between Ellen and Jack removed;

2. Jack saves face;

3. One project lead that the Koreans can feel comfortable accepting orders from;

4. Extremely knowledgeable and experienced with project;

5. Increased probability of project being completed on time;

6. JVI gets the project lead they wanted in the first place;

7. WSI/SCG maintains good relationship with JVI.

Cons:

1. Andrew may still be unavailable;

2. Even Andrew may not be able to pull off the project within the required timeframe

Recommendation:

The problem in this case is the estimated one month delay in the initial phase of the
project. This appears to be caused by the continued conflict between Ellen and Jack and
Jacks inexperience that is causing him to make unwise decisions on the project.

The immediate concern of JVI is the impending delay in the completion of the initial 7
month phase of the project. To divert this delay and get them back on track, the
company has to determine the exact cause(s) of the delay. From my assessment of the
information given, it appears that the miscommunication to Jack regarding management

Page 10 of 13
of the project started the ball a-rolling and the resulting unresolved conflict between
Jack and Ellen, and the cross-cultural differences that exist in Korea are the main
contributors to the delay.

I recommend that Alternative 3 be taken. With Andrew taking over the project, the
Korean executives get who they really wanted to lead the project in the first place. This
removes the cross-cultural dilemma of a female lead and any leadership and
communication issues that this may pose. Since Andrew is already employed by them,
there should be minimum additional costs to get him on board for the next 3 months.
Working with Ellen and Scott, Andrew should be able to get them back on target and be
in a better position to train Jack to take over at some future date when this phase of the
project is over. This would also get the project back on line and reduce/remove any
damage to the relationship with JVI

Action Plan:

The initial phase of the seven months project is seven months and at this point, there
are only three months left.

Andrew should conduct a detailed debriefing session where he speaks to the members of
the team, collectively and then individually, obtaining feedback from them to get team
consensus and ensure team cohesiveness maintained;

Clear guidelines should be established to determine the most expedient way to complete
the project as close to if not on the required deadline;

Leadership lines and roles, and decision making processes should also be clearly
established and followed.

Page 11 of 13
Annotated Bibliography:

I looked at 2 articles to address the concept of conflict. The first article, The Five
Essential Skills for a Global Marketplace, looks at how paradigms we used to guide us
are changing in the world today and more specifically, in organizations and that
organizations need to have an awareness and appreciation for the speed at which these
changes are occurring. It gives 5 skills that are paramount to surviving these rapid
changes. They are: rapport building, curiosity, ambition, communication and conflict
resolution. These concepts are all interrelated and can help us to be more effective in a
changing global environment (p. 27, Sensenig). Conflict resolution, in my opinion, is
one of the most important of the 5. Conflict in the workplace can have negative and
unproductive impact, causing organizations not to meet their goals, optimum
productivity levels and can even cause key employees to leave. The article also mentions
that conflict is especially likely to arise in situations where there are global teams with
varying expectations.

This is true of the situation in JVI where firstly, Jacks expectation differed from the
reality and what he was told. Having a co-project manager when he thought he would be
the sole manager leads to conflict between him and Ellen. Although Ellen knew she
would have a co-manager, she expected an experienced manager and team. This has led
to delays in the project, division amongst the team members and the possibility that
either Ellen or Jack will have to be dismissed or relocated. At this point there needs to be
a mediator between the two to help them settle their differences for the common good
of the project.

The second article, Why Disputes Don't Go to Mediation, discusses why the mediation
movement is in trouble and the postulates 3 theories. They are:

Page 12 of 13
 1. The Americans-prefer-battle-to-conciliation theory (p. 4. Matz)
2. Mediation is a new technique for most Americans and that we are unlikely to trust the
new or unknown (p.4 Matz);
3. Attorneys, judges and other traditional dispute resolvers divert cases away from
mediation (p.4 Matz).

According to the article, people only go to mediators when negotiations have broken
down so badly they have nowhere else to go. At this point even mediation is likely to
fail. More likely though, is that the parties do not realize they could seek a mediator.
Mediation can be time consuming and there is no guarantee that it will work.

In our case, Ellen recognizes that the project is in jeopardy and reached out first to
Andrew and then to George when she cant locate Andrew. Andrew shows and tries to
reason with the Koreans but he meets with an Ellen is to blame and what appears to
be a resistance to look any further than at one party to the conflict.

References

Ellen Moore (A): Living and Working in Korea Organizational Behaviour OR 2, 84-103.

McShane, S. L. and Steen, S.L. (2012). Canadian Organization Behaviour, Eight Canadian edition,
Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson

Matz, David E. Why Disputes Don't Go to Mediation, Mediation Quarterly

<a href="http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=17185518&site=bsi-live">Why Disputes Don't
Go to Mediation.</a>

Sensenig, Kevin. The Five Essential Skills for a Global Marketplace. Employment
Relations Today DOI 10.1002/ert

<a href="http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=38220463&site=bsi-live">The five essential

skills for a global marketplace.</a>

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