That an organizational conflict can be an ideal learning opportunity may seem unlikely. But though a conflict may never be fully resolved, organizations may learn how to relieve or eliminate the larger problems of their dispute. Based on a study of British Columbia’s salmon farming industry — an industry marked by conflict between farmers, government, First Nations, environmental organizations, and industry associations — MacDonald proposes eight practices of organizational leadership, individual leadership, and learning processes that can be applied in order to manage differences and learn from them. 1. Build robust and adaptable learning capabilities. 2. Encourage learning from a range of sources. 3. Focus on gaps in knowledge. 4. Motivate individuals to act. 5. Pair similar individuals between organizations. 6. Agree on rules and hold everyone accountable. 7. Change structures and people as the relationship evolves. 8. Take the time to understand each other.
A student project team must recommend to a firm whether or not it should acquire its largest competitor in the salmon farming industry, and if so, at what maximum price. The case does not provide enough information for students to solve the case, instead, students must think about the data and analysis they would need in order to answer their client's question. This case highlights framing a strategic problem for analysis and decision making as well as the preliminary analysis and planning required for efficient and effective data gathering. The case provides an opportunity to focus on secondary sources of data and introduces students to the resources available through the university library.
The chief executive officer (CEO) of a multi-site and multi-business YMCA must determine how to more than double participation levels in the next five years. The case describes how the London YMCA has grown in both participation and size. However, the corporate level strategy has become complicated and the board of directors, CEO and senior management team need to consider a new M-form structure. This has many implications for the CEO, the senior managers and the future growth of the YMCA London.