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Presents a description of two management style assessment questionnaires that were completed by Donna Dubinsky: the Influence Style Questionnaire and the Leadership Practices Inventory. Dubinsky's results are summarized and presented in two exhibit graphs. This data may serve as a supplement to Donna Dubinsky and Apple Computer, Inc. (A), (B), (C), and (D) in a class discussion of Dubinsky's individual influence style and techniques.

A nephew in an Indian family business has prepared a consulting report advocating changes in organizational structure and practices. His North American MBA training has influenced both the content of his recommendations and the process of suggesting them. Both the content and the process violate norms of the Indian culture as well as those of the African culture in which the family business has flourished for 40 years. The problem is what to do given that his actions and report have stirred up deep feelings and conflicts within the family business.

The newly appointed project manager of a highway project in Southeast Asia has a variety of issues to contend with all at once. The project is fully described in Hazelton International. The Hazelton case can serve as a briefing and must be done before this one. This case provides the company schedule and infrastructure information. Decisions need to be made regarding the items in his in-basket. These items are described in An International Project Manager's Day (B) and An International Project Manager's Day (C).

A new project manager faces sixteen items in his in-basket when he reports for his first day of work with Hazelton International Limited. This case, along with An International Project Manager's Day (C), is a supplement to An International Project Manager's Day (A), and should be considered in conjunction with Hazelton International Limited.

A new project manager arrived on his first day of work to find an in-basket full of issues requiring his consideration. Hazelton International Limited, An International Project Manager's Day (A), and An International Project Manager's Day (B). Now, he finds additional items on which he must take action.

Research on 38 entrepreneurs from a wide range of industries reveals them as achievement oriented, liking to take responsibility for decisions, and disliking repetitious work. Entrepreneurs tend to be visionary, creative, and have high levels of energy. The industries and jobs they create stimulate the economy. But their strong personality traits can make them difficult people to work with. Difficult characteristics include: a need for control, a sense of distrust, desire for applause, and particular defenses.

A well-conceived business plan is essential to the success of an enterprise. Whether you are starting up a venture, seeking additional capital for an existing product line, or proposing a new activity for a corporate division, you will have to write a plan detailing your project's resource requirements, marketing decisions, financial projections, production demands, and personnel needs. The plan must reflect the viewpoint of three constituencies: the customer, the investor, and the producer. Too many business plans focus excessively on the producer.

The term "socialization" usually evokes a strong emotional response and is often misunderstood. While it does seem to go against our culturally-ingrained "individualism," a certain degree of carefully-thought-out socialization does make organizations work better--as evidenced by the success of strongly socialized firms. This article examines the "seven steps of socialization" and provides a method for rating a firm's corporate culture.

Two strategies for resolving intergroup conflicts have been found: the interpersonal facilitator approach, which relies on a neutral person to serve as an intermediary between disputing parties so that they can find common ground, and the interface conflict-solving approach, which has disputants deal directly with each other under the direction of a neutral person who leads them through five steps to identify and resolve their differences. The interface conflict-solving approach usually relieves tension between warring parties better that the interpersonal facilitator approach.

Argues that to be effective leaders, general managers must focus on substance, not process, and aggressively combat the forces that can lead to the politicization of the organization. Examines the leader's direct role in setting and communicating goals, managing the formal systems and structures, and encouraging (rather than avoiding) constructive conflict.

To be successful, senior executives need to cultivate five skills. First, they need to develop a network of information sources in order to keep informed about a wide range of operating decisions being made at different levels in the company. Second, they need to husband their energies and time and concentrate on a limited number of significant issues. Third, they need to cultivate a sensitivity to the power structure in the company. The fourth skill of successful managers is knowing how to indicate that a company has a sense of direction without ever actually committing themselves publicly to a specific set of objectives. The final, most important, skill is that of developing opportunities. The effective senior manager is, in essence, an opportunist who avoids debates but tries to piece together particles that may appear to be incidentals into a program that moves at least part of the way toward his or her objectives. McKinsey Award Winner.

Managers of smaller companies should pay close attention to the image their companies project to the business world. The impression conveyed to bankers, financial analysts, venture capitalists, and others is important because these people assign company valuations. Managers seeking to improve their companies' images should concentrate on four major factors: management, company name and trademark, annual report, and financial public relations.

A consulting engineering firm, is involved in a road construction project in Asia which is plagued with difficulties. The firm is working with the local government highway department on the project and has the status of advisor. Actual construction is done by the government department. The problems that the firm must contend with include technical problems, a budget process, differing objectives and intercultural relations. Two years into the project, only 17 kilometres of the 245-kilometre highway were under construction. This case provides the background briefing for the in-basket exercise, An International Project Manager's Day, consisting of three cases, An International Project Manager's Day (A), An International Project Manager's Day (B) and An International Project Manager's Day (C). An alternative teaching approach, as a decision-making exercise, is presented in the teaching note 5A84C40 and supplementary case, An International Project Manager's Day (D).

Often an executive blames a stressful work situation and lack of time for his or her unsatisfactory home life. These can be the cause, but they are frequently alibis to cover up much more personal factors. To improve their situation, executives need to establish clear, concrete, and achievable goals and to monitor the achievement of these. Projects should be modest, yield results that are both measurable and fun, and involve another person to help the executive persist. Authentic behavior and clear communication, together with imagination and playfulness, are the keys to a satisfying life at home.

Provides a discussion of both the importance and some possible pitfalls that may be encountered when one tries to talk candidly with others about their behavior on the job.

Managers and subordinates often experience confusion about what style to use when they write letters and memorandums. They make revisions and rancor builds. Style is more than a matter of using words with appropriate denotations; it is also using words with appropriate connotations. Thus, style is partly a matter of tone. A workable definition of style in business writing is: that choice of words, sentences, and paragraph format which by virtue of being appropriate to the situation and to the power positions of both writer and reader produces the desired reaction and result.

This case is a nice prelude to the individual cases (HKS Case Number 365 and 366), which chronicle the lives and critical decisions that Martin Luther King and Malcolm X made towards improving African American rights in the United States. The text describes the last year of Martin Luther King's life and the actions of which he partook. It also chronicles Malcolm X's last month of life, noting the decisions he made. HKS Case Number 426.0.

Mike Miller, Harvard MBA '78, resigned his first job out of HBS within six months because he believed his personal values and learning objectives could not be accommodated. Students may discuss the problems of anticipating corporate culture, learning the ropes, surviving entry into the organization, and getting things done.

Supplements the (A) case.

When a former middle manager of a technology manufacturing company becomes a general manager, he finds his new role more stressful. There are complaints from sales reps about delayed shipments to customers, and workers are protesting the new climate survey he initiated in an attempt to learn more about how employees feel. Also EEOC regulations have forced him to study how well his employees are treated. His attempts to delegate have backfired, and his organization is $400,000 off plan. This case can be used to teach students about individual behavior, Type A behavior, time and priority management, balancing work and family life, managing performance, managing energy in professional life styles, organizational behavior, and leadership.