CBSE Business Studies Case Studies for Chapter 7: Directing
Short Case Studies
Case Study 1
Classic Rocks is a pioneering advertisement-making company. Mr. Anuj is a
dynamic manager who has recently joined the organisation. He receives complete
support from top management. There is proper infrastructure, a planning
mechanism, and subordinate support. He gives orders and ensures that the actual
working of a new unit from the 1st of May. His schedule becomes very hectic.
The demanding work involves him almost throughout the day.
He is busy giving meetings, talking to his subordinates or superiors, etc.,
throughout the day.
One day, he meets Mr. Vijay, who is working at the lower
level management, though he himself is a part of the middle level management.
He finds that even Vijay is involved in communicating and supervising his
employees throughout the year, though he works at the lower-level management.
Similar is the case with his seniors working at the
higher-level management. He feels relaxed after knowing this and continues his
work with even more dedication.
- Which function of management is highlighted in the above
case?
- Identify any two features of this function of management highlighted in
the above case.
Case Study 2
Manav wanted to bring some changes to his company. One of those changes was the
establishment of new software in the organisation. The software has the
capability to judge the performance of all the employees. Thus, it makes them
more accountable.
However, recently it has been observed that the employees
disliked Manav’s decision. After a lot of thinking, one fine day, he decided to
call a meeting to address their needs and resistance.
He told them that with the installation of the new software,
their needs would be fulfilled, and the best-performing employee would be
rewarded. Thus, he was able to bring down the resistance level of the
employees.
- Which concept of directing is applied by Manav in the
above case?
- Which one of the benefits of this concept has been highlighted in the
above case?
Case Study 3
A company has a number of employees who don’t harbour good feelings for the
organisation. They don’t care whether the organisation is progressing or not.
Some of them even have a negative attitude towards the
management. When a local newspaper wanted to find out the reason for the
declining productivity of the organisation, it was found that it was mainly due
to the lack of any incentives in the organisation.
Employees were not awarded for increasing the output of the
organisation.
- What do you think needs to be done in such
circumstances?
- What could be the positive outcome of your step?
Case Study 4
Identify and state the Maslow’s needs applicable in the following cases of
organisational set-up:
- Virendra works in an organisation. He has been part of
the organisation for the last 20 years. During all these years, in spite of his
best performance in the organisation, he hasn’t yet reached the post of
Vice-President.
- Vandana works in a software firm. She goes to the
office, which is situated at a distance of 20 km from her house. Her husband
earns very well and is a pilot with a leading Airline. Though she belongs to a
good-earning family yet she has decided to keep on going to her job, which she
feels helps her gain acceptance in her social circle.
Case Study 5
Shyam Malik, the CEO of Care Hospitals, a leading chain of hospitals, decided
to reward the good work of the doctors of this organisation. For this, he
instituted two running trophies.
A Healthcare Achievers’ Trophy to acknowledge and appreciate
the tireless efforts of the doctors who rendered selfless services to the
patients, and another Beti Bachao Trophy to recognise the outstanding work done
by the doctors in saving the girl child. He decided that all doctors must work
in rural areas for atleast six months to improve health services.
- Identify the incentive provided by Care Hospitals to its
doctors through running trophies.
- Which need of the doctors will be satisfied through the
incentive identified in (i)? State.
Case Study 6
Mrs. Rani is working as the Human Resource Consultant in a firm that
manufactures cosmetics. The company is facing a problem of high employee
turnover.
The CEO of the company has invited suggestions from her for
retaining the talented employees and reducing employee turnover.
Mrs. Rani recommends that the good employees be rewarded in
a way that it creates a feeling of ownership among the employees and at the
same time makes them contribute towards the growth of the organisation.
- Identify the incentive and explain its type, which has
been suggested by Mrs. Rani to the CEO of the company.
- Also explain any two incentives of the same type.
Case Study 7
Manoj, a highly dedicated sales manager at Stellar Enterprises, consistently
worked toward his sales targets with strategic planning and an enthusiastic
approach. Recognised for his commitment and motivation, Manoj exceeded
expectations by achieving his sales target one month before the deadline.
This impressive accomplishment not only highlighted his
dedication but also inspired his team and motivated the organisation to achieve
higher benchmarks.
To honour his achievement, the company’s CEO decided to
reward his diligence and hard work. Manoj’s success story was widely publicised
as an example of dedication and hard work.
Additionally, he was awarded with
monetary incentives and recognition in the form of a ‘Best Performance’
certificate, which boosted his morale and reinforced the company’s culture of
productivity and excellence.
- Name the type of incentive provided to Manoj and
identify the type of incentive.
- List two other incentives of the type identified in (i).
Case Study 8
When Bhanupriya joined as the technical head of Logic Lotus computers, she was
keen on increasing the productivity and profitability of the company. However,
she observed that the employees were demotivated as no attention was paid to
their work. Also, the workers were given little freedom to make decisions.
Bhanupriya decided to stimulate the employees by giving them
T-shirts with their names on them. She also decided to include workers in work
committees. This helped in improving the performance of the workers.
- On the basis of the understanding of Maslow’s Need
Hierarchy Theory of motivation, identify the human need that Bhanupriya has
recognised in order to make the subordinates act towards the achievement of
organisational goals.
- Identify and explain two incentives that have been
provided by Bhanupriya to improve the performance of the employees.
Case Study 9
Avni Enterprises organised a function for the employees. There were managers,
supervisors, foremen, and others. Some of the employees were engaged in having
conversations related to personal experiences, while others were discussing
company experiences.
One of the supervisors wanted to give a suggestion to the
manager of his department. But he could not do it because of official fear. In
the function, the supervisor got an opportunity to give his opinion, which was
appreciated by the manager. As a result, an appreciation letter was given to
the supervisor. This motivated other employees as well.
- Name the motivational method applied here.
- List two more motivational methods of the same category.
Case Study 10
A reputed hostel, Gyan Pradan, provides medical aid and free education to the
children of its employees. Which incentive is being highlighted here? State its
category and name any two more incentives of the same category.
Case Study 11
In a renowned hospital with 100 beds, the CEO of the hospital congratulates the
exceptionally performing employees by meeting in person. Sometimes the name of
the employee of the month is displayed on the notice board at the main entrance
along with his/her photograph.
Recently, the company went a step ahead and distributed
T-shirts to the employees who have been among the top 3 performers.
On Employee Day every year, employees who contribute a lot
are either rewarded or awarded.
- In the above case, which type of incentive has been used
by the company to improve employee performance?
- Which type of incentive is this? Also, give the definition of this type of
incentive.
Case Study 12
A popular magazine published an article on job cuts across the globe. It stated
that due to reasons like cost-cutting, market conditions, and technological
advancement, almost two lakh people in the IT sector have lost their jobs
during the last year.
This was read and discussed by employees of iTechwire Ltd.,
a software development company in India. It created a lot of unrest among them,
and their morale came down. The productivity of the employees started
declining. The chief executive officer of the company observed the insecurity
among the staff about their jobs.
Understanding his role as the leader, he wrote an email to
all the employees assuring them about the stability of their future income and
job.
This communication gave the employees psychological and
emotional satisfaction and showed positive results in terms of their
performance. The chief executive officer was able to make the subordinates act
in a desired manner and achieve the organisational goals, without giving them
any monetary rewards.
- Identify and explain the incentive used by the chief
executive officer to improve the performance of the employees.
- State the need on the basis of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy
of Needs Theory, which was satisfied in the above case.
Case Study 13
Ravi, the operations manager at Jindal Tea Company in Assam, is known for his
firm, directive approach. He gives clear orders to his team without involving
them in decision-making, expecting compliance to maintain efficiency and meet
production targets.
Ravi believes that consulting with his subordinates may slow
down operations and prefers to make decisions independently to ensure swift
execution and productivity.
- Identify and state the leadership style adopted by Ravi.
- When can this style be useful for a manager? State.
Case Study 14
Pramod was a supervisor at the ‘Annapurna Atta’ factory. The factory was
producing 200 quintals of atta every day.
His main task was to ensure that the
work went on smoothly and there was no interruption in the production process.
For this, he would give orders only after consulting his subordinates and work
out the policies with the consensus of the group. Identify and describe the
leadership style being adopted by Pramod.
Case Study 15
In an organisation, one of the departmental managers is inflexible and once he
makes a decision, he does not like to be contradicted.
As a result, employees
always feel they are under stress, and they take the least initiative and fear
expressing their opinions and problems to the manager.
What is the problem with the way authority is being used by
the manager?
Case Study 16
Balvinder is the production manager of ‘Pramod Tea Company’ in Guwahati. He
gives orders to his subordinates and expects that they obey those orders. He
does not consult them nor encourage them to participate in decision-making.
- Identify and state the leadership style adopted by
Balvinder.
- When can this style be effectively used by a manager? State.
Case Study 17
Identify and state the type of leadership displayed in the following cases:
- Mr. Umang Patel is the CEO of a leading software
company. He is least concerned about the managerial development of his
subordinates. The communication follows only from top to bottom in his
organisation.
- Ravish is the head of the marketing department of his
company. Recently, he organised a series of meetings to get the suggestions of
his team members on various issues. His subordinates appreciate his habit of
consulting his team before he makes any major decision.
Case Study 18
Radhika started a business of supplying high-class facial kits to beauty
parlours in various cities of the country. Initially, the business was doing
well, and her products were popular because of their high quality.
Radhika
faced tough times when difficulties in operations started developing in Kagpur
city, where her products failed to gain a strong market presence.
To understand the cause, she appointed a qualified marketing manager.
The marketing manager discovered that there was no proper
exchange of facts, ideas, etc. between the branch office at Kagpur city and the
employees at different locations of Kagpur.
Vicky, who was in charge and
responsible for overseeing all parlours in Kagpur, was unable to effectively
foster a common understanding of the product among the employees.
As a result,
the employees did not grasp the key benefits and features of the high-class
facial kits.
In turn, the employees were not able to convince potential
clients about the product’s value.
- Identify the concept discussed in the above case.
- The concept identified in (i) above can be defined as a process having
various elements. State the first five elements of this process.
Case Study 19
Rajesh and Suresh are working in the same company but in different departments.
They often meet during coffee breaks to catch up on the latest news. One day,
Rajesh tells Suresh that there is a rumor going around about the company
planning to restructure, which might lead to some job cuts.
- Which type of communication is this?
- State any four features of the type of communication identified in (i).
Case Study 20
Neeraj, a Sales Representative of ‘Ornida Ltd.’ has changed about 80 jobs in
the last year. He is a hard-working person, but is not able to attain targets.
Many of the customers were due to his inadequate vocabulary and omission of
needed words.
Sometimes, he uses the wrong words, because of which the
intended meaning is not conveyed.
All this created a misunderstanding between him and his clients.
- Identify the communication barrier discussed above and
state the category of this communication barrier.
- Explain any other communication barrier of the same category.
Case Study 21
Mr. Fernandes is the owner of Unibie Enterprises, carrying on the business of
manufacturing electrical appliances.
There is a lot of discontentment in the organisation, and targets are not being
met. He asked his son, Michel, who has recently completed his MBA, to find out
the reason.
Michel found that all decision-making of the enterprise was done by
the father. Moreover, his father did not have confidence in the capacity of the
employees. Thus, the employees were not able to contribute.
- Identify any two communication barriers because of which
‘Unibie Enterprise’ was not able to achieve its target.
- State one more barrier of each of the types identified in (i) above.
Case Study 22
Rajeev recently joined as the managing director of Tivori Ltd., an apparel
designing company. He observed that the company had a number of experienced
fashion designers on its payroll. They regularly offered useful suggestions
that were neither appreciated nor rewarded by the company.
Recently, the company outsourced its services to some
renowned fashion designers and paid them a good amount for their services.
Because of this, the employees felt disheartened and stopped giving useful
suggestions.
- Identify the communication barrier discussed above and
state the category of this communication barrier.
- Explain any other communication barrier of the same category.
Case Study 23
Rajeev started working in an MNC. He was very devoted to his job. However,
whenever he used to communicate with his subordinates, they were unable to
understand him.
The reason behind this problem was that he himself was unsure
about the concept he used to explain to the subordinates.
This problem was
taking place on a daily basis. One day, he got an order from his senior to fly
to Goa for a project meeting.
There, he started explaining his concept to
others, but there were many aspects that the team of Goa wanted to explain to
him.
He was more concerned about speaking than listening. This
resulted in the failure of the meeting, which was very important for the
company.
In this hopelessness, he forgot to review the instructions
he had given to his subordinates about a very important programme to be
organised in his hometown.
What measures would you suggest to Rajeev so that he could
improve his communication effectiveness?
Long Case Studies
Case Study 24
Sunrise Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd., a medium-sized company based in Pune, has been
a leading player in the automobile parts industry for over two decades.
Founded
by Mr. Raghav Mehra, the company started with a modest production unit and a
team of 50 employees.
Over the years, through hard work and dedication, Sunrise
Manufacturing expanded its operations, now employing over 500 workers and
supplying automotive components to various car companies in India.
In 2022, Sunrise Manufacturing secured a large contract with
one of the top automobile manufacturers in the country.
This contract required
the company to increase its production capacity significantly within a short
period. To meet the growing demand, the management decided to install new
machinery and hire additional workers.
While the expansion was a positive
development, it also brought challenges in managing the larger workforce and
ensuring that new employees were integrated without compromising quality.
Mr. Mehra, the managing director, was aware that simply
increasing the workforce and upgrading technology would not be sufficient to
meet the new targets.
He understood that the company needed strong leadership
and effective communication to guide the employees effectively.
Mr. Mehra appointed Ms. Priya Kapoor, a seasoned manager
with a strong track record in leadership, as the Head of Operations.
Her
primary responsibility was to oversee the expansion and ensure that the
production targets were achieved on time.
Upon taking charge, Ms. Kapoor noticed that the rapid
expansion had led to confusion among the workers.
The employees were unsure about their new roles,
responsibilities and how the new machinery worked.
There was a lack of
coordination among different departments, and the production process was
becoming inefficient.
Recognising the urgency of the situation, Ms. Kapoor decided to take immediate
action.
She started by organising a series of meetings with department heads to
communicate the company’s goals and the importance of each department’s role in
achieving these goals.
She then held training sessions for the workers to familiarise them with the
new machinery and production process. During these sessions, Ms. Kapoor
encouraged open communication, allowing workers to express their concerns and
ask questions.
This approach helped in building trust and ensuring that
everyone was on the same page. To further enhance productivity, Ms. Kapoor
introduced a system of regular feedback and performance reviews.
She set clear expectations for each team and provided guidance on how to meet
these expectations.
Ms. Kapoor also recognised and rewarded employees who performed exceptionally
well, motivating others to follow suit.
Under her leadership, the workers began
to feel more confident and engaged in their roles, leading to improved
coordination and a significant increase in production efficiency.
As the company’s production ramped up, Ms. Kapoor continued to monitor the
progress closely.
She maintained regular communication with the teams, addressing any issues that
arose and providing the necessary support to keep operations running smoothly.
Her ability to direct the workforce effectively played a crucial role in
Sunrise Manufacturing’s ability to meet the demands of the new contract without
any major disruptions.
By the end of the year, Sunrise Manufacturing had
successfully fulfilled the contract, exceeding the client’s expectations in
terms of both quality and delivery time.
The company’s success was largely
attributed to Ms. Kapoor’s leadership and her ability to guide the employees
toward achieving common goals.
The experience also reinforced the importance of
effective leadership and communication in managing a large workforce and
achieving organisational objectives.
- Identify the management function.
- Identify the management function that Ms. Priya Kapoor primarily utilised
to address the challenges at Sunrise Manufacturing.
- Discuss the importance of the management function identified in the case.
Case Study 25
Riya Sharma was the Operations Manager at “FitGear Sportswear,” a company known
for its high-quality athletic apparel. The company was recognised for its
dynamic work culture, where employees felt motivated and aligned with the
company’s goals.
Riya Sharma ensured that every employee clearly understood
their role and responsibilities, creating a structured work environment.
To maintain high levels of productivity, Riya frequently communicated the
company’s vision and objectives to her team, making sure that everyone stayed
aligned.
She was also known for providing one-on-one feedback to her members,
praising their accomplishments and guiding them to improve when necessary.
Riya believed that encouraging her employees and recognising
their achievements not only boosted their morale but also enhanced their
commitment to the company’s objectives.
Moreover, Riya delegated tasks efficiently, ensuring that work was distributed
based on individual strengths and capabilities. This allowed the team to work
cohesively and achieve their targets effectively.
As a result, FitGear
Sportswear consistently delivered high-quality products and maintained a strong
market position.
However, during a crucial project, one of the team leaders faced difficulties
in executing the assigned tasks. Riya provided guidance and additional training
to help the team leader overcome the challenges.
This support not only ensured
the completion of the project but also strengthened the team leader’s
confidence and competence.
By identifying from the above case, identify and explain the three elements of
the directing function of management discussed in the case.
Case Study 26
Smita had been working as an assistant manager with ‘Johnson Enterprises’ for
the last ten years. She was very popular amongst her colleagues because of her
commitment and dedication to the work.
When the manager senior to her retired,
all her colleagues thought that now Smita would be promoted.
But to everyone’s
surprise, the vacant post was filled by an outsider, Mrs. Rita. Smita felt
demoralised, and her performance started declining. She would often be absent
herself and could not meet her targets.
Mrs. Rita was a good leader who would not only instruct her
subordinates but also guide and inspire them. Her subordinates would trust her
and feel that their performance made her happy.
Smita’s behaviour made it
obvious that though she would raise the slogan of organisations and would speak
in meetings, her behaviour was not in line with the thinking and behaviour of
the high-level joint management committee.
Smita was now punctual in the office, and her performance started improving.
- Identify and state the function of management being
performed by Rita.
- Name the element of the above function of management which helped Rita to
improve Smita’s behaviour.
- State any four features of the element identified in (ii) above.
Case Study 27
Inaya Ltd. is a multinational technology company focusing on artificial
intelligence, online advertising, and search engine technology.
The company is
generating good profits and is aware of the well-being of its staff. The
company offers benefits like allowances, medical aid, and insurance to
employees.
Regular exercise is promoted, and the manager/lead regularly
conducts team-building sessions in this regard.
It frequently promotes employees to senior positions and
makes various types of incentives available to them.
Under a special incentive scheme, the employees are offered shares of Inaya Ltd
at a price that is lower than the market price. Each year, the company keeps
aside funds to pay 10% of the basic salary as a bonus to its employees.
No
overtime wages would be provided for working at Inaya Ltd. to extend. Explain
four incentives being provided by Inaya Ltd. to motivate their employees for
better performance.
Case Study 28
Ramesh is a manager in a company engaged in the production of electrical
appliances. He has been holding this position for a long time.
He is liked by
his subordinates as he encourages them and takes an interest in their tasks and
important decisions.
Being an experienced manager, he believes that money is
not sufficient to motivate the employees.
Therefore, he uses the following non-financial incentives to motivate the
employees.
- Ramesh
has set up a suggestion box system in order to involve his subordinates in
decision-making. This has boosted the confidence of employees to
participate in issues related to the organisation.
- Ramesh
gives freedom or more autonomy to the employees working under him, with an
assurance of greater responsibility from them. Since workers have taken
part in the process of decision-making, they feel that their job is
important.
- Ramesh
makes arrangements at the workplace for employees to make their work more
meaningful. The outcome has been an increase in motivation for the workers
at the place of work itself.
- Ramesh
often makes arrangements for appropriate skill development programmes. He
has chalked out a sound promotion policy to give more growth opportunities
to employees.
- Identify and explain the leadership style followed by
Ramesh.
- State the meaning of leadership.
- Also identify and explain the various non-financial incentives used by
Ramesh to motivate the employees.
Case Study 29
In an organisation, all the employees take things easy and are lazy in
approaching anyone for minor queries and problems.
This has resulted in everyone talking to each other, thus resulting in
inefficiency in the office. It has also resulted in the absence of secrecy and
confidential information being leaked.
Which system do you think the manager should adopt to improve communication?
Case Study 30
Rajat Verma was the Marketing Head of a leading FMCG company, ‘FreshPure
Products’. The company was known for its wide range of organic and healthy food
items.
Rajat was a skilled communicator who ensured that his team
was well-informed about the latest market trends and customer preferences. He
conducted regular meetings with his team to discuss sales strategies and new
product launches.
During one of the meetings, Rajat introduced a new product
that required immediate attention and a strategic marketing plan.
However,
during the meeting, several team members were distracted by their phones and
didn’t pay full attention to Rajat’s presentation.
As a result, the team
evaluated the strategy without fully understanding the details, which led to
misunderstandings.
When Rajat followed up on the actions discussed, he
discovered that employees had different interpretations of the plan, resulting
in a poorly coordinated marketing campaign.
Additionally, many subordinates did not actively participate in the discussion
as they felt that their suggestions wouldn’t be valued or recognised, leading
to a lack of initiative to communicate or offer suggestions.
Employees may not
take the initiative to communicate in the absence of proper incentives or
motivation.
Meanwhile, a competitor, ‘NutriFoods’, launched a similar
product with a highly effective marketing strategy and captured a significant
market share.
FreshPure Products struggled to communicate the product benefits
properly, leading to a drop in sales and loss of market position.
Quoting lines from the above paragraph, identify and explain
three barriers to communication and state the category.
The End
