Case Study
Overview: The purpose of this case study is to make connections between and demonstrate your understanding of
the different topics we have covered this semester. As you may have noticed, media outlets often provide a rich
context for exploring the application of management and organizational behavior theories and themes in a variety
of contexts. One such media outlet is cinema, or more specifically, Hollywood’s interpretation and portrayal of
people as they relate to their jobs and personal lives. While there are many movies that are directly relatable to
management and organizational behavior, one exemplar is The Devil Wears Prada.
Assignment: The Devil Wears Prada touches upon several topics we have discussed thus far. This assignment
involves watching the Devil Wears and Prada and answering the questions below. The case study should be a
maximum of 5 pages in length, double-spaced, using 12-point font and 1” margins all around.
One suggestion for successfully completing this assignment is to read and re-read the questions, and then take
notes while you watch the movie. This will help in answering the questions and being able to relate this movie to
the topics we have covered both in class and in the book. You may use quotes to support your responses, but
remember to use quotation marks; and, do not overuse quotes from the movie.
Individual Differences and Fit
1. On which personality characteristics were Andy and Miranda different? Identify at least two personality
factors and provide at least two examples from the movie to support each of your answers.
2. In your opinion, did Andy experience person-job or person-organization misfit and why? Use at least
three specific examples from the movie to support your argument.
3. In class, we discussed the relationship between job attitudes (i.e., satisfaction, commitment), stress, and
behavior (e.g., performance, turnover). Please discuss the relationship between these three factors and
how it changed throughout the movie. Please use specific examples from lecture and the movie to
support your response.
Leadership
1. Drawing on two contingency and contemporary leadership theories (see below), discuss how Miranda
was effective and/or ineffective as a leader? For each theory you choose, please select three examples
from the movie to support your answers.
Leadership theories: Authentic Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Servant Leadership, LMX,
Moral Leadership, Hersey-Blanchard Situational Leadership, House’s path-goal leadership theory
Motivation
2. Drawing on two motivation theories, suggest specific strategies you think the company could implement
to increase the work motivation of a person in Andy’s role. Discuss how they would be implemented or
applied.
Motivation and Job Design Theories
• Needs: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg's Two-factor Theory, McClelland's Acquired Needs
Theory
• Job Characteristics Model
• Equity Theory
• Expectancy Theory
• Reinforcement Theory
Leadership and Power
How can you influence others?
Professor Rubino
What are the differences between personal
and position power?
POSITION POWER
PERSONAL POWER
Legitimate
Referent
Reward
Expert
Process
Influence Strategy Debrief
Personal Power: Stepping Stone
or Stumbling Block
Insert figure 5.1
CONSEQUENCES OF
UNQUESTIONING POWER
The Asch
Study
The
Milgram
Study
The
Zimbardo
Study
Evolution of Leadership Theories
Leadership
depends on
the situation
Great people
are leaders
Trait
theories
Behavioral
theories
Leadership
can be trained
Contingency
theories
Leadership Behaviors
Task concerns
People concerns
• Plans and defines work to
be done
• Assigns task
responsibilities
• Sets clear work standards
• Urges task completion
• Monitors performance
results
• Acts warm and supportive
toward followers
• Develops social rapport
with followers
• Respects the feelings of
followers
• Is sensitive to followers’
needs
• Shows trust in followers
In your experience…
Reflect on a great leader you have known in your
life. This could be a manager, mentor, parent,
religious leader, neighbor or anyone else. List at
least five traits of the “great leader” and identify
the most important trait.
9
Drive
Honesty
and
integrity
Flexibility
Selfconfidence
Important
Traits for
leadership
success
Motivation
Jobrelevant
knowledge
Creativity
Cognitive
ability
10
Contingency Approaches to Leadership
The Role of Context
Fiedler’s
Contingency
Theory
Situational
Leadership
Path-Goal
Theory of
Leadership
Situational Leadership Theory
Leader should choose leadership type based
on employee readiness
Readiness = Willingness X Ability
TELL*Employees are committed but need constant
direction
SELL*Leaders explain and encourage to gain
results
PARTICIPATE *Leaders provide guidance
and employees make decisions
DELEGATE *Leaders assign and
make employees responsible
Situational Leadership Theory
High
Low competence
High commitment
High competence
High commitment
TELL
DELEGATE
Commitment
Low
Low competence
Low commitment
Moderate-High Competence
Variable Commitment
SELL
PARTICIPATE
Low
High
Competence
Path-goal leadership styles
Leaders should tailor their behavior to the needs, abilities, and
personalities of individual employees and job characteristics
Can use all styles, switching back and forth based on individual needs
Directive
leadership
• Communicate
expectations
• Give directions
• Schedule work
• Maintain
performance
standards
• Clarify leader’s
role
Supportive
leadership
• Make work
pleasant
• Treat group
members as
equals
• Be friendly and
approachable
• Show concern for
subordinates’
well-being
Achievementoriented leadership
• Set challenging
goals
• Expect high
performance
levels
• Emphasize
continuous
improvement
• Display
confidence in
meeting high
standards
Participative
leadership
• Involve
subordinates in
decision making
• Consult with
subordinates
• Ask for
subordinates’
suggestions
• Use subordinates’
suggestions
Contemporary Approaches
to Leadership
Transactional vs.
Transformational Leadership
The theories discussed so far tend to focus on a
fairly straightforward exchange
Employees behave correctly because the leader
provides resources in exchange
E.g., leader uses participatory style and employee
comes up with good ideas
But there is more to leadership than THAT…
Transformational Leadership- Employees focus on
company’s well being rather than individual
pursuits
Transformational Leaders
Inspirational
motivation
Intellectual
stimulation
Individualized
consideration
Charisma
Transformational
Leaders
Optimism
rules.
Be
prepared.
Be
charismatic!
Be
energetic.
Develop
passions.
Ask
Questions.
Use your
hands while
talking.
Genuine
interest in the
people you
talk with.
Do you think this is true of
leadership?
“It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to
serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to
aspire to lead….”
- John Greenleaf
Do you think that you can be a servant and leader
at the same time? How so? Are most business
leaders like this?
Servant Leadership
Commitment to serving others
Followers more important than leader
“Other centered” not “self-centered”
Power not a “zero-sum” quantity
Focuses on empowerment, not power
Culture of Trust
Acts with humility
Authentic Leadership
Leaders are self aware
Not afraid to act the
High levels of
way they are
personal integrity
Leaders are introspective
Understand where they
are coming from
Thorough understanding of
their own values and priorities
How authentic are you?
1. My leader solicits feedback for improving his/her dealings with
others.
2. My leader clearly states what he/she means.
3. My leader shows consistency between his/her beliefs and actions.
4. My leader asks for ideas that challenge his/her core beliefs.
5. My leader admits mistakes when they occur.
6. My leader uses his/her core beliefs to make decisions.
7. My leader shows that he/she understands his/her strengths and
weaknesses.
14-25
Where Will You Lead?
I suppose leadership at one time meant
muscles; but today it means getting along
with people.
Mahatma Gandhi
Management is doing things right;
leadership is doing the right things.
Peter Drucker
Leadership and learning are indispensable
to each other.
John F. Kennedy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuuTlQ0FzEU
Don’t forget….
• Quiz and OA due TUESDAY!!!
• Exam 1 in two weeks!
Motivation Theories
and Performance
Performance
Performance
Motivation
Ability
When a person is …
(1) Energized, (2) Directed, and (3) Persistent
…toward achieving a goal.
Environment
Theories on Motivations
Content Theories
Process Theories
Maslow’s Hierarchy
Expectancy Theory
Alderfer’s ERG (existence,
relatedness, growth)
Equity Theory
Herzberg’s Two-factors
Theory (Hygiene &
Motivators)
McClelland’s Acquired
Needs (n-Ach, n-Aff, nPwr)
Reinforcement Theory
Goal-Setting
Maslow Hierarchy of Needs
Self-actualization: learning, growth,
achieving one’s potential, etc.
Esteem: self-respect, recognition,
mastery, etc.
Social: love, acceptance, friendship
Safety needs: no physical or emotional
harm
Physiological needs: air, water, food,
4
Alderfer’s ERG Theory
Existence
Multiple Needs
Can Coexist
Growth
FrustrationRegression
Relatedness
Acquired-Needs Theory
McClelland
Need for
achievement:
Want to do things
better, solve
problems, master
complex tasks
Need for
affiliation:
Need for
power:
Desire to establish
and maintain
relationships,
seek approval,
avoid conflict
desire to control
people and
resources
Two-Factor Theory
Dissatisfaction
Hygiene Factors
• Company
policy
• Supervision
and
relationships
• Working
conditions
• Salary
• Security
Satisfaction
Motivators
• Achievement
• Recognition
• Interesting
work
• Increased
responsibilities
• Advancement
and growth
Equity Theory
My outcomes = Other’s outcomes
My inputs
Other’s inputs
Inputs: quality of work performed, job knowledge,
cooperation with others, experience, education
Outputs: Pay, amount of work, status, possibility of
growth
8
Reactions to Perceived Inequity
Increase their outputs
Decrease their inputs
Modify their comparison by choosing another person
for comparison
Distort reality by rationalizing that the inequities are
justified (when they are positive)
Decreased job satisfaction and commitment
Leave the situation (quit)
9
Expectancy Theory
Effort
Expectancy
Performance
Instrumentality
Outcome
Valence
Based on the idea that work effort is directed toward behaviors
that people believe will lead to desired outcomes
1. Effort-to-performance
2. Performance-to-OUTCOME
3. Valence
Effort-to-performance (E to P)
Expectancy:
Will the effort lead to a good performance?
Probability (i.e., from 0 to 1)
e.g., believing that you have the capacity to meet
a sales quota
Question: How would you increase this?
Effort
Performance
11
Performance-to-outcome (P to O)
Instrumentality:
Will a good performance lead to organizational rewards?
(e.g., bonus, promotion, recognition, etc.)
Probability (between 0 and 1)
e.g., believing that meeting your sales quota will lead
to a promotion
Question: How would you increase this?
Performance
12
Outcome 1
Outcome Valence (O)
Valence:
Will the rewards be valued?
Perceived value: Negative or positive, unlimited range.
Related to how well the outcome meets needs and
drives
e.g., whether a promotion is something that you value
Question: How would you increase this?
Outcome 1
13
Types of Outcomes
Extrinsic outcomes
rewards that come from outside oneself
pay, promotion, benefits, safety, incentive pay
rewards that come from within oneself
achievement, pride, satisfaction, impact,
contribution
relationship between the worker and the task
Outcomes can also be
14
Reinforcement Theory
Manager
praises the
employee
Manager stops
nagging the
employee
Manager
demotes the
employee
Manager
ignores the
behavior
Motivation through Job Design:
Job Characteristics Model
Core Job
Characteristics
Psychological
States
Outcomes
• Skill variety
• Meaningfulness
• Motivation
• Task identity
• Responsibility
• Performance
• Task
significance
• Knowledge of
results
• Satisfaction
• Autonomy
• Feedback
• Absenteeism
• Turnover
Skill Variety
The opportunity to do a variety of job activities using
various skills and talents.
E.g., A professor teaches, conducts research, and
performs service to the university
17
Autonomy
The freedom to schedule one’s own work activities
and decide work procedures.
E.g., telemarketer
18
Task Significance
The impact that a job has on other people.
E.g., The time I worked at selling graveyard plots
vs. the time I worked at NASA
19
Task Identity
The extent to which a job involves doing a complete
piece of work, from beginning to end.
E.g., the wing vs. a bolt of an airplane
20
Feedback
Information about the effectiveness of one’s work
performance.
E.g., A chef gets immediate feedback from
customers
21
Integrated Model
Do you expect goal
success?
(Expectancy)
Performance
Extrinsic
Outcomes
Instrumentality
and
Reinforcement
LowerLevel
Needs
VALENCE
Do I Find the
outcomes
desirable?
Intrinsic
Outcomes
HigherLevel
Needs
Your Needs
ERG Growth
Needs
--------------Job
Characteristics
Model
-------------Maslow’s
Need Hierarchy
--------------Herzberg
Two-factor
----------------n-Ach, n-Pow, nAff
How you do compared to others??? (Perceived Equity)22
Dan Pink (author of Drive)
What people want in knowledge /creative work:
✓ Autonomy
✓ Mastery
✓ Purpose
What are some ways that organizations make jobs
more interesting?
…. enrichment, enlargement, rotation.
WHAT IMPACTS OUTCOMES
Org Characteristics
Job Characteristics/design
Work Relationships
Work-Life Balance
Personality
Cognitive Ability
Values
Motivation
Perceptions
Well-Being
•
•
•
•
Engagement
Burnout
Stress
Physical symptoms
Job Satisfaction
Organizational
Commitment
Performance
Person-Environment Fit
Psychological Contract
Turnover
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