Frank Mason (A)

Leading organization dymanics case :

Picture of a frank
mason
Frank Mason CV
35 years old
BA from Antioch College
4 years serve as Navy
personnel
MBA from HBS
Work Experience
Great Pacific Paper company =>
Largest manufacture of
consumer paper product
Gleason Proshops => retail of
sporting goods chain as VP for
planning and Marketing

Company Profile
Abbot Business Supply (ABS)
Subsidiary of Houston electronics
Formerly a family own company with
paternalistic management
Regional manufacture of stationary and other
paper product, distributor of related business
supply items
Annual income 10 mio USD
Company Profile ABS (contd)
Revenue portion :
45% from stationary and business form
50% from stores
30% from business
20% from school system and college
70% of sales in San Fransisco Bay area
20% in los Angeles
10% in sacramento
Key Person in this Case
Ed Nolan, mid fifties, engineer, spend much
time in his career on Technology company,
Protg of Art Lincoln (EVP of Houston
Electronics)
Rick Cunningham, ABS controller, good friend
of Nolan
Lester Metcalf, ABS administrative assistance,
good friend of Nolan and one of his Loyalis
Key Person in this Case (contd)
Percy Little, in charge of sales, bad
administration ability.
James Au, LA warehouse manager
Tony Bucini, serve as product manager
Steve Lewis, serve as product manager
Jeff Stelle, VP of Operation

Case is about
Applying effective leadership strategies in a team situation
Factors involve :
Communication
Interpersonal relations, Superior and subordinate;
Performance management;
Management Style;
Conflict Management;
Employee Relationship Management;
Personal Development and Career;
Distribution Industry.
Learning Outcome =
Topics = Personality, values and individual differences.
Situation
When Trouble Begins (Q1)
Looking for better job prospect
Making a business plan in company that hard
to realize (walk on the water)
Having not common understanding with all
issues related to the company
Permissive autocrat management style in ABS
conduct by Nolan
Cash flow problem at ABS

Crossroads (Q2)
Making a firm commitment talk function
when he first met Nolan
Asking for approval when doing a sale order
below break event point
Knowing deeper about company cashflow
Ed Nolan decision (Q3)
Thingking Theory X manager
Superiority complex
Doing downward communication to motivate
Making everything like in Houston electronics
Abuse of power
Ed Nolan way-out (Q4)
Making clear job mission statement.
Change management style in to Directive
Autocratic or Consultative
Treat people respectively to increase
interpersonal relationship
When Should a Leader Be Directive or
Empowering?
How to Develop your own Situational Theory
of Leadership