A Report on

the Case Analysis of

“CASE DISABILITY ACCOMMODATION AND PROMOTION AT

BUNCO”

Submitted to

Prof. Swatantra

Submitted by

Group 6

Aaditya Kumar Vasnik 2016IPM001

Medhashree Jha 2019PGP541

Mukil Vanan 2019PGP265

Namratha Velivelli 2016IPM063

Rishav Biswas 2015IPM088

Rounak Ghosh 2019PGP350

Sashi Bothra 2019PGP364

Shubhali Singh 2019PGP396

 2

Letter of Transmittal

From: Group 6 | Section- F

Date: 28th November, 2019

Prof. Swatantra,

Subject: Recommendation report on Disability Accommodations and Promotions at Bunco

case

Our group submits this report as per the partial fulfillment of the WAC course for PGP 2019-21
Term-2. We are hereby attaching a recommendation report on the case: Disability
Accommodations and Promotions at Bunco.

Based on the case facts and class discussion, an analysis of the case was performed. After an
extensive analysis through group discussion, we recommend that Nicholas should inform the
higher management of his company and look for a skilled employee outside of Ontario.

Our team is available for any further references and additional information related to case.

Regards,
Group: 6
Section: F
 3

Executive Summary:
Nicholas, the director of finance for Bunco Canada, had to take on a more strategic role in the
company. Paul’s Crohn’s disease was the major impediment in selecting him as an Account
Manager. The special privileges enjoyed by Paul also had a negative effect on the other team
members. A futile search by the company to fill up the position led to Nicholas wondering if he
should give the promotion to Paul. In this report, six feasible alternatives have been discussed as
to what Nicholas can possibly do. After evaluating the options using criteria, the final
recommendation of the team is that Nicholas should inform his senior team so that they
understand the situation in Ontario and provide required resources and time.
 4

Table of Content

Sr. No. CONTENTS Page no.

1. Situation analysis 5

2. Problem statement 6

3. Possible options 6

4. Criterion for evaluation 6

6. Evaluation of alternatives 7-8

7. Recommendation 9

8. Action plan 9
 5

Situation Analysis:

Paul has been working with Bunco, Canada as a staff accountant at the Ontario branch. Nicholas
is his director of Finance. Ontario is an isolated town with minimal access to skilled workers.
Nicholas and Paul are the only employees with a professional designation in the team. Apart from
that, the cost accountant is trying to get a CMA designation. When Paul was diagnosed with
Crohn’s disease in 2000, Nicholas accommodated Paul by allowing him to work at home during
his bad days.

With the growing business, the demands on the accounting department increased. Due to his
illness, other members had to take extra burden. Paul was unable to meet the deadlines as he was
under continuous stress, which eventually triggered his disease. This worsened the team’s attitude
regarding Paul’s disability.

In 2003, Nicholas received a new responsibility and has to shift to Toronto’s branch. So, someone
needs to be appointed as an Accounting Manager to perform Nicholas’s tasks. Paul would have
been a suitable person, however due to his disability Nicholas was reluctant to consider him for
the post. Currently, nobody else in the team can do the job. So, Nicholas began his external search
with the help of an agency but failed miserably. He has been under a lot of pressure doing both
jobs. After fourteen months, Nicholas is now thinking of giving promotion to Paul.
 6

Problem Statement

What should Nicholas do in order to fill the post of Account Manager and also fulfill the
expectation from his seniors?

Options:

1. Watch and Watch: Continue to handle the role of Account Manager, till the time he gets a
suitable substitute from Ontario
2. Promote Paul
3. Promote someone else from the team: “The cost accountant”
4. Promote Paul to the post of Deputy Manager
5. Inform higher management at Toronto
6. Look for skilled employee outside of Ontario without informing the seniors at Toronto

Criteria for evaluation:

1. Team support for work: Decision should be suitable to the existing team conditions.
2. Managerial role: Selected person must have requisite capability to bring justice to the
position of the Account Manager
3. Nicholas be moved to higher responsibility: After solving the problem, Nicholas would
be able to successfully deliver his duty at Toronto office.
4. Should be lawful and under HR policy: The solution must take care of the existing
laws related to recruitment and also the existing HR policies
5. Paul should have to continue working: Decision should be acceptable to Paul, and he
should not feel discriminated by anyone.
 7

Evaluation of Alternatives:

1. Wait and watch: Continue to handle the role of Account Manager, till the time he gets a
suitable substitute

As of now, the only person who fits in the criteria laid off through the job requirement is Nicholas
himself, while others in the town are not having relevant skillsets required, and Paul is deemed not
suitable for because of his disability.

However, Nicholas is currently handling two positions simultaneously, and as a result he is unable
to focus on either of the responsibilities, due to which he is receiving negative feedback from the
seniors at a higher level. Further, it is not sure whether Nicholas would successfully be able to get
the perfect candidate in a short span of time. Moreover, he won’t be able to co-ordinate and
communicate properly with the existing team at Ontario for so long.

2. Promote Paul

Paul has got the desired qualification laid out for the job. Moreover, working 14 years in the
organization, Paul is familiarized with the working culture at Bunco. He was undertaking these
responsibilities informally earlier, and has got the desired team support that is expected from an
Account manager. So, he could easily undertake the position without any hassle. Nicholas also has
a moral responsibility to promote Paul.

Paul might be demoralized to take up the position. He might consider himself as a “third-option”
by Nicholas, who has been approached for the position only because all other alternatives are
exhausted. He might question why Nicholas didn’t consider him for the position 14 months earlier.

3. Promote someone else from the team: “The cost accountant”

Nicholas can consider the cost accountant who was working towards her CMA designation but yet
had not received it, but in future she would be able to get her designation. She would be easily able
to handle the job responsibility and is also familiar with the team and thus work culture.

The HR might be reluctant to offer the position to cost accountant as she yet not possesses CMA
certificate. The other team members may not welcome her as a senior, since she does not hold any
certificate. Further the time till which she would get designation is not known yet.
 8

4. Promote Paul to the post of Deputy Manager

Nicholas can continue handling the managerial position with Paul as his deputy. He can hand over
the Ontario office's managerial responsibilities completely to Paul and intervene only in Paul's
absence. In continuing through this way he can contribute more to his responsibilities from Toronto
office. Moreover, the moral obligation to promote Paul will also have fulfilled.

However, this might be a difficult proposition to handle due to Paul's absenteeism and Nicholas'
increasing strategic role that commands a lot of time itself. They will be able to retain both Paul's
talent and cater to headquarters’ requirements, but the frequent travel requirements of the Manager
to US might have to be borne by Nicholas again.

5. Inform higher Management at Toronto

Keeping seniors well informed and aware of employee issues is always recommended. If the higher
management be made aware of the problems faced by Nicholas, they would set their expectations
right. The management would definitely step forward in providing a solution in terms of additional
human resource, transferring work responsibilities to the headquarters, or decreasing seasonal
workload.

Going by this option, Nicholas would be unburdened from the two roles he is currently juggling
with and improve his efficiency too.

6. Look for skilled employee outside of Ontario to meet the job requirements

The work location being in a rural set up has landed the firm void of requisite skilled employee.
If the firm could pay higher than market standards it would be able to incentivize professionals
from outside Ontario to move in to their location.

The firm is currently paying an indirect high cost in daily work struggle by suffering from
inefficiencies and team dissatisfaction. A better alternative could be paying out directly for a
requisite staff and rather maintain a healthy team spirit. The new person could take over either full
Managerial responsibilities as Accounts Department Manager or share the office with Paul, so that
the team could leverage on both Paul's experience and the new Manager’s presence and support
even when Paul is sick.
 9

Recommendation:
Nicholas should inform the higher management and look for a skilled employee outside of Ontario.

Through this, Nicholas would be able to fulfill his responsibilities at Toronto completely. The
senior management would also get to know about Paul’s current situation, hence can relax him
from some of the responsibility. This solution will ease the workload on Nicholas, and enable a
worthy candidate to become the Accounts manager according to Bunco’s HR policy. The team
would also be motivated as the manager can now be physically present in the office. However,
Paul may not like the decision as he is an experienced and qualified candidate.

Action Plan:
Nicholas should inform his seniors at Toronto office and inform them regarding his workload.
The management can take necessary steps such as providing him more time or easing his current
workload. Nicholas can then search for employees outside Ontario and take help from his
colleagues at Toronto. Meanwhile Nicholas can request Paul to assist him in handling
responsibilities at Ontario office till the new manager joins.