Personnel Training and Development (HRM 545), Section-01

The Case Study no 02: Typical Role in a Role-Playing Exercise - Play your
role as Administrative Head of Repair Crew

Submitted to
Dr. Shoaib Ahmed
Email: drsahmedbdsbe@iub.edu.bd
Independent University, Bangladesh,
School of Business, MBA Program

Prepared by
Sadia Afrin, Student Id: 1910708
Email: 1910708@iub.edu.bd
Independent University, Bangladesh,
School of Business, MBA Program
 The case Study: Typical Role in a Role-Playing Exercise
Play your role as Administrative Head of Repair Crew:

Suppose you are the administrative head of telephone maintenance workers. The name of the city
is “Zadista”, a very big metropolitan city having a population of about three crores and an area of
four hundred sq. miles.
The telephone maintenance workers work under one hundred teams, each team having three to
four workers (usually technicians). Each team drives a small service truck to and from the
various job sites.
Every so often you get a new truck to exchange for an old one, and you have the problem of
deciding which of your crew members you should give the new truck. Often there are hard
feelings, since each seems to feel entitled to the new truck, so you have a tough time being fair.
As a matter of fact, it usually turns out that whatever you decide is considered wrong by most of
the crew. You now have to face the issue again because a new truck, a Chevrolet, has just been
allocated to you for assignment
.
In order to handle this problem you have decided to put the decision up to the crew. You will tell
them about the new truck and will put the problem in terms of what would be the fairest way to
assign the truck. Do not take a position yourself, because you want to do what they think is most
fair.

Do you think your this decision can be properly implemented and you will be able to avoid
criticism of being unfair to your crews? If you endorse this decision, give reasons for your
decision. If you think as an administrative head, this decision is faulty, what alternative decision
you can take to solve the problem and avoid being criticized as unfair to your maintenance crew?

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 Answer: In my opinion, if Administrative Head put the decision up to the crew members to
decide the fairest way to assign the truck, then every team will claim that they deserve the new
truck. It will not resolve the problem rather it will instigate discord and conflict among team
members. In addition, it shows Administrative Head‘s lack of supervision, leadership, control
over the team, lack of ability to handle the situation and solve the problem. The alternative
decision that the Administrative Head can take to solve the problem and to avoid being
criticized is to change the crew members’ perspective and develop positive attitudes toward
acceptance of supervisor’s decision. In this case, they can exercise role playing or behavior
modeling approaches to resolve the problem. Both of this approaches will help to make them
aware of fairness and to make sensitive to the feelings of others.

Role Playing
The aim of role playing is to create a realistic situation and then have the trainees (crew
members) assume the parts (or roles) of specific persons in that situation. Role playing can be an
enjoyable and inexpensive way to develop trainees’ (crew members) attitudes and to resolve
conflict among employees as well. The idea of the exercise is to solve the problem at hand and
thereby develop trainees’ (crew members) attitude positively in areas like leadership, teamwork,
accepting supervisor’s decision etc.
 Exercising role playing approaches with the crew members to resolve the new truck
dilemma.

Step 1: Identify the Situation

To start the process, gather crew members together, introduce the similar problem, encourage an
open discussion to uncover all of the relevant issues. This will help people to start thinking about
the problem before the role-play begins. For example: a sales manager has to create team
bonding and reduce conflict among the sales team members.

Step 2: Add Details

Next, a scenario will be created with enough detail to make it feel ‘real’ In this case it is required
to ensure that every participants is clear about the problem and scenario that we're trying to work
through, and what we want to achieve by the end of the session. For example: in this case a
situation has been created in which a sales manager is unable to achieve his sales target as there
is lack of teamwork, communication and cooperation in teams. Some employees are hostile to
other teammates.
Step 3: Assign Roles
Once the scenario has been set, the various fictional characters involved in the scenario will be
identified. Some of these may be people who have to deal with the situation when it actually

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happens (for example, sales manager). Others will represent people who are supportive or
hostile, depending on the scenario (for example, hostile sales team employees).Once these roles
have been identified, the roles will be allocated to the people involved in the exercise.
Step 4: Act Out the Scenario
Each person can then assume their role, and act out the situation, trying different approaches
where necessary. They should use their imagination to put themselves, in the scenario and in the
role that they're representing. It will help to understand their perspectives, situation, roles and
feelings involved when they enter the scenario.
Step 5: Discuss What We Have Learned
When the crews finish the role-play, the Administrative Head along with the crew members need
to sit together and discuss what they've learned, so that all the crew involved in role playing can
learn from the experience and it brings a positive change in their attitude.
 How will role playing help in solving problem of new truck dilemma
Role playing exercise will triggered spirited discussion among the role players particularly
when they all throw themselves into the roles. It will help to resolve “the new truck” dilemma
as the crews learn the importance of fairness in bringing about acceptance of resource
allocation decisions from the experience of exercise. It will also help the crews to be sensitive
to others feelings, to improve communication between team members, and to see problems or
situations from different perspectives and show attitude positively to accept the supervisor’s
decision.

Behavior Modeling

Behavior modeling involves (1) showing trainees the right (or “model”) way of doing
something, (2) letting each person practice the right way to do it, and then (3) giving feedback
regarding each trainee’ performance.
 Exercising behavior modeling approaches with the crew members to resolve the new
truck dilemma.
1. Modeling: At first, crew members will watch films or videos that show model persons
behaving effectively in a problem situation. In other words, crew members are shown the
right way to behave in a simulated but realistic situation. The film might thus show a
supervisor effectively disciplining a subordinate, if teaching how to discipline is the aim of
the training program.

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2. Role playing: next the crews will be given roles to play in a simulated situation, here they
practice and rehearse the effective behaviors demonstrated by the models.

3. Social reinforcement: The other crews along with Administrative Head will provides
reinforcement in the form of praise and constructive feedback based on how the crew
member performs in the role playing situation.

4. Transfer of training: Finally, the crews are encouraged to apply this attitude and
experience when they are back on their jobs.

 How will behavior modeling help in solving problem of new truck dilemma

Behavior Modeling will help the administrative Head and crew members to handle common
supervisor-employee interactions better. This includes giving recognition, disciplining,
introducing changes, handle interpersonal situations, and improve undesirable work habits.

It will also help the crews to take criticism in a positive way, increase cooperate and
teamwork, establish mutual trust and respect, be sensitive to others feeling, to show positive
attitude toward supervisor’s decision.