ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL

BEHAVIOUR

ISSN 2394-0409; DOI: 10.16962/EAPJHRMOB/issn.2394-0409; Volume 2 Issue 1 (2016)

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CASE STUDY: LEADERSHIP AND POWER OR POLITICS

Leena Barshikar
Department: HR Alternate
Barkatullah University
Leena.Barshikar2015@Tiss.Edu

ABSTRACT

In the field of Management, Power has been defined as “the ability or right to control people or things”. Politics has
been defined as “competition between competing interest groups or individuals for power and leadership.”
Leadership is defined as the “act of leading”. This Case Study presents the Leadership at a Management Institute.
The objective is analysis of the situation and the role that leader should play.

Mrs. Bhatia has been associated with
Shreepal Management Institute, as Asst.
Professor (HR) since 2008. Prior to that, she
had been associated with various Corporates
in the field of recruitment.
Mrs. Bhatia is a sincere, punctual and
professional Faculty. She always dedicates
extra time and efforts for students’
development. She is always ready to
understand students’ problems and try
solving them. She believes in dedicating time
to these constructive activities, than in Office
politics and Organizational power games.
Six months ago, she had been handed over
the responsibility of Examination
Department as “Controller of Examination”.
She was given the charge without being
asked or even discussed upon by the Head of
the Institute! Also, this time she was assigned
the Exam department for Part Time students,
which was segregated till this term!
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR
ISSN 2394-0409; DOI: 10.16962/EAPJHRMOB/issn.2394-0409; Volume 3 Issue 1 (2016)
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Mrs. Bhatia, a hardworking employee, took
the charge as assigned without complains!
On taking up the charge, she found there were
many loopholes in the systems and processes.
Students had many complaints against
previous Exam controller in terms of
numerous re-exams, the levy of fees, etc.
Gradually she brought in more discipline in
the Exam Department. She designed and
executed the exam-related processes and
procedures in place. No undue fees was
charged. She gave the necessary flexibility
and autonomy to faculties and staff so as to
ensure the smooth functioning of the dept.
Her efforts paid off in terms of an excellent
feedback from the students. They appraised
the positive changes in the Exam
Department, like transparency in exams, no
undue levy of fees, regularization in the
process, time to time communication from
the exam cell and most importantly Exam
Controller being approachable for the
students.
However, this positivity did not go well with
her faculty colleagues-Prof. Sharma, Prof.
Sinha and Prof. Lal. The trio were mostly
busy with the most unproductive activities of
the organization – gossiping, creating
obstacles for others to work while taking the
maximum benefit from the Institute!
They manipulated their lectures, went out of
the Institute during the office hours for their
personal work etc.
Since, they thought that Prof. Bhatia will not
be able to handle the Exam department, they
initially remained quiet. But, as the positive
results and the feedback started coming in,
they were surprised! In order to malign her
good image and the work done, they started
finding faults with her.
During the common faculty meetings, they
opposed everything that she proposed for the
betterment of students. They stopped
cooperating and coordinating with her. She
brought this errant behavior of colleagues, to
the Director. Director wanted her to give in
writing hen only he could take an action.
There were a couple of incidences, wherein
Prof. Sharma and Prof. Sinha raised their
voices beyond the level of decency on her.
All the limits were crossed, when one day
Prof. Sharma was given an invigilation and a
student came a bit late. The student had not
submitted Prof. Sharma’s assignment and
hence the Professor did not wanted him to
ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL
BEHAVIOUR

ISSN 2394-0409; DOI: 10.16962/EAPJHRMOB/issn.2394-0409; Volume 3 Issue 1 (2016)

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write exam. Prof. Bhatia, politely told BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Sharma, to allow the student to write the
1. https://www.merriam-
exam and also that student will submit an
webster.com/dictionary/power
apology letter to Prof. Sharma. To the horror
2. https://translate.google.co.in/translate?hl
of everyone in the Exam Hall, Prof. Sharma
=mr&sl=en&u=https://www.merriam-
threatened Prof. Bhatia of dire sequences if
webster.com/dictionary/politics&prev=s
she allows the student to write the exams and
earch
also behaved arrogantly with her. Finally, the
3. https://www.merriam-
student himself told Prof. Bhatia not to
webster.com/dictionary/leadership
bother, he will attempt later.

Prof. Bhatia became quite perturbed of all

this incidence. She was pursuing her PhD
from a reputed University. She always
cooperated with everyone, but now what is
happening is certainly not acceptable. She
once again went to the Director and gave him
an account of what had happened. He sent her
back saying he will not take an action unless
the complaint is given in writing.

QUESTIONS:

1. Director is neither taking an action nor

saying anything to anybody. Please
evaluate his leadership style.
2. Are Prof. Sharma and Prof. Bhatia
leaders? Evaluate and Comment.