CASE ANALYSIS

OF

THE GLOBAL SOFTWARE TEAM:

JUGAAD NEEDED

SUBMITTED BY
SECTION: H GROUP: 1
PREETAM KUMAR AGRAWAL (2013IPM128)
JABEEN SHAIKH (2012IPM050)
SHIVAM KUMAR ARYA (2013IPM122)
USHLEEN KAUR (2016PGP449)
VAIBHAV GUPTA (2016PGP415)
KHAMBE AMEY SUNIL (2016PGP173)
ABHISHEK VERMA (2016PGP012)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mr. Jim Notrika has been appointed as Software Center Manager of Global
Networks Company’s newly established center in Mumbai. Leading a global team
based in Boston and Mumbai, Mr. Notrika has to deliver orders of a law company
in time. But only months into its first major project, the team was struggling to
meet deadlines. Blame was being passed in both directions, and when three
talented engineers in Mumbai quit, Notrika makes an emergency trip to Mumbai
to better understand the problem. Notrika has to ensure timely delivery of orders
and rebuilding relationship between the teams. Mr. Notrika has the following set
of options: hiring a new manager at Mumbai, swapping team members from both
the teams, setting up a back-up team in Boston and frequent written
communication and video conferencing. Out of the options, frequent
communication through mails and video conference meetings was found to be
the most optimal solution.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. SITUATION ANALYSIS
2. PROBLEM DEFINITION
3. OPTIONS
4. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION
5. EVALUATION OF OPTIONS
6. RECOMMENDATIONS
7. ACTION PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION
8. CONTINGENCY PLAN

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SITUATION ANALYSIS
As illustrated in the article ‘The Global Software Team: Jugaad Needed’ ,2015
Mr. Jim Notrika has been appointed as Software Center Manager of Global
Networks Company’s newly established center in Mumbai. He is responsible for
leading a global team, one in Boston and other in Mumbai. Boston team is mainly
involved in client engagement. Mumbai team, on the other hand, is responsible
for technical support for the projects because Mr. Notrika felt that software
engineers in India were more qualified than those working in Boston. While
working on the first project for a law firm, certain problems occurred like missing
out on deliverable deadlines and blaming each other for the same, thus,
hampering the relationship between the two teams. But, the resignation of three
skilled Mumbai engineers prompted the intervention of Mr. Notrika as he flew
down to Mumbai to analyze the situation.
PROBLEM DEFINITION
How does Mr. Notrika rebuild the relationship between the two teams and deliver
the project deliverables on time?
OPTIONS

 Hire a group of engineers in Boston for carrying out immediate

requirements of the client, thus reducing delay in service.
 Swapping members between the client management team in Boston and
technical team in Mumbai might help in understanding the front end job
and back end job processes more clearly.
 Immediate appointment of a Mid-level manager at Mumbai office to keep a
constant check on timely completion of activities and serve as a point of
contact to convey employee’s grievances.
 Weekly Video conference meetings can be set up as it might help Boston
team in better defining of goals.
 Conduct cross cultural management training and team building as it might
help in understanding the culture, the way of working of both the teams,
ensure better communication and increase the trust factor within
employees, in turn, improve employee relations.
 Mr. Notrika can think of having frequent feedback and reviews from the
employees regarding the project and the team so that the issues can be
addressed in the early stages and improve his stance as a reliable leader.
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

 Meeting client requirements as per the schedule

 Attrition rate reduction at Mumbai office
 Budget constraints
 Mr. Notrika’s managerial position and his team handling abilities
 Synergy between the two teams
 Satisfaction of employees
 Client retention

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EVALUATION OF OPTIONS

 By hiring a back-up team of engineers to ensure servicing of immediate

requests by the client. This would ease pressure off the Mumbai team and
also help in providing short term orders on time. This would require the
company to incur an additional cost in training and recruitment of the
back-up team.
 By swapping the team members between the two offices would help in
understanding the client pressure on the Boston team on delivering orders
and also, the Boston team would get an idea of undertaking technical
tasks and better defining of deliverable timelines. This option would incur
the transportation cost as members from both the teams would be
transferred.
 Mr. Notrika’s decision to appoint a Mid-Level Manager at Mumbai office
would help in better management of the technical team in Mumbai.
Mumbai team would also get a point of contact to convey their grievances.
Thus, addressing employees’ problems would ensure employee
satisfaction and reduce attrition rate. This option would incur recruitment
cost to the company.
 Another problem seems to be lack of communication. By frequent written
communication and weekly video conferences would help in better
understanding of process by both the teams and also help the Boston
team in better defining of goals for the Indian team.
 Mr. Notrika can ask the company to carry out certain cross cultural
management activities and team building activities so that both the teams
are well versed with the working style of each other and moreover, would
facilitate better understanding of the culture, thus, ensuring effective and
smooth communication between the teams. Also, team building activities
help in trust building between teams and in turn, reducing conflicts.
 Mr. Notrika’s informal interaction with the teams or frequent reviews would
help him understand the problems of the employees in a much better way
and also help him build a sense of reliable leader by direct addressing
their problems. This would help him to retain his position as well as handle
both teams effectively.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Considering lack of communication as the main reason along with timely delivery
of orders, the option of frequent written communication and weekly video
conferencing can be implemented as it is more cost effective and moreover, it
can be brought into action quickly.
ACTION PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION
Mr. Notrika needs to take an immediate action, so video conferencing and
frequent written communication is the most feasible option. Frequent written
communication like sending status mails at the end of each working day would
help the Boston team in checking the progress of the project and also help them
in planning other deliverables accordingly. Weekly video conferencing between
the teams would give the members to interact with each other directly and
ensures no gesture is misinterpreted. Video conferencing can also be used by
Boston team to explain the Mumbai team about the weekly tasks assigned to

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them. Thus, effective communication takes place and global team conflicts can
be reduced. It is a cost effective measure and also give Mr. Notrika to interact
with both the teams at the same time.
CONTINGENCY PLAN
To increase the bonding of the team in the long term, the team building activities
and cross cultural activities can be undertaken. Thus, ensuring employee
retention and satisfaction in the long term.