Leading as a function of management

Peakvertex Company Limited (PCL), a mid-sized manufacturing company, has been experiencing a decline in market share and profitability over the last five years. The company is known for its high-quality products, but it is struggling to innovate and adapt to changing market demands. Staff turnover rate is high with low employee morale and a noticeable lack of communication and collaboration across departments.

Havanna Technologies Engineering Ltd. (HTEL) is a 30-year-old family-owned manufacturing company with 250 employees. The company manufactures spare parts for the aviation industry. The immediate president of HTEL is Harold Barelli, an Italian who joined the company from the smaller enterprise in 2019. Harold Barelli aspired to be a great leader who would leave a rich legacy in the aviation industry.

Marina Company Limited (MCL) is a multinational company whose headquarters are in New Delhi, India. The company established its offices in Kenya in the year 2012 and currently operates in 15 other countries across the globe. The company specialises in solar technology and offers alternative power solutions in remote areas where main electric power cannot be accessed easily. The vision of MCL is “to power the world and bring comfort to the forgotten”.

As she exits BAM due to end of her term of service, her charisma as a superstar CEO may become a difficult feat for the incoming CEO, Musa Mapito, to emulate. Fatuma Apio is well known in the manufacturing industry due to her signature look. She dresses in Ankara coats, which are quite uncommon in this part of the world. Fatuma rose through the ranks having joined BAM as the head of policy, research and advocacy in the year 2005. She took over the leadership mantle of BAM in the year 2012 after the Board of BAM pushed out its then CEO, Bakari Mapelu due to lackluster performance. BAM had always been a high performing organisation and the Board felt that Bakari Mapelu lacked the right skill set, decision style and values to steer BAM forward. In Fatuma Apio, the Board saw a leader with the “right package” of skills, values and abilities and a person who could build a strong leadership team in the organisation. To them, Fatuma Apio was an idealist who had an unquenchable thirst for learning and growing. They knew that she would influence the other leaders and employees of BAM to follow suit. This would then result in a healthy organisational culture necessary for the success of BAM. Fatuma Apio believed in and implemented Elton Mayo’s Human Relations Movement Theory at BAM. Without a doubt, Fatuma was a transformational leader.

Fatuma Apio’s farewell party was quite emotional since members of staff felt like one big united family, and her separation with BAM was unimaginable. Fatuma had a knack for recruiting the right staff and developing them to their highest potential. She had what it took when it came to staffing. No wonder BAM became so successful during her tenure to the envy of many organisations. She ensured that BAM had a progressive staffing policy. The policy encouraged employees to have a work life balance. In her final speech, she narrated her experience as a newly appointed CEO where most of her time was spent at the workplace. “I used to work late into the night and during weekends at the expense of my young family. This can be challenging to many of us and requires a lot of discipline and a solid support system. Luckily, I had great support from my husband. I highly discourage such a work ethic. You should always create time for your families. I know of situations where, such a work ethic has led to conflicts at the family level and the repercussions experienced at the workplace,” she told the employees.

As one of the few women CEOs, and just in her 40s, her advice to young women aspiring to be top executives is simply to acquire knowledge and competence, saying it is the best investment one can make. “Knowledge will aid you in making great strides in all the areas you are passionate about. Most importantly, self-discipline and responsibility shall steer you to the right path,” she says. What she likes most about the industry now is that more women are taking up leadership positions than ever before. “Unfortunately, the game is already rigged, particularly on what is expected of women in leadership and their ability to hold such positions,” she added. 

Fatuma encouraged women employees of BAM not to be bound by defined spaces. They should shine in their talent and skills to make a difference. “This concept continues to be demonstrated everyday as more women take up C-suite roles, more so in traditionally, male-dominated sectors, such as manufacturing,” she said. Fatuma added that, “BAM started the Women in Manufacturing Programme to provide a space for women to venture into the manufacturing space. We aspire to see more women participate in the sector in senior leadership roles, as owners and founders, and for young girls to see themselves as future industrialists”.

According to her, there were times when the issues she wanted to change took too long to materialise, but she remained steadfast. This taught her to be patient and resilient. “I have learnt that challenges fuel you to become more innovative,” she concluded. 

(a) Fatuma Apio believed in and implemented Elton Mayo’s, Human Relations Movement theory at BAM. 

    

     With reference to the above statement, describe FIVE actions that Fatuma Apio may have taken, to implement the theory in her organisation. 

(b) Bernard M. Bass developed the transformational leadership theory in 1985 as a way to describe the psychological mechanisms that are used by leaders. 

     With reference to the above statement: 

     (i) Explain SIX personal traits that Fatuma Apio possesses that enable her to be regarded as a successful transformational leader. 

    (ii) Examine FOUR elements that make up a transformational leader, which came to be known as the 4 Is. 

(c) Enumerate SIX principles that BAM might have taken into consideration while developing a staffing policy. 

(d) Fatuma Apio encouraged BAM employees to always create time for their families to avoid conflicts. Conflicts in organisations also occur between line and staff management. 

    With reference to the above statements, assess FIVE possible sources of conflict between line and staff management of BAM.    

In a week’s time after the conclusion of the general elections, Baridi Joto, popularly known as BD will be declared as governor elect of XYZ County by the electoral body since he was unopposed. He is the only gubernatorial candidate unopposed in the country.

(i) Power.

(ii) Authority.

(iii) Accountability.

(iv) Responsibility.

With reference to the above statement:

(i) Explain the term "trust in leadership". 

(ii) Discuss ways in which leaders could build trust with their followers.

Through a preliminary study report on current management practices at EFD, JL is amazed by the primary advantage of a traditional organisation structure in 21st Century. It keeps decision-making authority in the hands of a few people within the business and in doing so, it eliminates confusion among employees about who is in charge and provides a clear message about what workers are expected to accomplish in the performance of their duties. Other key findings of the study are as follows: 

 A decision is made during the meeting that instead of trying to promote ideas and innovations through traditional structures, EFD should align its structure in such a way that ideas and innovations can prosper. A committee of five members drawn from the three levels management is formed to study the shift from the traditional management approach to the new management competencies that are essential in today’s environment. 

As a member of the strategy committee you are required to provide data by answering the following questions that relate to your terms of reference and in the context of the above case: 

(a) Through secondary research, identify and explain five management competencies that are becoming crucial in today’s face-paced and rapidly changing world. 

(b) Compare and contrast Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory and systems thinking in the context of management of an organisation. 

(c) Illustrate the process of how managers use resources to attain organisational goals through the functions of planning, organising, leading and controlling and briefly explain each function. 

(d) Advise the CEO of EFD on sources of leader power and the tactics that leaders use to influence others especially in time of organisational change.

In the last one year, Maxcom Ltd. has faced unpredictable challenges where more firms have joined cement production hence reducing its market share. Due to this competitive pressure, the company has embraced the latest technology to try and reduce the cost of production and shift from labour intensive to capital intensive approach. As a consequence, the manpower in most of the company branches has been reduced, a process that is painful for managers and employees. The overall aim of restructuring is to maintain clarity and consistency in pursuing the company's vision while still being competitive in a highly charged political environment.

(a) Suggest five reasons why the leadership of Maxcom Ltd. (ML) seems to be spearheading the company in the right direction. 

(b) Discuss how the branch and departmental heads of ML could apply transformative leadership style to gain employee commitment. 

(c) In order to control the cost of production, ML shifted from labour intensive to capital intensive strategy. 

     Explain the costs that ML might have incurred during the restructuring process. 

(d) In most organisations, employees resist change especially when their jobs are at risk.  

     

      Examine five strategies that the management of ML could have adopted to overcome resistance to change.

(e) Assess five ways in which the political environment under which ML was operating could have influenced leadership and management practices at ML.