Mr Vachani is a Quality Controller for four divisions in a family-owned manufacturing organization in which functional heads enjoy a large measure of autonomy. Mr. Bose is the Production Superintendent of one of the four divisions of the company. By and large, both these senior executives, who report to the General Manager (Works), get along well as colleagues though they have their usual differences and disagreements over issues concerning quality.
One day Mr. Bose stormed into Mr. Vachani's office and shouted. "Your Senior Inspector, Mr. Sundaram, has misbehaved with me and I will not tolerate it. You must take immediate action against him." Mr. Vachani asked Mr. Bose to cool down and explain exactly what had happened. Narrating the incident, Mr. Bose said that in the morning he had observed one of his workmen carrying out an out-of-routine job. On being asked to explain why this was so, the workman said that he was working on the job as per the advice of Mr. Sundaram. On returning to his office, he called Mr. Sundaram, to make enquiries on the matter. The latter did not respond at first, but on being sent for once again, appeared before him. On being asked why he had assigned the out-of-routine job to a workman, Mr. Sundaram, did not give a satisfactory answer. He was told not to confuse his workmen. But Mr. Sundaram reacted by making rude remarks and misbehaving.
Mr Vachani listened patiently to Mr. Bose and advised him not to be agitated; adding that he (Mr. Vachani) would talk to Mr. Sundaram about the matter. On Mr. Bose's attempts to again tell Mr. Vachani as to what he wanted to be done, the latter said he would himself decide the best course of action, though of course, Mr. Bose was free to take any alternative action he felt necessary.
After some time Mr. Sundaram came to see Mr. Vachani in his office. The latter did not indicate that he was aware of