CASE
(People in Organization)

THE WORK ASSIGNMENT

Effie Pardini supervised eleven accounting clerks in the budget and planning department of a large computer manufacturer. None of the clerks had accounting degrees, but all were skilled in handling records and figures. They primarily prepared budgetary plans and analyses for operating departments and their inputs were secured from the departments and from company records. Pardini assigned projects to the clerks on the basis of their interests and skills. Some projects were more desirable than others because of prestige, challenge and contacts required, or other factors; so there were occasional conflicts in which clerk was to receive a desirable project. One clerk who seemed especially sensitive and regularly complained about this issue was Sonia Prosser. On one occasion Pardini received a desirable project and assigned it to the clerk by the name of Joe Madden. Prosser was particularly distressed because she felt she should have had the assignment. She was so distressed that she retaliated by gathering up her present assignment and putting it away into the desk. Then she took a book from her desk and started reading it. Since all the clerks were together in the same office, most of them observed her action and she announced to one in a voice loud enough to be heard by others, “No one around here ever gives me a good assignment.” Pardini overheard Prosser’s comment and looked up from her desk, noticing what was happening. Pardini was angered, but she sat at her desk for a few minutes wondering what to do. Meanwhile Prosser continued reading her book.

Questions:

1. What leadership issues are raised by this incident?
2. Discuss what action Pardini should take. Consider politics and power, the path-goal model of leadership, and contingency approaches to leadership before making your decision.