SPG Quiz 2: 4 August 2024 (May 2024 term)

SECTION A
Questions 3 and 4 are based on the case study "CARRIE WAGNER: CLIMBING THE CORPORATE LADDER (A & B)". Question 5 is independent of the case study. Ensure that your responses are supported with relevant content from the course and the case study.
Case Summary:
Part (A) - Early Career, from Student to Manager:
Carrie joins a large multinational as a summer student, then works part-time while finishing her undergraduate degree in history. Upon graduation, she takes a job in the budget but fully expects to pursue a graduate degree. After six months, Jim, an Executive Director, takes an interest in Carrie and she is promoted to manager, working for an extremely difficult boss named Edith. The case details several aspects of Carrie’s first experiences as manager:
- her difficulties with Edith, her direct supervisor, who is disliked by Carrie and her team and how Carrie deals with - and avoids this problem;
- Carrie’s increasing investment in her work, her inability to say no to requests from higher-ups and her development of an informal network within the company;
- how she manager her 10-employee team, in particular, how she evaluates their performance; - how Carrie compensates for her lack of technical knowledge (finance, budgeting) and still manages to succeed in this management position.
Part (B) - Towards Senior Management:
Carrie climbs several management levels up to the position of Executive Director.
- her first steps as Regional Director of Sales (at 32) and how she wins the support of the displaced ‘heir apparent’ to the job;
- her promotion to Executive Director of Customer Services (at 38), coinciding with the beginning of a part-time MBA, and how she improves the performance of this underperforming division by accumulating a series of ‘small successes’;
- Her appointment (at 44) as head of a major strategic initiative (a logistic service for businesses), despite her reluctance to accept this position. It is a high, high-visibility project and Carrie has to develop relationships with the powerful steering committee. Case describes, how she confronts Indra, the VP Marketing, at a steering committee meeting, and how Carrie decides to experiment with a new sales approach without the prior approval of committee.
[Carrie Wagner] Evaluate Carrie’s path to leadership using Daniel Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence framework. (Answer in 100-150 words)
Hint: Mention 4 constructs of the EI framework

Case Summary:
Part (A) - Early Career, from Student to Manager:
Carrie joins a large multinational as a summer student, then works part-time while finishing her undergraduate degree in history. Upon graduation, she takes a job in the budget but fully expects to pursue a graduate degree. After six months, Jim, an Executive Director, takes an interest in Carrie and she is promoted to manager, working for an extremely difficult boss named Edith. The case details several aspects of Carrie’s first experiences as manager:
- her difficulties with Edith, her direct supervisor, who is disliked by Carrie and her team and how Carrie deals with - and avoids this problem;
- Carrie’s increasing investment in her work, her inability to say no to requests from higher-ups and her development of an informal network within the company;
- how she manager her 10-employee team, in particular, how she evaluates their performance; - how Carrie compensates for her lack of technical knowledge (finance, budgeting) and still manages to succeed in this management position.
Part (B) - Towards Senior Management:
Carrie climbs several management levels up to the position of Executive Director.
- her first steps as Regional Director of Sales (at 32) and how she wins the support of the displaced ‘heir apparent’ to the job;
- her promotion to Executive Director of Customer Services (at 38), coinciding with the beginning of a part-time MBA, and how she improves the performance of this underperforming division by accumulating a series of ‘small successes’;
- Her appointment (at 44) as head of a major strategic initiative (a logistic service for businesses), despite her reluctance to accept this position. It is a high, high-visibility project and Carrie has to develop relationships with the powerful steering committee. Case describes, how she confronts Indra, the VP Marketing, at a steering committee meeting, and how Carrie decides to experiment with a new sales approach without the prior approval of committee.
[Carrie Wagner] Carrie faces a pivotal career decision: stay at her current company, where she's viewed as a potential candidate for the VP role—a challenging position—or leave to accept a senior role at a government agency regulating her industry.
As Carrie's coach, what advice would you offer to guide her through this significant decision? or
If you were in Carrie's shoes, would you be prepared to leave a company where you've dedicated 30 years, or would you choose to wait for the opportunity to become VP?
(Answer in 100-150 words)
Hint: If you are a seasoned professional, assume the role of Carrie's coach; if you are a young learner, step into Carrie's shoes.

In videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, learners in online or hybrid programs can easily withhold communication by turning off their microphones and video functions. Similarly, in organisations, like an elephant in the Zoom, employees might withhold information, ideas, or feedback (positive or negative) during virtual meetings.
What drives this behaviour? Could there be any positive outcomes for teams or the organization from it? (Answer in 100 words)

Caselet: Imagine you are a manager at a deep tech startup aiming to foster innovation and teamwork within your team. You recognise that building the potential for synergy among team members is crucial for achieving groundbreaking results. To achieve this, you need to adopt strategies that maximise your team's diverse strengths and collaborative spirit.
Question: Based on the scenario above, which of the following strategies should you implement to build the potential for synergy in your team?

Caselet: A newly formed project team is progressing through its initial stages of team development. Initially, the team members spend time getting to know each other and understanding each other's preferences. As they continue to collaborate, they start expressing differences in their ideas and occasionally compete for status within the group.
Question: Based on the scenario above, which stage of team development, as per Tuckman’s team development model, best characterises the team's current situation?

Consider the following regarding the continuous improvement process
1. It is a business strategy that involves the evaluation and revision of processes, methods and practices within an organization.
2. It is an ongoing process of analyzing performance, identifying opportunities, and making incremental changes to personnel only, not products or services.
Select the correct option:

State whether the following statement is true or false:
“All teams are groups, and all groups are teams.”

State whether the following statement is true or false:
“In the context of presentation skills, summarising involves not only condensing information but also introducing fresh insights or perspectives.”

Which of the following is most suitable for improving the readability of bullet points in a presentation slide?

Which of the following are important considerations when delivering a presentation as part of a team?
1. Coordinate your portion with others in the team.
2. Ensure all team members agree on the duration of their portion.
3. Make sure all team members’ names are listed on the presentation materials.
4. Coordinate your portion with others in the team to avoid duplicating content.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following:
1. Beliefs
2. Attitudes
3. Values
4. Assumptions
5. Shared ways of doing things
How many of the above options collectively constitute culture?

Caselet: When Sayan moved to IIT Madras Zanzibar as a Machine Learning Teaching Associate, he initially experienced intense excitement and fascination with the new culture of Zanzibar, Tanzania. He was thrilled by the unique customs, food, and people.
Question: Which of the following best describes the above phase, in the process of culture shock?

Which of the following conflict resolution strategies leads to a situation where the solution is mutually acceptable to all parties and partially satisfies all parties?

Consider the following about fixed deposits (FDs) in banks in India:
1. The investment tenure of FDs ranges from one day to several years and varies across banks. 2. The return on investment is compounded periodically, which may be monthly, quarterly, or annually.
3. Premature withdrawals may be permitted, with penalty.
4. Loans against FDs are NOT available.
5. Taxpayers can invest in tax-saver FDs to save taxes under Section 80C.
How many of the above statements are true?

State whether the following statement is true or false:
“A Recurring Deposit (RD) scheme in a bank enables customers to accumulate savings by making regular monthly deposits of a fixed amount over a specified period until maturity or a predetermined term.”

Which of the following statements are true about opportunity cost?
1. It is the potential forgone profit from a missed opportunity—the result of choosing one alternative over another.
2. It is equal to implicit costs minus explicit costs.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Consider the following statements regarding the diversification of an investment portfolio: 1. It minimizes risks.
2. It maximizes returns.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

Choose the closest and correct option; there is only one right answer for each statement. Communication: Contextual differences play a significant role in communication. Acknowledging them enhances communication effectiveness within organizational cultures and positively affects interpersonal relationships in the workplace.
Identify whether the given scenario fits:
a. High-context communication
b. Low-context communication
Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.

[Communication] Mustafa, the project manager, prefers face-to-face meetings for initial project kick-offs and critical discussions.

Choose the closest and correct option; there is only one right answer for each statement. Communication: Contextual differences play a significant role in communication. Acknowledging them enhances communication effectiveness within organizational cultures and positively affects interpersonal relationships in the workplace.
Identify whether the given scenario fits:
a. High-context communication
b. Low-context communication
Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.

Choose the closest and correct option; there is only one right answer for each statement. Communication: Contextual differences play a significant role in communication. Acknowledging them enhances communication effectiveness within organizational cultures and positively affects interpersonal relationships in the workplace.
Identify whether the given scenario fits:
a. High-context communication
b. Low-context communication
Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.

[Communication] Muthukumar, the IT director, records all decisions, distributes reports, and engages with any stakeholders through written and verified documents.

Choose the closest and correct option; there is only one right answer for each statement. Conflict Mode: Identify whether the given scenario fits:
a. Collaboration
b. Forcing
c. Compromise
d. Accommodating
e. Avoiding
Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.

[Conflict Mode] In a strategic planning session at the founder's office, Neon proposes a daring new strategy targeting a younger demographic with edgy content. Despite objections from some team members about potential brand risks, he insists on implementing his vision without compromise. Which conflict response category does he most likely exemplify?

Choose the closest and correct option; there is only one right answer for each statement. Conflict Mode: Identify whether the given scenario fits:
a. Collaboration
b. Forcing
c. Compromise
d. Accommodating
e. Avoiding
Based on the above data, answer the given subquestions.

[Conflict Mode] In a software development team, Shristi and Smriti, both experienced developers, are tasked with redesigning a critical module of their company's flagship product. Shristi proposes a modern architecture that aligns with the latest industry trends, emphasizing scalability and performance enhancements. Smriti, however, favours sticking with the current architecture, citing stability and minimal disruption to existing functionalities. Recognizing Smriti’s concerns about stability and the potential impact on the team's workload, Shristi decides to support Smriti’s approach. She acknowledges that maintaining current system stability is crucial for ongoing operations and agrees to drop her proposed changes. Which conflict resolution style does Shristi most likely demonstrate in this scenario?