6.7.1 Impediments To Reaching A Shared Understanding Of The Problem Situation
Getting to the heart of a problem situation and developing a shared understanding of ThreeTwoOne’s problem will not be a simple task. Various impediments will present along the way.
The next stage involves working with a number of groups or sub-groups. The elicitation and problem conceptualisation processes in which they will be engaged will involve progressive identification, definition, and testing of stakeholder perspectives, values, and ingrained assumptions. At times they might find this threatening and could become defensive or may even withdraw from the process. It cannot be assumed that they will always be willing and cooperative. If any stakeholder becomes reluctant, or is expected to be so, it may be necessary to revert to engaging them in one-on-one discussions or interviews.
During what follows we aim to identify areas of agreement, contentious issues, misunderstandings and potential for misinformation. From individual stakeholder views an aggregated, or summary, view is developed. But, a note of caution is needed here. Any activities intended to amalgamate or rationalise potentially disparate stakeholder perspectives must be done with intimate involvement of stakeholders.
When students work through this tutorial, it is made more realistic by the covert inclusion of various hidden agenda. The secretaries of each group are briefed privately and confidentially. They are given these agenda items and instructed not to make others in the group aware of their additional sinister intentions. Hidden agenda, by subgroup, are:
- Secretary of directors subgroup. Unbeknown to other directors you have decided to cash in all your shares in the company at the end of the year and retire to Fiji. You feel little loyalty to the company since they forced your colleague, Harry Watkins, to retire as Managing Director. Your attention is simply focussed on maximising the share price over the next six months. You are concerned that any big capital expenditure for plant upgrading, or any negotiated increase in salaries, will be looked at adversely by the marketplace. On the other hand, buying extra trucks in the short term will be good for marketing image and good for share prices. If the others get wind of your plans you can be sure that they will treat any suggestions by you with distrust.
- Secretary of managers subgroup. Your annual bonus is based on the size of the net profit before tax for the year. You are concerned that any write-off of technically obsolete plant (which still has a substantial residual value in the balance sheet but is, in fact, worthless) will severely cut into profit and, hence, your bonus. You have already decided to take early retirement as soon as you get your annual bonus. Your hidden agenda is simply to push sales and cut costs as hard as possible in the immediate future, without regard for longer-term costs. If the others get wind of your plans you can be sure that they will treat any suggestions by you with distrust.
- Secretary of plant workers subgroup. You, and your workmates, are sick and tired of being blamed for every shortcoming when you know that it’s the drivers who have been lazy. All the new planned expenditure seems likely to go on more trucks, but if management simply tighten up on discipline the problems of not being able to meet customer expectations will be solved. On the other hand, you desperately need new equipment, but that will be set aside if the directors decide to buy extra trucks. Your aim is to gain support for maximum expenditure on new plant and equipment. You believe the expenditure on new trucks is a total waste. But to argue for new plant rather than supporting the planned expenditure on new trucks is likely to cause a problem with the Workers United union, because such a strategy could reduce the total number of employees at ThreeTwoOne. If the others get wind of your hidden agenda you can be sure that they will treat any suggestions by you with distrust.
- Secretary of truck drivers subgroup. All drivers are currently members of the Workers United union. You are shop steward and have ambitions to get a full-time position in the union. You are aware that the Transport Workers United union is starting yet another push to gain a foothold in this industry sector. Some of your workmates feel that the Workers United union has let them down and could be sympathetic to a Transport Workers United push. You feel that it is important that the Workers United be seen to stand up to management, at least until the election in three months time. Obviously you have to keep your personal intentions quiet for the moment. If the others get wind of your plans you can be sure that they will treat any suggestions by you with distrust.