Case 3

Are promises just meant to be broken?

1)For this question only, assume that Sameer has decided to leave BABA,
and that his decision is well known among the other employees (in other
words, other employees are talking about it). Give 3 recommendations for
what BABA should do next to ensure employees job satisfaction doesnt
decrease as a result of Sameers decision. Your answer must be based on
OB theories/concepts, and include at least 1 academic reference to support
your recommendations.

2)Create a four corners analysis of this case: return to BABA, or take the job
at CloudSkim. You must provide 7 arguments in each quadrant. The
arguments can be in bullet form.Your answers would look something like this:

Return to BABA Take Job at Cloudskim

Deontological 7 Arguments 7 Arguments
Arguments
Utilitarian Arguments 7 Arguments 7 Arguments

3)You are Sameer. Would you return to BABA or take the CloudSkim offer?
Why?

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MGMT 326
Section 02
12/13/17

Case 3: Are promises just meant to be broken?

Question 1: There is one truth that BABA have to admit. The truth is that a
company cannot prevent its employees from leaving by only setting up legal
obligations that force employees to work for the company (like the contract
BABA signed with Sameer). If an employee chooses to leave, and he/she has
already proved his value through past achievements or the certificates
acquired through various trainings, there are always companies who are
willing to pay the monetary penalties for the leaving employees.

As a developing company, BABA cannot offer the same level of wage and
bonus as CloudSkim could offer. But at the same time, like Sameer mentioned
in the email he sent to Ioana that The landscape is getting more competitive
and complex. Surely the company could benefit from a more contemporary
perspective, as a traditional manufacturing company, BABA needs young
talents with guiding visions to keep being competitive in the rapid changing
market today. Hence, BABA has to think deeply into what the company can
do to keep its employees involved, besides using monetary reward and
punishment. Money, a nice office and job security can help people from
becoming less motivated, but they usually don't help employees to become
more motivated. A key goal is to understand the motivations of each of your
employees.

Our group has came up with three recommendations that have the potential to
help BABA to maintain its employees job satisfaction, as well as to get talents
more involved.

The first recommendation is to offer various training programs based on

both the employees need and the companys need. Like we mentioned
above, the landscape is getting more competitive and complex. BABA needs
leaders with special expertise such as marketing, management, supply chain,
etc. Only knowing how to get products manufactured on time is not enough.
Diverse talents are required, hence the various trainings are indispensable.
Not only the company has the needs, employees also have the needs to
further develop themselves, like the MBA program Sameer wants to attend.
Offering various training programs to employees with outstanding
performances will not only satisfy BABAs needs of contemporary talents, at
the same time, it will boost employees job satisfaction and loyalty by showing
that working at BABA, they will have chances to develop themselves based on
their personal needs and companys needs in order to pursuing higher
achievements(wages, positions, etc). BABA cannot lose its trust to
employees because of the precedent of Sameer.
The second recommendation is to motivated employees through fairness.
The conventional wisdom is that workers respond to monetary incentives
Pay them more and they will work harder. However, a large and growing
body of empirical evidence from laboratory and field experiments, surveys,
and observational data, as well as neuroeconomic research, suggests that
workers perceptions of fairness and trust are also key drivers of their work
effort. Treating employees with respect is not only ethically warranted, it can
create positive economic outcomes for both the worker and the firm (Armin
Falk, 2014). The ultimatum game research we discussed in class also shows
the importance of fairness in a teamwork setting. For BABA, it can enhance its
reputation on fairness by boosting the transparency of company procedures.
Examples will be offering explicit policies and standards on promotion and
bonus, and offering 360 degree evaluation system. Also to align with our first
recommendation, transparent evaluation process should be ensured when
BABA is selecting candidate for trainings.

The last recommendation is to motivate employees through empowerment.

This could also solve the problem that employees are more likely to leave the
company after the training. Empowering employees will get employees more
involved as an entirety. Satisfying employees needs of power on everyday
decisions can not only increase the job satisfactions, it can also create a
sense of belonging to employees, to make employees start to recognize
themselves as indispensable parts of BABA. In that way employees will more
like to utilize the expertise acquired through the trainings for a purpose of
further developing BABA, a place they belong.

Citations:
Falk, A. (n.d.). Fairness and motivation (Publication). Retrieved Nov. & dec.,
2017, from https://wol.iza.org/

Helping People to Motivate Themselves and Others. (n.d.). Retrieved

November 12, 2017, from
https://managementhelp.org/leadingpeople/motivating-others.htm
Swerdlow, J. M. (n.d.). What's My Motivation? It May Not Be Yours. Retrieved
November 12, 2017, from
http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/rabideau.html
Question 2:
Return to Baba (Abena)
Deontological A mans word is his honor,
so Sameer owes it to
Arguments himself to return because
he gave his word to BABA
that he would return.
Sameer must remain
integral and ethical, and
can only do so by
returning.
Sameer must return, for it
is his duty to appreciate
the company that believed
in him. For if the BABA
hadnt given him that
opportunity, he would not
even have this other job
offer.
It is Sameers duty to use
his recently acquired
knowledge to add value to
BABA. This was an
exchange, he gets the
money and in return,
BABA gets more value.
Sameer has an obligation
to return to BABA to be a
morally just person.
Returning would be a
testimony of his character,
and he owes it to himself
to show who he is.
Everyone will forever
remember the one
employee who came back.
Sameer must return to
BABA, because it is
merely the right thing to
do.
Return to Cloudskim
Sameer should take
the job at Cloudskim
because it his duty to
help out the
headhunter which
helps her keep her job.
It is Sameers duty to
accept the contract
given to him from
Cloudskim.
Sameer should take
the job at Cloudskim
because it is his duty
to help the startup take
off and to also please
the investors by
accepting the job since
he is the most
appropriate candidate
for the position.
Sameer should accept
the job because it is
his duty to himself to
place himself in the
most successful
position he can be.
He should also accept
the job because it is
his duty to his family to
take care of them and
he will be in a better
position to do so at
Cloudskim.
Sameer should accept
the job at Cloudskim to
provide more prestige
to his MBA school
through recognition of
achievement.
It is Sameers duty to
explain to his friend the
potential of obtaining

Utilitarian Arguments Sameer must return so
everyone else who wanted
to take the chance that he
got, can as well. This
course will benefit the
greatest amount of people.
Sameer will be able to add
more value to BABA. As a
result, everyone who
works at BABA will benefit
from it.
Returning would mean that
Anil Baba, the owner of
BABA, will be more
trusting and enthusiastic
about the future of the
company. A happy leader
equals happy employees.
Returning would mean that
Anil Baba will be more
willing to pay for even
more employees to
broaden their education,
return,and help improve
BABA even more than it
currently is.
Sameer must return,
because the families and
loved ones of other
employees who would
otherwise be denied of the
opportunity go get higher
education will suffer as
well. These employees will
not get the money to get
an MBA, their pay will not
increase, and will not be
able to add as much value
as the potentially can.
Families will have to
endure this if Sameer does
not return.
Sameer returning will
boost the morale of the
other employees. Knowing
that one has more
possibilities and
opportunities tends to
encourage and boost
morale.
If Sameer returns,
an MBA by accepting
the new job with higher
pay, benefits etc.
One of the main
concerns dealing with
Utilitarian style of
ethics is that there is
no moral
consequences of
action one takes but
rather the overall good
should drive decision
making. Therefore the
first primary argument
for Sameer to go to
Cloudskim is to please
satisfaction of
individual desire by
accepting a job with a
salary double that of
BABA.
Accept the job to
increase the intrinsic
value of the employees
at Cloudskim by
providing skills learned
from degree, which
provides an nonmoral
good outcome of
expanding knowledge
of the firm.
Work for Cloudskim to
have all of the nice
office perks such as
the stylish office,
tennis courts, gourmet
lunches, live jazz
music. This flows in
line with pleasure and
happiness, outcomes
we as an individual
wish to achieve
through utilitarian
ethics.
Accept the job at
Cloudskim due to the
immense Venture
Capital Backing, this
predicts long term
growth of the firm and
can be very
prosperous for
Sameers career.
Silicon Valley is a very
 effectiveness will increase
amongst the people.
People tend to work better
when they know they have
choices. Sameer returning
will bring trust to the
company and good vibes.
All this will work together
to improve the
effectiveness level at
BABA. A trusting and
happy environment is one
where people thrive.
fast paced, high
growth region with
other individuals with
equal if not even more
competitive
backgrounds like
Sameer. Being in the
region opens even
more opportunities that
allow Sameer to have
stronger personal
wellness.
Cloudskim offered to
also pay the cost of
tuition, therefore this
would bring no cost to
Sameer to accept the
job and still be in a
debt free scenario.
The act of accepting a
the job offered by a
headhunter does not
reflect on Sameer as a
negative position, but
rather only provides a
more prosperous
future to come. Along
with this headhunters
approach individuals
deemed to be a perfect
fit in a firm, therefore
the likelihood of
Sameer to fit into the
culture and dynamic of
Cloudskim is very high
and he should follow
through with the offer.

Question 3:
Leaving a job is never easy. As you can see there are numerous reasons
to stay and numerous reasons to leave. If we were Sameer, we would take the
job at Cloudskim. We would be extremely thankful to Baba for everything they did
for us but when it comes down to it, Cloudskim is offering more for the same
amount of work. Cloudskims offer would double Sameers salary and has the
added benefit of paying for his education. The most important point that was
stated above in terms of company is that Cloudskim has immense Venture
Capital backing. This means the company's long term survival is very likely. THe
new company is providing for Sameers family by offering him double the amount
of money he was current earning at BABA. There is always a time for an
employee to move on and being thankful to the previous company for giving
Sameer his start is pivotal. Especially since Sameers work got him recognized in
Silicon Valley by a headhunter. Making the move to Cloudskim is clearly the next
step for Sameer to further his career. Even if he doesnt take it, he should take
pride in the fact that his work at Baba allowed him to be recognized and
ultimately approached. Sameer needs to think about what is best for him. Baba
will not fail without him and will be able to find somebody to take his place.
Whether they will be successful without him is a key question, but it is not
Sameers responsibility to worry about if the company struggles without him.
Employee turnover is a key part of every business and companies have to plan
for it. Sameers decision should take into account the timingof the work he is
doing and a plan to transition out seamlessly, not leave work unfinished.
Ultimately, needs to think about himself and what is better for him in the long run.
That is why it is best for him to take the job with Cloudskim. The promise he
made was formed so that the company would not be hurt by him leaving.
Cloudskim is offering to pay off the loans that were initially agreed upon by the
current company that Sameer is working for. We believe if that he has a sit down
with Anil about the scenario that it will work out so that others will be able to reap
the benefits.