Macro Organizational Behavior: Case Questions

Case 1 – The Dabbawala System: On-Time Delivery, Every Time (HBS)

1. How is the dabbawala system organized? What are the major input, process and
output of Dabbawala system?
2. How is organizational structure of Dabbawala differentiated? What are the
mechanisms used by Dabbawal’s for integrating and coordinating its activities?
3. What are the parameters used by Dabbawala to measure its effectiveness? Which
framework best describes the effectiveness model of Dabbawala?
4. How would the introduction of technology affect the organizational effectiveness of
Dabawalla?

Case 2a – Campell and Bailyn’s Boston Office: Managing the

Reorganization (HBS)
1. What was the effect of “meltdown in the mortgage-backed securities” market on the
environmental context of Campbell and Bailyn (C&B)? What was its effect on
customers of C&B?
2. Describe the strength and weakness of the C&B Brokerage Division prior to the
changes explained in the case.
3. How did these environmental changes affect the organizational structure of C&B?
4. What are the major design features of KAT? Did the changes in the environment
justify the creation of KAT? Explain
5. What could be the alternative design approaches apart from KAT to address the
challenges faced by C&B?

Case 2b: The Paradoxical Twins: Acme & Omega Electronics (OTDC)
1. Between the two which is a better company and why?
2. Highlight the specific characteristics of the two organizations.

Case 3 - Cisco 2012: Reorganizing for Efficiency and Flexibility (HBS)

1. What are the different types of organizational structure that Cisco adopted over the
years? Explain with diagrams
2. What were the strategic considerations for adopting each of these structures?
3. What are the strengths and weakness of each of each of these structures?
4. How did these structural changes affect the performance of Cisco?
5. What structural changes can Cisco undertake to integrate Holland’s business? Explain
the pros and cons adopting the particular approach?
Case 4: Troubled Spain: Leading Organizational Changes through
Networks and Design
1. Describe the dynamics of different informal networks – communication and
leadership – at Troubled Spain. Who are the central actors in these networks?
2. Which department has the largest in-degree and out-degree for interdependency and
communication networks respectively? What does this signify?
3. Elaborate upon the dynamics of interaction between formal and informal structure at
Troubled Spain?
4. What are the organizational challenges facing Troubled Spain?
5. What are the potential actions that James could take to overcome these challenges?

Case 5 – Appex Corporation (HBS)

1. What were the challenges that Shikhar Ghosh faced when he joined Appex? What
structural changes did he implement?
2. How did the horizontal and vertical differentiation at Appex evolve from 1988 to
1990? If we take the August 1989 forecasts as representing actuals, what could be the
probable differentiation at Appex in 1995?
3. What problems did each new structure address? What problems, in turn, did it create?
Is Griener’s model of organizational growth helpful in analyzing these changes?
Justify your answer.
4. What was the span of control of Sales & Marketing Manager, Paul Gudonis at the end
of August 1989? Assuming that Paul Gudonis’ only managed his immediate
subordinates, what is the complexity of his job?
5. If the number of cellular service providers in USA at the beginning of 1982 was 2,
then determine if the organizational death of Appex was due to legitimacy or
competition dynamics.
Legitimacy function L = 20* N0.2; Competition function C = 40 * e0.000028*(N*N)
Founding rate λ = 5 * L/C; Death rate = 0
6. How would you categorize Appex in terms of r, K, specialist and generalist
strategies? Justify your answer

Case 6 – Decision Making at the Top: The All-Star Sports Catalog Division
(HBS)
1. What is your assessment of the decision-making process at ASC?
2. Which model best explains the decision making process at ASC? Justify
3. How does the process unfold? What are the critical stages, and who is involved?
What kinds of behavior does this process encourage?
4. What is Barrett’s role in the process? How would you characterize his role?
5. At the end of the case, Barrett faces three alternatives for improving the group’s
decision making process. What should he do?
Case 7 – Reinventing Best Buy (HBS)
1. What were the strategic challenges faced by Best Buy in the case? What were the
emergent strategies that Best Buy adopted to address these challenges?
2. How would you characterize the core competence of Best Buy? What additional
competencies should Best Buy inculcate to address the emerging strategic
challenges?
3. What was the effect of strategic changes at Best Buy on its organizational structure?
Has the organizational structure at Best Buy kept pace with the strategic changes?
4. How has Best Buy’s internationalization strategy evolved over the years?
5. Does the Renew Blue strategy address the imminent challenges facing Best Buy?
What specific changes would you suggest to the Renew Blue strategy?

Case 8 – Powerchip Semiconductor Corporation (HBS)

1. What are the key value chain activities in DRAM industry? Which of these activities
was performed by Powerchip?
2. Who were the alliance partners of Powerchip? Which of the above activities were
performed by the alliance partners?
3. Is the organizational boundary of Powerchip justified from a transaction cost
perspective? Explain
4. How would characterize the relationship among Powerchip and Elpida from a
resource dependence perspective? How has the dynamics of this relationship changed
as a result of the 2008 financial crisis?

Case 9 – Connor Formed Metal Products (HBS)

1. How has the organizational technology at Connor evolved over the years?
2. What were the technological and structural changes introduced by Bob Sloss? How
effective has been the changes in meeting the challenges faced by Connor?
3. What role has IT played at Connor? How did the task interdependence at L.A. plant
change as a result of IT implementation?
4. Based on Perrow’s typology, how would you characterize the technology used in
different plants of Connor?
5. Should Bob Sloss implement the L.A. IT system in the other three plants? Are there
other opportunities for using IT that Connor should pursue?

Case 10 - Duane Morris: Balancing Growth and Culture at a Law Firm

(HBS)
1. What are the values that characterize Duane Morris? How did the firm socialize its
members into these values?
2. How did the above values reflected in the unique culture at Duane Morris?
3. How would you characterize the organizational culture at Duane Morris on a scale of
integrative to fragmenting? How has the culture changed over the years?
4. How will the growth effect the organizational culture at Duane Morris? What aspects
of Duane Morris culture are easily scalable? Explain
5. Is it worthwhile to relinquish some aspects of Duane Morris culture in order to
facilitate growth? Which aspects? Explain
Case 11 - The Roller Coaster Ride: The Resignation of a Star (HBS)
1. What is your evaluation of the power dynamics between Stephen Connor and Peter
Thompson? Who has the upper hand in the negotiation?
2. What is source of power for Peter Thompson? What do you think Peter could have
done differently?
3. How would you evaluate the moves made by Stephen? What should he do next?
Develop an action plan for Stephen
4. What power does Rina have in the situation? If you were Rina, what would have you
done and why?

Case 12 – Corporate New Ventures at Procter & Gamble (HBS)

1. What were the important aspects of processes followed by corporate new ventures
(CNV) to generate innovative ideas?
2. What are the major areas as of 1995 that CNV needs to focus on to facilitate
innovation?
3. What is the difference between technology led innovation and consumer led
innovation? Give examples of each at Procter & Gamble (P&G)
4. What are the challenges to innovation identified by P&G in 1993?
5. Which is the highest growing region for P&G? What could be the probable
innovation challenges in this region?

Case 13 – Katie Conboy: Leading change at Simmons College

1. Describe and assess the external factors that were driving Simmons to change and the
internal strengths and weaknesses that would impact Simmons’ ability to respond.
2. What did Conboy do to establish credibility in this new organization?
3. What did Conboy do to build a shared vision for change? In what ways did Conboy
establish a sense of urgency?
4. What implications does a yes or no vote have for Conboy as a leader in the
organization?
5. If a yes vote, what should she do to institutionalize the nascent shift towards
collaboration and trust?

Case 14: MassMEDIC: The Massachusetts Medical Device Industry

Council (HBS)
1. What was the imperative for establishing MassMEDIC?
2. What challenges were faced in establishing MassMEDIC?
3. What are the main activities of MassMEDIC?
4. What facilities does MassMEDIC provide to its constituent organizations?
5. What are some of the suggestions for future agenda of MassMEDIC? Which one’s
according to you should be implemented first?