Case Study - the Road to Hell

Case Study - the Road to Hell

  • Submitted By: billykschu
  • Date Submitted: 10/24/2013 8:48 PM
  • Category: Business
  • Words: 1128
  • Page: 5
  • Views: 2

Description of the Case
Issue
The issue of this case is racial sensitivity, which stems from three factors: different background, conflict and misunderstanding. We have to illustrate the case as followed:
The Caribbean Bauxite was founded in Barracannia in the West Indies.
The case “Road to Hell” is a story of two characters with different backgrounds, personalities and points of view and how these two characters interact. John Baker is a successful western chief engineer of the Barracania’s branch of a multinational company. In the case it is mentioned that John Baker is an English expatriate and served 23 years in several African countries, Europe and West Indies, so we assume that he is white; in addition, he also thinks he is innate knack with foreigners.
Baker thinks he has an edge in working in a foreign country because he has experience in understanding a regional staff’s psychology and knowing exactly how to get along with locals. Baker has been working to prepare Matt Rennalls to be his successor in the chief engineer’s position. Rennalls, on the other hand, is a young engineer who represents the new generation of patriotic, we can call him “ rising star”, and he also got well-educated Barracania’s professionals. His four years as a student at London University made him especially sensitive to political, racial and equality issues involving relations between his culture and western influence. Plus, I’d have to say his father is the Minister of finance and economic plan in this country.
The last meeting between two case characters ended up in a disaster. Instead of accepting the chief engineer position, Matt turns in his resignation, insulted by John’s farewell interview and advice. This incident not only leaves Baker puzzled about what he might have said wrong, but also puts the future of the company’s relations with its regional staff and authorities in jeopardy.
This case is one of many examples of how people from different...

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