BOB KNOWLTON V.N.M.Nair, Professor, SBMJCE, Bangalore 22/11/2006
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BOB KNOWLTONV.N.M.Nair, Professor, SBMJCE, Bangalore
22/11/2006
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Bob KnowltonCASE FACTS
MAJOR CHARACTERS
BOB KNOWLTON- HEAD OF PHOTON LAB.
SIMON FESTER - NEW RESEARCHER ASSIGNED TO PHOTON
LAB. TO ASSIST KNOWLTON
Dr. JERROLD- PROJECT HEAD
LINK- MATHEMATICIAN
OLIVER - RESEARCHER
DAVENPORT- RESEARCHER
THURLOW- RESEARCHER
LUCY&MARTHA- SECRETARIES
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BOB KNOWLTON
BACKGROUND
THE CASE PRESENTS A TYPICAL AMERICAN RESEARCH
LABORATORY WHERE SPONSORED RESEARCH IS GOING ON
IN CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGIES. TYPICAL AMERICAN
VALUES PREVAIL. INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENT IS GIVEN
MORE WEIGHTAGE. EVERYBODY IN PHOTON LAB UNDER
BOB KNOWLTON IS HAPPY. KNOWLTON HAS A GOODPROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP WITH Dr.
GERROLD WHO IS THE PROJECT HEAD.
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BOB KNOWLTON
THE WHOLE SCENARIO CHANGES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF SIMON FESTER
INTO THE PHOTON LAB. THOUGH KNOWLTON WELCOMES HIM , AN
UNKNOWN FEAR CREEPS INTO HIS MIND.
FESTER IMPRESSES EVERYBODY WITH HIS SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE AND
PRACTICAL WISDOM. LINK TOO IS VERY MUCH IMPRESSED WITH FESTER
AND STARTED MOVING CLOSELY WITH FESTER. FESTER COMES OUT WITH
INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE WORKING AT. Dr.
JERROLD PRAISES FESTER IN KNOWLTON’S PRESENCE. KNOWLTON
BECOMES INSECURE AND FEELS THAT HE IS VERY SMALL BEFORE FESTER.
KNOWLTON LOOSES INTEREST IN WORK AND FINALLY DECIDES TO LEAVE
SIMMONS LABORATORIES
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BOB KNOWLTON
MAJOR ISSUES IN THE CASE
WRONG PERCEPTION
COMMUNICATION BREAK DOWN
WRONG ASSUMPTIONS PERSONALITY RELATED PROBLEMS
EGO CLASH
JEALOUSY
FEAR
LACK OF SELF CONFIDENCE
INTOLERANCE
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BOB KNOWLTON
OUTCOMES GROUP COHESION STARTED DISAPPEARING
LOSS OF WORK MOTIVATION
GROWING SENSE OF INSECURITY AMONG PEOPLE
FINANCIAL LOSS
SUSPICION
KNOWLTON’S RESIGNATION
Dr. GERROLD’S UNHAPPINESS
LOSS OF CREDIBILTY
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BOB KNOWLTON
MAJOR PROBLEMS DIAGNOSIS
PERCEPTION RELATED ISSUES
PERSONALITY RELATED ISSUES
COMMUNICATION RELATED ISSUES
BEHAVIOURAL RELATED ISSUES
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BOB KNOWLTON
QUESTIONS POSED?
HOW THE PRESENT CRISIS COULD HAVE BEENAVERTED?
WHAT IS DR. JERROLD’S CONTRIBUTION IN THISCRISIS?
WHAT IS FESTER’S CONTRIBUTION IN THIS?
WHAT WENT WRONG WITH KNOWLTON?
WHAT IS LINK’S CONTRIBUTION IN THIS FIASCO? WHO WON AND WHO LOST?
WAS THEIR ANY SOLID REASON FOR THIS CRISIS?
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BOB KNOWLTON
POSSIBLE PREVENTIVE MEASURES
1. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD HAVE DISCUSSED WITH KNOWLTON
BEFORE SENDING FESTER TO THE PHOTON LAB. PHOTON
LAB HEAD’S CONCURRENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN
OBTAINED
2. OFFICIAL THINGS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MIXED WITH
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
3. Dr. JERROLD SHOULDN’T HAVE TAKEN KNOWLTON FOR
GRANTED
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BOB KNOWLTON
4. FESTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIPLOMATIC
5. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD NOT HAVE DISCUSSED THINGS ALONE WITH
FESTER WITHOUT FESTER’S BOSS KNOWLTON.
6. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD HAVE TOLD KNOWLTON THAT FESTER WAS TO
JOIN SOME OTHER GROUP LATER
7. Dr. JERROLD SHOULD HAVE CONTIUED HIS USUAL DIALOGUE WITH
KNOWLTON SO THAT KNOWLTON SHOULDN’T HAVE GOT TIME FOR WILD
IMAGINATION.
8. FULL BREAK DOWN OF COMMUNICATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED
BY ALL.