Case Study 2

Facts

  1. Jack is in Kenya for 5 months
  2. Center for former street youth
  3. Jack was the gift distributor but the gifts were from a donor
  4. 4 kids didn’t get gifts during the ceremony and ended up getting a black hat at the end
  5. The center didn’t care that the kids didn’t get gifts

 

Issue: How should Jack handle the 4 children being left out of the ceremony, without overstepping and upsetting the center?

Stakeholders and motivations:

Jack
Personal: He wants to be liked by the children
Professional: He wants to have a good relationship with the both the children and the center

Kids who didn’t get the gifts: Everyone wants to be recognized in the ceremony and receive the same gifts

Center
Personal: think Jack is dramatic and they just want to stop being bothered, might be offended if Jack comes in and criticises them.
Professional: They don’t want Jack to become a children’s rights activist → criticism for things that they are doing because they are working with what they have. They 
don’t want him to come in and start criticizing this. zThey want to focus on bigger problems in the center

Funders of gifts: Want to maintain a good reputation and a good relationship with the center

Funders of Jack’s venture: want their investment to be worth it

Solutions:

  1. Solution: Jack can approach the children separately and give them real gifts by themselves – privately don’t involve the center
  • How does it solve the problem?
    o Pros: kids have the gifts
    o Cons: this will not improve their standing with the other children because it is not in the ceremony
  • How does it save face of those involved: Jack saves face with the children they will like him now
  • Implications on relationships
    o Short-term: kids will be happy and have a good relationship with Jack
    o Long-term: they might still feel awkward that they were left out and have strained relationships with the other kids
  • Implications on the venture
    o Short-term: kids more willing to take part in his study
    o Long-term: it will probably happen again
  1. Solution: Present kids with gifts at the next event
  • How does it solve the problem?
    o Pros: kids will get the gifts ceremoniously and be recognized in front of their friends
    o Cons: kids might be embarrassed
  • How does it save face of those involved: children are saved face because they are given gifts in front of their friends, Jack saves face with the children
  • Implications on relationships
    o Short-term: Kids will be happy
    o Long-term: center might feel overlooked and resentful Jack worked around them
  • Implications on the venture
    o Short-term: it will be costly to buy new gifts and throw a new party
  • o Long-term: could harm the professional relationship between Jack and the children and Jack might have trouble continuing the work
  1. Solution: Do not give the children gifts
  • How does it solve the problem?
    o Pros: no cost and the center is left unbothered.
    o Cons: kids are sad and don’t get gifts
  • How does it save face of those involved – center does not have to deal with problems
  • Implications on relationships
    o Short-term: kids may not like Jack or the center
    o Long-term: kids might be less willing to work with Jack and help him accomplish his goals
  • Implications on the venture
    o Short-term there might be tension
    o Long-term the center will be happy Jack obeyed them but will probably do it again

Personal Experience: Some of us have met “Jack” at Mountaintop and know that he is a nice person, and think that he would give the children gifts

Best course of action: The best solution is for Jack to give the kids gifts separately. These gifts should be similar to the gifts that the other kids got, in order not to give them special treatment because that would cause another problem and a cyclic competition. This solution will save his face with the kids, and they will be more willing to work with him. The center will not find out, so it won’t hurt his relationship with the center either. He needs to have a good relationship with everybody so that he can get his work done. Unfortunately, the kids will not get recognized in front of their friends, but they will like Jack for doing the right thing.

Implementation:

  1. Jack will buy gifts that are similar to the ones that the majority of the center’s children got
  2. Jack will give the children their gifts on the side
  3. The center will not be involved. If they found out, Jack could explain that he was trying to make the children happy without bothering the center because they have other things to do.

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