Facts surrounding the case

For a long time, Chris has headed a team that has continually provided exciting and challenging opportunities for her. Through the team, she has managed to develop a new product for which she believes would catapult DSS into the future of information technology and management. This is a matter that has not only drawn her interest but has in fact generated so much hype in her team that it has been the center of her focus. During the next meeting, she hopes to gain the financing that is an insight into the budget and scheduling for the new product release.

However, the changes she anticipates are completely interrupted when the company denies the possibility of moving into the production phase of the product. In addition, the team’s objective which has previously been product development has been altered completely so that the team is now currently focusing on simple support for current existing products. Chris is now faced with a tough career choice as her plans are put in complete disarray.

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Identification of key issues

DSS is operating in a world that is constantly changing and there is a need to continually develop new products which are in line with the changing tastes and preferences of the market.  This is what attracted Chris to the company and especially to the south Western team whose main focus was on developing new competitive products. It is to be noted that Chris enjoys and thrives in the challenging environment of product development.

Secondly, for a long time, the team has continually worked on the development of the new product. They have researched the market and identified the need for the product with the aim of catapulting DSS to the front of the market. However, the large districts are not in favour of the product has not seen the value that it will add to the company despite the research presented to them by the team.

Because of the lack of support for the product, the company has not only chosen to do away with the product but in addition to scrap off the main objectives of the southwestern team, so that it will now focus on providing support for already existing products.

Possible courses of action

There are only three available courses of action for Chris:

The first course of action is to remain as the head of the southwestern team. The team itself is expected to remain intact and rather than focusing on the challenging and quite difficult aspects of product development, the team will now focus on providing support for existing DSS products. As indicated by Meg, the company already enjoys a variety of products each with its own advantage and strengths. This will be the focus of the southwestern team. It is important to note that the team will be made up of either the original members or members which Chris is free to select for purposes of meeting the company objective.

The second course of action involves returning to the previous specialist position. This may mean losing the team but will allow Chris to focus on product support and development. The team allows for access to various aspects of the company as well as offers a challenge for the mind. This is a team which Chris has worked with before and she will be returning to a position which she previously enjoyed even though this may mean not heading a team.

Finally, the third alternative is for Chris to seek employment elsewhere. It is vital to note that the product she presented was one which she believes would put the company at the forefront of the Information technology game. However, the company based on a decision of individuals who have not understood the market either the need for presenting new products has completely shut off all channels of negotiation. There are many competitors and individual companies who may not only be interested in pursuing the idea but that would also provide Chris with the opportunity to be as creative as she desires.

Evaluation of the alternatives

Remain in the southwestern team: this alternative offers the disadvantage of working with a team that Chris has individually selected and trained. There are higher chances of success even with the change in objectives and this will, in turn, open possible doors for career progress and growth which is vital in the ever-changing information technology industry (Lam et al. 2002). Further based on the success of the team in carrying out the mandate, there is the possibility of opening negotiation with management to alter the main objective of the team and return to previous objectives that are, product development. Perhaps the most vital advantage of this alternative is that it allows Chris to maintain her managerial position as the team leader of the South Western region.

Return to: this alternative provides an ideal opportunity to continue honing her creative skills. While working with the southwestern team, she has developed a strong desire to develop new products creatively. With the current changes, she will not be able to focus on new products and instead will be forced to work with already existing DSS products. However, it is important to note that this alternative also means that she will have to give up the position of leadership and instead take up a lower position working in a team headed by another individual. According to Jones (2001), this path also offers a high chance of career development in the future.

Find new employer: with all the above alternatives, Chris is stuck working with the same employer, who seems not to appreciate the need for change and the effort that teams put in creating new products. For the IT industry changes occur overnight in every sector. There is the possibility that because of the rigidity of DSS, the company will be overtaken by competitors and the career advancement she has been looking forward to will not be available. According to Cervone et al. (1991), personal ambitions and goals, in this case, are not in line with company goals and business prospects. Therefore, there is a need to consider the possibility of moving to a new employer.

Conclusion on IT Careers Case Study

All the above alternatives offer a distinct advantage. However, the only alternative with several strong advantages is remaining with the couth western team. Although the position does not call for the development of new products, providing support for existing products also means working towards their improvement. With an ideal team, as Edelenbos and Klijin (2007) indicate this is not only an easy task but one which also allows Chris to enjoy making use of her creativity. The tasks are likely to take a shorter time, but will still provide an ideal level of challenge. Finally, this alternative allows Chris to continue heading her own team and puts her on the fast track to career growth within the company.

References

Cervone, D., Jiwani, N., & Wood, R. (1991). Goal setting and the differential influence of self-regulatory processes on complex decision-making performance. Journal of personality and social psychology61(2), 257.

Edelenbos, J., & Klijn, E. H. (2007). Trust in complex decision-making networks: A theoretical and empirical exploration. Administration & Society39(1), 25-50.

Jones, T. M. (1991). Ethical decision making by individuals in organizations: An issue-contingent model. Academy of management review16(2), 366-395.

Lam, S. S., Chen, X. P., & Schaubroeck, J. (2002). Participative decision making and employee performance in different cultures: The moderating effects of allocentrism/idiocentrism and efficacy. Academy of Management Journal45(5), 905-914.