Case Study: Foundations of Individual Behavior Differing Perceptions at Clarksto
ID: 392531 • Letter: C
Question
Case Study: Foundations of Individual Behavior
Differing Perceptions at Clarkston Industries
Susan Harrington continued to drum her fingers on her desk. She had a real problem and wasn’t sure what to do next. She had a lot of confidence in Jack Reed, but she suspected she was about the last person in the office who did. Perhaps if she ran through the entire story again in her mind
she would see the solution.
Susan had been distribution manager for Clarkston Industries for almost twenty years. An early brush with the law and a short stay in prison had made her realize the importance of honesty and hard work. Henry Clarkston had given her a chance despite her record, and Susan had made the most of it. She now was one of the most respected managers in the company. Few people knew her background.
Susan had hired Jack Reed fresh out of prison six months ago. Susan understood how Jack felt when Jack tried to explain his past and asked for another chance. Susan decided to give him that chance just as Henry Clarkston had given her one. Jack eagerly accepted a job on the loading docks and could soon load a truck as fast as anyone in the crew.
Things had gone well at first. Everyone seemed to like Jack, and he made several new friends. Susan had been vaguely disturbed about two months ago, however, when another dock worker reported his wallet missing. She confronted Jack about this and was reassured when Jack understood her concern and earnestly but calmly asserted his innocence. Susan was especially relieved when the wallet was found a few days later.
The events of last week, however, had caused serious trouble. First, a new personnel clerk had come across records about Jack’s past while updating employee files. Assuming that the information was common knowledge, the clerk had mentioned to several employees what a good thing it was to give ex-convicts like Jack a chance. The next day, someone in bookkeeping discovered some money missing from petty cash. Another worker claimed to have seen Jack in the area around the office strongbox, which was open during working hours, earlier that same day.
Most people assumed Jack was the thief. Even the worker whose wallet had been misplaced suggested that perhaps Jack had indeed stolen it but had returned it when questioned. Several employees had approached Susan and requested that Jack be fired. Meanwhile, when Susan had discussed the problem with Jack, Jack had been defensive and sullen and said little about the petty-cash situation other than to deny stealing the money.
To her dismay, Susan found that rethinking the story did little to solve his problem. Should she fire Jack? The evidence, of course, was purely circumstantial, yet everybody else seemed to see things quite clearly. Susan feared that if she did not fire Jack, she would lose everyone’s trust and that some people might even begin to question her own motives.
Case Questions :-
1. Case Summary
2. Explain the events in this case in terms of perception and attitudes. Does personality play a role?
3. What should Susan do? Should she fire Jack or give him another chance?
Directions:
Be three to five pages in length, which does not include the title page, abstract or required reference page, which are never a part of the content minimum requirements.
academic writing standards and APA style guidelines.
Support your submission with course material concepts, principles, and theories from the textbook and at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles unless the assignment calls for more.
Write a three-part essay (i.e., an essay that includes an introduction paragraph, the essay’s body, and a conclusion paragraph) that address the questions using a question and answer format.
Your well-written paper should meet the following requirements:
Explanation / Answer
Title
Name of the Topic: Foundations of Individual Behavior
Case: Differing Perceptions at Clarkston Industries
By: XYZ
Abstract
The case is about the Susan Harrington who is the distribution manager at the Clarkston Industries. She has to decide whether the Jack Reed has to be fired or not. She has recruited Jack Reed as She has given a chance to him because he was come out from prison last 6 months. She also had the same background when she joined the company. An opportunity given by the Henry Clarkston. Most of the employees of the company sys that he had stolen the petty cash of individual and some of the employees also know about his background.
Case Summary
Susan Harrington is the distribution manager at the Clarkston Industries. She has the experience of almost 20 years. She recruited Jack Reed irrespective of his criminal back ground. Jack Reed was come out from the prison last six months ago. He asks another chance from the Susan to work. Susan had also the same past as she was in prison and after coming out from prison Henry Clarkston had given her a chance to work.
Jack Feed was tried to stole the individual assets of the employees as well as companies. He has been caught by the various employees of the company. But he never accepted his mistake. He was always defensive when Susan asked from him. Now slowly-slowly employees such as book keeper, clerk etc. came to know about the background of the Jack. Hence, they demanded the Jack to be fired. Now, she is in dilemma whether to fire Jack or not.
As every case may not be same, the individual perception and motivation change the inner positive ability of the individual.
2. The Susan hiring the Jack Feed on her individual perception as she was been hired by the Henry Clarkston. She though that he may not get any opportunity if she didn’t offer him. So, he has the attitude to help Jack. This follow the Cognitive theory of perception. Here the sensations are by themselves which does not need any description.
Jack Feed was the similar background as Susan had. He needs the job to work as no one will give opportunity to him. He was suspected by various employees of the company after his background knowledge. But there were no prove. It was on the basis of individual perception that the people who comes from the prison may be indulge in same activities. It is the based on the theory of perception in action. Here the perception and actions are the going in the same way. The employee perceived that the background of the Jack is not good then they blamed the Jack for the unwanted activities happening in the company. Hence the action was in the same way.
The personality plays a vital role in the perception and attitude of the individual. As the perception of individual may be affected by the personality of the individual. In case of the Susan who worked with the company for a long time. She creates a positive image inside the company so she gets promotion from the employer. Her personality has been changed. The attitude to do the job was also become positive and loyal. Because of this she gets the promotion.
3. Susan have to give another chance to the Jack. As she has not enough evidence on the basis of which she can fire the Jack Feed. It was seen by the clerk of the company that Jack Feed has the criminal background. Later the book keeper also knows about the Jack Feed criminal background. After that the steeling issues came in to picture. Hence, from these it is not proves that he is a criminal. She has to collect the information about the Jack, investigate and then if he has indulged in any activities then later she should fire. She is in dilemma as she hired the Jack and these unwanted activities are happening in the company premises so may be employees can blame manger in later stage. But she has the 20 years of experience so she should not think in this way. If after giving another chance he did not be a genuine towards his roles then he can be fired.
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