Market Basket: Conflict Case Study. Business & Marketing Essay.

Market Basket: Conflict Case Study
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Market Basket: Conflict Case Study
Market Basket's business model followed the high volume and low margins strategy. In this regard, the business sought to sell as many products as possible at the lowest prices (Ton, Kochan, & Reavis, 2015). Customers would be attracted to the stores due to the low prices. The approach ensured that customers would return because Market Basket ensured they had the lowest prices compared to its competitors. The model was successful because the company provided great customer service and motivated its employees (Ton, Kochan, & Reavis, 2015). First, all employees were taught how to handle customers in a pleasant manner. The workers were instructed to greet customers whenever they encountered them and offer to assist if they were having trouble at the store. The strategy enabled Market Basket to enhance customer experience, which created loyal customers. 
In order to ensure that customers were accorded a great service when shopping, Market Basket invested heavily in motivating their employees. Market basket adopted various strategies that ensured that the company's workers were happy with their jobs. First, promotions were awarded based on merit, which ensured that an employee was rewarded for high performance. In addition, bonuses were also divided based on seniority, which ensured that loyalty to the company was rewarded (Ton, Kochan, & Reavis, 2015). It also served as a way to signal to workers about the security of their job as long as they delivered excellent performance consistently. Further, employee orientation focused on educating new recruits about the various duties and responsibilities that are expected of them once they are hired. Kawai and Mohr (2015) assert that job ambiguity affects employee motivation, and a solution involves developing clear roles for the employees. Market Basket's employee orientation ensured that employees would not be confused about their roles once they were hired, which contributed to their motivation to work at the organization. Thus, a customer and employee-focused approach enabled the company's business model to be successful. 
Conflict involves a disagreement between two or more entities about a particular issue. According to Langton, Robbins, and Judge (2018), it can be categorized into "task, relationship, and process conflict".  Task conflict involves a disagreement about the objectives or responsibilities of a particular job. Relationship conflict involves disagreements caused by interpersonal relationships. Process conflict arises due to differences in how a particular task should be completed. In the case of Market Basket, the problem was both a task and process conflict. Arthur T. and Arthur S disagreed on how the organization should be managed, which led to a conflict between the two (Ton, Kochan, & Reavis, 2015). It was a task conflict because they had different perspectives regarding the responsibilities of the company chief executive officer (CEO). As a board member, Arthur S. believed that the CEO should involve them in all major decisions and should always seek permission w...