Kaplan's Managerial Politics and Tension and Strategic Decisions

Managerial Theory and Practice
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Managerial Theory and Practice
When individuals are working together, there would certainly be conflict and tension between groups and people now and then. Even if the work environments seem perfect, organizational tension is unavoidable. Tension and conflicts in an organization could be good for an organization, its staffs, and eventually the customer. It is notable that internal conflict could be an important source of finding new solutions and making critical business improvements (Kaur 2014). This report addresses two questions pertaining to the complex scenario at Kaplan’s. In particular, this report critically examines the nature of managerial politics and tensions in the case study and the way these have led to contested practices and priorities. Moreover, considering the strategic tensions in the case study, how to create the right conditions for one clear strategic direction for this company and its human resourcing is discussed.
Response to question 1: Managerial politics and tension in Kaplan’s
At Kaplan’s, managerial politics and tension has resulted in contested priorities and conflicts. In the case study, Sam Kaplan is the chairman of the corporate organization, Kaplan’s. Conflicts and tension in the company are evident between two factions in the board. One faction comprises the chairman Sam Kaplan and Hal Evans. The other faction consists of Juan Poort, Frank Angle, and Ivan Kelp. Jean Frear is neutral and Joan is against some of the company’s expansion strategies (Leopold & Harris 2009). Sam Kaplan’s daughter Joan, an environmentalist and an anti-globalization activist, but not involved actively with the business has raised her objections to how Kaplan’s is expanding mainly due to its use of chemical and industrial based production methods to food products and the increasing usage of cheap labour abroad at the cost of employment in the United Kingdom (Leopold & Harris 2009).
There is also tension between Sam Kaplan and Kaplan’s managing director, Juan Poort, who wants to routinize methods of production. In essence, routinizing production methods entails two things. First is the use of genetic manipulation of crops in order to maximize the production from crop harvests, and secondly is to treat meat products in a manner as close to possible to industrial raw materials (Leopold & Harris 2009). Juan Poort is also determined to decrease costs of labour to a minimum by employing and sacking employees throughout the world in a manner that he sees as most cost-effective and convenient. Juan Poort is supported by Kaplan’s Director of Operations, Frank Angle. The religious principles of Hal Evans make him to sympathize with the board chairman Sam Kaplan. Just like Sam, he is concerned about the strategy used by Kaplan’s human resource, which has become more and more ruthless. Both Sam Kaplan and Hal Evans are discontented about Kaplan’s shift to lower quality, higher volume output (Leopold & Harris 2009).
Additionally, Ivan Kelp, Kaplan’s Finance Director believes that the growing levels of profits that are currently being attained may be of hel...