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Running Head: CASE APPLICATION STUDY

Case Application Study on Management

Faculty: Hamida Mosharraf Moniea mam

Section: 13

Group 4

Ishtiaque Hossain Sajid

1731485630

Mustafizur Rahman

1721020630

Md Rafizul Islam

1721021630

Showrob Hossain

1721827630

North South University

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CASE APPLICATION STUDY

Abstract

This paper answers two separate cases from two very different chapters of the book titled,

“Management by Stephen P. Robbins & Mary Coulter.” The first case, “Manchester City:

Football Big Data Champions” is about decision making and precisely about how big data can

influence in decision making. While the second case titled, “Defeating the System: Ethics at

Volkswagen” is about social responsibility and ethics of the managers. The paper actually

reflects how the learners perceive and relates the cases to their studies. The questions of the cases

have been answered based on the research from the slides given and text book. A group of 4

people have conducted the study and answered the discussion questions. It is hopeful that the

learners will discuss the cases, answer them as they understand them and also take teachings

from these, for them to be a successful manager.

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CASE APPLICATION STUDY

Case Application Study

Chapter 2 Case Application 2

Manchester City: Football Big Data Champions

Discussion Question 2-15. What types of decisions are made by football managers? Would

you characterize these decisions as structured or unstructured problems? Explain.

Football managers had to make unprogrammed decisions. The problems they face are

categorized as unstructured problems. The straightforward, familiar, and easily defined problems

are known as structured problems whereas unstructured problems are new or unusual and for

which information is ambiguous or incomplete and thus it requires unique, non-recurring and

custom-made solutions also known as nonprogrammed decisions. Football managers everyday

face various kinds of situations, their approaches cannot be the same, rather they have to take

unique unprogrammed decisions. Each of the opponents have different strategies, the players

abilities, strengths and weaknesses vary, manager has to analyze it all and take dynamic

decisions.

Discussion Question 2-16. Describe how big data can help football managers to make better

decisions and how this has an effect on the decision-making process.

Big data can help managers in managing risk, analyzing alternatives and thus making

better decisions. The data collected lets the manager assign probabilities to different alternatives

and then calculate the expected result from each possible decision by multiplying it with the

probability. Through big data manager can appraise each alternative decision’s strengths and
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CASE APPLICATION STUDY

weaknesses. The alternatives are judged based on its ability to meet the criteria for solving the

problem.

Discussion question 2-17. What type(s) of conditions are more likely to influence the

performance analyst team’s work: certainty, uncertainty, or risks? Explain.

Risks are more likely to influence the performance analyst team’s work. Risk is a

situation where the decision maker doesn’t know exactly the possible outcome but is able to

estimate the likelihood of certain outcomes. The performance analyst team analyze the big data

and estimates the possible outcomes for different decisions. It is risk, because the outcome is not

certain nor can its probability be not estimated. The team can rather estimate the likelihood of

certain outcomes.

Discussion question 2-18. Do you think it is appropriate for football managers to use only

quantitative information to evaluate their players’ performance during a season? Why or

why not?

I don’t think it’s appropriate for football managers to use only quantitative information to

evaluate their players’ performance during a season. Managers at all places suffers from different

varieties of biases. It’s important for them to identify such biases and not take decisions while

being affected by it. Now, though quantifying the players’ performance helps the managers and

the club to weigh the contribution of the players, the qualitative feature, data or information of

them should not be neglected. Doing so will result in what’s called framing bias. Selecting and

highlighting quantitative aspects of players while ignoring qualitative aspects to evaluate

players’ performance might lead the manager to a decision he might regret.

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Discussion Question 2-19. How can big data transform football decisions in the future?

There goes a saying “Knowledge is power”, knowledge and information are two very

close and similar words. Information can be a key to many problems, it can open the eyes and

realize many solutions. To be honest, just acquiring information actually cannot benefit to much

extent but analyzing and understanding the information, data can help the decision makers see

the opportunities, problems more clearly and vividly, also at the same time look for the best

solution possible. Through big data every move of the footballers and managers can be tracked

and analyzed. Through the algorithm the players who fits best for what, the best fit timing of a

move, ideal strategies-mentalities of the footballers can be figured out. As mentioned in the case,

through big data Manchester city analyzes players, finds out who fits best with the squad, brings

out the most fit from the youth. Thus, decision making has been made much easier. Training

decisions can also be taken through it. But it is to be remembered decisions must not be taken

blindly on the quantifiable big data because beside the quantifiable points there are many other

factors at play which helps a team achieve success, but big data surely will help the managers see

less biasedly towards any player, judging and decision making will be much easier, room for

errors will reduce and also at the same time the game will become more mechanical and

competitive.
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CASE APPLICATION STUDY

Chapter 5 Case Application 2

Defeating the System: Ethics at Volkswagen

Discussion Question 5-18. Are you surprised that an organization as large as Volkswagen

was caught engaging in such unethical behavior? Do you agree that the organization’s

culture could have encouraged this behavior?

No, I am not surprised that an organization as large as Volkswagen was caught engaging

in unethical behavior. When an organization grows large, it often becomes complex to handle the

entire organization with same policies. When big profits are a company’s only concern they are

often faced with some very unethical practices. For example – Toyota made a huge and unethical

failure in 2010 by ignoring safety concerns and delaying recall investigations to save money.

And recently we all know what unethical doings was done by Facebook.

Depending on the type of culture that is created in an organization, it can have a positive

or negative effect. In organizations where managers are not facilitators but taskmasters,

employees live with fear and work is nothing but a dreary chore than the organizational culture

can encourage unethical behavior.

Discussion Question 5-19. Are there structural variables that may have influenced the

unethical behavior at Volkswagen?

An organization’s structural design can influence whether employees should behave

ethically or unethically. Many organizations use goals to guide and motivate employees, those

goals can create some unexpected problems too. One study found that people who don’t reach set

goals are more likely to engage in unethical behavior. When employees are evaluated only on
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outcomes, they may be pressured to do whatever is necessary to look good on the outcomes and

not be concerned with how they got those results. There were structural variables that have

influenced the unethical behavior. Volkswagen was hungry for growth. It was battling Toyota

and General Motors for the number one position in the global car market.

Discussion Question 5-20. Evaluate Volkswagen’s actions based on the factors in Exhibit 5-

5. How would you describe the issue intensity of Volkswagen’s actions?

Around 475,000 vehicles in the U.S. are implicated in the scandal, but about 11 million

Volkswagen Group diesels around the world allegedly included the illegal defeat device

software. The work also shows that, even if diesel cars did meet emissions limits, there would

still be 70,000 early deaths per year. One thing that differs the two scandals is that there is a gas-

emission cheating in the case of Volkswagen, which is far less of a problem than being

responsible for over 400 car accidents.

At least it was on the service side, until the emissions modification was approved.

Because of the defeat devices the Volkswagen owners got an automobile that performed better

than had they bought a comparable vehicle from another company, one that hewed to the

emissions standards. They actually benefited from the cheating–at the expense of degrading the

environment that we all live in, both VW owners and the rest of us. Volkswagen’s diesel

deception unleashed tons of extra pollutants in the United States, pollutants that can harm human

health. Nitrogen oxides are a byproduct of burning fossil fuels at high temperature.
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Discussion Question 5-21. Moving forward, what do you think Volkswagen needs to do to

avoid such an ethical lapse in the future?

There are companies that have indulged in scandals ranging from environmental

violations, falsifying research results, gender discrimination, etc. It demonstrates that we need to

have strong business ethics in the workplace today and even stronger leaders who are mentally

tough to make strong ethically correct decisions. Another important aspect to ponder here is the

virtue of self-accountability.

Conclusions

The cases discussed have been a lesson for the learners, it has broadened their

perspective. It has made them understand and see opportunities, its uses and also problems and

how to react of it. The 1st discussed case has brought into light how big data can help in decision

making and gain success. Also, at the same time made aware of different kind of biases

managers suffer. While the 2nd discussed case has been a lesson of being aware of social

responsibilities and ethics no matter how big and cunning the company is. It also showed the

reactions for every publicly related events must be given cautiously and understanding the future

consequences.

Now it is important that the learners take these discussions as a very important lessons

and learn from them. As future managers understanding different perspectives and abiding by the

teachings is very necessary.

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References

Management. Stephen P. Robbins & Mary Coulter. 14th Global Edition.