Leadership and Change Management: Case Analysis of Hancock Products Inc.

How should Bill Phillips lead and manage the change at Hancock?

Task:

There are no page limitations for this project, but about 6-8 double-spaced typed pages are a useful range to work with.  Further, I encourage you to focus on our class lectures, readings, and class discussion forums to answer these questions (not internet sources). The scoring rubric from Application 1 will be used for this assignment. Specifically, proposed solutions to the case, application of course concepts, critical thinking insights on your part and integration of readings (and personal experiences) will be weighted equally in my evaluation.

Please refer to the case: “Hancock Products, Inc.” (Answer Q1, Q2, Q3)

Q1. How should Bill Phillips lead and manage the change at Hancock?  Discuss a set of actions that need to be taken to resolve the problems at Hancock. Use examples and insights from readings and class discussion forums as part of your answer (40% weight).

Q2. Consider in more depth the readings and class discussion forums on leadership: How are insights from various authors and class discussion forums useful for understanding the role of leadership in this situation. (40% weight)

Q3. Suppose this event occurred in another country or geographical area, such Germany, Japan, India, China (you can chose a particular country), would Bill Phillip’s CFO career get derailed? Why or why not? What is your definition of derailment? (20% weight). 

Submission Instructions

Submit the entire project as a single MS Word file, including the cover sheet (with your name and section number only on the cover page), and a reference page, to the same folder you downloaded this assignment in Assignments. Please remember to hit the SUBMIT button, not the Save as Draft button.

This project is due by Tuesday April 23, at 11:59 pm.  (Also, please do not ask me if I received your completed project. Grading will take place within 72 hours).

Late papers are subject to the stringency rule. See syllabus. Also a grade based on work completed will be submitted to the university if I do not receive your paper when I submit grades.

• Important: Use the following file name: (Your) LastnameFirstnameApp2. So if fictional student Megan Smith were submitting her project, she would use the following file name:

SmithMeganApp2.docx
 
Typing/Word Processing Instructions

Use the same typing instructions from the first application assignment and syllabus.

Reminder

We will use the same grading criteria from Application 1. Specifically, your answers should
have the following properties (equally weighted for each question).

1.A convincing case solution and/or examples, (including personal applications  and examples from the class discussion board).

2.Wide ranging use of course concepts and readings to provide insights into the context or conditions that explain the specific case issues. It is important to mention course readings and class discussion. Essentially, what is your model or framework?

3. New insights or ways of understanding issues that you see in our readings and group and class discussion that can be applied to this case.  This could include new personal insights into how the material applies to you or your critical evaluation of it.

4.Integration of course materials, such as referencing readings and class discussion on one topic area, to lend understanding to this case.

I highly recommend you use and reference course readings and class discussion forums as part of your answers.

Letter grades will be posted in Academica and a grade summary will be available on Canvas - My Grade) when grades must be submitted to the university. When I post the grades, I will also send an e-mail notifying you that grades have been posted in Canvas and Pipeline.  (Please wait for my e-mail notification).

Rounding of Grades

As in life, there is no “rounding” of grades. An 87.9 is an 87.

Finally, I thank you for taking BA 7040 with me for this semester. I greatly appreciate your enthusiastic involvement in this course. I wish you a restful between-semester break and going forward a very successful experience in our MBA program at the Mike Ilitch School of Business.