Solution Application - Individual Task

This assignment is based on solution application based on Seven Network, a media company in Australia and this company is taken to discuss the sexual harassment problem. The purpose of this assignment is to highlight how women in media companies, such as the Seven Network face sexual harassment in the workplace.

Running Head: Solution Application - Individual Task
SOLUTION APPLICATION - INDIVIDUAL TASK

Solution Application - Individual Task
2
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
1. Problem background....................................................................................................................3
2. Problem definition.......................................................................................................................5
3. Solution generation......................................................................................................................6
4. Solution evaluation......................................................................................................................7
5. Implementation and action plan...................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Reference List..................................................................................................................................9
Appendices....................................................................................................................................11
Appendix 1: The drill down technique..........................................................................................11
Appendix 2: The four frame model...............................................................................................12

Solution Application - Individual Task
3
Introduction
This assignment is based on solution application based on Seven Network, a media
company in Australia and this company is taken to discuss the sexual harassment problem. The
purpose of this assignment is to highlight how women in media companies, such as the Seven
Network face sexual harassment in the workplace.
At first, the problem background states the problem that is going on in the company. The
rationale for solving the problem and decision-making are elucidated in this assignment. The
problem definition highlights the sexual harassment cases women in the Seven Network have to
go through and its outcome. The alternative solution to the problem of sexual harassment of
women and its evaluation are also critically analysed.
1. Problem background
The sexual harassment cases in media companies in Australia are increasing at a
tremendous level and the higher authorities, the management team of such companies is not
doing anything to change this issue at the workplace. The Seven Network's higher authorities are
not able to provide utmost security to women employees in Australia even when they have the
right to get a secure and safe workplace. In 2017, it was reported by the media that a cadet
journalist named Amy Taeuber was facing sexual harassment in the workplace of Seven
Network from her older reporter (Abc, 2018). However, her problems had increased when she
had complained about this case to the higher authorities of the company. Amy, a 27-year-old
cadet journalist, got no notice of allegations that were placed upon her before she was suspended
from her job. Her phone was removed, and she was forced to leave the building, and she was not
allowed to switch off her computer before she left.
It was mentioned in the reports that she was expelled from this media company. After she
complained about the senior male colleague, she was suspended based on the fact that she had

Solution Application - Individual Task
4
bullied a fellow cadet (Abc, 2017). Just to keep proof of this situation, she was recording the
whole conversation that was about to happen between her and the company's human resources
manager. However, she was fired from her duties at that moment, and so she could not take her
phone, use her email and so on (McDonald & Charlesworth, 2016).
Rational problem-solving process
Amy is not the one, who had face case of sexual harassment in the media company. Even
before the incident of Amy had taken place, the cases of sexual harassment had happened in
Australia with other women. It was reported in 2012-study report of Louise North that 57% of
5777 female journalist, who were surveyed on 27 February 2012 had faced sexual experience
(Ifex, 2017). In earlier times, MEAA had surveyed via the International Federation of Journalists
in 1996. It was found out in the survey that just fewer than 52% of respondents had experienced
sexual harassment in their workplace. The rational process for solving this problem can take
place if the issues of the women journalists are solved within the work atmosphere and by giving
equal rights to both men and women. In the case of Amy, the human resources manager had
breached the rights of the company while dealing with the case of sexual harassment (Iqbal,
Anwar & Haider, 2015).
Identify implicit assumptions
There are certain rules made in the Seven Network Company, which states that any
employee in the job role of a journalist has the right to get support to prove their claims in any
situation. However, this rule had acted as an implicit assumption in the case of Amy (Abc, 2017).
After being a cadet journalist, Amy had a right to express her complain about an older employee,
who was calling her a lesbian and made some unpleasant remarks on her marital status.
However, the human resources manager had made it clear to her that she was not able to exercise
her rights properly just as male employees. After complaining about the older employee, the
HRM department was investigating about Ms Amy Taeuber just for a satirical memes page
regarding a reality program of Seven Network. However, her sister, Kate, mainly ran this page
and even knowing this truth, Amy was blamed for this reason (Abc, 2017). She was blamed for
this page, bulling an older cadet and even she was not able to get support from another cadet
named Lesley Johns during a meeting with the human resources manager. These implicit

Solution Application - Individual Task
5
assumptions are made by higher authorities of the company to save their company's prestige and
to solve the long-standing issue of sexual harassment.
The main constraints that remain to solve the issue of sexual harassment cases at the
workplace were the unpleasant working atmosphere, rights that were given more to men. Also,
the biases in decision-making had been happening in this company from the top authorities and
by the fellow male employees. Just because of all these reasons, the decision-making process for
women lacked power in Seven Network Company (Humanrights, 2019). The decision-making
process of expelling women from this company can be improved if both men and women could
enjoy equal rights in the workplace. The strengths of varied research techniques to managerial
decision-making are not right as women employees, such as Amy cannot exercise her rights to
solve her issues at the workplace. The weakness includes biased decision-making process for
keeping the reputation of the company safe, and this company wants to cover up issues of the
company too (McDonald & Charlesworth, 2016).
2. Problem definition
Defining of problems
The Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth) was created in Australia about 26 years ago just
to avoid sexual harassment cases in the workplace. It is stated in the Sex Discrimination Act
1984 that unwelcome sex is an unwelcoming request that any person has to face (Humanrights,
2018). The case of Amy happened in Adelaide highlights that the senior male media executives
should be responsible for removing toxic work culture in the workplace. As per the Sex
Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), any taunt, suggestive joke can be a part of sexual harassment,
and this applies to the case of Amy as her older reporter had made suggestive comments about
her on working days. The sexual harassment cases are not explored much in the companies as
little research is being done in Australia. To improve this situation, the Australian Human Rights
Commission had started to survey 2003 to make the better condition of women (Theguardian,
2017).
Problem-solving tools

Solution Application - Individual Task
6
There are many problem-solving tools available for solving this sexual harassment of
women in companies of Australia (Kossivi, Xu & Kalgora, 2016). It can be stated from the case
of Amy, a former employee of the Seven Network that women in media companies face more
issues in the workplace and suggestive comments from male counterparts. These problems of
women can be resolved if the owner of the Seven Network Company can make use of the drill
down technique and the four frame model. The drill down technique is mostly used in business
organizations to solve complex problems (Bazerman & Moore, 2013). The successful
organizations take sufficient time to identify complicated issues and plan a practical resolution to
solve it by breaking the problem into distinct components. In this context, by making use of this
technique in the workplace, it can be easier for the Seven Network Company to make better
decisions for the employees (Wilson & Pender, 2017). In addition, this technique can assist
women in exercising their rights in a better way. Also, the feedback loop can assist in doing the
changes too [Refer to Appendix 1]
The Four Frame model is popular in case of solving management problems to increase
the potential of the business firms. The model divides every organization into four frames, such
as structural, human resource, political and symbolic (Wood et al., 2009). Each frame of the
model is considered in a meaningful way so that every finding can become complete without any
issue. In this context, the use of the four-frame model can assist the owner of Seven Network
Company in improving the thinking process of male media executives to run the company
[Refer to Appendix 2]
The Force Field analysis is a method of listing, discussing, evaluating the forces that are
made for or against the change and it offers people with opportunities to know the forces that can
affect the problem. In this context, the owner of the Seven Network Company can use the force
field analysis to know how to evaluate the issue of sexual harassment in workplace and the ways
to solve it. The fishbone diagram can be used by the owner of Seven Network Company to
analyse real caused behind the case of Amy's sexual harassment (Hanaysha, 2016). After
identifying the root causes, the solution of the issue can be generated in the end.

Solution Application - Individual Task
7
3. Solution generation
Alternative solutions in the workplace
The solution generation of the situation of sexual harassment cases in Seven Network
Company can be done by using the drill down technique and four frame model (North, 2016).
The cases of sexual harassment are going on in Australian companies since a long time, and until
date, it is not yet overcome. By using the drill down technique, the owner of Seven Network, a
media company in Australia can know how to analyse distinct problems that women have to face
in the workplace. It can enable the HRM department of the company to analyse both older and
new male employees to handle the work environment of this company. The changes in the
behaviour of the male employees can enable women employees to exercise their rights in the
workplace and avoid major issues (Hanaysha, 2016). In this way, the work culture of this
Australian based company can improve over time and thereby any wrong deed done by an
employee can be prevented. However, to make such changes, the workplace policies need to be
changed, and male and female employees should have equal rights to use the new workplace
policies (Wood et al., 2009). The policies of sexual harassment should change in Seven Network
Company, and a provision should be included in the policy that complaints of sexual harassment
would be given seriously.
The Four frame model can assist Seven Network Company to know how to analyse
issues in the structural, political, human resource and symbolic factors (Parsons, 2016). Thus, it
can improve the performance of the organization in a better way in future years. However,
proper training programs should be given to the employees so that major changes can be done in
this company in future.
4. Solution evaluation
The changes in the workplace, work culture, and behaviour of male employees can make
better the whole work culture of the company, Seven Network. The behaviour of the male
employees towards female employees are not adequate and are mainly affecting the workplace
condition, performance of women employees. Amy had to complain against her male colleague,
who was an older reporter. The major changes in the workplace of the Seven Network Company

Solution Application - Individual Task
8
can be improved if the workplace policies, sexual harassment policies can change for the better
(DeCenzo, Robbins & Verhulst, 2016). The new sexual harassment policy can enable women
employees to get justice in case of sexual harassment cases in Seven Network Company. The
lapses in the human resources and structural part of this company can be resolved if te issues can
be solved after identifying it by using the four frame model.
5. Implementation and action plan
The new workplace and sexual harassment policy in the Seven Network Company can be
implemented by making structural changes in the workplace of Seven Network Company. By
giving proper training to both male and female employees about the new sexual harassment
policies and workplace policies, these policies can be implemented. Just to implement these
policies, the structural changes needed would be identified, analysed for 2 weeks and then it
would be implemented in this company (Parsons, 2016). The structural changes that need to be
done in this company can be implemented if major changes in HRM department can be made by
changing structures of the company. The action plan for doing this implementation would last for
3 weeks.
Conclusion
The assignment is based on solution application and a media company; Seven Network
Company has been taken to do a discussion on the issue of sexual harassment in a new way. The
drill down technique and four frame model are two ways by which the issue of sexual
harassment can be solved in the future years. The sexual harassment issue of Amy in Seven
Network Company can be solved if the structural, work culture problems in this company can
change in future years. The implementation of new policies of the workplace, sexual harassment
can be solved if employees can get better training and knowledge of new policies. The provision
of equal rights given to both male and female employees can improve the performance of Seven
Network Company.

Solution Application - Individual Task
9
Reference List
Abc, 2017, Audio recording reveals how Channel 7 cadet was dismissed soon after making
harassment complaint, Retrieved on 9th April 2019 from
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-25/recording-reveals-how-channel-7-cadet-was-
dismissed/8984428
Abc, 2018, Sexual harassment at work is on the rise in Australia, Retrieved on 9th April 2019
from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-12/human-rights-commission-report-reveals-
sexual-harassment-at-work/10231480
Bazerman, M. H. & Moore, D. A. (2013). Judgment in Managerial Decision Making (8th ed).
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
DeCenzo, D. A., Robbins, S. P., & Verhulst, S. L. (2016). Fundamentals of Human Resource
Management, Binder Ready Version. New Jersey: US: John Wiley & Sons.
Hanaysha, J. (2016). Examining the effects of employee empowerment, teamwork, and
employee training on organizational commitment. Procedia-Social and Behavioral
Sciences, 229, 298-306.
Human rights, 2018, Sexual harassment, Retrieved on 9th April 2019 from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/projects/sexual-
harassment-know-where-line
Human rights, 2019, Sexual harassment, Retrieved on 9th April 2019 from
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/sex-discrimination/guides/sexual-harassment

Solution Application - Individual Task
10
Ifex, 2017, Australia: Address sexual harassment cases in media companies, Retrieved on 9th
April 2019 from https://www.ifex.org/australia/2017/10/03/media-sexual-harassment/
Iqbal, N., Anwar, S., & Haider, N. (2015). Effect of leadership style on employee performance.
Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 5(5), 1-6.
Kossivi, B., Xu, M., & Kalgora, B. (2016). Study on determining factors of employee retention.
Open Journal of Social Sciences, 4(05), 261.
McDonald, P., & Charlesworth, S. (2016). Workplace sexual harassment at the margins. Work,
employment and society, 30(1), 118-134.
North, L. (2016). Damaging and daunting: female journalists’ experiences of sexual harassment
in the newsroom. Feminist media studies, 16(3), 495-510.
Parsons, P. J. (2016). Ethics in public relations: A guide to best practice. London: UK: Kogan
Page Publishers.
Theguardian, 2017, Perverse outcomes: How Australia is failing sexual harassment victims,
Retrieved on 9th April 2019 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/18/kate-
jenkins-on-how-australia-is-failing-sexual-harassment-victims
Wilson, J., & Pender, K. (2017). Employment law: Risky business: The legal hazards of
relationships in the workplace. Ethos: Official Publication of the Law Society of the
Australian Capital Territory, (245), 20.
Wood, R., Cogin, J. & Beckmann, J. (2009). Managerial Problem Solving: Frameworks, Tools
Techniques. North Ryde: McGraw Hill, Australia.

Solution Application - Individual Task
11
Appendices
Appendix 1: The drill down technique
(Source: Bazerman & Moore, 2013)

Solution Application - Individual Task
12
Appendix 2: The four frame model
(Source: Wood et al., 2009)