Case Study: Leadership, Negotiation, and Change at United Product

This case study examines the leadership transition at United Product, a large manufacturing firm, from Johnny Depp to Jack Nicholson, and the subsequent organizational changes implemented by the new CEO. It analyzes the resistance from employees due to the introduction of a computer monitoring system, high-performance standards, and a change management program. The study discusses the negotiation and influencing skills demonstrated by Jack in managing internal and external stakeholders, including addressing ethical and cultural expectations. Furthermore, it compares the leadership styles and changes brought about by two prominent business leaders, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, evaluating the success of their respective strategies in the IT industry. The case highlights the impact of different leadership approaches on employee satisfaction, organizational performance, and stakeholder relations, offering insights into effective change management practices.

Business Diploma
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Executi ve Summary
The case study is about United Product which is a large manufacturing firm and has no
workers union. Johnny Depp was the CEO of the company for ten years. The employees were
extremely satisfied under his leadership. After ten years Jack Nicholson came as new CEO and
brought significant changes in the company. A computer monitoring system was placed within
United Product. A high-performance standard was set up for supervisors. A change management
program was started for the employees so that Jack could win the trusts of the employees. As a
result, three supervisors left the company and led to high employee turnover. But the production
output has increased, and the company saw financial success. The paper will discuss the
implementation of the negotiation skills of Jack during the organizational change. It will also
analyze the negotiation methods taken by Jack in change management of the company.
Moreover, two business leaders who have brought changes will be compared along with their
leadership styles and changes brought by them.

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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Task 1 – Negotiation and Influencing Skills in Resistance to Change Management...................................3
1.1 Three forms of Resistance found in the employees of United Product and Their way of
expressing Resistance..............................................................................................................................3
1.2 Three Remedial Actions were taken by Management to Pacify the Staff....................................3
1.3 Four Change Management Skills Demonstrated by Jack in his Management for Internal
Stakeholders............................................................................................................................................4
Task 2 – Negotiation and Influencing Techniques for Optimal Outcomes..................................................4
2.1 Four Areas of Management in Handling the Situations with External Stakeholders..........................4
Professional Attitudes, Qualities, and Behavior.......................................................................................4
Ethical Issues including Accepted Societal and Institutional Standards –...............................................5
Social Expectations.................................................................................................................................5
Cultural Expectations..............................................................................................................................5
2.2 Negotiations with the External Stakeholders for an Amicable Outcome...........................................5
Aspects of Dynamics of Diversity and Culture........................................................................................5
Three Persuasion Methodologies.............................................................................................................5
2.3 Four Communication Skills used by Jack in achieving the Goals, Reason of Effectiveness or
Disappointment and Contrast with John..................................................................................................6
Task 3 – Leadership Styles and Ethical Perspective....................................................................................7
3.1 Two Business Leaders who Instigated Changes and Names of their Organizations..........................7
Reasons to Select the Leaders..................................................................................................................7
3.2 Four Comparisons between two Business Leaders............................................................................7
Leadership Styles....................................................................................................................................8
Changes brought by the Business Leaders...............................................................................................9
3.3 Four Evaluations of the Success of the Changes between the Business Leaders...............................9
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................11
References.................................................................................................................................................12

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Introduction
The report will analyze the negotiation skills during the organizational change. It will
also evaluate negotiation methods and communication skills in the context of change
management. It will also make a comparison between two business leaders those who have
brought changes. The leadership style of the two leaders will also be discussed.
Task 1 – Negotiation and Influencing Skills in Resistance to Change Management
1.1 Three forms of Resistance found in the employees of United Product and Their
way of expressing Resistance
The three forms of resistances in the employees of United Product are as follows:
Logical Resistance – This resistance from employees was due to the need of time and
effort needed to adjust to the organizational change in United Product. It was also due to the new
job responsibilities assigned by Jack. The employees expressed it by disagreeing with the logical
facts and reasoning of management assigned by new CEO Jack.
Psychological Resistance – This resistance from employees has arisen from emotions
and attitudes. It appeared from the emotional perspective of the views of the staffs and feelings
regarding the organizational change in United Product. The staffs expressed their fear and could
not trust the new management in the company (Stokoe, 2014). They also feel that their safety and
ego needs are at risk.
Sociological Resistance – This resistance from the staffs has taken place as a result of a
challenge to the interests and values of the employees in the United Product. When disruption
has taken place in the relationship between the new CEO Jack and the employees regarding the
changed brought by Jack, the employees expressed it when three out seven supervisors left the
company.
1.2 Three Remedial Actions were taken by Management to Pacify the Staff
The staffs were pacified by the following three remedial actions by management:
 A computer monitoring system was placed within United Product so that
the employees could check their own work productivity.
 A change management program was started for the employees so that Jack
could win the trusts of the employees.

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 A high-performance standard was set up so that supervisors would be
motivated to work effectively for their company.
1.3 Four Change Management Skills Demonstrated by Jack in his Management for
Internal Stakeholders
The four change management skills demonstrated by Jack for managing the internal
stakeholders are as follows:
Stakeholder Management Skill – A competitive intelligence system was started by Jack
to spy the competitors and the union. As a result, the company has seen a financial success
(Brink & Costigan, 2015). The shareholders of United Product are extremely satisfied with Jack.
Organizational Objectives Alignment Skill – Jack has recognized the key stakeholders
within the company. This began with meeting the key stakeholders and tried to understand their
objectives within the company.
Communication Skill – A high-performance standard was set up so that supervisors
would be motivated to work effectively for their company. The supervisors were strictly
instructed by Jack to observe their team members.
Facilitation Skill – As some of the crucial employees have left the company so to
maintain the performance of the employees a change management program was started for the
employees. This has been done so that Jack could win the trusts of the employees.
Task 2 – Negotiation and Influencing Techniques for Optimal Outcomes
2.1 Four Areas of Management in Handling the Situations with External Stakeholders
Professional Attitudes, Qualities, and Behavior
Jack has acknowledged and effectively observed the concerns of the external
stakeholders and considered to involve their interests in management decisions and operations of
the company (Hunter, 2016). He has also identified the efforts of the external stakeholders and
tried to equitably distribute the benefits of the business activity among the stakeholders.

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Ethical Issues including Accepted Societal and Institutional Standards –
Jack has noticed that the local community does not like both his company and his
leadership style. Both the community and company do not trust him. Jack has brought changes
both internally and externally to win the respect of his employees and the community.
Social Expectations
Jack has observed the expectations of the stakeholders in accordance with the objectives
of social sustainability. For effectively handling the external stakeholders Jack has analyzed the
opportunities and threats of the stakeholders, fulfill his social duties, implemented proper
strategies, and enhanced the satisfaction of the external stakeholders of United Product.
Cultural Expectations
Jack has set up a balance between executing the global standards and responding to local
culture in his efforts to control the different principles and practices of the external stakeholders.
He has examined and understood the organizational cultures by observing, listening and
communicating with external stakeholders.
2.2 Negotiations with the External Stakeholders for an Amicable Outcome
Jack Nicholson, the new CEO of United Product, has negotiated with external
stakeholders by establishing a successful relation with them and gaining their trust. He has met
them and took time to actively listen to their needs so that he could negotiate with for an
amicable business outcome (Okon & Njoku, 2016).
Aspects of Dynamics of Diversity and Culture
The negotiations with the different external stakeholders of the company are connected
with organizational management and cultures. The culture binds the dimensions of the
organization including the stakeholders.
Three Persuasion Methodologies
Character Persuasion – Jack was a bright and intelligent CEO, so his character trait was
beneficial for negotiating with the stakeholders (Kulturel-Konak, Konak, Kremer &
Esparagozza, 2015).

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Emotional Persuasion – Jack has utilized the emotions of the stakeholders in United
Product efficiently in negotiation which has involved realizing the emotions of the negotiated
stakeholders
Logical Persuasion – Jack has convinced the Board of the company that it would be
logical if they negotiate with the external stakeholders.
2.3 Four Communication Skills used by Jack in achieving the Goals, Reason of
Effectiveness or Disappointment and Contrast with John
Feedback – A computer monitoring system was placed within United Product to check
the output of the workers (Paragraph 6). This led to high employee turnover under Jack. The
employee turnover was low during John.
Verbal Communication – A high-performance standard was set up so that supervisors
would be motivated to work effectively for their company. The supervisors were strictly
instructed by Jack to observe their team members (Paragraph 6). As a result, three out of seven
supervisors left the company under Jack. This has happened at the time of John as they were very
satisfied with John.
Listening – The supervisors were instructed to consult with Jack for implementing any
business strategy (Paragraph 7). Jack would hear their suggestion and then take decisions. This
was not the case under John.
Clarity – A competitive intelligence system was started by Jack to spy the competitors
and the union (Paragraph 8). As a result, the company has seen financial success. The
shareholders of the company were impressed with Jack. John has given the full responsibilities
of his employees on the supervisors.

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Task 3 – Leadership Styles and Ethical Perspective
3.1 Two Business Leaders who Instigated Changes and Names of their Organizations
The two business leaders those who have brought changes in their organizations are Bill
Gates and Steve Jobs. The name of the organization of Bill Gates is Microsoft and name of the
organization of Steve Jobs is Apple.
Reasons to Select the Leaders
Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are two of the most successful business leaders in the
world of Information Technology (IT). They had brought changes in the world of IT with their
great innovative thinking (Rodriguez-de-Dios & Igartua, 2018).
3.2 Four Comparisons between two Business Leaders
Similarities
Bill Gates Steve Jobs
Sharpness He is sharp in taking
good concepts, develop
them and create a successful
product.
Like Bill Gates,
Steve Jobs was also was
very sharp to take good
concepts, develop them and
create a successful product
Co-Foundation of
their Company
Bill Gates had
established Microsoft along
with Paul Allen.
Steve Jobs like Bill
Gates had also established
Apple along with Steve
Wozniak.
Differences
Bill Gates Steve Jobs
Philosophies The philosophy of
Bill Gates was more focused
and concerned in running
their software in all
The philosophy of
Steve Jobs was to make
their computers easily
accessible so that all could

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computers. utilize it efficiently for their
different purposes.
Management Style The role of an
executive and manager was
both performed by Bill
Gates. He was a software
developer in his early life,
and afterwards, he took the
responsibilities of the
management (Rosemann &
vom Brocke, 2015). He was
verbally aggressive and used
to berate the managers for
any perceived faults in their
business strategies.
Steve Jobs has an
aggressive and challenging
personality (Blewitt,
Parsons & Shane, 2018). He
has always wanted to be a
trendsetter and also wanted
to become famous for his
innovation and style.
Leadership Styles
Bill Gates
Bill Gates has a participative leadership style, and he had believed the input value of his
staffs would contribute to the overall success of Microsoft. The motivational force behind the
success of Microsoft is the enthusiasm and hard work of Bill Gates (Corken & McGreevy, 2016).
He had understood that business would have instabilities and changes that a good leader should
adapt to for the success of the market. Bill Gates had established his organization with this
business attitude which had been able to face the risks and still emerge on the top as an
outstanding company. Through the method of allocation the tasks, Bill Gates had developed an
organization which fully uses the skills of his employees.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs had an autocratic style of leadership, and an autocratic leader does not believe
in the input value of the employees. Steve Jobs was in the management of decision making of
Apple and typically take a decision on the basis of their concepts instead of substantial evidence.

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This leadership style might appear to be harsh, but it has proved to be successful for Steve Jobs.
Through his innovative thinking, Steve Jobs has established one of the most successful
technological businesses all over the world. His attitude and style of leadership might seem to be
arrogant to some. His dedication towards innovative works and designs has not only given
advantages to his organization, Apple but also the customers all over the world.
Changes brought by the Business Leaders
Bill Gates
He had brought changes through his technological and innovative concepts, strong
business strategy and competitive business rules, and he had made a donation of billions of
dollars in charities and continues till now. Microsoft built by Bill gates had completely changed
the world, as 90% of the computers which are used at present utilizes Windows Operating
System made by Microsoft (Aldhizer III, 2015). He has donated $37 billion in his whole life till
now and continuing to do so.
Steve Jobs
Apple had developed the first Mac computers which were known as personal computers
(PCs). They were called PCs as these computers were made to be utilized by individuals in their
own homes, which was not possible before. The first PCs which managed to be utilized by
individuals in their own homes was Apple II, and it was the first successful PC (Olivares, 2015).
At present computers are called PC or Mac, but they all had emerged from the original prototype
of PC, and all the credit goes to Steve Jobs.
3.3 Four Evaluations of the Success of the Changes between the Business Leaders
Bill Gates
 On 24th August of the year 1995, Bill Gates had brought changes in the world,
when he released Windows 95. Windows 95 is one of the most significant cultural sensation in
the world which started a revolution and shaped the technological world for the next two
decades. It has updated to Windows 10 as of now. The Windows 10 is charged $139 by
Microsoft, and it has 700 million users as in the year 2018 (Dygert & Van Rennes, 2015).

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Steve Jobs
 The music industry was changed by Steve Jobs through iPod & iTunes. iPod has a
storage capacity of 1000 songs which had never been occurred before. iTunes has also brought
changes in the digital music store. iTunes offers the option of buying only one song, and the
customers do not have to buy the whole album. The introduction of iPhone has reduced the sales
of iPod from 10 million units to less than 3 million units in the year 2014 (Sabanci, Sahin &
Özdemir, 2016). So Apple had stopped to report the sales statistics of iPod.
 The smartphone industry was reinvented by Steve Jobs through with iPhone &
App store. Before iPhone, almost all phones had a keyboard, but iPhone invented the
touchscreen smartphones. The year 2007 evidenced the sale of 1.4 million iPhones which has
increased to 216 million in the year 2017 shows that iPhone has reached far above in the
smartphone industry(Smith, Grosso & Grosso, 2015). In March of the year 2010, 150 thousand
apps were downloaded in the App Store. 1.5 million apps were downloaded in June 2015, ten
times more than 2010. In the year 2017, apps download has reached to the 180 billion (Guercini,
La Rocca, Runfola & Snehota, 2014).
 Steve Jobs has invented tablet known as iPad. The iPad has 13 million unit sales
in the first half of the year 2018 which has generated revenue of 5.9 billion dollars (Groves,
Feyerherm & Gu, 2015).

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Conclusion
The report had considered the case study of United Product, a large manufacturing
organization. It had discussed the change management brought by the new manager Jack
Nicholson. It had also discussed the negotiation and influencing skills and negotiation methods
in the context of change management in United Product. It had even compared between Bill
Gates and Steve Job and their leadership styles.

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