CW1: Case 3

1.

CW1: Case 3
Student
Seminar leader: Farhod Karimov

2.

"Codify"
IT company that
operates in
Uzbekistan
Works on contracts of
developing software
solutions for business
in Uzbekistan
One of the largest IT
companies on the
market
Software solutions
cheaper than foreign
BUT better
localization and
customization
HRC from 30 to 150
people over last 3
years
Consisted of majorly
local employees, now
a lot of international
experts (from CIS)

3.

1. Approach conflict: Uzbek
VS International
Issues
4
2. Motivation decrease
3. Issues with projects completion
4. Performance and aptitudes
evaluation

4.

Personality
theories.
Individual
differences.
Conflict
resolution
strategy
Solving 1st problem
Approach conflict:
Uzbek VS
International

5.

Main focus on Melancholic
& Choleric temperaments
Teambuilding; clarified
written objectives and
working methods;
identifying conflict
provoking groups and
working with them
Source: Eysenck (2012).
Sources of conflict: Cultural differences;
Ambiguity over responsibility or authority – roles to be clarified
Form: Collective conflict
Perspective on conflict: Behavioural (“Codify” as groups with different interests)
Conflict frame: Pluralist (different stakeholders with different objectives)
Conflict resolution strategy: Compromise
Source: Thomas (2008).
“Compromising might mean splitting the difference, exchanging concessions, or seeking a
quick middle-ground position” (Thomas, 2008).

6.

Aspirations and
motivation.
Motivation
schemes.
Solving 2nd problem
Motivation decrease.

7.

McClelland's Motivational needs
Vroom’s Expectancy theory
Expectancy: more effort -> greater performance
Instrumentality: greater performance -> greater
reward
Valence: value of our expected outcome
Source: Parijat (2014).
Clear distribution of rewards; setting realistic
expectations; individual motivation approach
Additional: set frequent clear targets,
Source: McClelland (1988).
encourage teamwork, stay positive

8.

Solving 3d problem
Organisational
structure.
X&Y Theory.
Reinforcement theory.
Issues with projects
completion.

9.

Functional structure
+ for companies that need to meet short
timeframe deadlines
+ improving work efficiency
+ each team of specialists can work
independently
- less flexibility and innovation
- functional groups may not interact
Theory X and Y
Focus on functional
structure; implement
Scrum; introduce
positive and negative
punishment; regular
reports on
the completed units;
setting clear deadlines
Skinner's reinforcement theory
“Theory Y assumptions can lead to more cooperative relationships
between managers and workers” (McGregor, 1960).
“…he hoped instead to persuade managers to abandon the limiting
assumptions of Theory X…” (McGregor, 1960).
“External control and the threat of punishment are not the only
means for bringing about effort toward organisational objectives.
People will exercise self-direction and self-control in the service of
objectives to which they are committed” (McGregor, 1960).
Maslow advocated an improved version of Theory Y which involved
an element of structured security and direction taken from Theory X.
Source: Gordan and Krishanan (2014).

10.

Leadership
style to
implement.
Technical tools
to implement
Solving 4th problem
Performance
evaluation.

11.

Leader-member relationships: poor
Task structure: high
Leader’s position power: weak
Best performance
evaluation apps
Source: Fiedler (1974).
+ breaking working units into more subparts
+ simplifying the process of evaluation for PMs
+ giving expanded feedback to employees afterwards

12.

INTERVIEW
Conducted: via phone Position: Senior PM
Company: international IT company
- Good morning! My name is Polina and I’m a student in Westminster International University in Tashkent. I’d like
to conduct a short phone interview about approaches and motivation techniques you have in your company. First,
name your name and position, please.
- Hello. My name is Dmitriy and I’m a Senior Project Manager.
- Can I record our conversation? I won’t use it, it’ll just speed up the pace of my questions.
- Yes, sure.
- My first question is people from what countries work in your company?
- In Uzbek branch – majorly locals, also Russians and Belarusians.
- Does the company implement Uzbek approaches of leading business?
- No, there’s only international approach. There’s no local specificity, only time zone differences, as most of our
clients are situated in US.
- Are there any cultural conflicts between workers from CIS and Uzbekistan? If no, what facilitates to their absence
in the first place?
- We don’t have such conflicts, as company’s policy is to stick to universal set of values, such as respect to all
cultures and religions. Employee’s evaluation always happens from a professional point of view.
- And the last question: what motivation techniques are used in your company?
- Conferences on technologies, management and technical spheres, take place frequently. For example, recently
there has been a conference on development. We also have a system of stimulation, divided in monetary (bonus
system, small and annual, salary promotions based on assessments) and non-monetary motivation (feedbacks
from managers, facilities compensation).
- Ok, that’s all I wanted to know. Thank you! Have a great day.

13.

Recommendations
4/4

14.

Problem
Theories / Approach
Possible solution
Accoun-ty
Tools
Approach
conflict:
Uzbek VS Int
5 Conflict Resolution
Strategies – Kenneth
Thomas; two-factor trait
theory
Teambuilding; clarified written
objectives and working methods;
identifying conflict provoking groups
and working with them
Managers (Top
LV)
Teambuilding
sessions
Motivation
decrease
McClelland's
Motivational needs;
Vroom's Expectancy theory
Clear distribution of rewards;
setting realistic expectations;
individual motivation approach
Supervisors (Low
LV)
Personal
meetings tete a
tete
Projects
completion
McGregors's theory X and Y;
Skinner's reinforcement
theory
Implementing Scrum;
introducing positive and negative
punishment; regular reports on
the completed units; setting clear
deadlines
Managers
(Mid&Top LV),
Scrum Master
Scrum Guide,
Progress
tables;
milestones
presentations
Fred Fiedler’s Contingency
Theory; technical tools
implementation
Implementing Application Software;
implementing relationship-oriented
leadership style; breaking working
units into more subparts; simplifying
the process of evaluation for PMs;
giving expanded feedback
to employees afterwards
IT-specialists for
apps installation
and
maintenance;
Managers of all
levels
Feedback
meetings
PerformYard
Primalogik
ClickUp
Performance
evaluation

15.

References
1. Brooks, I. (2003). Organisational Behavior: Individuals, Groups & Organisation, 2nd ed. Ft Pr.
2. Eysenck, H. J. (Ed.). (2012). A model for personality. Springer Science & Business Media.
3. Fiedler, F. E. (1964). A contingency model of leadership effectiveness. In Advances in experimental social psychology
(Vol. 1, pp. 149-190). Academic Press.
4. Fiedler, F. E., Chemers, M. M. (1974). Leadership and effective management. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.
5. Gordan, M., & Krishanan, I. A. (2014). A review of BF Skinner’s ‘Reinforcement theory of motivation. International Journal
of Research in Education Methodology, 5(3), 680-688.
6. McClelland, D.C. (1988). Human Motivation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
7. McGregor, D. (1960). Theory X and theory Y. Organization theory, 358(374), 5.
8. Parijat, P., Bagga, S. (2014). Victor Vroom’s expectancy theory of motivation–An evaluation. International Research
Journal of Business and Management, 7(9), 1-8.
9. Ryckman, R. M. (2012). Theories of personality. Cengage Learning.
10. Schwaber, K., & Sutherland, J. (2011). The scrum guide. Scrum Alliance, 21(19), 1.
11. Thomas, K. W. (2008). Thomas-kilmann conflict mode. TKI Profile and Interpretive Report, 1(11).

16.

Review
Problem
Solution
1. Approach
conflict
Teambuilding;
working with conflict
provoking groups
2. Motivation
decrease
Clear distribution
of rewards; individual
motivation approach
3. Projects
completion
Scrum; punisments;
regular reports;
checkpoints (sprints)
4. Evaluation
process
Feedback meetings;
Application Software