Clendenin’s Goals
The case presents Mr. John Clendenin with the ambitious goals of becoming successful enough to be a corporate officer of a Fortune 50 corporation and on the boards of several others. Eventually, he wanted to be appointed to a cabinet-level position in the government. He currently is the director of the Multinational Development Center (MDC), which provides Xerox with efficient worldwide logistics and inventory management systems. He started with Xerox back while he was attending Harvard Business School working as a productivity consultant in the parts and supply area. His early successes through improvements in the multinational computer and management systems allowed him to climb to a position where he became an administrative …show more content…
He believed having a quality supporting staff would benefit the MDC. Therefore, he placed much emphasis on identifying and recruiting the appropriate people to work for the MDC. Clendenin was able to distinguish and encourage employees who excelled and coached this quality into the MDC. Each person he brought into the MDC needed to have intelligence, the ability to be motivated, and a team player. He strived to build a culture that was about trust. Culture can be a powerful control device and as the leader, it was his responsibility to establish and nurture a productive organizational …show more content…
Remain head of the MDC with an additional two-year commitment or move laterally to a staff support position. If he shifted, he could extend his knowledge and he might become successful again. Clendenin would gain expanded responsibilities and the opportunity to expand his network. Unfortunately, he would need to build a new power base within the organization and also have pressure to succeed. If he stayed in the MDC, he would remain in a comfortable environment with experience and independence. However, the issue of a two-year commitment and a diminishing reputation and role needed to be weighed in his decision. My recommendation for Clendenin is to leave Xerox behind and search for a new firm to work for. The MDC’s prospect was diminishing and his reputation at Xerox was as well. Leaving the company behind would be the most strategic option for him if he wanted to further his career
The case presents Mr. John Clendenin with the ambitious goals of becoming successful enough to be a corporate officer of a Fortune 50 corporation and on the boards of several others. Eventually, he wanted to be appointed to a cabinet-level position in the government. He currently is the director of the Multinational Development Center (MDC), which provides Xerox with efficient worldwide logistics and inventory management systems. He started with Xerox back while he was attending Harvard Business School working as a productivity consultant in the parts and supply area. His early successes through improvements in the multinational computer and management systems allowed him to climb to a position where he became an administrative …show more content…
He believed having a quality supporting staff would benefit the MDC. Therefore, he placed much emphasis on identifying and recruiting the appropriate people to work for the MDC. Clendenin was able to distinguish and encourage employees who excelled and coached this quality into the MDC. Each person he brought into the MDC needed to have intelligence, the ability to be motivated, and a team player. He strived to build a culture that was about trust. Culture can be a powerful control device and as the leader, it was his responsibility to establish and nurture a productive organizational …show more content…
Remain head of the MDC with an additional two-year commitment or move laterally to a staff support position. If he shifted, he could extend his knowledge and he might become successful again. Clendenin would gain expanded responsibilities and the opportunity to expand his network. Unfortunately, he would need to build a new power base within the organization and also have pressure to succeed. If he stayed in the MDC, he would remain in a comfortable environment with experience and independence. However, the issue of a two-year commitment and a diminishing reputation and role needed to be weighed in his decision. My recommendation for Clendenin is to leave Xerox behind and search for a new firm to work for. The MDC’s prospect was diminishing and his reputation at Xerox was as well. Leaving the company behind would be the most strategic option for him if he wanted to further his career