Caroline Regis Business case

Caroline Regis at Excel SystemsOrganizational Behaviour Final ExamGroup E – F2Ludovica Armato, Lizzie Miller, Miso Freddy Shongwe, Diego Castillo, Ujal Aghammadov and Pedro Donoso

ContextWhen• 2010-2014

Where• New York

What• Engineer

Companies

Who• Generation X

(1961-78)• Reflexive

Generation (1978-2000)

Introduction Analysis Outsourcing and Problem DefinitionProposal

CompaniesEXCEL• Founded in 2010• New York Based• Originally in the smart home

sector• Start-up founded by VCs

after several rounds

GEMINI• Founded earlier than 2010• Boston Based• Originally in the wearables

sector• Strong company in a niche

market


Players

• Main player of the case (1981- )

• Graduated from Arts College in New

England

• Worked in NYC in an Investment banking

firm

• MBA at Tuck BS of Dartmouth

• Worked at Vardian for two years• Analyst for Sales• Regional director of Sales

• Got hired by EXCEL in 2010 • Manager Support• VP Manufacturing


Caroline Regis

Players

• High profile Serial Entrepreneur

• Founded a web company in 2007

• Founded excel in 2010

• Became Chairman of merged firm in

2014


Ron Whitney

Players

• Gemini’s CEO up to 2014

• Became CEO of merged firm in 2014


Roger Dreanan

Players

• Regis Boss at Vardian

• Changed to EXCEL because:• Old friend of EXCEL’s COO• Seeking Adventure

• Hired Regis for EXCEL

• Regis Boss at EXCEL

REGIS FRIEND


Joel Anderson

Merger Gemini - ExcelCAUSES• In late 2012, EXCEL abruptly

changed course• Smart home – Wearables• Departments changed,

Employees resigned • Vision Changed

• First product (Integra) was launched in 2013• Behind sales

• Whitney losses control over the VCs

• Gemini: Same sector• Recognized name and Better

product

CONSEQUENCES• EXCEL eats Gemini• Geminis Boston based admin was

let go• HR, Communications, Accounting

and Finance moved to NYC• Slower Core Operations• Sales & Marketing was later

combined• Later on, Engineering and

Manufacturing were considered to be outsourced


Companies CultureGemini

• Professional • Well organized• Process oriented• Strong brand name

EXCEL• Classic tech start-up• Creative• Entrepreneurial Company• All about functionality and

design• Flexible


Very different cultures might lead into a clash of cultures after a merger

Players BehaviourCaroline Regis


• I- Plant, A- Shaper and S- Team worker

• Power, needs to influence and control

• Fox:• Collaborative and

fights for her people

• Aggressive at fights for her beliefs

Players BehaviourRon Whitney


• Achievement, needs to achieve challenging goals

• Shark:• Competing for

personal goals

I- PlantA-ShaperS-Chairman

Players BehaviourRoger Dreanan


I-Monitor-evaluator, S-Chairman, A-Completer-Finisher.

• Power, needs to influence and control others

• Fox:• Fighting for

personal goals• Collaborating and

solving problems


Merger’s Impact on Behaviour

• Strategic change

• Quick change• No climate creation• No engaging and enabling• Just implementation

• People were resistant

• Big Change → No transition

Before – EXCEL’S COURSE CHANGE


Merger’s Impact on Behaviour

• Structural Change

• Bad Communications• No urgency, no Guiding team• No clear Vision (Public vs private)• Other’s weren’t involved

• People were resistant• Resignations• Low motivation

• Big Change → No transition

After – Merger EXCEL-Gemini

Culture clash

Outsourcing ProblemIntroduction Analysis Outsourcing and Problem Definition

Proposal

WAS IT REALLY THE PROBLEM????

Problem DefinitionIntroduction Analysis Outsourcing and Problem Definition

Proposal

Bad relationship between

Dreanan and Whitney

Outsourcing is a collateral of a

Bigger Problem

Problem DefinitionIntroduction Analysis Outsourcing and Problem Definition

Proposal

Bad relationship between Dreanan and Whitney

Whitney• Undercutting Dreanan in

every move• Complained to the board

about Dreanan’s leadership style

• He opposes outsourcing but doesn’t really care.

• Focused on his personal goal

Dreanan• Professionalizing the company

(As it’s needed)• He wants Regis on his team• He sees Outsourcing as a way

to cement his footprint on the company.

• He doesn’t care about it’s trade-offs

Problem Definition• What did they really want?:


Dreanan• He wants Whitney to let him manage

the company

Whitney• He doesn’t want to “loose his baby”

Regis• She wants to make the final decision• She wants to feel respected

Action Plan1. Perfectly understand the

situation

2. Get Anderson and Spanner (Whitney’s friend) and set up a meeting with Whitney


Action Plan3. Persuade Whitney to adopt a cooperative position.

• Having Dreanan as a CEO is: • The best thing for the company, for his baby• He will still be able to manage from the top


Whitney• He doesn’t want to “loose his

baby”

Action Plan

4. Persuade Dreanan to understand he won’t be threated again by Whitney

• While persuading Dreanan: • Use Pathos and Ethos (what Regis lacks of). • Credibility and Emotional connection will be key factors


Dreanan• He wants Whitney to let him manage

the company

Action Plan

4. By finding COMMON GROUND between Dreanan and Whitney, Outsourcing will no longer be a collateral problem

5. Regis, the real expert, will be able to decide about outsourcing and she will feel respected again


Regis• She wants to make the final decision• She wants to feel respected

Feedback for Caroline Regis

• Behavioral Changes:• Too close minded• Improve her communication skills:• She goes straight to the point • Never listens• Very analytic (Logos)

• Too convinced she is right:• Doesn’t appreciate other’s people input


She would have been able to spot the problem even

when it wasn’t that big

Final learnings and Conclusion

1. Good and effective communication is key in management within corporations

2. Some problems might hide bigger problems. Look deeper into the essence

3. Compromising is such a good advice not only for corporations but also for your personal life

Documents

Caroline Regis Business case