How Should Rakesh Handle Feeling Marginalized by Bishwash's Growing Influence in Ice Cool Private Ltd?

Case Analysis: Ice Cool Private Ltd

Ice Cool Private Ltd was an ice cream manufacturing company employing about 100 persons, including individuals at various levels of management. Due to increasing business, the company needed to strengthen its accounting procedures, particularly through computerization. For this purpose, the company decided to hire a new manager designated as Assistant Business Manager. The company invited applications through a press advertisement. After receiving the applications, it appointed a selection committee consisting of members of the top management, including Business Manager Rakesh. The committee interviewed several candidates and finally selected Bishwash as the new Assistant Business Manager. Bishwash was neat, well-dressed, and quite articulate.

Bishwash joined the company immediately and started working very hard. He put in extra efforts and even worked during holidays as he did not have any family responsibilities. He gained a reputation for being a dedicated and competent employee, with his strong point being his knowledge of accounting and computer systems. He reported to Rakesh, the Business Manager, who was quite impressed with his work.

At the time, the company had no computer system, and its accounting procedures needed improvement. Anil, the MD of the company, directed Rakesh to make the necessary changes. Since most of the accounting work related to sales and no separate accounting department existed, the work was performed under the direction of the Business Manager. Bishwash was mainly appointed to strengthen the accounting aspects of the business. He was asked to prepare a project so that necessary changes could be made. To get firsthand information about the problem, Bishwash started meeting with Anil without Rakesh's knowledge. There was no attempt to have secret meetings; Anil would just call Bishwash in for a report without bothering to inform Rakesh. The management team, whose members had been with the company for a long period, had formed a tight-knit group and appeared satisfied with the company. They all worked together, and the company prospered despite fierce competition.

The meetings between Anil and Bishwash continued, and Rakesh was gradually losing contact with the project and its progress. In fact, Bishwash was almost reporting directly to the MD, although he was placed under the Business Manager and retained his title of Assistant Business Manager. Rakesh was now visibly upset over the development and concerned about Bishwash's increasing influence. He started feeling marginalized in the company.

Questions

1. What is the nature of the problem in this case?
2. Could Rakesh have prevented Bishwash's assumption of power? If so, how specifically could it have been done?
3. Suggest the courses of action now available to Anil, Rakesh, and Bishwash.

Regards

1. The answer to your first question is that although Bishwash has acted in good faith and does not have any hidden agenda, he has ultimately dismantled the company's foundation. This demonstrates to the Managing Director the ineffectiveness of Mr. Rakesh, whether it was done unintentionally or not. It has created insecurities in Mr. Rakesh's mind and led to his upset.

2. In response to the second question, Rakesh needs to prevent Bishwash from assuming power. This should be addressed in the presence of the Managing Director to ensure there are no hard feelings between them. It needs to be handled with a degree of diplomacy. Rakesh could begin by expressing his concerns to the MD before engaging in a joint discussion.

3. Regarding the third question, the options are for the MD to take the lead and facilitate a joint discussion to reallocate responsibilities as they were previously structured, or for Mr. Rakesh to express his dissatisfaction to the MD in a politicized manner to resolve the issue. The overarching principle in this business scenario is that loyalty yields greater rewards than short bursts of hard work.

Neither from the point of view of the organization, nor for all three gentlemen involved, would the three questions raised ever fetch a right answer, let alone a solution. All three questions lack perspective and objectivity, i.e., who wants to achieve what? Whose problem is this? If it's simply nobody's problem, let things take their shape normally...