Case | HBS Case Collection | 1996 (Revised from original 1996 version)

Suzanne de Passe at Motown Productions (A1)

Abstract

Illustrates: 1) the impact of a manager's leadership style on corporate culture, direction, and performance; 2) the concept of fit between leadership style and the requirements of situations in which managers find themselves; and 3) the need for managers to adapt their styles as situational requirements change. More specifically, it provides an opportunity to look at some of the special issues of: 1) being a black woman manager; 2) the advantages and disadvantages associated with a "family corporate culture"; and 3) managing in a creative business. Does not substantially differ from the (A) case, but it does emphasize more strongly Suzanne de Passe's success. Students have misunderstood the standards of the entertainment industry, and this case makes Motown's accomplishments clearer.

Keywords: Management Style; Leadership Style; Organizational Culture; Change Management; Situation or Environment; Creativity; Race Characteristics; Gender Characteristics; Relationships; Management Teams; Success; Entertainment and Recreation Industry; Music Industry;

Format: Print

16 pages

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Citation:

Hill, Linda A., and Jaan Elias. "Suzanne de Passe at Motown Productions (A1)." Harvard Business School Case 497-015, October 1996. (Revised from original August 1996 version.)

Iz-Lynn Chan, assistant director of retail business group and service quality and vice president of Far East retail consultancy for Far East Organization, a private real estate developer group in Singapore, raises service standards in the company's hospitality portfolio, Far East Hospitality. Chan and her small team in the Service Quality and Standards Department (SQSD) for Far East Organization apply to the Singapore government for the National Customer Centric Initiative (CCI) for Far East Hospitality. After being awarded the CCI, Chan must make some tough decisions about how to carry out the CCI. Despite Far East Hospitality's leading market share in mid-tier hotels and serviced residences, there had been a number of new entrants into the market and competition is fierce in Singapore's hospitality industry.

When people seek to impress others, they often do so by highlighting individual achievements. Despite the intuitive appeal of this strategy, we demonstrate that people often prefer potential rather than achievement when evaluating others. Indeed, compared with references to achievement (e.g., "this person has won an award for his work"), references to potential (e.g., "this person could win an award for his work") appear to stimulate greater interest and processing, which can translate into more favorable reactions. This tendency creates a phenomenon whereby the potential to be good at something can be preferred over actually being good at that very same thing. We document this preference for potential in laboratory and field experiments, using targets ranging from athletes to comedians to graduate school applicants and measures ranging from salary allocations to online ad clicks to admission decisions.

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Suzanne de Passe at Motown Productions (A1)

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