Wk 2 Case 1

SmartStyle Salons

BA 300

March 20, 2014.

Summary

Having authority in a corporation job world is overwhelming sometimes. People are

placed in these positions not knowing some of the issues they have to face. For example, making

sure everyone is treated equally, paid income, organizing, and many other things. They are

actually showing their managerial skills to the employee’s right and not sitting behind some desk

in a big office chair. Responsibility is a major key to a successful managerial job. Knowing how

to deal with certain situations and coming to an understanding to diffuse the problem. Well,

within this case the manager Jamika Westbrook has similar situations.

Jamika Westbrook takes pride in her position as salon manager for SmartStyle Salon

(Daft, 2014, p.31). Ms.Westbrook started her way from the bottom and has worked her way to

the top. She has set forth her priorities as a manager in order to have the success she is having as

a manger. Now she is looking for another position to increase her level of management. She

happens to manage over thirty employers each with their own different skills and talents to have

a successful running business. During the course of her manager position she has faced some

dilemmas with a decrease in profits, clients leaving, employee health issues, angry customers,

and other things.

One of the dilemmas that hit hard was the economy issues. This tested Ms. Westbrook,

strong will as a manager in this certain situation. While this happened, it causes her frustrations

to come to the surface and her negative characteristics show. Reason for her frustrations is the

lost of profits and regular clients not visiting the salon anymore. Regular clients realize that the

salon was not a necessity and cut it out of their budgets. As families sought ways to save, the
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luxury of regular visits to the hair salon was among the first logical budget cuts (Daft, 2014, p.

31).

Other problems were the health of her employees who called out because they were sick.

This brought out Ms. Westbrook negative characteristics because of how she handled the

problem. She figured they lied, so they could attend a concert. So she demands her receptionist

to make sure they have excuses from a doctor and with her having to reschedule their clients. She

said, “They had better be sick!” Jamika shouts as she enters her office, slamming the door

forcefully than she intended (Daft, 2014, p.31). Then, having to get an email about a corporate

business meeting to go over financial statements. Things seem to be going a little haywire for

Ms. Westbrook.

Then, on top of trying to handle that problem, she then had to deal with an angry

customer. She did not want to attend to it so she let her assistant manager handle it. As she

thought more about it, she felt her assistant was out to get her position at the Riverwood Mall. So

she decided to attend to the angry customer herself. Overall, this case gives readers insight into

the life of an individual in a managerial position. It showed some of her positive and negative

attributes she went through. In the future, she will need to find ways to take charge and

understand how the issues can be diffused without getting so upset, and learn to apologize.

Question 1

What positive and negative managerial characteristics does Jamika possess?

Some positive managerial characteristics Jamika possess are set objectives. She has goals

to obtain within the organization. Also, with her thirty employees she has to keep them in lie so

she has to be an example and take charge of the situation as the authority figure. She is an
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organizer and a motivator. Yet, she has some negative characteristics she depicted within this

case like her angry and frustrated with things. Like raising her voice in front of the clients and

other employees was not right. She should have apologized for her outburst. If she has another

moment like that stay calm and retreat to her office.

Question 2

How do these traits help or hinder her potential to get the top position at the Riverwood Mall

Salon?

It seems like a fifty/fifty chance of her getting the position at Riverwood Mall. I say this

because she might get the position due to her hard working attitude. She worked her way up the

ladder to the position she is at now. Also, her organizational abilities might be a chance she

might get the job. Then, there are the other fifty chances she might not get it because of her

attitude. She also might not get it because of her frustration outbursts.

Question 3

How do you think Jamika should have handled each of the incidents with Marianne? Holly and

Carol Jean? Victoria?

With the incident involving Holly and Carol Jean, she should have called them

personally, and talk to them one on one personally. Ms. Jamikea chose to express her frustration

so openly. Then, with Victoria she should not have her doing her job in the first place. A manger

should handle every aspect of the business side of things and any problems in the establishment.

The assistant manager it only there when the manager is not in to handle the issues going on.

While with Marianne she should have talked to her more politely and not with and attitude.
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References

Daft, R. L. (2014). Management. (11th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.