• The Assignment must be submitted on Blackboard (WORD format only) via allocate

• The Assignment must be submitted on Blackboard (WORD format only) via allocated folder.
• Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.
• Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented; marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.
• Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.
• Late submission will NOT be accepted.
• Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions.
• All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).
• Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Describe decision making process for complex issues pertaining to business environment both internally and externally. (C.L.O :1.1)
2. Demonstrate decision tools and employ appropriate analytical business models to break down complex issues. (C.L.O :2.2)
3. Explain and apply critical thinking and cognitive psychology as it pertains to analyze and synthesize information for problem solving and decision making. (C.L.O :2.1)
Case Study:
Musab Ahmed,a hardworkingfamilyman,investedthemoneyheinheritedfromhislatefatherin property.WiththegraceofAllahandthefruitfulopportunitiesofgrowthinhis country,hisconstructioncompany ‘Consortia’quicklyblossomedtobecomeoneofthe biggestnamesinpropertydevelopment.Heusedhisgoodfortunetobankrollhis increasedrealestateinvestmentsinthecountry.Beingavisionary,heestablished hisconstructioncompanywiththegoalofonedaypassingitdowntohischildren andcontinuingthefamilylegacy.Musabhadatotaloffourchildren.Anwar, hiseldestson,wasfromhisdeceasedfirstwife,whilehistwoothersons,Khurshed and Arshad, and his only daughter Shifa were mothered by his second and current wife.
Anwar, being the eldest, joined the family business shortly after obtaininghisuniversitydegree. Hequicklylearnedtheinsandoutsofthebusinessandtookhisplaceasthe father’s right hand.
KhurshedandArshadwhobothacquireduniversitydegreesabroad, tothefather’ssurprise,didnotshowasmuchenthusiasminthe familybusinessastheirbrotherAnwar.TheenvironmentallyconsciousArshaddecidedtopursueamaster’sdegreein environment application.WhilehiselderbrotherKhurshedhadnointerestin thefamilybusinessatallandfollowedhispassionforliteratureinacareerin academia.
Meanwhile,Shifa,theonlydaughterofMusab,wasthe mosteagerchildfromhissecondwifetojointhefamilybusiness. Despiteherqualificationandwillingnesstowork,Musabdecidedshewas bestsuitedtoheadthemarketingdepartment,withoutaseatontheBoard,and no power to make executive decisions regarding the family business. Her mother Aisha kept reassuring Shifa to be patient and that her time would come. Aisha believedthatherdaughtershouldbegiventhesameopportunitiesashersons.AftereightyearsofAnwarrunningthefamilybusinesswithhis father,Arshadreturnedfromabroadreadyandexcitedtoapply hisnewlyacquired,environmentallyconsciousideastothefamily business.
Anwarandhisfatherrarelyeverdisagreed. Hebelievedthewaythebusinesshasbeenrunsinceitsestablishmentproduced excellentresultssofaranddidnotrequirechanging.WhileAnwar’sviewswere inlinewithhisfather’s,Arshadwouldregularlysuggestmoreinnovativeideasand methodsinrunningthebusiness.HisfatherappreciatedArshad’sinitiative. However,Anwar,whowasmoreskeptical,believedArshadwastoo inexperiencedtobepitchingsuchdrasticchanges.
ThisfrustratedArshadandhebegantofeelresentfultowards Anwar. ArshadbelievedAnwarinfluencedhisfather’sperceptionofArshad’sideastobe inapplicable and unrealistic. Furthermore, Arshad was convinced that their father favouredAnwar,beinghiseldestsonfromhisfirstwife,andthattheywerenot givinghisideastheconsiderationtheydeserved.Thefathercaughthissonsarguingfromtimetotimebutdidn’t takeittooseriously. Afterall,theywerefamilyandallittookwereafewwordsfromhimandthey wouldimmediatelystopforhissake.
Afewyearslater,Musabfellill. Duetohisworseningcondition,hisdoctorsandchildrenurgedhimtostepaside fromthemanagementofthefamilybusinessandretire.Musab,however, founditdifficulttoletgoduetothedifferencesbetweenhissons.Hewasvery muchawareofAnwar’sexperienceandmarketexpertise,buthealsoappreciated Arshad’sdriveandinnovativeideas.ThefatherbelievedthatAnwarandArshad couldbuildastrongteamifonlytheylearnedtoworktogether.However,despite hisbestefforts,itwasfutileduetotheirdifferences.
Thebrothersdevelopedthehabitofnotopenlyvoicingtheir concernsorfeelingsatwork. Astheyearswentbyandthefather’sconditiondeterioratedfurther,Anwarand Arshaddidtheirbesttosuppresstheirnegativefeelingsinordernottoupsettheir fatherduringthissensitivetime.Often,theywentoutoftheirwaytoavoidfurther confrontationsintheirfather’spresence. Consequently,theybroughttheirgrievanceshomewiththem. AnwarwouldoftencomplaintohiswifeofArshad’sinexperienceandimmature attitude.WhileArshadwouldtellhissisterShifaaboutAnwar’spatronizing andstubbornnature.Theirunresolvedfeelingsleadtoheightenedtensionduring familygatherings,butbothchosetoavoidconfrontation,andneitherwould acknowledgethesituation.
Inthemeantime,Shifa’sfrustrationmounted.Thiswasasaresultofherfather’spreviousdecisiontooutcastherfromthe executiveboardgrewlarger.Notonlydidshefeelthatherdadbelievedherinputs werenotasvaluableasthatofherbrothers,butshealsoagreedwithArshad’s opinionofMusabfavouringAnwarduetohierarchy.Awareofherposition, shewouldalsoregularlyadviseArshadonkeymattersregardingthebusinessthat Arshadwouldthenvoiceduringexecutivemeetingsforhisfather’sapproval. Needing Arshad as a spokesperson of her business ideas, Shifa continuouslytriedtodefusethesituationandcalmdownfrustratedArshadfromleavingthe business.
TensionsheightenedasArshadcontinuedtofeelhisideasofreformwerebeing overlookedandunder-appreciatedinthefamilybusiness.Eventually,withhis father’sblessing,hewaspermittedtopursuethemindependently.Arshadbegan toinvestinasidebusinessinvolvingrenewableenergymaterialsinconstruction withthefamilybusiness.ThenewventurewassetupwithArshadasamajority shareholderof51%ofthetotalshares,whilehisfatherownedtheremaining49% of the business.
Read the above case study and answer the following questions:
Q1: Writ the problem statement which should include the followings: [Marks 5]
• the clear concise description and summary of the problem,
• scope of the problem,
• consequences of the problem,
• the methods for resolving the problem in the above case?
Q2: Develop a mind map for decision making, [2 Marks]
Q3: Write all the alternative choices of your decision. [Mark 1]
Q4: Make a decision and write the conclusion. [Marks 2]
Answers
1. Answer-
2. Answer-
3. Answer-
4. Answer-
5. Answer-