Conman Systems Pvt. Ltd – Case Analysis

Conman Systems Pvt. Ltd – Case Analysis

Case Overview

The case throws a situation where a female employee named Alice George is facing discrimination in the workplace. She is currently the AVP, marketing at Conman systems where she has been instrumental in the rise of the company’s worth. Despite joining in a product line that was new for her, she was able to bring the company out of the economic slowdown conditions. During her tenure of 4 years the company’s turnover and profits increased by two times and its market share also moved up substantially. Due to her perseverance, tough decisions, consumer markets’ understanding, practice of defying stereotypes in sales field and innovative strategies today the company is rated among the top 10 computer manufacturing companies in India. Under her leadership the company had created a niche market in India for home computing and its major USP had been the after sales service for small users. Due to this the company’s market share in laptop sales went up significantly and the sales revenue almost doubled during this period.

However, after Mr. Amitabh Sen took charge as new MD, things started to change at the workplace for Alice. His vision to bring the company in the league of top 5 in the country by focusing more on business computing rather than home computing and introducing a senior person to look after that market was a major setback for Alice.

Problem Statement

Despite Alice’s exemplary work in sales and marketing area, she is being promoted as VP, Public Relations while her role is offered to a new person (male) which shows clear underestimation of her work.

She is facing male prejudice and gender discrimination at workplace and is in a dilemma whether to unhappily accept the new role of VP, PR in same company or look for opportunities outside the company where she can take up the role that she has built her forte in over the years of her experience and network base.

Solution Alternatives

1) Take the matter to higher managerial level: As Mr. S. Talwar, Asst. VP (HR) was in support of the present team in marketing department and had appreciated its work done in an intensive competitive market, she should approach him and higher HR authorities to present the matter to higher managerial level for reconsideration of MD’s decision.

2) Continue to work in the same company: Though sales and market is referred as ‘Alice’s bread and butter’, she had a talent for striking an instant rapport with people including the company’s dealers. If she chooses to stay, she will have to take the new role of VP (PR) and given her persevering personality she can excel in that role as well.

3) Change the company: To get the job-satisfaction and better workplace, she can look for opportunities outside the company where her self-dignity is secured and where the job offers equal opportunity of growth to all, where discrimination and stereotype do not proper.