Arnold Schwartz Is a Call Centre Team Leader Who Is

question 17

Essay

Arnold Schwartz is a call centre team leader who is one of the best people in the organization for developing new employees in stressful call centre operations. Schwartz knows when to provide clear directions for new recruits and when to provide support and understanding when the workload seems overwhelming or customers are angry. However, Schwartz has trouble working with skilled and highly experienced staff members. Some complain that he looks over their shoulder too often and offers too much advice. Others suggest that he wants to listen with sympathy to their unfavourable customer calls even though they don't feel they need this support. The vice-president of call centre operations is concerned, based on this information, that Schwartz seems to be an ineffective leader overall even though he works very well with new recruits. Using your knowledge of Fiedler's contingency model, comment on the accuracy of the vice-president's conclusions about Arnold Schwartz.

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Definitions:

Long Run

An economic phase where all elements of production and expenses can fluctuate, enabling complete adaptation to any alterations.

Normal Profit

The minimum profit necessary for a company to remain competitive in the market, equating to the opportunity cost of capital and resources.

Implicit Costs

Indirect expenses that do not involve a direct cash outlay but represent an opportunity cost, such as using resources for one purpose over another.

Average Product

The output per unit of input, such as the number of goods produced per worker, used to measure productivity efficiency.