Task One – Tom Murray
Bill Bailey Motivation
As Chairman of the Board for the opera, Bill could rely on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to find motivation tools to support the merger. Maslow theorizes that as one need is met the needs further up the pyramid become important. Both the opera and symphony exist and have lives thus meeting the physiological needs. Moving up the pyramid from safety through self-actualization Bill could find ways to describe how the merger helps both organizations fill the needs for themselves which would in turn help the merged organization. Each organization has strengths and weaknesses, such as the opera having a stronger fund-raising history or the symphony having a greater reputation, which could lend themselves to ensuring the success of the merger.
Scott Parker Motivation
As Chairman of the Board for the symphony, Scott could rely on Adams’s equity theory of motivation to find support for the merger from Mrs. Abravanel (Mrs. A.). Mrs. A expressed opposition to the merger citing her husband as refusing to place second. Scott could illustrate to Mrs. A how the merger doesn’t place the symphony second to the opera, that it creates a new, more spectacular organization of the arts which would carry on Mr. Abravanel’s legacy into a new age. Scott could further illustrate how the strengths and weaknesses of the individual organizations will lend themselves to the other creating a fair and equitable structure where both programs will excel.
Anne Ewer
Positional Power
Anne’s position as the expected head of the new organization gives her considerable influence over the merger effort. First, it was expressed that without her consent to take on the responsibility the effort will cease. As current head of the opera she has the ear of all the opera staff and constituents and can address concerns and make statements to clarify, alleviate and garner support. Without support of stakeholders she still has the