Task 1
A1.
As the chairman of the board of the Utah Opera, Bill Bailey is in a position of influence to motivate the Opera’s board of directors to oppose a merger with the Utah Symphony by employing the use of Vroom’s Expectancy Theory.
This theory suggests that people are motivated by three distinct determinants; valence (reward), expectancy (performance), and instrumentality (belief). Vroom believed that motivation is a result of the level to which a person desires a reward (valence), the analysis of the probability that the effort put forth will deliver the desired performance (expectancy) and the belief that the performance will result in the attainment of a reward (instrumentality).
In the case of the Utah Opera, the most desirable reward (valence) would be remaining financially solvent in spite of a weak economy. The required performance (expectancy) is to support or oppose a merger with the Utah Symphony to strengthen the financial standing of both organizations. The belief in the attainment of the desired outcome (instrumentality) is the continued success of the Utah Opera. In order to motivate the Opera’s board of directors using these factors, Mr. Bailey would need to emphasize the vastly different financial considerations of the two programs. Contrasting the Utah Opera’s business model offering flexibility for performance scheduling, as well as the organization’s cash reserves, and tangible assets against the Symphony’s contractually obligated business model lacking any flexibility, high expenditures, and little or no assets to speak of would be of significant importance. By concluding his assessment of the proposed merger with exerts from the letters of opposition written from the community and Mrs. Abravanel, Mr. Bailey would present enough logical and factual information to convince the Opera’s board of directors to oppose the merger. In consideration of their desire for the organization to remain financially