A1. Bailey Motivation to oppose
Bill Bailey could use the Vroom Expectancy Theory to motivate the Utah Opera to oppose the merger with the Utah Symphony. Vroom’s Expectancy Theory assumes that behavior results from conscious choices among alternatives whose purpose it is to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. (Research:University of Cambridge) People are more likely to be motivated to do something when they believe it will be a positive benefit for them. Mr. Bailey must decide whether or not to support the merger and determine if the outcome is beneficial to the Opera. Mr. Bailey could show how the Opera’s financial stability, fluid business model and strong cash reserve could be hurt by the Symphony’s financial difficulties and union locked business model. This contrast showing how the Opera could become less economically stable by the merger would lead to the rational conclusion that the merger doesn’t have many positives to offer.
Using Vroom Theory in this manner would motivate the Opera not to support the merger because the belief would be that the merger would leave them in a weakened economic state. The illustration of how unattractive this new financial situation would be hard to measure and speculation of losing their financial standing would move the Opera against the merger. To solidify the lack of desirability of the merger, Mr. Bailey could use the opinions of outside skeptics that have spoken against Mrs. Ewer. These skeptics believe that Ewer would not be up to the task and the economic gains that are anticipated would not happen. These skeptics believe that the differences in the Opera and the Symphony would not make a good business model.
A2. Scott Parker motivation to convince Mrs. Abravanel
Mr. Parker could use Equity Theory to convince Mrs. Abravanel to support the merger. Equity Theory state people are motivated to act in certain ways by their perceptions of inequity and unfairness in social exchanges and quid
Cited: Kreitner, R. (2013). Organizational Behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Research:University of Cambridge. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2014, from University of Cambridge: http://www.ifm.eng.cam.ac.uk/research/dstools/vrooms-expectancy-theory/