Assignment: Case studies will offer students the opportunity to explore how lessons learned from class can be applied to real world situations. Case studies can illustrate theories, concepts, methodologies, solutions, and more. We will use case studies in the class to evaluate employee perceptions, motivations, and behaviors. Below is just a brief background of information and you will find plenty of additional resources on Steve Jobs to provide support to the development of your case study.
Case study scenario
In the mid-1990s, the CEO of Apple Computer invited the late Steve Jobs (who was not associated with the company at the time) to serve as a special adviser and raise morale among Apple employees and customers. While doing so, Jobs spent more time advising the CEO on how to cut costs, redraw the organizational chart, and hire new people. Before long, most of the top people at Apple were Jobs's colleagues, who began to systematically evaluate and weed out teams of Apple employees. While publicly supporting Apple's CEO, Jobs privately criticized him and, in a show of nonconfidence, sold the 1.5 million shares of Apple stock he had received. This action caught the attention of Apple's board of directors, who soon after decided to replace the CEO with Steve Jobs. The CEO claimed Jobs was a conniving back-stabber who used political tactics to get his way. Others suggest that Apple would be out of business today if he hadn't taken over the company.
From this information, please take a position as to whether you believe Steve Jobs's actions were examples of organizational politics? Justify your answer. Please use sources (text is fine) to justify your position.
This assignment fulfills impart the following objective for the course:
1. Identify and explain major theoretical frameworks of organizational communication. Need Assignment Help?
2. Evaluate the ethical implications of given communication behavior.