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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. i
List of Tables and Figures............................................................................................................... ii
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 1
Overview of the Case ...................................................................................................................... 2
Viewpoint ........................................................................................................................................ 2
Time Context .................................................................................................................................. 2
Case Facts ................................................................................................................................... 3
The Problem ................................................................................................................................ 5
Objectives ................................................................................................................................... 5
Alternative Courses of Action/Criteria ........................................................................................... 6
Recommendation ............................................................................................................................ 8
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 9
References ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 12
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
Executive Summary
The purpose of this case study was to know the reason why some senior employees of Victor
Hardware are resistant to learning and change. It also aimed to recommend possible actions or
solutions to lessen or remove this problem. To know more about the issue of Victor Hardware,
we interviewed its employees, both the seniors and young ones, and one of its managers. We
asked them about their thoughts and experiences concerning the problem in their workplace. We
also tried to ask them of the possible solutions they could think of. After further analysis about
the case, we learned that the senior employees are behaving like that because they feel that they
already know everything and think that trainings and other programs are just waste of time.
Some of them do not want to learn from the younger employees because of their pride and ego.
They also don’t prefer young managers/leaders because they perceive it as an unfair thing.
Basically, everything goes down to lack of communication. Senior employees aren’t fully aware
why they need further trainings, they aren’t fully aware about the reason why young managers
are hired and that they still have a lot of things to learn especially in this generation where
technology is rapidly improving. Therefore, our recommendation for this case is to improve
communication between the employees by creating reciprocal interdependence and the task is
something that requires new learning which the senior employee isn’t knowledgeable about.
Through this, they will have the urgency to learn and at the same time they can learn from their
co-employees as well.
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
Victor Hardware, just like other organizations, also experiences this issue concerning
senior/older employees. Some of its senior employees refuse to learn from their co-employees
and are no longer interested in attending trainings and programs for their improvement and
learning. Moreover, some senior employees do not particularly want to listen or learn from the
younger ones. They continue to do their old ways and believes that there is no need to change or
learn new things.
Viewpoint
This case study is analyzed based on the perspective of Ms. Gertrudis Barreto, one of the
managers of Victor Hardware. The possible solutions we’ll get from the analysis will be
recommended to her since she’s the one who has observed the issue and she has the capability to
apply the recommended solutions to the case.
Time Context
The issue about some senior employees resisting change and learning, especially from the
younger employees, has already been a problem of some organizations since then. However,
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
when the 21st century came, this issue became more evident due to the technological
advancement and new learnings of the new generation. Ms. Barreto has been working in Victor
Hardware for many years already and she observed that this issue gets bigger as time passes by.
As a manager, she realized that she has to face the issue and do something about it.
Case Facts
I. Introduction
Victor Hardware is business/company that buys and sells industrial hardware (tools and
industrial materials). Its organization consists of both senior and new employees from the service
and accounting department. They also have supervisors, team leaders and managers that are
young and don’t have much experience than the seniors in Victor Hardware. One of its
managers, Ms. Gertrudis Barreto, has observed that some senior employees in their organization
refuse to learn and engage with new younger employees. She has also noticed that some don’t
want to adapt to changes and resist from joining trainings and other programs. Furthermore,
while some senior employees are fine with having younger managers, some are hesitant and find
it unfair which consequently affects their work and performance.
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
Based on the supporting details above, we can infer that some senior employees havenegative
attitudes towards change and learning and negative perception towards young employees and
leaders. Most of the senior employees are behaving this way because they feel that they already
have learned a lot from their experiences in the organization. They believe that what they
currently know is enough for their job. Some of them are already comfortable with their old
ways and are afraid or hesitant to try new things. Furthermore, the reason why a lot of senior
employees don’t prefer younger managers is because they feel it is unfair and their egos are hurt
by following someone who’s not as experienced as them. This behavior is supported by a study
which found out that age is negatively associated with learning scores for a learning program.
However, we can say that this issue is due to the individual differences of the senior employees
because not all of them are like this. Moreover, we can say that this kind of employees have low
levels of openness since they are less receptive to new things and ideas(Griffin, Phillips, &
Gully, 2017). Due to these behaviors, the work, unity and environment within the organization is
negatively affected.
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
The Problem
Some senior employees of Victor Hardware are resistant from learning and change which
negatively affects the organization in many ways.
Some senior employees do not want to learn new things from young employees and
young managers
Some senior employees do not attend trainings and programs to enhance and improve
their knowledge and skills
Some senior employees do not adapt to change and do not want to learn from their co-
employees
Objectives
The main objective of this case study is to provide a possible solution to the issue
regarding the senior employees’ perceptions and attitude. It also aims to achieve the following
objectives:
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
1. Increase the senior employees’ communication with other employees in order for them to
be more comfortable with them and learn to accept their suggestions. The management
can create reciprocal interdependence between the senior and young employees. They can
also give them a work which requires the use of technology or new things so that the
senior employees will have to learn from their team or partner. However, this can affect
the work at first because they’ll have to adjust especially if the other employee refuse to
cooperate.
2. Set a new goal for the senior employees so that they’ll have the urgency or need to learn
new things. This can be done by moving them to a different team or department. Some
senior employees feel that they already know everything about their job so it could be
good to give them new things to do and learn.They can also be moved to a department
which uses technology often so that they’ll really have to learn about it from the younger
generation. However, this might affect the quality of work at first since the senior
employee is still not used to his/her new job/department.
3. Give rewards to those employees who join or attend trainings and ideal programs that
will improve their knowledge and skills. Some employees think it’s just a waste of time
and they have learned a lot already but if they are given rewards or positive
reinforcement when they do trainings it might change their perspective. However, this
can be costly (but there can be other rewards aside from money, like awards and
acknowledgement). Also, some may just attend it for the rewards so they will think that
they really don’t have to listen and learn from it.
4. New employees and new managers must be introduced properly to the old employees of
the company. This will let them know why the manager is chosen despite his/her age and
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
experience. This is because other senior employees don’t want to learn from the young
employees because of perceived unfairness about it. Through this, the senior employees’
attitude and perception towards them might change. But this might be time consuming
and others might just feel that the new employee/manager is boastful for telling his/her
capabilities and achievements. Also, other new employees might be humble and tell that
they don’t really know much.
5. Promote or increase the salary of senior employees who’s been doing well in their job.
The reason why some senior employees resist change and new things because they feel
that they are not being credited or acknowledged by the company while the young
employees have high salary and high position. But this can also be costly especially if
there are many senior employees. Also, new employees might find it unfair especially if
the senior employee just slacks off.
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BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
Advantages Disadvantages
1. Reciprocal Increase comfortability and Possibility of refusal to
Interdependence for tasks communication between cooperate
that requires new employees
application/ways Increase the need for learning
2. Move to different Increase the need to learn new Adjustment
team/department things
Possible low quality of work at
Creates new goals first
3. Rewards/Positive Increase training/programs Can be costly
reinforcement for attending engagement
trainings and programs Others might attend only and
not learn
4. Introduce new employees Lessens perceived unfairness Other might find the new
and managers and tell their employees boastful
capabilities and achievements Can change the perception and
attitude of senior employees
5. Promotion or increasing Lessens the insecurity of senior Costly
the salary of senior employees
employees Can be unfair for new
employees
6. Team Building Improves relationship Can be costly
Recommendation
Each alternative course of action that we’ve come up has its own advantages and disadvantages.
In order to choose the best course of action we considered the cost and benefit of each of them
and analyzed which is feasible or applicable given the current situation and capabilities of the
management or the organization. Out of all the six possible actions, alternative action number 1
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
seems to be the best action the management can take to solve the issue concerning senior
employees. That action is to create reciprocal interdependence between the employees wherein
they have to communicate and adjust in order to accomplish a task. It is not that risky and it
gives great advantage to the company. It can also possibly solve the three aspects of seniority
problem: learning resistance from young employees, learning resistance from all co-employees,
resistance from training and programs. As we know, attitude is not permanent and not as stable
as personality attributes. The seniors may have negative attitude towards new and young
employees but this can change if they see the capabilities and potential of these employees.
Through reciprocal interdependence their relationship will strengthen and they will come to
know more about their co-employees. Communication will also improve. Also, it would be better
if the task they’re working on requires technological application or it has to do with something
new to the senior employee. Because of this, the senior employees will realize the need for
improvement and they will feel the need to join trainings and programs. Furthermore, this is also
a way to suppress the employees’ tendencies and their personality that negatively affects the
organization. This is because the relationship of personality and behavior depends on the
situation a person is in. In order to weaken the expression of their individual personality, the
culture of the organization must be strong (Griffin, Phillips, & Gully, 2017). Having reciprocal
interdependence can strengthen the culture of Victor Hardware which promotes respect,
openness and learning.
Conclusion
Based on the responses that we’ve got from the employees and by further analysis of the
case, we learned the several reasons why some senior employees of Victor Hardware do not want
to learn from their co-employees and do not attend trainings and ideal programs. Most of them
feel that they know a lot already and they’ve been in the company for a long time so there is
nothing to know and learn anymore. This is also the reason why they do not want to listen from
their young co-employees. Furthermore, some of these senior employees do not like having
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
young leaders because they think it’s unfair and it hurts their ego and pride by following
someone who’s less experienced and newer than them. Through this information, we’ve come up
with six alternative actions to possibly solve the issue. Out of all the six alternatives, we saw the
two most feasible action to take: alternative number 1 (reciprocal interdependence) and
alternative number 2 (change department/team). These two has the potential to solve Victor
Hardware’s problem but out of the two, alternative number 1 is the easiest thing to do and it
doesn’t have big risk compared to the others. So, basically, our recommended solution is a
combination of increased communication and new tasks. The management just have to create an
environment where continuous communication and further learnings and trainings are
necessary.
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
References
Griffin, R. W., Phillips, J. M., & Gully, S. M. (2017). Organizational Behavior: Managing
People and Organizations (12th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning.
James, J. B., Swanberg, J. E., & McKechnie, S. P. (2007). Generational Differences in
Perceptions of Older Workers' Capabilities. Retrieved from Boston College:
www.bc.edu/agingandwork
Kunze, F., Boehm, S., & Bruch, H. (2013). Age, resistance to change, and job performance.
Journal of Managerial Psychology.
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BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
Appendices
Questions Asked
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
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BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
Transcript of Interview:
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
1. With the span of time that you’ve worked in this company, do you think you’ve gained
enough information and knowledge on how the organization works and how to solve certain
problems?
“For the past 20 years that I’ve been working here in our company, of course I gained
some knowledge on how to deal with certain problems that I encountered every day. It is
important to have an open communication in every department in order to solve certain
problems”
Yes
“Gained knowledge but not yet enough”
2. What would you feel if your team leader or supervisor is younger and has less experience than
you? How does it affect your work?
“It will be okay with me”
“It doesn't bother me. It’s nice working with younger known as millennials. Millennials’
arrival in the workforce is a challenge but also an opportunity to demonstrate their
potential and capabilities. Works made easier.”
“First of all, Iwill feel disappointed because it will be hard having a team leader or
supervisor who’s younger than you and who doesn’t have enough experience with how
the work here flows. It will have an effect on our work and feel timid to approach with
regards to the tasks that should be done because we respect their position unless they are
the ones who will approach us to teach them.”
“I accept the young leader with more knowledge and experience. But with less, I
wouldn’t and I will also feel stupid. And to the effect of my work, maybe I can’t express
my excellence because people can’t appreciate it.”
“For me, it doesn’t matter whether he is younger than me and with less experience as
long as he is open-minded and knows how to handle his people, and willing to learn from
his people also and not for superiority”
“If my team leader is younger and has less experience than me, I will feel that it’s unfair
and it will really affect my work.”
3. In such cases, wherein a common problem occurred in the organization and your team leader
or manager who is younger than you gave you a different instruction to solve it, would you
follow his/her order? Or would you stick to what you know based on your experience? Why?
“In such cases, wherein a common problem happened, yes, I will follow since he is my
manager and his equipped with new ideas, concepts and strategies to solve such
problem.”
“I can follow if it will help the organization.”
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
“It depends on the instructions. If it is right and if it can also be a huge help to our work,
the we will follow him/her. But if not, then we will talk about that matter and it’ll him/her
the right thing to do.”
“First, I need to analyze the problem if his instruction will lead to solve the problem, I
will follow him but if not, then why should I? I can hesitate but with respect on him. It’s
a case to case basis.”
4. Does your workplace have managers or supervisors who are young and are just new to the
company?
“Yes”
“Few”
5. (Regarding Question #4) What have you observed regarding the submission of other
employees to these leaders?
“Lack of communications, having problem for how they approach their co-workers.”
“Some are hesitant and some are rude to their leaders, being a leader - attitude is a must.
If you treat them right, good deeds will come back to you”
6. Do you know someone in this organization who is a senior employee which is somehow
resistant from learning? Narrate the instances.
a) Learning from younger employees
b) Learning as a whole, including trainings and ideal programs
c) Learning from all types of employees.
“I know someone that can’t resist learning from young employees. Maybe she can’t
accept the fact that the younger generation are more updated and smarter.”
“YES! Learning as a whole, including trainings and ideal programs”
“Yes. There is. Cannot adapt to the new system. Thinks that he knows better.”
“Yes. In our workplace, she doesn’t follow new ideas. She insisted her old knowledge.”
“Yes. Because the team leader is new and younger, the senior employee refused to learn
because he knows he had learned a lot”
“Refused to attend meetings”
“She wanted to learn but to senior employees only”
7. (Regarding Question #6) Personally have you had any own experiences regarding this matter?
Can you narrate it?
Yes, I have, my head can’t always take my suggestion or learning and she always finds a
way to make it wrong.
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
“I knew someone from our organization, she doesn’t want to attend trainings or any ideal
program that will help her to improve. She is using the old practice of accountancy and
she’s no. 1 demanding and pestering her co-workers also.”
“Yes. It’s hard to manage older generations at workplace. It requires patience, the ability
to listen carefully and the knowledge that you must learn the old ways of doing things
before you can apply your own ideas.”
8. What do you think are the other negative implications or effect if seniors resist from learning
and following other’s instructions?
“A company should have a team work. It is hard to work as a team if others cannot adopt or does
not have an open mind towards new ideas.”
“Negative implications. It can increase stress and anxiety. Work progress maybe slow and no
harmoniously relationship in the workplace.”
“The result will only have a negative impact if some of the seniors overlooked or didn’t gave
extra careful in accepting instructions or ideas.”
“They resist because the ego and pride fighting versus learning from the young one.”
“Negative implications, well if senior refused from learning, there will always a negative impact
in his work. Especially now that we are in a millennial time, we need to accept and learn the
technology or else we will be left behind. Just like gadgets, we need to upgrade also for good.”
“Chaos, and work will be affected.”
“There will be division among employees”
9. What do you think is the solution submission and learning conflicts in regards to seniority and age
diversity in the workplace?
“For me, it’s always to have a good leadership. Know your people well, see what is the best
she/he can do with your organization. Try to listen and accept suggestions from your subordinates
because every day is a learning process. It’s a give and take, and most of all, treat your people
fairly.”
“The solution is, they need to retire and take a rest.”
“We must learn how to accept fair ideas regardless if the one who contributed it is younger than
you if you know that it will help for the betterment of everybody”.
“Age diversity in the workplace can create challenges to manage worker from different age
group. It can create conflicts at work. The best solution for me is communication.
Communication is one of the main components of business management and is essential for
business success.”
“Make the person understand the effect of the new system.”
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
BUSINESS PROFILE
DESCRIPTION
VICTOR HARDWARE is a full-service, industrial equipment supplier, based in Quezon City, Philippines.
We provide a variety of leading industrial products and after-sale services for complete product lines of Tailift
Forklifts, Pneumatic Compressor and Blower Systems, Caster Wheels, Material Handling, and Garage Equipment.
Industry: Industrial
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
RESEARCHER’S PROFILE
EDUCATION
PERSONAL INFORMATIONS
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
RESEARCHER’S PROFILE
EDUCATION
PERSONAL INFORMATIONS
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
RESEARCHER’S PROFILE
EDUCATION
PERSONAL INFORMATIONS
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FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
RESEARCHER’S PROFILE
EDUCATION
PERSONAL INFORMATIONS
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
RESEARCHER’S PROFILE
EDUCATION
Xavier School
64 Xavier, San Juan, 1500 Metro Manila Elementary 2006-2012
PERSONAL INFORMATIONS
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Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
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