Case: Donna Dubinsky and Apple Computer (A)

Analyze and illustrate what made Donna successful prior to the situation.
Analyze the actions taken by Donna and the consequences of those actions during the situation.
Assess Donna Dubinsky’s skills at managing her career as they unfold in the case.
Why was she initially so successful at Apple? What were her sources of power?
What role, if any, did politics play in this case?
What additional skills does Dubinsky need to develop to become a more effective leader? (The readings will help answer this question.)
Include alternate “recommendations” for what Donna could have done differently.
Correctly apply (and cite) the readings in your analysis of the case; demonstrating a clear understanding of the concepts/ideas covered in the readings about Power and Influence (double weight).
Present a professional-appearing document [Well-written, and presented; within the 4-page limit. Presentation expectations include: cover page; clear paper structure (headings & subheadings); page numbering; correct placement of, and reference to, appendices].

The purpose of this assignment is to enable you to:

review the assigned and supplementary readings;
apply them to the case of the day;
Demonstrate an understanding of course material.

The best assignments will demonstrate an understanding of the materials by in-depth, integrated and thorough use of the course material (e.g., models, frameworks, theories, etc.).

There is no need to use Case Brief space in description. Rather, the brief should focus on analysis of the case.

Analysis: Assess Donna Dubinsky’s skills at power and influence in the situation as it unfolds in the case. First, analyze and illustrate what made Donna successful prior to the situation. Second, analyze the actions taken by Donna and the consequences of those actions during the situation. Also, include alternate “recommendations” for what Donna could have done differently.

Be sure to use course materials to support our analysis and recommendations. In addition to using the materials from Session Four (Power, Politics and Influence), you should integrate materials from the earlier sessions of this course. And, also include ‘further readings’ or readings from other sources outside of class.

The best analyses will include a combination of the topics from Session 4 (Power, Politics and Influence), materials from the earlier sessions and readings from sources outside of class. Primarily, the analysis should be based on the materials from Session 4 and the materials from other sessions and/or from outside of class should be used to support, bolster or expand on the primary analysis based on the materials from Session 4. When including materials from earlier sessions and, especially, from outside of the required course readings, be sure to clearly reference these so that your instructor’s attention is brought to the fact that you have included these connections. If you have gone to the trouble of including additional materials, be sure to draw the reader’s attention to them so that you get the credit for this work.

Note: There is a lot going on in the case, so it is good to be selective. That is, select just a few different points in the case that best illustrate what you believe to be critical with respect to the changes in her effectiveness with respect to power and influence. Then go into depth on those critical incidents.

Four single-spaced pages is the maximum for the briefs. (The cover page does not count – you have 4 pages for your analysis and recommendations.)

Use cites/references to explicitly link your analysis with the readings (implicit referencing risks the reader missing that you are referencing a reading). Don’t place full text cites in the body of the paper, just a footnote or reference number as a superscript. You can then use either footnotes or a reference list.