Erik Toy Case Study

As the manager of a highly regarded budget division of one plant in a multi-plant organization, I must choose a suitable employee to fill the position of the head of the budget office in a smaller plant. I have narrowed my choices down to the leaders of the two main sections in our department: Sissel and Tom. To help the ease of decision, we must compare each candidate's qualifications and select one person, keeping in mind that our own department will be affected by this move.
Sissel, a 29-year-old college graduate with a Master's degree in Accounting, has been with the company for 4 years. Young for the responsibility required, she has done an outstanding job, easily getting others to work for her. She obtains excellent planning and delegating skills, and is persuasive in getting others to agree with her ideas. She is also very friendly, and gets along with everyone.
Tom, a 45-year-old husband and father, has an undergraduate degree in math and philosophy. His 15 years with the company has yielded slow yet steady progress. A dedicated employee, he is the hardest worker, often putting in extra hours. He is very creative and possesses a strong technical know-how of the job, developing many effective, yet simple procedures to carry out his plans. He has also mentioned interest in a promotion, should one arise. His weakness is in his ability to converse with co-workers. When he is in the office, he is all business and expects the people working for him to be the same. As a result, he seems somewhat abrupt in his contact with others.
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