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(Re)Building a Global Team: Tariq Khan at Tek - Case Solution

Tsedal Neeley | Harvard Business Review ( 414059-PDF-ENG ) | December 19, 2013 (Revision: 2023-08-21)
Abstract:

Tariq Khan has received an offer to become the manager of the global sales and marketing team at Tek company, a multinational corporation. The team he is supposed to manage is comprised of individuals coming from around 27 different countries resulting in a diversity of languages. Khan realized that people grouped themselves based on their native languages. Khan had to understand the underlying reasons behind the problems to come up with the best possible solutions and achieve greater sales for the company.

Case Questions Answered

  • Key strategic issue/Problem Identification
  • Alternative courses of action
  • The recommended course of action
  • Implementation/Action Plana.) Integrate the departmentsb.) Resolve internal conflicts within the teamc.) Take input from every team memberd.) Develop a team culture of understanding and respect and high cultural sensitivity (Tariq Khan implemented ZERO TOLERANCE)e.) Rid the company/team of toxicity (employees-emphasis on leadership dysfunction)

Summary of the case study – (Re)Building a Global Team: Tariq Khan At Tek

Tariq Khan has received an offer to become the manager of the global sales and marketing team at Tek Company, a multinational corporation. The team he is supposed to manage comprises individuals from at least 27 countries with a diversity of languages shooting up to 18.

The company expects him to revolutionize the team within two years, alongside increasing the sales and market share of the company (Neeley, 2013).

During his meeting with the team, Khan deduced that the team lacked coherency and segregated themselves along their native language lines. The team also lacked information on diversity and its benefits. He further documents a lack of sensitivity towards the social and cultural aspects of the members of the team in Lars.

Identification of the Problems at the Company

The case study of Tariq Khan at Tek highlights some of the inefficient systems found in organizations that make it difficult for teams to prosper and for the company to achieve its set objectives aligned with its mission, vision, and core values.

From the case study, the managers of the company lacked both self and cultural awareness depicted in the way they handled the issues at the company (Neeley, 2013).

Consequently, the company had an abrasive and inefficient message delivery system that brewed a lack of trust between the team members. This adds to impeding the smooth flow of interpersonal relationships and restricts the flow of information through the available communication channels (Aritz & Walker, 2014).

Moreover, the organization of the firm depicted a lack of direction and the absence of an influential figure to steer the team toward the development of efficient and positive behaviors that inspire the culture of the organization.

Focusing on these elements of incompetence and inefficiency requires the attention of business skills devoted to problem-solving initiatives.

Alternative Courses of Action and Recommendations

Solving the puzzle at the company demands a profound understanding of workplace diversity and human resource management and how the relationship between the two steers the development of a conducive work environment.

Tariq Khan is faced with the…

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