PROPOSING A DATA GATHERING

APPROACH
AT TLG SOLUTIONS
MBA 203 Organizational Development

Reported by:
Esteban, Elan Jane
Feria, Hanah
Jereza, Jose Martin Jacob
Lobaton, Laika
Lucot, Shara Mae
Villanueva, Darcel Faith
 resources software for Fortune 1000
Questions companies.
She manages the global training
teams that are responsible for needs
assessment, training curriculum
design, training technology design,
rollout, and operations.
One of her department’s key
function is creating training
materials which are to be used for
customer and service training.
In the case, Michelle seeks out the
help of Seth, a former colleague to
aid and assist in figuring out the
solution to her problems concerning
Questions 1. What is the client
requesting? What goal does
this client have for this
project?
2. What are the presenting
problems? What do you think
may be any underlying
problems? Which of these
underlying problems is most
likely, in your view?
3. What data would illustrate
whether these underlying
 Q1.1 What is the client requesting?

MICHELLE IS REQUESTING FOR:

• Michelle came up with the request that the

regional training resources should report in her
team
Q1.2 What goal does this client have for this
project?
MICHELLE’S GOAL:
• Make a progress in the training
organization
• Reducing Costs
• Distribution of new products in the
market quickly
• Prove her competency
 Q2.1 What are the presenting problems?

PRESENTING PROBLEMS:
• TLG is expanding so rapidly that it is difficult for the team
to cope up with the increasing demands
• Customer Complaints caused by some of the products that
are not working as expected and false promises from the
sales people
• Sales representatives cannot demonstrate the products
accurately
• Service department is getting complaints because they
can’t accurately pinpoint the root cause of the problems
the customer is experiencing
• Customer service technicians lack some of the
Q2.2 What do you think may be any underlying
problems?
UNDERLYING PROBLEMS:
• Centralized training organization but not
functional across regions
• The central team constructed only one
model which may not be applicable to all
regions and may not cater the differing
needs of each region
• No collaboration between Michelle’s team
and the regional team
 Q2.3 Which of these underlying problems is
most likely, in your view?
The central team constructed only one model which
may not be applicable to all regions and may not
cater the differing needs of each region
• Since the Central team did not coordinate with the regional
team, the latter didn’t have a full knowledge on how the
training program works.
• Regional teams are less motivated to use the centralized
program and they opted to use their own design since they
deemed the program not suitable to their needs

No formalize and appropriate feedback system

• The use and non-use of the training program were not
Q3.1 What data would illustrate whether these
underlying
problems are occurring?
• No actual usage of the Central
team’s model of some regions.
- The centralized training model was little
to none used by the regional teams.
• Lack of communication between
Michelle’s and regional teams.
- Team Leaders are not directing their
concerns and issues to Michelle as the
CTO.
 Q3.2 Which method of data gathering would
you use and why?
• In-depth Interview
- is useful when you want detailed information about
a person’s thoughts and behaviors or want to explore
new issues in depth. During the in-depth interview,
Seth will gather data from primary source like Michelle
and the Team Leaders.
• Focus Group Discussion
- an unstructured interview which involves a
moderator leading a discussion between a small group
of respondents on a specific topic. On this data
 Q3.3 Proposal

1. Thorough discussion with Michelle, including follow-up

questions.
2. Prepare interview questions for the teams.
3. Schedule an interview with Michelle’s and regional
teams.
4. Interview proper with Michelle’s team – one on one.
5. Interview proper with regional team (one
representative per regional team).
6. Collate and analyze interview answers.
7. Discuss initial findings with Michelle and the company
President.
 Q4. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of your data
gathering choice(s)?
INTERVIEW
Advantages: Disadvantages:
• Honest and • Time consuming
straightforwars • Can incur more cost if
answers done personally
• Can foster discussion • Trust and bond should
• Interviewer can obtain be established
more in-depth answers • Can be prone to
• Can open up to new biases
 Q4. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of your data
gathering choice(s)?
FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION
Advantages: Disadvantages:
• Can compare and • Can be awkward or
witness discussion intimidating
• Possibility of answers being
• Can save time manipulated or dominated
• Can urge members to by some members
remember and voice • Should be continuously
out forgotten or engaging to encourage
neglected grievances participation
 Rationale

It seems like Michelle’s model is inefficient:

Michelle’s team is investing a significant
amount of time and money designing a
universal training program, however, the
regional leaders are not fully incorporating the
program in their regions. Instead they are
designing their own training programs. Thus,
this research and data gathering is conducted.
GANTT Chart
GANTT Chart
QUESTIONS FOR
Questions
DISCUSSION:

1. How would you evaluate

Seth’s initial contracting
meeting with Michelle? Is
there anything you would
have said or done
differently?

2. What concerns do you

have about this project? Is
there anything that might
Q5. How would you evaluate Seth’s initial contracting
meeting with Michelle?

• Since Michelle and Seth are previously

associated with one another, the meeting
was too informal and friendly despite the
challenges faced by Michelle. The facts
given were too one sided and Seth was
relying too much on the information
given to him by Michelle.
 Q5. Is there anything you would have said or done
differently?

Yes. I would have asked Michelle to not

compare her current company to the previous
company we’ve been through since the two
companies have differing needs and goals.
Although the company really needs a more
organize approach on matters, the process
followed by her previous company will
definitely not be as effective to the new ones.
I would also try to ask her if she could see
Q6. What concerns do you have about this project? Is
there anything that might cause you to decline this
engagement? What additional questions would you
To maintain the
havemarket and stayatinthis
for Michelle the stage?
competition, the
most likely concern in the project is miscommunication of
Michelle's team and Regionals team. They should
coordinate each other's team and provide two-way
feedback regarding on their training methods especially
each regions have their uniqueness. What works in one
region may not work in another, so it is very important to
know the differences to resolve the issue.

Moreover, since company is reducing cost on their trainings

and development, it is quite challenging because most of
Q6. What concerns do you have about this project? Is
there anything that might cause you to decline this
engagement? What additional questions would you
In the eventhave
thatfor
trust issuesat
Michelle will occur
this during the
stage?
data gathering due to my connections with Michelle, I
think it will be best to step down since total
transparency and complete trust to the system will
be very important in order to get honest results. Also,
due to Michelle’s desire of keeping her position and
controlling the department, it is inevitable that she
will try to suggest outcomes or manipulate processes
which will then beat the purpose of this OD
intervention.
Q6. What concerns do you have about this project? Is
there anything that might cause you to decline this
engagement? What additional questions would you
After knowing
havethefor
problem,
MichelleI at
willthis
askstage?
Michelle that, in
what way that her team and Regionals team will bond
knowing the fact that they are following different
methods? And I would ask her if she is willing to let
other trainers intervene the methods since each
regions had differences? And lastly, I will ask her if
why does there are still miscommunication happened
considering that she must know her obligations as
CTO?

I’d like to ask Michelle if she’ll be open to changes