Polarity Management

The Marketplace Business Fundamentals simulation is a group based project that requires the five members to come together and make business decisions. This is an insightful learning tool and it is teaching us how to work with people that may not have the same business understanding that others has or just have an opinion but no reason for that opinion. This is causing the centralization and decentralization polarity in our project.

Polarities and polarity management

A problem is an issue which requires a solution by definition. The goal is finding a fix to the current situation and move forward. Polarities are issues needing to be addressed, but would require more support for the original issue. When trying to solve a polarity issue, using basic skills that we all learn to solve problems growing may only further the problem (Johnson, 1998). Polarities are usually found at the heart of any form of an organization and there are two or more correct, independent answers.

Polarity management doesn’t necessarily solve the problems that one is faced with but it shows the positives and negatives of each pole. The goal of polarity management is not to solve or remove problems. The goal would be to use the positives of either pole, then work from there. No side wins but no side looses either. You compromise.

The polarity aspect that I believe our Marketplace Business Fundamentals simulation is experiencing is centralization and decentralization.

The Polarity Map

| | | Competitive | | | |

  |   | |   |   |   |

Delegation | Diversification |

Efficient in decision making | Motivation & Morale of employees |

  | | | |   | | |   |

Centralization |   |   |   |   | Decentralization |

| | |   |   | |

  | | | |   | | |   |

Takes more time to make decision | Trouble getting everyone on same page |

Too much control | No clear leader |

  |   | |   |   |   |

| | | Can't Compete | | | |

There are many dynamics to the...