Case study.

Bharat kumar recently completed a diploma course(3 years) from an industrial training institute as an apprentice mechanic and had several months of experience through working summers. He has just accepted a full time job in the maintenance section of the chemical processing plant. The first day on the job, the supervisor assigned him to work with raj kapoor who had been working in the section for over 10 years. The two were assigned to do some repair work on the storage tank two miles north of maintenance section. As they drove to the area in a pickup truck. Kapoor stopped for a while near a gambling den to enquire about winnings from a lottery game played the night before. Bharat was eager to get to work his first day, showed his impatience with kapoor talking with his friends. And got disapproving look. Once on the job, Bharat climbed quickly into the truck to get tools and kapoor said, Whats your hurry? That jobs not going to run away Several times during the morning, kapoor ridiculed Bharat for his enthusiasm. After the morning tea break, as they got up to go back to the work, kapoor again asked why he was hurrying. When he sped back In the truck to get some materials from the warehouse, kapoor said he acted as if he was being paid double time. When they had to wait 45 minutes for an electrician to change some electrical connections, Bharat wanted to start on other work, but kapoor told him to hold tight & do one job at a time At lunch, kapoor ate in the canteen with three other buddies and played cards. As Bharat looked around the canteen, he noticed that everyone was eating together in small groups, so he at alone. The afternoon went pretty much like the morning. Kapoor worked at a fairly steady pace all days as he kidded around with the same group of friends, griped about the lack of support provided by other departments, commented on the dumb supervisors and played tricks on members of the gang. Bharat learned quickly that if he went along and followed kapoor, there would be no trouble. But as soon as he tried to go it alone, he was sure to get a put down or a wisecrack from kapoor. Questions. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What group processes are taking place in this case? If Bharat conforms, why will he do so? What risks are there in his not conforming? Is it possible for Bharat to change the fair days work norm? Is there anything the supervisor can do to capitalize on Bharats enthusiasm and avoid his following the groups established work patterns? Should he?