Tents-r-Us, established by Peter Ridge in 1999, is an organization in the hospitality sector that focuses on marquee rentals and associated services for large corporate and private events. As the years went by, the company expanded its offerings from a small rental business to include a wide range of services like event planning and management, catering, and entertainment.
Based in Edinburgh, this company provides services across Scotland and has plans to expand into northern England. The Managing Director, Peter Ridge, actively oversees the company’s daily operations and future goals. However, conflicts arise within the organization due to Ridge’s authoritarian management style and his employment of several family members for the growing business.
There was recently a dispute about the company’s mission statement. Ridge used this opportunity to assert his authority and emphasize his responsibility for building the company by scolding his wife in front of the staff. This incident caused distress among all those involved. However, Ridge is now taking measures to adopt a more inclusive leadership style and actively recruiting individuals from outside the organization. His objective is to expand the company’s knowledge and expertise in order to reduce his involvement in day-to-day operations.
Due to Ridge’s personal status and his preference for autocratic leadership, Tents-r-Us is making significant changes to accommodate this. As part of their growth strategy, the company aims to hire a marketing executive who will join the senior management team and spearhead the enhanced marketing strategy. Following an open advertisement, two candidates have been selected for further consideration. One of these individuals is Mhairi Kee, an experienced marketeer with 15 years of involvement in the hospitality sector.
Mhairi’s current position as the marketing manager for Big Events (a direct competitor of Tents-r-Us) provides her with a unique perspective on the future growth of the Tents-r-Us business. Having advanced through the ranks at Big Events and specializing in strategy development, Mhairi possesses certain qualities associated with her ambitious nature. She is now seeking a new challenge and is eager to assume a role that will grant her significant decision-making authority to steer organizational development. Mhairi’s intelligence and competence have earned her recognition within the industry.
Susi Dome has 10 years of experience in retail brand management and is highly regarded for her creativity in establishing multiple brands in niche markets. She is renowned for her consultative management style, valuing input from all staff and departments within the organization. Susi is now looking to carve out her own niche in the hospitality industry and is open to receiving guidance and encouraging innovative ideas for the overall strategy.
She believes that her strength lies in supporting the mission and vision of an organization by achieving excellence in her specific area of work. During the short listing process, Mhairi received very high scores from two members of the selection panel, while Susi was highly ranked by Peter Ridge.
Please answer the following questions.
- Outline and discuss the ways in which leadership practice in Tents-r-Us demonstrates aspects of early leadership theory and approaches.
- Critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of such leadership practice for Tents-r-Us continued success.
