The situation that Tom and the committee find themselves is a proper definition of the term imbroglio. However, given that the hospital intends to adopt the planning process as expressly instructed by Dr. Watson who is the university president (Simendinger, Muilenburg, & Jones, 2001), the team must formulate an acceptable way of actualizing the plan while placating the five community-based organizations. In addition, Tom and the team need to ensure that they maintain their competitive advantage even as they plot on how to navigate the city’s novel planning ordinance. Therefore, Tom and the committee should first of all discuss the ordinance with an objective of discovering its various requirements. By doing this, Tom and his team will comprehend where a divergence exists between their planning process and the city’s ordinance as well as the role of the community-based organizations in the process. It is clear that the ordinance caught Tom and the committee by surprise; however, once they open a discussion about it, the planning process can begin. During the process, Tom needs to split the committee into five subcommittees each tasked with understanding the needs of the community organizations. Once these subcommittees table their findings, efforts should be made to establish a collaborative arrangement with them to ensure that the university’s planning is in tandem with their interests and aligns with the requirements of the ordinance. Gaining the community organizations’ approval is paramount to the successful execution of the strategic plan by the university.
Ordinarily, Tom would have had the latitude to establish whether there is a precedence or jurisprudential input that a city can dictate the strategic planning of a state-owned institution. However, these are not ordinary circumstances due to the existence of powerful community based organizations. Therefore, whereas it is important and morally upright for one to fight for their convictions, Tom has to think about the ramifications that such a fight might have on the university as well as understand the impact that the university has on the surrounding community. The passing and execution of the new ordinance by the city is perfectly in line since it gives WUMC the ability to understand this community based organizations, the community where it is located as well as the effect that its strategic plan will have on the surroundings (Pennel, McLeroy, Burdine, & Matarrita-Cascante, 2015). Moreover, Tom should understand that investigating the ordinance will divert his attention from fully comprehending its provisions as well as planning alongside the committee in order to meet the needs of the community and the WUMC. Therefore, Tom should desist from investigating the legality of the city’s novel ordinance and instead focus on understanding it so as to align the plan to the necessary requirements.
Clearly, the interviewing process saw Tom ask about the university as well as the kind of strategic planning that was necessary. The object of asking such questions entailed him comprehending his role at the medical facility. However, Tom neglected to ask about the impact of external stakeholders such as the community organizations, the surrounding community, and the competition on the plan (Pennel, McLeroy, Burdine, & Matarrita-Cascante, 2015). Further, Tom should have sought to understand the association between the community and the university. Had he brought up the issue of the relationship between the university and the community, the concerns that the private businesses and the community organizations had regarding the medical center. Through this, Tom would have understood why it was necessary for the city ordinance to be legislated as it caters for the interests of the two groups.
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