Abstract:
John Mwa is the newly appointed head of the Nomburan Revenue Agency (NRA), tasked by incoming President Orelio with improving revenue collections in the African nation of Nomburo. This case discusses how he goes about reaching performance targets set by the President, albeit facing constraints to do so. Unfortunately, some of the methods he employs to overcome constraints test the limits of political support and authorization. Mwa finds himself in trouble with opposition party members, procurement commissions, the President's coalition members, and even his own staff. It is a case that instructors can use to teach about the many dimensions of organizational effectiveness, dangers of narrow performance focus in organizations, and the complexities of performing in constrained environments. It is particularly useful for instructors teaching about management in a developing country context and about revenue collection.
Learning Objective:
The case asks students to play the role of President Orelio and decide whether Mwa has performed effectively given that he met most of his performance targets even though he has undoubtedly created political problems in the process.
