Abstract:
This disguised case is about a woman who faces a hard choice in her career and family life. Mary Malone, an associate professor at the Adams School of Government, has been offered the job of executive deputy commissioner in the Old York State Department of Social Services, a position that manages an $11 billion budget, 5,000 employees, and the overall operation of the agency. The job means valuable managerial experience in a major government agency, but it would also mean talking a leave of absence at a time when she would be under consideration for tenure at the Adams School. If granted tenure, she would be the first woman at the school to be appointed full professor. In addition, the Old York job means a commuter marriage, a prospect Malone's husband views with displeasure.
Learning Objective:
The case concludes with Malone confronting a career decision that seems certain to have a major impact on her life. It is intended to foster discussion of complex issues of career and family life, particularly as they relate to understanding behavior in large bureaucracies and organizations.
