Case Study #1: Bountiful Eye
Diego Alexander Mendoza
GBUS 600
Professor Lewis
11 February 2024
UID# 203821091
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Summary of the situation
Alicia Ramos launched the Dine Together app fifteen months ago to unite those who love to
cook and dine. The app has experienced enormous success but recently received tremendous
backlash. Users are complaining of the lack of diversity in the events. The lack of diversity has
been so prominent that even an article in the Dinner& has discussed negative responses to the
app. The app targeting to increase community has left some users feeling excluded. The lack of
diversity has led to social and monetary costs for the unrepresented individuals, like the opening
of new restaurants some hosts have found an increase in confidence and reputation to start a new
business. Also, the lack of inclusion has resulted in a decrease in new relationships being formed
from creating new employment opportunities. The company looks to solve the problem Alicia
the CEO and Allen Brignton, the chief operating officer look to find a resolution before the
problem continues to intensify. Which can not only result in a decrease in users but also legal
prosecution.
Possible solutions:
The team has developed four different options to solve the issue. The first one is anonymous
auditions where the applicant's profile pictures would be removed to decrease perception and
replace their food preferences. The second option is to increase host transparency which will
allow candidates to examine the host's previous events and offer full disclosure of location,
menu, and guests. The third option is to allow AI to generate the guest lists. The last option is to
limit the number of preferences from nine to three, this option is set to reduce the pool of guests
and thereby improve their chances of being accepted.
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Personal Response
Alicia Ramos's creation of Dine Together is a step in the right direction. Although there may be
some comfort found in people staying exclusive in their groups and peers. In this comfort zone
discoveries and growth will not be found there. Like going to the gym it is crucial to push
yourself out of your comfort zone to gain strength. It is essential to push out of your comfort
zone to try and experience something. The leap of faith is a prerequisite; one must step out of
their comfort zone and embrace it. This is why inclusion is necessary even as a selfish means you
push yourself to try new things. I believe that Alicia’s introduction of the App is sufficient to
promote change and growth. and the backlash will naturally fade away. “Do not forget to
entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing
it” Hebrews 13:2. Although this is not charity but mere inclusion as hosts can test their
skills with different pallets and gain even more confidence in their passion and pursuit
growth.
Dinner with 12 Strangers
While doing my undergrad there was a similar program called Dinner with 12 Strangers. I
participated although I was eager to sign up once the date came I became self-conscious and did
not attend. I knew that I would be surrounded by professionals in their field but I felt that I could
not add to the conversation as a mere bachelor of arts student who supported myself by driving
Uber. This ostracized me benign asked if I was only an addition through affirmative action.
Remember what my high school football coach told us if you wanted to succeed at something
there should be no balance and only focus on your goal. I turned off my social light and focused
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on my studies I cared about nothing more than my GPA and getting high grades. This goal of
academic success was met after graduating and being unsure of the next step. I look back at the
dinner with 12 strangers and wonder if that would make a difference. I find that by sharing a
meal not only are feeding the body but the soul. I now make it a point to invite and treat my
friends and loved ones. I believe that Dine Together is on the right track there will always be
some imbalance people do not want to lose power but the real power comes from opening doors
to those who have been shunned. They have locked potential and through inclusion and
acceptance, you will grow. A true visionary finds opportunities where others do not.
Feeding the Soul
Growing up in a largely affluent area my eyes were opened to opportunities that I simply could
not imagine. Dating outside of my social class and ethnic background has allowed me to grow.
Being an immigrant I was never around people much older than me my mother had me when she
was 20 my mom of a petite build and short found most of her clothing in the teens section many
people asked if she was my older sister. I grew up without an older generation's wisdom. The
first time I experienced this wisdom was through Elizabeth Hilton my ex-girlfriend's
grandmother sharing meals and spending time with her I learned about her struggles and fight for
the American dream. She just like me helped her family gain citizenship in the best country of
the world. She told me about how she got started in business and eventually through
determination and grit was able to climb the corporate ladder. She bought her first home and
eventually bought her property on Calabasas Lake. This is when I met her granddaughter a
business owner who naturally is an entrepreneur and a risk taker. Great at math and customer
service. Sharing meals is much more than feeding the body but feeding the soul.
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AI-Generated: Curated List
In the current day of search for political correctness with the imbalance of the social
hierarchy the most efficient way to reduce response salince. I believe out of the four
options the best and easiest resolution would be to follow the AI Matchmaker. This
option would allow the host to focus on their craft provide a great event with great food,
and venue, and allow AI to matchmake the guest list. This option would allow a diverse
guest list without putting a strain on the Dine Together App whose sole purpose is to
offer an opportunity to create and connect through their love of cooking and dining. It
would also ensure that the business model is profitable to the application and the hosts.
This will ensure high consistency in the guest experience and reduce backlash.
Stereotyping
Although other options like anonymous auditions might remove the profile picture of the
guest there is another stereotyping that might take place. For example, their food
preference might affect other cognitive components like someone thinking that fried
foods, spicy and sweets might relate to the host's attitudes. This fundamental attribution
error might lead hosts and/or hosts into making biased decisions.
Organization Behavior
Alicia Ramos the CEO is focused on molding the organization's behavior to reduce the
alienation felt by some guests. Through the change in the micro-organization, the
behavior that is primarily concerned with individuals and groups. Mrs. Ramos is a leader
who displays a high level of emotional intelligence. She is a leader who can work with
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others and direct effective change. Her COO, Allen also shows social awareness and
considers what the alienated groups feel. The organization by laying out possible
solutions shows that they possess the locus of control and have the power to dictate
what happens in their life.
Conclusion
To be revolutionary there will be some backlash. Alicia Ramos has provided a way to
turn a passion into improving the social climate. This will be a slow but gradual progress
where response disposition while fade through social perception instead of limiting
beliefs based on stereotypes by actually interacting and sharing with others the walls of
stereotypes will be broken. We are all in search of becoming better than yesterday.
Perception of the guests and hosts will broaden.
What I expect is a 5-6 page thoughtful analysis of and response to the management and
organizational behavior involved in each case study.
The following are specific guidelines for the Case Analyses to encourage your success on these
assignments.
Case Study #1:
● Page 1: 1/2 page summarizing the situation involved in the case study. 1/2 page
detailing the decisions that were made by the manager(s) in the case.
● Pages 2-3: Provide a personal, thoughtful response to the decisions involved in the
case study. What is your opinion of the situation? Was it properly handled? Also,
please provide a personal example of how you have handled, or how you would
handle, a similar situation in your own work/personal life.
● The remainder of the Paper (the most important part): Relate the decisions in the
case study to what we have covered in the textbook and class so far. Which principles
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have we learned about so far? How were they, or how were they not, applied in the
case study? Finally, please include a brief conclusion.
*5-6 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt., Times New Roman font.