Part B- Managing conflict at the Rainbow Cafe

Read the conflict situation and answer the questions that follow. You will then be required to provide an incident report as part of this assessment. You may use the template provided. Ensure that you include all the relevant information form the case study.

You have just purchased a new hospitality business. The stress of establishing such a business can easily take its toll on your health and wellbeing. Luckily you and your business partner, Tom, have researched and complied with all the legislative requirements and have been approach by your local council. You have both decided that you will manage the back of house and Tom will look after the front of house. You have decided to call the hospitality business "The Rainbow Caf". You both open your hospitality business and everything seems to be running smoothly.

Your business partner, Tom has been a very pivotal part in the whole process and after your first month of trade you and Tom both go out for a special celebratory dinner. The hospitality business is becoming well known in the local area and word of mouth is bringing more and more customers to the business. The Sunday morning breakfast special is a hit and most Sundays you are double booked.

Several weeks pass and you have noticed that Tom doesn't seem to be as actively involved in the day to day operations as he was in the beginning. Due to this, you find that you are increasingly undertaking additional operational tasks. You find yourself working 7am till very late each night, seven (7) days a week. You are not sleeping well and as a consequence and you are eating most days on the run.

Today your cooking skills are suffering, and you have delivered burnt food to four (4) customers. When approached by the waiter, you are short with them and tell them that the food is not burnt and that if the customers don't like it they can go elsewhere.

Midmorning you receive a telephone call from your business partner, Tom. He says that he will not be in today and has asked that you cook him some lunch and get one of the wait staff to deliver it to his home. You become irate and slam the phone down in his ear and refuse the cook a meal for him or send a waitperson to his house.

The day gets worse. The deep fryer has decided to go on the blink, so you can cook hot chips or any deep-fried items. Customers are complaining to waitstaff, so much so that one of the girl's bursts into the kitchen crying, throws her apron on the bench and tells you that working with you is shit. She tells you she quits and storms off.

Tom finally arrives to the caf at around 3.45pm. You are speaking with the delivery driver who has delivered an extra order of focaccia breads, as you have been busier than normal for a Tuesday. Tom enters the caf through the front door, and in front of the customers, is yelling something to the effect of, "what does it take to get some bloody lunch around here".

He enters the kitchen, interrupts your conversation with the delivery driver and continues to rant about his lunch. You tell him you are not sure why he ever comes to the caf anymore as he does nothing but abuse you. On hearing this Tom picks up a knife from the kitchen bench and stabs you in the left hand.

By this time the delivery driver has left, the caf is empty. Customers have just walked out, not paying or eating their food or finishing their coffee.

You run from the kitchen, telling Tom, to stick the caf where the sun doesn't shine. You are bleeding uncontrollably, until you get to the local doctors. The doctor mentions to you that conflict in business is common and it needs to be managed appropriately. As the doctors attends to the severed tendon in you left pointer finger, you tell him about the conflict situation.

Now as instructed provided answers to the following questions:

1.Describe the natures and details of the conflict.

2.Describe the impact that this conflict situation may on you, Tom, caf staff and business.

3. What could have been done to manage this conflict situation better?

4. What could the waitperson do in her scope of her own role and responsibilities

5. If you took responsibility for seeking a solution to the conflict, what could you have done?

6. What assistance could you have sought prior, during and after the situation?

7. Describe the impact this conflict situation may have on the reputation of the business and its legal liability.

8. Describe three (3) options/ solutions that could have been implemented to resolve the conflict.

9. How would you implement these options and solutions?

10. Complete and attach your conflict resolution details above and an incident report using the Rainbow Caf Conflict Process template provided.