I have been interning for a multibillion-dollar nonprofit organization since January. As a supply chain intern, my primary responsibility is to analyze potential suppliers. I use data to determine the cheapest supplier that can properly provide my organization with a product or service. These analyses have saved my organization thousands of dollars each year. This money can be placed back into our grant-making program to help people who are in need of our assistance. Recently, my boss hired a second intern to assist with the supplier analyses. My boss split my desk in half and told me that I would be sharing my office with the new intern. I welcomed the notion of having someone to work with and discuss ideas. My boss instructed that we share supplier information with each other, but not our opinions. Instead, he preferred that we come to our own separate conclusions. When the analyses are due, the other intern and I present our findings to my boss. If we come to different conclusion and choose different suppliers, my boss carefully weighs both options and chooses the best supplier. When my co-intern first started at the foundation, I willingly shared all of my supplier research such as the price, capabilities, references, and financial status. Although the other intern had not shared information with me, I merely thought he was still growing accustomed to his new position. However, when presenting our findings to my boss, my co-intern used data and statistics that he had never shared with me. My boss often asked why I had not included this data in my analyses. On several occasions, I would ask my co-intern why he had withheld information from me. He would ignore or avoid the question each time. I know that my co-intern is withholding information from me because he is competitive and wants to impress my boss. I feel that my co-intern is taking advantage of my research in order to outperform me. I often want to withhold my research as well, but I do not want to hinder potential cost savings for my nonprofit organization. I do not want to sacrifice possible grant-making money for my own benefit, but I also do not want my boss to think my work is below average.
1. Is it productive to have competition in the workplace, especially in a nonprofit that focuses on helping others?
2. Is my boss right in assigning the same project to my co-intern and me? Are there better options to increase our productivity?
3. Should I sacrifice my performance for the benefit of my organization?
4. What actions do you recommend I should take to resolve this issue?
