CASE STUDY: CHRISTIAN CORPORATION STAFFING
I. TIME CONTEXT
The department manager holds a regular staff meeting with her four section heads confining each meeting to one chief problem. On this day, the subject was the “poor” quality of the twenty supervisors reporting to the section heads.
“We have a rather poor record in selecting good supervisors”, she begun. “We may have five or six who are outstanding but, but there are so many who are not. What do you people consider when you recommends candidates to me?”
“I think my best technical people make the best supervisors,” said one section head. “They have the respect of their associates and subordinates, who rate their technical competence highly. They can renew staff members very effectively and pitch in to do the most demanding jobs themselves.”
“Maybe that is just the trouble,” said the department manager. People like them may never learn to manage because they spend their time on technical work.” Another section head said,” I made my recommendation on the basis of seniority. It has popular appeal because everyone expects to be along this line.”
“Do you think,” said the manager, “that age is the only, or most important criterion for supervision?” such a practice conveniently ignores everything learned about managing, or it assures that the candidate has the capability to become proficient in management after getting the job. Is this realistic?
In the course of the meeting, other factors such as getting along with people, making good impression, having the capability for further promotion, and being able to exact responsibility were also considered. The department manager was clearly frustrated and, as she ended the meeting, she remarked, “No wonder we have a 40% failure rate in selecting supervisors.”
II. VIEWPOINT
The analyst’ viewpoint in this problem of staffing in Christian Corporation is that as department manager, she should not look at only and consider the recommendation of...