Background
Goodman Company is a single plant manufacturing company that produces small rubber automotive parts. Due to consistent growth in revenue, management has decided to add new employees in order to ensure that all 3 shifts are fully staffed. Current trends show that a further increase in revenue can be realised, once the company is able to meet increased customer demand. This would have to be done using the same operations, however since finances needed for an upgrade to the equipment was not readily available.
Ann Bennet, a production analyst with years of experience was hired to make recommendations on how the company could realise these new objectives of increased productivity with the current plant (p.04). Top management accepted the recommendations and sent the final plan (p.04) to the 3 production supervisors for implementation.
Prior to the new system, employees were responsible for the entire production process. The new approach would however, take on a mass production format (p.04) with jobs being specialized. A piece rate pay system would also replace the current system where workers were paid hourly. Each of the 3 shifts displayed varied responses to the changes.
Shift 1 was headed by loyal and respected employee, Cleverson Anthony who has committed many years to the development of the organisation. “Clev” was near retirement and his shift comprised of workers who are all around the same age, except for the youthful time keeper (p.05). As supervisor he was convinced that because the workers were experienced they could manage the shift without much supervision from him. Workers on this shift had a sense of entitlement and believed they had been treated unfairly by the company (they helped to build) since management did not share profits with them. They displayed their dissatisfaction of the job by reducing production, and increasing tardiness and absenteeism. They were of the view that production on their shift was never lost and...