College

Chapter 7 "Work Effectively in Groups" Case Study:
A Company Crisis

Anita Magill took over as chief executive officer at Magill Manufacturing after her father retired from running the business. Magill Manufacturing is a keystone company in Lisbon, Ohio, and provides jobs to a large number of citizens in the community. Anita takes great pride in continuing the family business but knows that she'll need to run the operation differently than her father has.

After only a short time, Anita has realized that the company is suffering from high absenteeism, chronic tardiness, and low morale. Frequent complaints are filed, employee attitudes are poor, and there's a general sense of discontent among the workers. Management is viewed as coercive, with "little dictators" running isolated kingdoms throughout the company. Employees feel that managers give little support to their ideas or suggestions. Working at Magill Manufacturing has become a way to earn a paycheck and little more. These conditions are reflected in slumping productivity and the declining quality of products.

Anita knows she needs to act quickly if she's going to turn this situation around and improve quality, increase productivity, and reestablish company loyalty.

1. How can Anita use team concepts to improve conditions at Magill Manufacturing?

2. What types of team dynamics do you see happening within the company? Support your answers with examples from the chapter.

3. Suggest two different types of teams that Anita could form to help solve the company's problems. Discuss how each could be successful and explain why you think so.

Answer :

Final answer:

Anita can apply team concept principles and form cross-functional teams to promote collaboration and break down the 'isolated kingdoms'. A problem-solving approach with teams dedicated to specific areas can improve morale and productivity. Involving employees in improvement efforts can foster a sense of ownership and commitment, thus increasing loyalty towards the company.

Explanation:

Anita can implement the principles of team concepts to improve conditions at her company, Magill Manufacturing. One way to do this is through cross-functional teams - groups comprising members from different levels of the company. These teams can inspire collaboration and break down the isolated kingdoms described in the case. For instance, production employees could be invited to contribute ideas to management, improving employee morale and engagement, and potentially increasing productivity.

Negative team dynamics, like authoritarian leadership and lack of collaboration, seem to be prevalent at Magill Manufacturing. These dynamic issues often result in employee disenfranchisement and subsequent lower productivity rates.

Anita could consider forming problem-solving teams, where members come together to solve specific issues. In this case, one team could focus on improving employee morale, while another could target increasing productivity. Ideally, these teams should be built to represent various departments and levels in the company for better insight and perspective. Employee participation would likely improve the perception of management and create a feeling of ownership and commitment towards the goals of the company.

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