Leading Change at Simmons
LEADING CHANGE AT SIMMONS “Leading Change at Simmons” shows the importance of Organizational Behavior, having a culture that respects its employees and having a transformational leader who has a clear vision for the company.
Problem Statement Simmons has lost three of its most important clients due to the economic depression post the 9/11 attacks. Its products are giving off unpleasant odor because of a low quality raw material supplied by one of its suppliers.
Problems
As one goes through the case, one realizes that there are a lot of problems that the company is facing, right from the lack of a clear vision to the extent of one manufacturing unit competing with the other. It clearly reflects the following sources of conflict
1. Incompatible goals
2. Diversity
Analysis of Problems
• Role Conflict and No Organizational Structure One of the major problems that the company was facing was that there was no clear organizational structure for the company and role conflict existed. Most of the associates were reporting to the General Managers, who were basically Sales Managers, and who, according to Eitel, didn’t have business acumen. All the manufacturing units were running as per the General Manager’s whims. This Control vs. Commitment (Exhibit 1) situation can be clearly seen when Bob Hellyer, President and Director of Simmons, tells Eitel about the manufacturing units at Janesville and Charlotte.
Lack of Implementation of Vision and Values Simmons already had four core values in place; three more were added when Eitel joined the company as its CEO. It seems that no one was following the “Simmons Code of Ethics” or the “Simmons Values.” No one was maximizing the “opportunity” to think or share and listen to others;
Short Term Goals:
1. Discard the mattresses that were made up of bad foam and sue the supplier.
2. Report and communicate with partners and employees
Long Term:
1. Restructure
2. Bill Wagnar should be kept in the same
Problem Statement Simmons has lost three of its most important clients due to the economic depression post the 9/11 attacks. Its products are giving off unpleasant odor because of a low quality raw material supplied by one of its suppliers.
Problems
As one goes through the case, one realizes that there are a lot of problems that the company is facing, right from the lack of a clear vision to the extent of one manufacturing unit competing with the other. It clearly reflects the following sources of conflict
1. Incompatible goals
2. Diversity
Analysis of Problems
• Role Conflict and No Organizational Structure One of the major problems that the company was facing was that there was no clear organizational structure for the company and role conflict existed. Most of the associates were reporting to the General Managers, who were basically Sales Managers, and who, according to Eitel, didn’t have business acumen. All the manufacturing units were running as per the General Manager’s whims. This Control vs. Commitment (Exhibit 1) situation can be clearly seen when Bob Hellyer, President and Director of Simmons, tells Eitel about the manufacturing units at Janesville and Charlotte.
Lack of Implementation of Vision and Values Simmons already had four core values in place; three more were added when Eitel joined the company as its CEO. It seems that no one was following the “Simmons Code of Ethics” or the “Simmons Values.” No one was maximizing the “opportunity” to think or share and listen to others;
Short Term Goals:
1. Discard the mattresses that were made up of bad foam and sue the supplier.
2. Report and communicate with partners and employees
Long Term:
1. Restructure
2. Bill Wagnar should be kept in the same