Metric Division Case Study
About the Metric Division Case Study This case study analysis is intended to identify the major problems facing the Metric Division, and assess some potential solutions. The final recommendation utilizes the Action Research Model (ARM) (Cummings & Worley, 2001) to come up with viable, practical solutions. This study assumes that the reader has read and is familiar with the Metric Division Case Study.
Problem Identification There are three major problems afflicting the Metric Division. The following will identify each of these problems as well as describe the survey data that identified each of them. The first major problem is that Joe’s staff feels too much time in meetings is being wasted by trivial issues, such as choosing name tags, or domineering personalities that take the floor in order to initiate a personal debate. This problem seems to be due to a lack of action on the part of the Division President, Joe. Though Joe’s efforts to allow everybody a chance to speak are commendable, his staff meetings are going to need more structure and a strict agenda if they are to become productive. The second problem is that the staff seems to be too large and heavily weighted with marketing people. There were numerous complaints that in order to get information, contact with up to three people from the same department was necessary. Again, this is an issue that Joe should have addressed. Being that his division is new, it would be beneficial to keep his staff small and agile. This limits the number of communication paths and also makes it clear who is in charge of what function. The third problem is that the staff is not being consulted as a team about new initiatives and strategies. Numerous people pointed out that Joe often consults Marketing about a given strategy, makes a plan and then “informs” the rest of the staff. This top-down decision-making process seems to have lead to an abnormally powerful Marketing organization that has resulted
Problem Identification There are three major problems afflicting the Metric Division. The following will identify each of these problems as well as describe the survey data that identified each of them. The first major problem is that Joe’s staff feels too much time in meetings is being wasted by trivial issues, such as choosing name tags, or domineering personalities that take the floor in order to initiate a personal debate. This problem seems to be due to a lack of action on the part of the Division President, Joe. Though Joe’s efforts to allow everybody a chance to speak are commendable, his staff meetings are going to need more structure and a strict agenda if they are to become productive. The second problem is that the staff seems to be too large and heavily weighted with marketing people. There were numerous complaints that in order to get information, contact with up to three people from the same department was necessary. Again, this is an issue that Joe should have addressed. Being that his division is new, it would be beneficial to keep his staff small and agile. This limits the number of communication paths and also makes it clear who is in charge of what function. The third problem is that the staff is not being consulted as a team about new initiatives and strategies. Numerous people pointed out that Joe often consults Marketing about a given strategy, makes a plan and then “informs” the rest of the staff. This top-down decision-making process seems to have lead to an abnormally powerful Marketing organization that has resulted
References: Block, P. (2000). Flawless consulting. San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Cummings, T.G. & Worley, C.G. (2001). Essentials of organization development and change. Cincinnati: South-Western College Publishing.