Richardon Timberplant
Group Case Study:
B. R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation
HRD 520
Spring 2010
Jordan Alkire, Erinn Hopkins, Jeff Joliffe,
Michelle Madsen & Tara Sherwin
May 12, 2010
Jack Lawler, a management trainer and consultant, was contacted by Richard Bowman, the industrial relations officer at B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation, in hopes of conducting a “motivation course” and improving morale within the plant. Lawler agreed to meet with Bowman and the company president, B.R. Richardson, to assess and diagnosis the lamination plant. Lawler found several problems that became evident after evaluating the plant. Motivation and morale were just two factors within the plant that needed to be changed. Lawler found that after visiting the plant, that this would be a much larger undertaking then what he had been originally led to believe. When Lawler visited B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation, he went through the initial steps in the OD process, entering and contracting. “They involve defining in a preliminary manner the organization’s problems or opportunities for development and establishing a collaborative relationship between the OD practitioner and members of the client system about how to work on these issues” (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 75). When arriving at the plant, Lawler first met with Richardson and Bowman to discuss the plant and share their thoughts and feelings. Lawler was then taken on a tour of the plant before leaving, and promised to write them a letter about the next steps that should be taken. When entering the plant, we believe that Lawler executed many of the proper steps. He sat down with the two gentlemen that had contacted him and discussed their feelings on the plant. Lawler then described to the client his methods for going about training and consulting; first he would diagnose the problem, then implement a training and action plan that was believed to be needed. Once leaving the plant, he wrote
B. R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation
HRD 520
Spring 2010
Jordan Alkire, Erinn Hopkins, Jeff Joliffe,
Michelle Madsen & Tara Sherwin
May 12, 2010
Jack Lawler, a management trainer and consultant, was contacted by Richard Bowman, the industrial relations officer at B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation, in hopes of conducting a “motivation course” and improving morale within the plant. Lawler agreed to meet with Bowman and the company president, B.R. Richardson, to assess and diagnosis the lamination plant. Lawler found several problems that became evident after evaluating the plant. Motivation and morale were just two factors within the plant that needed to be changed. Lawler found that after visiting the plant, that this would be a much larger undertaking then what he had been originally led to believe. When Lawler visited B.R. Richardson Timber Products Corporation, he went through the initial steps in the OD process, entering and contracting. “They involve defining in a preliminary manner the organization’s problems or opportunities for development and establishing a collaborative relationship between the OD practitioner and members of the client system about how to work on these issues” (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 75). When arriving at the plant, Lawler first met with Richardson and Bowman to discuss the plant and share their thoughts and feelings. Lawler was then taken on a tour of the plant before leaving, and promised to write them a letter about the next steps that should be taken. When entering the plant, we believe that Lawler executed many of the proper steps. He sat down with the two gentlemen that had contacted him and discussed their feelings on the plant. Lawler then described to the client his methods for going about training and consulting; first he would diagnose the problem, then implement a training and action plan that was believed to be needed. Once leaving the plant, he wrote
References: Cummings, T. G. & Worley, C. G. (2009). Organizational Development and Change, 9th ed. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Guss, E., & Miller, M. C. (2008, July). Ethics and generational differences: Interplay between values and ethical business decisions. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/Research/Articles/Articles/Pages/EthicsandGenerationalDifferences.aspx Jones, B.B. & Brazzel, M. (2006). The NTL Handbook of Organizational Development and Change. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. Ketter, P. (2008, January). The big deal about employee engagement. T+D Magazine. Retrieved from Business Resource Premier database. Workplace communication series part III: employee involvement. (2007, September). Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/Research/Articles/Articles/Pages/