How Successful Do You Think Helen Bowers New Plan Will Be? Management Case Study

The new plan that Helen Bowers has chosen for the management of the company is headed for failure. Helen has prioritized optimization of the companys output through severe work rates, strict regulations and compliance of a particular set of behaviors. Helen has declined to involve various key stakeholders (employees) on vital decisions regarding the strategies she has adopted in the implementation of her new plan. Helen has overlooked the need of approaching her employees to negotiate on the models that should be applied in the workforce to increase the companys productivity. According to Helen, the company ought to change its operational strategies to improve its chances of competing internationally with Japanese firms.

Helen managerial approach is detrimental to the creation of a successful corporate culture which is vital in the elevation of a company globally. From the day Helen took over, she practiced a philosophy to achieve her goals. For example, she increased production quotas by 20%. Helen instructed her first-line supervisors to crack down on employees and eliminate all idle time. She also decided to shut down the companys softball field, under the assumption that the employees did not use it much. Helen did all these without consulting with her employees, who are key agents of change. She assumed the role of a boss who ignored the importance of listening to the advice and opinions of the workers. This implies that her new plan was headed for failure since her model of leadership she adopted did little to maximize the potential of the companys workforce.

Helens new plan for the company does not support the implementation of mechanisms to improve employees performances. She scraps off the appraisal system that had been introduced by her father. For example, Helen announced that future contributions to the firms profit-sharing plan would be phased out. She claimed that employees were paid enough, and that all profits were her rightful property. She also had private plans to cut future pay increases to bring average wages down to where she thought they belonged. Such moves indicate that Helen did not value the role played by incentives in boosting the productivity of the employees. Effective appraisal and reward systems usually motivate workers, prompting them to perform at high levels. Incentives also facilitate the establishment of a loyal and effective workforce. Eradication of these practices under Helens new plans indicated that failure was imminent for her administration.

According to my assessment, Helen Bowers new plan will not be successful. Her strategies will plunge the company into the managerial crises stemming from employees dissatisfactions and demotivation, which is detrimental to the firms performance levels. For instance, Whenever Helen walked through one of the plants, she sensed that people werent doing their best. Performance reports indicated that output was only marginally higher than before, but scrap rates had soared. Payroll costs were indeed lower, but other personnel costs were up. It seemed that turnover had increased substantially and training costs had gone up as a result. It is imperative for Helen to consider abandoning her new plan and reinstate some policies previously implemented under her fathers administration.

If you were Helens Consultant, what Would you Advise Her to Do?

Given a chance to be Helens consultant, I would help her understand how to maximize the companys profits without disrupting the productivity of workflow of the employees. It is apparent that the firm is in need of improving its profitability, amidst the period of transition. Through her new plans, Helen has embarked on implementing unpopular strategies which can hamper the performance levels of the company. I will convince her to abandon her new plan and consider reinstating some of the policies adopted by her fathers administration.

I will advise her to focus on rectifying the companys appraisal and rewarding system, with the focus being on measures that can improve organizations productivity or outcome through a motivated and energized workforce. I will request for retraction on the policy that advocates for phasing out of contributions to the firms profit-sharing plan. The efforts of the employees need to be recognized and appreciated. This can be facilitated through improved remuneration and compensation programs which will see the pay of high-performing workers increased annually. As a way of upgrading the companys workforce, Helen should introduce training program which will ensure the firm has the personnel with appropriate skills and knowledge on global production, ultimately being in a position to compete with Japanese companies.

Helen should prioritize on establishing conducive working conditions which will boost employees working morale. The current environment does not support the companys pursuit of growing its declining productivity levels. She should develop a suitable schedule and shifts which do not drain the efforts of workers. Helen needs to apply a consultative leadership approach which will allow her to seek opinions and advice from the staff members. This will make employees embrace and support the companys restructuring programs aimed at increasing its profitability. Such approaches will also help Helen create a motivated workforce, thus avoiding expenses arising from high turnover.