Who Need Teams
Inside the Motorola’s glistening telecommunications components and equipment plant in Penang, Malaysia, the atmosphere resembles a high school sports department. Groups shots of exuberant Malaysian productions workers, charts with performance statistics, and moral-boosting slogan line the walls. A trophy case is filled with awards hauled back from quality competitions across the United States and Asia by teams with names like Orient Express and Road Runners. The messages are hammered home: We are a family. This is your company. Everyone marches in the same direction. In productivity, quality and innovation, the Penang plant is regarded as one of the best withing Motorola’s Land Mobile Division. The plant’s quality centered program relies in part on recommendations received from workers. Employees submit thousands of suggestions for improving operations, which results in significant savings. Motorola is struggling to duplicate Penang’s success at its cellular phone factory in Plantation, Florida. At the Plantation plant, which makes products similar to those in Penang, managers are trying to get employees at all levels to forget narrow job titles and work together in teams to identify and act on problems that hinder quality and productivity. To facilitate the team concept, managers screen new applicants on the basis of their attitudes toward teamwork. In addition, the Plantation plant now displays list of star teams; and managers hand out rewards ranging from “golden attitude” pins to cash bonuses for good ideas.Nevertheless, getting the Plantation workers to match the Malaysians’ enthusiasm has not been easy. “The whole plant in Penang had this craving for learning,” says Jerry Mysliwiec, director os manufacturing in Plantation, who spend three years in Penang.”People in the U.S. are less trusting and believing. For example when a Plantation team member shut down a production line because of defective radio parts workers watched to see what would happen. To their surprise, she was handed a $50 reward and an “attitude” pin. Despite this respond from management, one ten-year Motorola veteran was not impressed. “I view this all as a headache, “she said, “I don’t even want to came to work.”
what reasons can you cite for the difference in team success at the Penang and Plantation plants?
2. What causes of conflict between Motorola management and he workers at the Plantation plant can you identify? Explain your answer.
3. What recommendation to resolve the conflict and help the transition would you make to managers at the Plantation plant? Explain your answer.
Solution PreviewThe employee teams in Penang are highly motivated to perform their daily work activities thus intensifies creativity and innovation. Nevertheless, their motivation is not based on the bonuses or compensation…
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