preview

Lj Summers Essay

Decent Essays

Green
Case Study Analysis: L. J. Summers Company
Problem
The problem in this case is L. J. Summers Company’s recently implemented cost reduction plan is causing degradation in the organization’s laissez-faire culture and has put the company at risk while challenging their competitive advantage. Furthermore, the inexperienced production manager (owner’s son, Blaine) is using his unearned power as an authoritarian leader to drive change. However, due to poor leader-follower relations, his management style is negatively influencing the synergies ultimately causing a decrease in group productivity and member satisfaction. In addition to causing turbulence between management and the employees, the cost reduction plan resulted in …show more content…

The Solution
The solution to the problem in this case is to develop a strategic plan that will modify the employee behavior, redefine the roles and responsibilities of management, and manage the organizational culture while reducing production costs and gaining a competitive advantage. The solution will require management to examine and modify the current leadership style. In addition, management should address the issue of valence within the motivation equation and establish well-defined goals that will enhance the employee’s perception of their role within the organization. Reformation to the overall morale and culture is critical in order to terminate the work stoppage, reduce costs, and get the shipments back on schedule.

Actions
The first step in driving the necessary change within the organization is to secure an outside consultant to serve as a change agent. The change agent will facilitate and guide the organizational development (OD) through process consultation intervention. In this process, it will be necessary to identify sources of resistance through Force field analysis. Once the sources are identified, one-on-one meetings and group meetings will be conducted to educate the employees on the changes and the reasons why change is necessary. This step will find the management team working to re-define the vision of the organization. As part of

Get Access