Mgt322-0701a-07: Concepts In Organizational Behavior

Unit 5 Individual Project 1

Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Class

MGT322-0701A-07: Concepts in Organizational Behavior

By

Robin L McDowell

AIU Online

12, March 2007

.Introduction

In the following document I will be addressing the subsequent topics in relation to the FMC plants at Aberdeen and Green River:

The Management Ability

The Organizational Commitment

Job Satisfaction

Organizational Ethics. Job Design and Goal Setting

Performance Appraisal

Pay

Carrier Development

Groups and Team Work

Leadership

Communications

Organizational Structure

Organizational Culture

Organizational Change

Organization Development

I will explain how each of these topics is relative to the two FMC locations, as well as the distinct differences in how each location reaches these goals. Then I will close with recommendations on how to improve on the goals already in place.

Background

The two companies that will be the focus of this report is two locations for FMC a Chicago based conglomerate. (Clawson, 2005) FMC's products range from chemicals for industrial and performance use, to defense systems and precious metals. The Aberdeen plant builds canisters that house the missiles used by the US Navy. (Clawson, 2005) Aberdeen's style of management is self management; the employees are encouraged to make managerial decisions and are told they are directly responsible for the success or failure of the plant. (Clawson, 2005) The Green River facility is a mine which produces trona ore. Trona ore is a combination of bicarbonate of soda and soda ash which is used to make such products as toothpaste, glass, paper, soaps and detergents, to treat water for domestic use and to manufacture numerous chemicals are just a few uses. (Rock and Mineral Uses, 2007). The Green River mine unlike the Aberdeen plant has the Union deeply imbedded in its operation which dictates how it is managed. (Clawson, 2005)

Analysis

The management abilities of both the Aberdeen and the Green River facilities are completely different styles of management. The Aberdeen facility has adopted the self management style which allows each employee have the control and power of a management level employee. On the other hand the Green River facility is unable to operate under this type of style due to the Union being deeply entrenched in its facility. The management of the Aberdeen facility is deeply entwined in both the professional and personal lives of the hourly employee; while the management at the Green River facility is kept apart from their hourly employees. This type of management style does not promote a productive or positive atmosphere with in the facility, but rather it is a breeding ground for distrust and a negative atmosphere. The Aberdeen facility however is a perfect example of how upper management has not only nurtured but fostered a positive relationship with its employees that has in turn created a positive and productive atmosphere.

At the Aberdeen facility its organizational commitment to its employees is one to admire. The plant manager Roger Campbell has made it his personal business to ensure that he develops and maintains a commitment to his hourly employees to the extent that he regularly puts on his cover alls and goes into the plant to do what ever job needs to be done. (Clawson, 2005) The management at the Green River facility is kept at bay from the day to day tasks: the union makes it difficult at best for the management to interact on a daily basis with the hourly employee. (Clawson, 2005) Therefore the organizational commitment to the employee is far from perfect.

Job satisfaction is one to be admired at the Aberdeen facility; the employees make it their personal obligation to ensure that every container leaving their facility is in tip top shape. For example when the USN sent in some old containers for repairs, even stating that there was not a need for cleaning because they were slated to be destroyed in a training mission, the Aberdeen employees refused to let them leave until there were clean. (Clawson, 2005) The employee's at the Green River facility do their job for the pay, not job satisfaction. The Aberdeen facility has little to no turn over and the Green River facility is currently working on a reduced work force even though they are the highest paid facility among all FMC employees. (Clawson, 2005)

The organizational ethics at the Aberdeen facility are demonstrated by the commitment to their customers, by the commitment the management demonstrates to their hourly employees, and by the commitment the hourly employees demonstrates to their management. This type of ethical behavior is not witnessed at the Green River facility: the management and hourly employees do not have a commitment to the other that goes above what is expected of them. Further proof of the ethical differences between the two facilities is in the area of conflict resolution. Aberdeen chooses to handle employee conflicts and performance issues in a group setting that is handled in a professional, non accusatory manner. (Clawson, 2005) In comparison the Green River facility still handles such problems in an isolated, accusatory setting. (Clawson, 2005)

Job design is the linking of job tasks and compiling procedures, techniques, or equipment needed to perform tasks such as the Aberdeen facility practices. (George and Jones, 2005) The Green River Facilities isolated work stations and the by laws of the union are two of the biggest differences between the two facilities. (Clawson, 2005) The Union by laws makes it impossible to have the job design that Aberdeen has adopted.

Setting goals