Harris 1
Antoine Harris
OL 500
March 4, 2021
Final Project Milestone 1
Engstrom Auto Mirror plant is a company in Richmond, Indiana that manufactures
mirrors for trucks and automobiles. Engstrom Auto Mirror initially saw much success, but
became unprofitable with time. The decline in profitability initially stemmed from management
which is one of Engstrom's root issues. Engstrom was updating its production line in order to
incorporate new technology. Management at the time lacked technological ability which made
for a difficult transition period. Production delays became increasingly long which resulted in a
customer disconnect. Ron Bent became the new manager and wanted to implement a worker
incentive program. Bent liked the idea of implementing a Scanlon Plan which reinforces
teamwork and cooperation across work groups. He believed a Scanlon Plan would make people
more receptive to new methods and machinery. This plan initially saw success, but shifted to
dissatisfaction over time and became another critical root issue. An industry downturn made
trouble worse, as people were laid off and bonuses were postponed. Engstrom implemented a
new plan to adjust to its new technological shift, but this ultimately hindered labor-management
relations.
In order to critically review and analyze Engstrom Auto Mirror these are the following
steps I plan to take:
Harris 2
A. Initially, I plan to identify the root issues within Engstrom and then use research supported
evidence to explain these root causes from a human behavior perspective. I will then look at
how human behavior theories and concepts can be poorly implemented into an organization.
B. I will then develop suggestions for Engstrom to take in order to improve on their
organizational issues. These suggestions will be backed by research supported evidence. I
will also prepare a strategic plan for Engstrom to be proactive in leading the company in the
right direction
C. I will then discuss organizational issues that I have personally experienced and analyze these
from a human behavior perspective using research supported evidence. I will further discuss
how human behavior theories have been poorly implemented in my experience and the
impact they have had. I will then develop improvement outcomes and strategic actions that
could be taken to correct these organizational issues and move forward
D. Finally, I will summarize the analysis of Engstrom, as well as the insights I have gained for
the practical application of human behavior theories and concepts to my personal
experiences in the workplace.