Michael LaRosa Southern New Hampshire University OL-500 Human Behavior in Organization 4-1 Final Project Milestone Two: Root Cause Case Study Analysis 02/15/2020
In reading the case study, Engstrom Auto Mirror Plant: Motivating in Good Times and
Bad, it is apparent that many of the problems within the organization stem from issues that are
directly correlated to human behavior. Such human behavior has led to decreased productivity
levels which in turn has led to decreased company profits and even the threat of the plant closing.
One basic aspect of human behavior is communication. Communication, in its simplest
definition, is the exchange of information. As it pertains to the downfall in production at
Engstrom, one might wonder if the communication between senior management and the
employees were adequate, I don't feel that it was. For example, Joe Haley Assistant, said to Ron
Bent Plant Manager, "Ron, we both know the employees have been complaining for months, but
yesterday and today the talk has been pretty hostile. I'm not saying there's a definite connection
between nearly late delivery and the grumbling I heard, but you've got to wonder." (Newstrom,
2014) This statement corroborates my theory that there is a communication problem because in
the case study, there seemed to be very little, if any, communication between the employees at
the Engstrom Auto Mirror Plant and members of upper management. My recommendation in this
instance would be to hold a mandatory meeting where all employees, including management.
could voice their concerns. The intention behind this meeting would be to come to a conclusion
on how to proceed moving forward. Furthermore, I would suggest that there be ongoing
meetings, on a monthly basis, to keep the lines of communication open. This will also help to
ensure that all employees have the opportunity to have their voices heard which will make
employees feel more valued and will result in higher levels of productivity.
Another issue within organizations, including the Engstrom Mirror Auto Plant, is the lack
of direction. I am a firm believer in that there is a difference between managers and leaders. To
me, it is easy for a manager to say to a subordinate "go do this" or "go do that". A leader is one
who communicated effectively and has the full faith and respect of those under his or her
command. A leader leads by example and will personally show their subordinates how to
perform a task. As it pertains to Engstron, the case study is not clear what management did to
provide clear direction when times got bad. This is evident in the slumping sales and decreased
levels of productivity. Many organizations go through periods of slumping sales and low
employee morale. In the end, what matters is how that very organization was able to overcome
such adversity. Employees need solid direction to grow and progress within the organization.
(Stephenson, 2014)
When Engstrom experienced their initial downfall, employee morale got
to such a low because management at the time was clueless o