Analysis of Working Relations between Colleagues in Precision Products - Case Study Example

Topic: Business Studies, Working in Organisation The Case Study - Precision Products PLC July 28, 2006 John Boyle, the production manager atPrecision Products PLC, a large manufacturing firm, chose Fred Burroughs, a recent college graduate with a degree in production engineering, to become a management trainee believing that he could be a valuable asset to the company in the future. Boyle soon hoped to promote Fred to a supervisory position within the company as a foreman was soon due to retire. Despite Fred's college degree, Boyle knew he lacked the necessary experience required to become a supervisor. Further, Boyle realized that, before he could promote Fred, he needed him to spend six months "working alongside" and learning with an experienced supervisor within the company. As a result, Boyle placed Fred with Eric Brown. He was a seasoned foreman and experienced production supervisor who had been with the company since he "left school" at the age of sixteen. Eric and Fred began working together with Eric training him to become a supervisor, and Fred attempting to learn the company and ways in which he could effectively manage its employees. Moreover, as time progressed, and Eric and Fred worked more together, it became apparent, especially to Boyle, that the two employees did not work well together. In addition, Boyle knew that, if Eric and Fred were not working well together, they were not learning together either, and Fred was not learning to be an effective supervisor. Eric and Fred perceived each other to be ignorant, incompetent individuals who both lacked the intelligence and skill regarding the company's welfare. They were very disagreeable concerning the supervisory measures, and they did not favor the other's opinion. Eric was a seasoned employee in his mid-50s and, having been with the company since the age of sixteen, he had earned his current position of foreman, working his way up through the "ends and outs" of the company. Further, since Eric had left school at sixteen, he did not have a formal education. Nevertheless, he has the experience and respect of his employees. Therefore, Eric resented Fred for being able to be hired into the company with his college degree and little to no experience. Equally important, Fred was directly hired as a management trainee which meant that he would soon be promoted to a supervisory position. He didn't have to work his way up through the company as Eric had done. As a result, Eric did not believe that the company's generous treatment to Fred was fair and adequate, especially since he had to earn his position over time. Eric seems to be a fair, hard-working employee that is very competent and capable of performing his job to the best of his abilities. Still, Eric does not appreciate the company's generous treatment to Fred simply because he has a college degree. He does not want to believe that, someday, he could possibly be "booted out" of the company in which he has worked so hard simply because his ideas and work ethics are not up-to-date and not "based on some obscure piece of theory." On the other hand, Fred, similarly, perceives Eric as an aged, overworked employee who will not be accepting to an employee of the younger generation. He believes that Eric does not trust him to perform well and supervise other employees while on the job. Since Fred does have a college degree, it is possible that he perceives himself to be better than Eric on some level, particularly regarding knowledge. According to Dan Hupp, president of the Pittsburgh Human Resource Planning Society and owner of his own consulting firm, one of the main issues encountered within the present workforce is the "generational issue," as stated in "Younger bosses older employees vs. younger bosses vs. older employees" by Johnna A. Pro. Hupp believes that it's important for the younger generation to realize the importance of the older employees. He states that, "[The older employees] have an institutional knowledge and technical knowledge that younger people don't have." Additionally, similar to Fred, college graduates, oftentimes, neglect the necessity of work experience when entering the work force such as happens between Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) and Carter Duryea (Topher Grace) in the Universal Pictures' comedy, "In Good Company." As a result, they can find themselves attempting to compete for jobs in which they do not have the capabilities of performing. Boyle wanted to promote Eric to a supervisory position as a foreman in another department of the company would, soon, be retiring. So, Boyle seek Eric's advice on whether Fred should be promoted to the supervisor's position. He believed that "Fred's knowledge and technical ability were good, but in his opinion, Fred was not and never would be suitable for a supervisory job." As a result of Eric's response, Boyle believed that he needed to meet separately with Eric and Fred. He wanted to decide whether he should promote Fred to the supervisor's position and whether to accept or reject Eric's opinion of his work performance. More than likely, Eric had reached these conclusions about Fred because he has, probably, been discriminated against by another younger, educated employee. That employee probably attempted to discredit Eric and his abilities to perform his job based simply on the fact that he did not have a formal education. Additionally, Eric has probably reached these conclusions about Fred because he doesn't want other management employees to, someday, perceive him to not be beneficial to the company. Eric, most likely, figures that, if he discounts Fred's abilities now, there will not be further risk in the future of him losing, being laid-off or being fired from his job. Despite his feelings, though, Eric will need to learn that change is good for the company, and, eventually, he will need accept it as stated within "How to Supervise People: Techniques for Getting Results through Others by Donald P. Ladew. On the other hand, Fred has probably arrived at his conclusions about Eric because he, too, has probably been discriminated against by older workers who worked for companies with which he has previously worked. Fred has, more than likely, already experienced the ridicule of older employees because he didn't have the experience or years on the job of which they already had. Also, Fred probably has concluded that Eric doesn't want to give him an opportunity at the supervisory position because he will not allow him to supervise employees properly during his training. Eric will not allow Fred to gain any "direct supervisory experience." Further, Fred stated the following: "Mr. Brown seemed to make up his mind after a few days that I could not be trusted to deal with other people, and so it's very rare that I am allowed to exercise any supervision." However, Eric could have sensed that Fred had a negative attitude towards his position. After all, Fred did state the following during his meeting with Boyle: "I have no doubt about my own abilities to supervise other people, and so far as the people on the shop floor are concerned, I try to treat them as human beings and enjoy a joke with them; for example, when they joke about the say I dress." Eric could have, possibly, sensed Fred's negative attitude in addition to his arrogance, and conceitedness as included within his statement. As a result, he might not have felt comfortable having Eric work with other employees when he, himself, had such a negative attitude. However, older workers usually have a better attitude towards their work and employers according to "Many U.S. Employee Have Negative Attitudes To Their Jobs, Employers, and Top Managers: Attitudes More Positive in Small vs. Large Organizations; More Positive Among Older than Younger Workers" submitted from PRNewswire. Subsequently, Eric's perceptions have led to the problems and errors that can arise in perceiving other people. For example: Eric initially believed that Fred could not perform well on the job. As a result, he stated to Boyle that Fred "never would be suitable of performing for a supervisory job." At the same time, another supervisory position would be arising soon in a different department because the supervisor would be leaving. Boyle, being aware of the potential opening, wanted to promote Fred to the supervisory position; however, because of Eric's remarks towards Fred's performance, he is reluctant of promoting Fred. As a result of Eric's perceptions, Precision Products PLC could possibly lose the opportunity of promoting a management trainee to a supervisory position that could further advance their company in the future. Eric's perceptions could have cost the company money in the terms of ideas and potential that Fred could have brought to the company. Boyle should view more of Eric's history and past performance with younger, management trainees who have had college degrees before he accepts or rejects Eric's recommendation to not appoint Fred to a supervisory position. Eric could be prejudiced against younger employees who are accepted into the company with college degrees and little to no experience because of his own lack of education. Further, Boyle should find out whether Eric has been placed to train with other management trainees. He should interview them and find out whether they had any problems with Eric. What was their opinion of him, and did he have a negative opinion of them Did he allow them to supervise other employees Did they learn about the supervising of employees from him Did they ever feel discriminated against by Eric because of their education Another possibility is that Eric might not only be prejudiced against younger, educated management trainees directly hired into the company from university, but management trainees who are directly hired into the company without having to start at a lower position with which he had to start. Eric could simply be prejudiced against employees who are given easier breaks in obtaining the position in which he had to worked so hard to obtain. In conclusion, Boyle should, most definitely, find out whether there were other management trainees within the company with which Eric was placed. He should interview them to find out their opinions of Eric, but, most importantly, his opinions of them. Lastly, were they all educated, or were they simply hired at a supervisory level without having to start at a lower position within the company WORKS CITED: "In Good Company." Dir. Paul Weitz. Perf. Dennis Quaid, Scarlett Johansson and Topher Grace. Universal Pictures, 2005. Ladew, Donald P. "How to Supervise People: Techniques for Getting Results through Others." New Jersey: Career Press, 1998. PRNewswire. "Many U.S. Employee Have Negative Attitudes to Their Jobs, Employers and Top Managers: Attitudes More Positive in Small vs. Large Organizations; More Positive Among Older than Younger Workers" Pro, Johnna A. "Young bosses older employees vs. young bosses vs. older employees: Conflicts involving experience, resentments, and management style are in good company." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 16 Jan. 2005, post-gazette.com (Lifestyle Section.) http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05016/441893.stm (Accessed 28 July 2006) Rollinson, D. "Organisational Behaviour and Analysis." Chapter 4: Perception. Additional Case Study: Case Study 4.3. - BUSI 1067 Working in Organisations Resit Coursework http://wps.pearsoned.co.uk/ema_uk_he_rollinson_orgbehav_3/0,10256,1868838-,00.html (Accessed 28 July 2006) Read More