C&S Wholesale Grocers: Organization Development and Change - Case Study Example

The paper "C&S Wholesale Grocers: Organization Development and Change" is a perfect example of a case study on management. The idea of “teamwork” has become a mantra in contemporary workplaces because of the perception that it enhances co-operation and information sharing. Most organizations are proactively seeking the best alternatives, like self-driven teams, to substitute their conventional business models in order to counter the ever-changing customer needs.

C&S Wholesale Grocers faces a busy season. There is excess manpower with rampant accidents. However, employees are working too many hours. Everyone feels frustrated and dejected. Consequently, cases of absenteeism are increasing jeopardizing production and quality. Rick Cohen (the President and CEO of C & S) is meditating on how to introduce self-managing teams in his warehouse to improve the situation. Chen’s main concern was whether the company’s current operations would ensure customer satisfaction. He hopes to mend the underlying problem of the company by implementing the concept of self-managed teams. However, his major worry is how to implement the idea in a labor-intensive unionized workplace (Cummings & Worley, 2009).

Cohen should assess the structure of the management of C & S to establish the extent of the fit of the teams in the organization. Self-managed teams would require a flat organizational structure that allows autonomy in the workplace. The tall organizational structure would render the teams ineffective.  The design of self-managed teams would demand a participative leadership approach where everyone would contribute equality towards the performance decisions of teams. The teams would portray a flat organizational structure with teams making decisions autonomously.  Transitioning to self-managed teams is an organizational change that would require effective change management skills.  C & S should implement the strategy after peak season to avoid disruption of its operations amidst a busy period. Cohen should adopt appropriate change management techniques to ensure the effective implementation of the new idea.