Virginia Department of Transportation - Admission/Application Essay Example

Introduction Philip Shucet, the newly hired commissioner of Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is currently assessing the organization’s status in line with prolific public outcry. Several days into his new position as commissioner, Shucet discovered problems in monitoring progress for various projects, public relations, and management and organizational problems, particularly in leadership, among others. A close examination of VDOT’s organizational chart revealed that there are eminent problems in accountability and even in scope of responsibilities. To complicate matters, VDOT has no system of measuring the successful completion of important projects confirming public scrutiny. Shucet is determined to address VDOT’s various dilemma to steer the organization into a productive team reversing the low public opinion generated by the past administration. In this regard, the case would be addressed by responding to the following concerns: a) Identify three management theories that you think would be applicable in managing VDOT and the impact this change might have on organizational behavior within VDOT. Justify your choices with examples. Shucet confirmed problems in accountabilities from the organizational chart of VDOT. The chart identified two deputy commissioners, under his helm, heading the whole department: one for project management and the other for administration and finance. With an organization of more than 10,000 employees, the organizational chart must be designed to identify responsibilities and accountabilities in order to measure accomplishments of tasks. For VDOT, delegating the major responsibilities and accountabilities to only two deputy commissioners would definitely create chaos and inefficiency in undertaking the required job. The classical or scientific theory is applicable in this case as it avers that “the oldest theory of management has a focus on efficiency and production. Evolved into classical organizational theory with the principals of chain of command, unity of command, span of control, specialization, and the use of a scalar chain or vertical levels of authority. The organizational design is bureaucracy. Accordingly, this type of structure facilitates large scale administration by coordinating the work of many personnel.” (Sullivan, n.d., pars. 2 & 10) Using this theory, VDOT being a complex organization with numerous personnel, needs a structure where work on personnel must be closely administered and monitored – more so – well accounted for to ensure efficiency and productive output. Aside from the two deputy commissioners tasked with managing the whole organization, various team leaders must be delegated and assigned at various activities or projects required to achieve the aims of the organization. For example, there must be separate heads for the various critical departments in VDOT such as for administration (or human resources), finance, accounting, engineering, information systems, among others. These department heads would be accountable for the performance of their respective departments. The department heads would assist in establishing the relationships that should exist in the organization – vertically within functions and horizontally between functions – paying particular attention to the need to integrate the work of related activities. For example, the head of the finance department must work in close coordination with the head of engineering, who would accurately provide budgets and forecasts for projects and cost estimates related to them. In this regard, theories on leadership must be applied to VDOT to give focus in direction, planning, organizing and control of respective activities in the organization. Leaders take action. They do not sit by idly. While others talk and complain about problems, leaders work to solve them. They do what has to be done. They define goals for their respective departments and eliminate barriers to performance. If, for instance, there are bureaucratic rules that strangle the performance of people, leaders move to abolish such rules, or otherwise, change them to their advantage. They understand that nothing gets done until people can perform well. The path-goal theory of leadership is an action-oriented approach to leadership effectiveness. It defines what functions a leader has to perform and what roles he has to play in order to achieve group goals. It states that a leader has two main functions: to set goals with subordinates; and, to find paths and clear them so that goals may be accomplished. As explained by Robert House, the path-goal model is based on various motivational theories, particularly the expectancy theory of motivation. The model suggests that leader behavior increases the motivation of subordinates to the extent that this behavior: (1) makes the satisfaction of the needs of subordinates dependent on effective performance, and (2) improves the subordinates work situation through various use of rewards, support, guidance, and coaching (Value Based Management, 2009, 1). This is a relevant theory that needs application at VDOT. The department heads must first define departmental goals, in conjunction with organizational goals. Then, together with the team or group within his department, they should work out ways to achieve the identified goals. For example, for specific projects, project leaders must clearly define the time frame for the completion of a project under his jurisdiction. Everything about the project – from budgets (cost and revenues) to implementation on a per phase basis, must be undertaken and monitored with care and accountability. Suggestions from the team must be solicited in initiating the most efficient way to complete the project assigned. Those members who could suggest ways to facilitate completion at the least possible cost should be acknowledged and rewarded to motivate them to perform well in future projects. Finally, the theories of motivation especially on group behavior should be considered to improve the performance of VDOT’s personnel. As noted, although out in the field there was lots of camaraderie and teamwork, as one goes up the organizational ladder, there is lesser interaction and communication among business units within the organization. In addition, Shucet found many skilled and capable individuals not working together as a team. Leaders must therefore identify factors that could contribute to increasing cohesiveness and teambuilding. High group cohesiveness may result in either high or low levels of group performance. At VDOT, the forces working towards the achievement of group goals are not efficient because there is no way that these goals are successfully measured. Whenever Shucet asks for progress reports, no one can give him accurate information on the matter. Therefore, the lack of system in monitoring progress could contribute to a lack of motivation on the part of the workers in identifying what they have achieved so far. b) Explain how VDOT has reacted to the six challenges that face managers in the 21st century and evaluate its impact on VDOT's effectiveness. Considering that the six challenges are communication and interpersonal skills, an ethical or spiritual orientation, the ability to manage change, the ability to motivate, analytic and problem solving skills, and being a strategic/visionary manager, VDOT management (before Shucet) appears to be lacking in application of most of these challenges. The fact that the public outcry emphasizes the need for VDOT to implement major renovation attests to the need to be more responsive to changes in the environment to incorporate the needed changes in leadership, organizational structure, motivation techniques, the ability to discern and solve DVOT’s problems systematically with the assistance of a strategic and visionary manager – hopefully under the helm of Shucet. c) What factors operate in the VDOT's general and specific environment and what impact did this have on the VDOT's effectiveness? VDOT’s internal environment manifested an unstructured and informal policy on hiring and recruitment which contributed to a chaotic system. The organization experienced hiring whomever they could (those willing to learn) to people who lacked experience forced into positions they were not yet qualified to assume. Further, their system on training and development is also unstructured leaving some people behind in experience and qualifications, while training some to the point of competence even without due license. When retirement age comes, due to lack of training for those next in line, the younger recruits were not prepared to assume the positions left by veterans. To complicate matters, their organizational structure is inefficient in pinpointing leaders who must be accountable for goals to be achieved. In so doing, the progress of projects is not even monitored – thereby no measurement of achievement was ever established. This contributes to low morale and further lowers productivity as employees are not motivated to work when goals are not even achieved. The external environment of VDOT is always influenced by politics and the public’s opinion. Aside from creating confusion and staggered level of productivity and performance, these factors lowers the morale of their personnel contributing to low levels of performance. d) As a result of your environmental analysis, what would you prioritize for your long-term, mid-term, and short-term goals? Why? For short-term goals, as the problems were identified, it is important to re-organize the organizational structure to assign appropriate leaders in respective critical departments of VDOT. Concurrent with this is the identification of specific organizational goals for the whole VDOT to be a guiding path for direction. The vision and mission of VDOT must be explicitly clear to all personnel, especially to the leaders who would be tasked to achieve them. With good leaders assigned in each department, progress of projects would therefore be immediately assessed and completion would be scheduled, as required. The mid-term goals would be to design an organizational structure of policies and procedures in all aspects of operations and in all departments of the organizations. These should include policies on human resources management such as recruitment, placement, training, development and career planning. Policies on rewards and punishments should also be designed. Punishments should be incorporated in the organization’s code of discipline to address issues of absenteeism, tardiness, insubordination, and the like. The long-term goals would be planning for projects which would generate revenues for VDOT and which would be completed on time. By making accurate budgets and forecasts, VDOT would regain the confidence of the public in divulging accurate and honest information which is consistent with policies on corporate responsibility and concern for the welfare of the community, in general. e) What other strategic/tactical and operational places would you need to consider? Why? Updates on demographical factors on pertinent data relating to transportation in Virginia is always a consideration. Information on licensed drivers, vehicles registered and miles driven should be regularly monitored and updated to update strategies and policies affected by any drastic changes in these factors. It is also important to look into causes of accidents and ways to address them. Thereby, it could be helpful to work closely with the local police to provide data on road accidents, the frequency, causes, and other pertinent data that VDOT can use for future strategical approaches. f) What motivational theory can you use to explain Shucet's reasons for taking the job? From the information about Shucet, it can be deduced that he is a highly achievement oriented person as exemplified by his moving into various leadership positions in his past employment. He is a risk taker and is challenged by new ventures, despite having great business success in the private sectors. Then again, challenges shown in VDOT lured him into accepting this position. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is operational in Shucet’s behavior. Having satisfied his lower level needs, they cease to act as motivators; thereby, he seeks greater challenges to satisfy his higher order needs such as esteem and status and eventually, self-actualization and fulfillment. g) Identify the motivational problems existing at VDOT and provide suggestions on how Shucet should motivate employees to action by using four motivational theories (1 from content theories, 1 from process theories, 1 from reinforcement theories, and 1 from job enrichment theories). It is apparent that VDOT management did not employ any motivational theories to put their personnel into action towards the achievement of organizational goals. For one, the needs of their personnel were not in any way identified by designated leaders to get them to achieve the goals. Content theory stipulates identification of the needs of the subordinates (physiological, security, social needs, self-respect, and self-actualization). Shucet must designate department leaders, define goals, identify motivational needs and acknowledge them accordingly. When employees are able to achieve goals or even exceeded targets, they must be rewarded and acknowledged accordingly. Concurrent with content theory, through identification of goals and needs, the designated leaders must reward exemplary performance of their personnel through merits, incentives (bonuses and awards), or promotions. Reinforcement theory requires Shucet to focus on the working environment at VDOT. Aside from changing the organizational structure, Shucet must include in his budget the repair and improvement of VDOT’s internal premises to uplift the working condition of the personnel. Finally, the job enrichment theory can be enforced by Shucet through a review and assessment of each personnel’s job responsibilities. A thorough assessment would solicit information on skills variety, task identity and significance, and any need for change. He must seek appropriate information from the leaders and the personnel themselves to determine the actual tasks versus that stipulated in their job responsibilities. Leaders must then align and restructure job responsibilities to incorporate the abovementioned factors to assess how each employee works to achieve departmental and organizational goals. It is also necessary to design performance evaluation to measure the rate accomplishment of tasks of each personnel versus goals. Those found to excel must be rewarded accordingly. Conclusion The future of VDOT does not lie solely on Shucet’s ability to lead and make the necessary changes for the organization. Leaders are concerned with the creation of an environment for performance. They integrate tasks, structure, technology, resources, and people into a productive configuration. They achieve goals through the efforts of other people. They have to influence the behavior of other people in order to get things done. Leaders are assigned and employed to do their tasks. Systems are installed to implement the necessary changes. However, when a gap still exists between knowing and implementing the solution, the top honcho should take the helm and assume responsibility in decision making. The effectiveness of leadership skills is a matter of goal accomplishment. References Sullivan, M. (n.d.) Organizational Theory and Design. Retrieved 12 March 2010. Value Based Management. (2009). Path-Goal Theory Robert House. Retrieved 13 March 2010. < http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_path_goal_theory.html> Yemen, G. & Clawson, J.G. (2005). Virginia Department of Transportation: Trying to Keep Virginia Moving (A). University of Virginia Darden School Foundation, Charlottesville, VA. Read More