Global Giant Corporation case analysis

GLOBAL GIANT CORPO

RATION

Global Giant Corporation is

experiencing cultural, class and language issues in one of its

manufacturing divisions. The plant's production schedule, quality goals and return rate goals

are

decreasing

.

Employee

m

orale and engagement

are

suffering due to stress and recent plant

closings. The plant manager

, Alfredo,

and Human Resources

Manager, Aliya,

decided to address

the issues facing the plant and employees.

Aliya and her HR team researched

the current plant situation by interviewing

plant executives,

and plant managers

and supervisors

and by conducting employee focus groups.

Some of the

information gathered was about manufacturing procedures and challenges. However, the

interview team also asked in depth questions about how managers/

supervisors shared

information, gave direction, supported employee training and develop and assessed employee

performance. Employees were asked about how well teams worked together and challenges

and issues they faced every day in the workplace.

Here are

some of the results of the HR team’s meetings, interviews and focus groups.

Plant executives (mostly men who had 25+ years of experience) couldn’t understand why there

was a decline in productivity and employee morale and motivation

–

the functionality of

the

manufacturing process hadn’t really changed.

Managers and supervisors were mostly employees who had moved up in the organization.

They have worked hard and many have earned college degrees since they began with Global.

Over the past 15 years, more fe

males had been promoted to these positions. While most of

the managers and supervisors were married and had school age students, the women were

perceived to be less committed to their work because of children or family commitments.

Global Giant’s manufact

uring divisions operate around the world. This particular division is

located in Europe. Over the past 10 years, immigrants from Africa and Asia have become a

larger and larger part of the Global Giant workforce as the European employees have become

olde

r and retire

. These new citizens now make up 65% of Global Giant’s workforce.

Most of these newer employees have graduated from high school in their native countries.

Nearly all speak

their new

European

language

as a second language. Because they are new to

Europe, these

newer employees are unfamiliar with Europe’s traditions etc. They are more

comfortable with their own social and cultural traditions and expectations.

You have been hired

by the Plant Manager

as

a consultant

to

recommend and

assist in the

implement

a

tion of

changes within the company that will improve employee morale and return

Glo

bal Giant Corpor

ation

to

its

previous

levels of achieving

their organizational goals.

GLOBAL GIANT CORPORATION

Global Giant Corporation is experiencing cultural, class and language issues in one of its

manufacturing divisions. The plant's production schedule, quality goals and return rate goals

are decreasing. Employee morale and engagement are suffering due to stress and recent plant

closings. The plant manager, Alfredo, and Human Resources Manager, Aliya, decided to address

the issues facing the plant and employees.

Aliya and her HR team researched the current plant situation by interviewing plant executives,

and plant managers and supervisors and by conducting employee focus groups. Some of the

information gathered was about manufacturing procedures and challenges. However, the

interview team also asked in depth questions about how managers/supervisors shared

information, gave direction, supported employee training and develop and assessed employee

performance. Employees were asked about how well teams worked together and challenges

and issues they faced every day in the workplace.

Here are some of the results of the HR team’s meetings, interviews and focus groups.

Plant executives (mostly men who had 25+ years of experience) couldn’t understand why there

was a decline in productivity and employee morale and motivation – the functionality of the

manufacturing process hadn’t really changed.

Managers and supervisors were mostly employees who had moved up in the organization.

They have worked hard and many have earned college degrees since they began with Global.

Over the past 15 years, more females had been promoted to these positions. While most of

the managers and supervisors were married and had school age students, the women were

perceived to be less committed to their work because of children or family commitments.

Global Giant’s manufacturing divisions operate around the world. This particular division is

located in Europe. Over the past 10 years, immigrants from Africa and Asia have become a

larger and larger part of the Global Giant workforce as the European employees have become

older and retire. These new citizens now make up 65% of Global Giant’s workforce.

Most of these newer employees have graduated from high school in their native countries.

Nearly all speak their new European language as a second language. Because they are new to

Europe, these newer employees are unfamiliar with Europe’s traditions etc. They are more

comfortable with their own social and cultural traditions and expectations.

You have been hired by the Plant Manager as a consultant to recommend and assist in the

implementation of changes within the company that will improve employee morale and return

Global Giant Corporation to its previous levels of achieving their organizational goals.