Raytheon Company

Integrative Case Analysis

Student’s Name

Institution

Integrative Case Analysis

Executive summary

As the HR manager at Raytheon Company, my duties are training, recruiting and helping in career development. The above task calls for an understanding of the employees: both issues that motivate them and those that discourage them from realizing their best at the workplace. This paper thus addresses some of these concerns in regards to Raytheon Company with an attempt of helping the employees increase productivity while addressing some of the work-related issues that may hinder them. This paper will, therefore, discuss three human relations theory: Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management, Maslow’s theory of human needs and McGregor’s theory X and Y. Also, the paper will also talk about communication, ethical, and intercultural issues that exist in the workplace concerning the case of Raytheon Company.

Introduction

The Raytheon Company is a major technology-based defense contractor within the USA (Crude, 2016). The company’s primary manufacturing concentration is commercial electronics, military, and weapons. Raytheon Company boasts of being the world’s largest manufacturer of guided missiles (Crude, 2016). The company has a vertical organizational structure, this structure where at the top of the business is the company president and each subsequent division comprises of supervisors and middle management responsible for other departments.

Below is Raytheon Company Organizational Chart:

Human Relation Theory

Human relation theory addresses different support structures that employees in an organization want to be associated with to perform optimally. The theory suggests that employees need to be encouraged as well as receive particular attention to increasing productivity. Therefore, if employees receive special attention and are invited to participate, they perceive. The following three human relation theory will be discussed in this paper concerning Raytheon Company

Taylor, Theory of Scientific Management

In this theory, Taylor suggests that for employee’s in Raytheon Company to perform increase production quality and quantity, they need to be motivated with pay. Theory of Scientific Management argues that employees naturally do not enjoy working and thus need control and close supervision to perform as expected (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). This implies that he managers need to break down a task into small services that can be handled in bits. This has been implemented in Raytheon Company effectively, manufacturing weapons and military and electronic equipment call for procedural acts. The management thus has broken down the task into the design, IT, assembling, testing among others, these small tasks are handled by different teams in step to step basis to guarantee quality and no room for error. In addition to this, the HR department ensures that the employees receive training as well as right tools for work to work both effectively and efficiently on assigned tasks. The HR department at Raytheon Company implements this by having periodic seminars and workshops all aimed at equipping the employees with the needed skills and knowledge to produce weapons, electronic and military equipment. The seminars and workshops readily help the employees improve on quality as well as time was taken.

The theory also states that workers need to be paid based on the number of goods they produce within a given period. This is a time-piece-rate pay that motivates employees to increase quantity for a better pay. In the case of Raytheon Company, the same concept is embraced but based on objectives and goals realized. Employees in the company get paid with every goal or purpose accomplished by it, group or individual, the management rewards them. This is an attempt to motivate the employees to achieve personal and organizational goals.

The Theory of Scientific Management, therefore, proposes that employees at Raytheon Company should be given a repetitive task to master them. Secondly, the management team should give and strictly control the execution of these orders. Finally, that employees should be paid per every item they produce. Repetitive tasks are perceived to be boring additionally when the company realizes increased productivity; there is always a tendency to lay off employees. As a result of the two above, the theory has been associated with increased levels of disgruntled employees as well as strikes which negatively affect the realization of success (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). This is primarily why Raytheon Company has only embraced certain beneficial aspects of it.

McGregor Theory X and Y

This is a theory that proposes two styles of management for Raytheon Company: Theory X suggests authoritarian style while theory Y advocates for the participative approach (Strömberg, 2017). If employees at Raytheon Company are perceived to have little motivation as well as hate their work, the theory suggests that the management should use the authoritarian style, which involves micromanaging the employees to guarantee quality work, theory X (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). On the other hand, if the employees at Raytheon Company are perceived to take pride in their work or some cases perceive the task undertaken as challenging, a participative approach should be implemented. Mangers in this case trust employees to perform efficiently on their own, theory Y. Theory X and Y, therefore, calls for an understanding of the impact of a selected motivational approach by the management, the perception of the management is also crucial for this human theory.

Below is a broad analysis of the two:

Theory X

This theory assumes that the managers at Raytheon Company are pessimistic about their employees; as a result, they view them as being unmotivated as well as dislike their jobs. This prompts them to either reward or punishes them often to realize the successful completion of tasks. Carrots or sticks is, therefore, the best approach to use with this type of thinking. Performance remuneration and appraisal are based on tangible outcomes by the employees, in the case of Raytheon Company increased output and increase sales are some of the ways, the management thus keeps tabs on the employees as well as control them to realize success. This theory has not fully been implemented in Raytheon Company primarily because the management does not believe in centralized control. The only aspect applicable based on this theory is the aspects of carrots for good work done. Employees within Raytheon Company receive bonuses for the realization of goals and objectives; this is a form of motivation that encourages them to work harder and realize success.

Theory Y

As briefly explained above, theory Y is a complete opposite of theory X, in the case of Raytheon Company, this theory proposes that the management is optimistic that its employees can work under minimal supervision and control. Additionally, this theory suggests the use of a decentralized as well as a participative style of management. This has been implemented in the organization, as the administration has implemented a decentralized management where both the heads and the employees work together to realize success. The workers are readily encouraged to raise an issue that may affect their output, and the management addresses them with the aim of increasing the quality and quantity of production.

Theory Y additionally calls for promotions as well as opportunities for growth for the employees (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). An example of implementation of this aspect in Raytheon Company is the case of promotions based on years of experience, skills and knowledge and a consistent pattern of realization of goals and objectives. Employees at Raytheon Company are additionally encouraged to work hard to realize growth opportunities available within the organization.

Maslow theory of needs

The five-tier model comprises of in descending order: self-actualization (self-fulfillment), esteem and love and belonging (psychological needs), safety and mental (basic needs) (Motivational Psychology of Human Development, 2015). Maslow Theory of Needs, state that employees in an organization have given needs and wanted that precedence others. Satisfying these requirements and wants is critical in helping employees in an organization increase quality and quantity of production.

This is a model that brings out the growth needs as well as deficiency needs of the employees. The deficiency needs motivate employees when met, however in a case where the needs are denied; the need to fulfill them becomes stronger. One must satisfy lower level deficit needs before progressing on to meet higher level growth requirements.

The following are examples how this theory has been implemented at Raytheon Company. The psychological needs take the nature of food, water, healthy working environment, etc. the employees at Raytheon are offered the three among others in an attempt to satisfy their psychological needs. Secondly, manufacturing weapons, electronic and military equipment calls for the provisions of satisfaction of esteem needs, these include achievements, status dominance, and self-respect. The HR department within appreciates employee’s achievements, their participation in realization of different tasks among others esteemed needs. Fulfilling these requirements has readily helped the employees to perform optimally. Finally, through the HR department, the management has successfully managed to encourage the aspect of togetherness, love, acceptance, and belonging. Employees are loyal to an organization that helps them work as one Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, (2016), the aspect of team work being the dream work over the years has helped the staff body within Raytheon Company work as one under a common culture.

All the three theories discussed above presents certain human issues that Raytheon Company has taken advantage of to realize success. The theories offer different approaches to increasing productivity; however, some approach based on the nature of Raytheon Company operational activities may affect production rates negatively (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). The common aspect that the three theories address have apparently brought out is the issue of influencing the employees in an organization to realize success. Be it dictatorial or democratic the central concept that will readily help the HR department in accomplishing organizational objectives and goals is the importance of influencing the employees to realize increased productivity. If the employees are positively affected, then the organization stands to achieve increased rates in production, if the employees are negatively influenced, they end up being demotivated and as a result, fail to perform optimally (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016).

Communication Issues

Communication is essential to the success of an organization; however certain issues affect effective communication in the workplace (Katherine, 2016). Some of these problems include business etiquette, communication culture, and crisis management. Business etiquette is the cultural differences in protocol during business meetings, compensation and reward system, and in giving instructions. Raytheon Company staff body is diverse, and some culture considers certain words, phrases, gifts among others as a taboo, while in other culture they are highly acceptable (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). The employees at Raytheon Company experience the same issues, the elder employees in some culture regardless of their seniority levels in an organization deserve respect, incidences where younger leaders address elder employees the same way as the young workers have seen some business etiquette conflicts within the group. The HR department, however, is still striving to come up with a unifying business etiquette that is acceptable by all.

Communication culture affects the way employees perceive things as well as reason. Each culture has its guidelines and rules regarding proper and acceptable behavior that affect both the verbal and non-verbal communication (Harrison, Francis, and Lock, 2014). The difference in perception and reasoning thus affects the interpretation of messages in the work place. An example of communication culture issues within Raytheon Company is the use of cursing words, in the Westernized culture cursing is acceptable in a wide range of conversation however in other cultures it is disrespectful to curse. Such a simple communication culture affects the way employees perceive each other.

Team work: team work is the dream work for some while for others it is the kills work. Creating right team calls for proper communication and understanding by all the members of the team. Team works ate primarily in completing assigned tasks within a short period as opposed to individual work. Team conflicts within Raytheon Company occur due to conflicts over opinions, strategies, and positions, the three have seen employees battle amongst themselves which affect the quality and quantity of output.

The Intercultural Relationships

High context culture allows for employees within Raytheon Company to have a close connection thus readily work together to realize personal and organizational success (Carroll, 2015). High context culture is characterized as a culture that promotes long-term relationship among the employees within an organization, results in a more internalized understanding of the things communicating, stronger boundaries and decisions made based on face to face conversations. This is an important culture however with the dynamic nature of the work place; it might not be the best amongst employees.

Low context culture limits the employees within an organization to close relationships but only for a short period. This is a culture that is rule-oriented with knowledge being external, codifies, accessible and public, there are a more interpersonal relationship and decision as well as activities only address what needs to be done. This is a type of culture that is highly beneficial to any organization regarding realizing the quality and quantity output (Harrison, Francis, and Lock, 2014). The employees at Raytheon Company are guided by rules and primarily focus on what needs to be done to realize success.

The intercultural relationship, however, is faced with some barriers that affect how employees interact and work together (Harrison, Francis, and Lock, 2014). Among these obstacles are language barriers, body language barriers, negative stereotypes and prejudice, emotions and feelings, time, etc. The above makes it challenging for employees from different cultures to work together and realize success.

Overcoming these barriers calls for the intervention by the HR department, the HR department within Raytheon Company has successfully come up with a unifying organizational culture applicable to all the employees. This is learning that takes into accounts the employee's differences and uses them for the realization of a common goal. Overcoming the barriers calls for the understanding of the different cultural practices and appreciation (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). The HR department additionally celebrates all the cultures represented by the various employees to create a sense of acceptance and general understanding. The employees within Raytheon Company are encouraged to appreciate each culture and learn how to work together as one.

Ethics Issues

Ethics calls for honesty, credibility, and openness; an organization stands to benefit a lot from being honest, credible and open about its dealings. Ethical issues occur when an organization fails to observe the above in its operations. However, being honest is also not good for a business success, this is primarily why most companies embrace the idea of being vague in its dealings, the aspect of ambiguity (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). Being ambiguous does not imply that an organization becomes dishonest, it only telling the truth in a vague way that will allow for multiple interpretations with one of those being the reality of the ambiguous words used.

Raytheon Company is an organization that deals with highly sensitive products that when sold to the wrong person puts an entire population at security risks. Military weapons are strictly meant for military use and thus should only be purchased with authorization. Unethical issues in the case of Raytheon Company may take the nature of the weapons being sold to an unauthorized person for profits gains or malicious wants of either the employees or the management. Additionally, the materials used to make the weapons need to be known by the appropriate people.

Secondly, the business of manufacturing weapons is one of the riskiest regarding materials used ethical issue in such a case may result when the company fails to disclose to the public the correct material used to make their weapons. If the above in noticed the company stands to face ethical lawsuits. Thirdly, for the case of Raytheon Company, ethical issues may arise due to the ethical culture implemented in the organization, if the culture fails to promote honesty, credibility, and openness in its operational activities, then ethical questions may arise

Being ethical is simply doing the right thing that benefits the greater society (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016).

There exist some concepts being what ethically is and what is termed as morally right or bad however the standard idea based on all definition is doing the right thing, the right decision, in this case, is something that will benefit the majority while resulting in less harm. The move by Raytheon Company to screen the employees as they leave the work environment is part of the fulfillment of its ethical obligation as a business that manufactures military weapons and missiles. Ethical issues are in some instances inevitable this is why the company has been served with several lawsuits regarding its operational activities (Greenaway, Thai, Haslam, and Murphy, 2016). Code of Ethics states the different ethical obligations of employees within the institution. Ethics is simply the moral acts that guide one’s conduct; all organizational have an ethical obligation they need to abide by.

Summary

Raytheon Company is an organization that manufactures sensitive products only authorized for use by particular consumers. An example is the case of military weapons and missiles; these are products that if handled by the wrong customer threatens a country’s security. Just like any other organization, the HR department is tasked with the role of overseeing the performance of the employees and guaranteeing operational and economic success. The addressed human theories propose different strategies that an organization can use to increase production, the theory address different needs and want of people that can readily be maneuvered to help the team realize success.

Aside from motivating employees, the work environment is always affected by certain issues that affect productivity. The three presented issue: ethic, communication and intercultural are the biggest problems that affect actualization of success. The HR department is additionally tasked with the role of eliminating the occurrence of any of the three issues. Motivating the employees and eliminating the three fixed issue issues provides a conducive environment for the employees to work it to improve the quantity and quality of goods manufactured by Raytheon Company.

Reference

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