Heritage Appliance's transition to the River Woods plant and management structure

HERITAGE APPLIANCE: CURRENT ISSUES, STRUCTURE AND CULTURE & NEW STRUCTURE AND POLITICAL, ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES FACED BY THE NEW PLANT MANAGER AT THE NEW EDGEMONT PLANT

The objective of this study is to briefly discuss the current issues, structure, and culture at Heritage appliance. In other words summarize the key issues in the case. Then briefly describe the new structure and the political, organizational, and leadership challenges that will likely be faced by the new plant manager when this new Edgemont plant and management structure is rolled out.

It was announced by the Heritage Appliance Company that plans were being laid for construction of the River Woods manufacturing plant which would effectively replace the original flagship facility of the company which is presently located next to the headquarters of the company in Edgemont. The new plant will be staffed with the existing staff at the Edgemont plant to the best possible extent. There will be new methods of production in the new River Woods facility focused on lowering the costs of production and lowering the requirements of manpower.

Edgemont has the least automation of any of the organization's facilities. In addition the management structure of the new River Woods plant is going to be decentralized in nature in comparison to the past in which the marketing activities of the firm received direction from the home office thorugh orders of the vice-president. Previously each line in each deparment reported to someone at the home office. However, the plant manager for River Woods will have all the management responsibilities in regards to personnel and functions but will not manage sales and marketing functions and personnel.

Management's Challenges at the River Woods Facility

There will be a great many challenges to the new management at River Woods in that the skills of the employees will have to be upgraded and employees will naturally resist change whether due to fear of change or simply liking they old way of doing things. The management will have to get the employees 'on-board' with these changes and make them feel challenged yet comfortable with rising to the challenge and the changes that are inevitable and that they must adapt to in order to remain an effective company employee.

The best way that management can address the complaints is to have an open-door policy so that all employees feel free to express their concerns and their frustrations as there will be many of each in the days to come. The management should work with key employees that are leader material and that can work in unision with management and with their peers in order to bring about a high level of commitment and team spirit into the new River Woods facility in order to avoid a mass of employees taking their frustration and turning it into negative actions such as attempting to unionize the River Woods facility.