Management analysis and organizational approaches

Management Analysis

Words Unlimited is an international company that provides copywriting, editing, proofreading and translation services to clients across the globe. The company has experienced a recent spurt of growth in terms of both its customer base and its employee pool. Like customers, employees also operate from different locations across the world. The company started with only two management personnel, along with 10 employees. These persons were based in an office in Los Angeles, California at the time of the company's founding, and they still are.

Potential employees are allowed to send their resumes online. These are then scrutinized by the L.A. office employees, and are accepted or rejected on the basis of two levels of assessment: the education level as indicated on the resume, and a writing and reading test administered to short-listed candidates. The recent growth in customer numbers has necessitated more aggressive advertising for employment opportunities, and a large volume of applications has been received and processed.

Employees from remote locations have access to the company's Web site, where they are presented with an order database. Customers upload their orders via the Web site, and the employee taking the order then remains in constant contact with the customer to ensure that the work is progressing according to requirements and schedule.

With the larger employee base, conflict situations have come about, with some workers appearing to resent the new employees. They appear to feel that the new employees tend to be favored for certain orders, and that they no longer have the volume of work opportunities that they had before. Management in turn appear to feel that this is not the case, and that the growth of employee numbers was a necessary step in the company's evolution. Efforts to communicate about the issue has failed, simply resulting in greater levels of conflict. Indeed, the environment has become so hostile and blame-focused that many employees have simply resigned or stopped taking orders. This has resulted in escalating hostility between management and employees, with the former threatening termination of employee accounts if no further orders are taken. The conflict has resulted in a loss of business for the company and an atmosphere of debilitating negativity.

For this reason, investigations have been made by means of interviews, surveys, and literature reviews. In general, it is found that effective communication is the key towards resolving the company's conflicts.

Identifying the Problem

The key to any problem resolution is identifying the various levels of a problem specifically, so that each can be addressed effectively. In the case of Words Unlimited, the conflict situation began with the addition of new employees. When interviewing management, it was revealed that this was done without discussing the issue with other employees, even within the L.A. Office. The recruitment was simply decided upon by the two managers, and therefore came as a surprise to existing employees. The two managers believed that they were simply acting in response to a management situation, and that employees were only concerned with taking and completing orders. Management perceived that existing employees were struggling with the current volume of orders and therefore believed that they were being helpful. They believed that it was unnecessary to discuss this with employees, as new recruitment has never been discussed before.

From the point-of-view of employees, it is felt that management has made a decision directly affecting employees without discussing it with them first. The sudden and drastic change in employee numbers was considered sufficiently unusual to merit a greater volume of management communication than has been the case before in the company's history. Not issuing such communication has resulted in resentment and unhappiness. A "blame" environment, as described by Alan Sharland, was created. Employees blamed management for the perceived lack of opportunities created by new employees, while management blamed employees for the lack of customer orders filled. This conflict seems to have reached a deadlock, as feelings are so volatile that effective communication is all but impossible. However, by considering some basic elements of communication, both management and employees can return to their previous level of effectiveness, and the Words Unlimited can become effective again.

Resolution and Recommendations

According to Sharland, the above situation is an example of conflict being suppressed. Nobody is willing to admit to making mistakes, with both management and employees blaming each other for the company's current situation. Communication is marked by resentment and blame, without any sector of the company attempting to understand the points of the other. This suppresses the creativity and intercultural effectiveness that were previous hallmarks of the company.

In order to remedy this, communication literature has been consulted. Kwintessential Ltd. For example names the key competencies and characteristics of intercultural communication as open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, patience and self-awareness. In Words Unlimited's history, communication has been minimal, but what communication did occur was always respectful and interculturally viable. The current conflict is not culturally based, but can be resolved by means of the above characteristics. Both employees and managers should operate from a basis of particularly open-mindedness and patience. These will then encourage the inquisitiveness and self-awareness that has brought about the company's historical success.

Focusing particularly on management, Rob Johanssen provides some tips on effective communication within the workplace. He for example suggests that managers should "know their workplace negativity." This means that the basis of the conflict should be investigated and clarified. In the case of Words Unlimited, managers and employees blame each other respectively for the negativity. This has resulted in the current negative situation, and this needs to be the focus of resolution. Understanding this can help managers to resolve the conflict.

Johanssen also suggests that space should be allowed for workers to provide their input. In Words Unlimited, it has never been considered necessary to solicit employee input. Workers simply abided by company rules of excellence and were in general left to their own devices for completing orders. The responsibility of management was to issue accurate and regular payments according to the work completed. The system was simple and was not considered to need changing. The sudden influx of customers however changed this. In responding to change, the needs of existing workers were overlooked. The latter perceived the influx of workers as a lack of confidence in their own abilities.