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Supplements the (A) case.

Supplements the case. Designed as an in-class handout.

A three-man skylab crew, after repeatedly unsuccessful attempts to influence Houston Mission Control to slow down the work pace, turns off radio communication and refuses to talk. Questions for the class: What leads up to this break? How does one repair it?

Deals with the problems of developing indigenous personnel to take over expatriate positions. Human relations cases, they deal specifically with the problems of communications and misunderstandings between people of different cultures. A rewritten version of three earlier cases.

Supplements the (A) case.

Supplements the (A) case.

Upper level managers often fail to realize the difficulties of first-level managers who may have once been among employees and now must form a new identity. Successful first-level supervisors establish a balance between informal authority and interpersonal influence, and responsibility. It is the responsibility of upper management to recognize the difficulties associated with the position and help supervisors develop a power base.

Lower middle-level manager is faced with the need to bring about a change in the call patterns of the sales force selling her product. Based on an earlier case by P.R. Lawrence.

Describes the problems of resolving differences between two departments in a decentralized company. Based on Voltamp Electric Co. by T.C. Raymond.

A survey, covering 25 years, shows that employees are increasingly dissatisfied with pay, supervision, and by lack of equitable treatment. Managers exhibit far greater satisfaction with working conditions than hourly employees do, which shows that a "hierarchy gap" exists. Most employees agree that their companies are declining as desirable places to work and that favorable pay fails to offset growing discontent. They say chances for advancement are poor and that improvement is unlikely.

Bonuses and incentive compensation encourage management's preoccupation with short-term financial results. This emphasis is an important contribution to the United States's lag behind other countries in research and development investment and capital spending. Federal tax policies have failed to provide incentive for investment to further economic growth. Restructured management incentives would reintroduce entrepreneurial spirit without sacrificing the systematic cost-benefit approach to decision making.

A study of a number of companies employing some form of matrix reveals nine pathologies to which the matrix design is particularly vulnerable, along with prevention and treatment methods. Often there is a mistaken belief that matrix management is the same as group decision making, and there are tendencies toward anarchy and power struggles. The layering of a matrix can frequently result from the dynamics of power rather than from the logic of design, and there is a tendency for matrixes to sink to group and division levels.

Organizational learning is a process of detecting and correcting errors. Single loop learning is a process in which organizations are able to correct matters in order to achieve stated objectives. In double loop learning, problems are examined and corrected even though correction requires challenge to underlying policies and objectives. When policy or objectives are not questioned, organizational behavior may camouflage errors. Organizational games and norms prevent people from speaking out.

Focuses on the recommendations and implementation strategy made by the organizational development group for the electronic product division's problems.

Supplements the (B) case. Designed as an end-of-class handout.

Concerns the 1975 strike of the pressmen against the Washington Post. Illustrates the importance of past practices of both unions and management and collective bargaining. Also illustrates implementation problems associated with new technologies as well as problems associated with managing a newspaper during a strike. The decision point is in the tenth week of the strike when pressure from a variety of sources is increasing.

Supplements the (A) case.

Describes a division of Corning Glass Works that finds itself with deep financial and organizational problems. Severe conflict and lack of coordination exist between functional groups. Employees do not have a sense of direction and morale is low. Provides sufficient data to determine that the cause of these problems is a change in business environment that had been followed by change in organization and management. Can be used for analysis of organization-environment relationships and action planning for change and environment.

Present performance appraisal techniques evaluate behavior by making subjective and impressionistic judgments rather than quantitative judgments and providing inadequate information about performances. Static job descriptions contribute to the inadequacy of appraisal systems as they do not define the subtleties of the relationships which will influence employees' roles and careers. Employees need to develop political skill in addition to professional competence and this need demands a dynamic job description, a critical incident process, and a psychological support system.

In 1969, Megalith centralized its financial and control functions. John Boyd, senior vice president for finance, hired four brilliant young managers to "bring the group out of the stone age." By 1975, this management team had created a near-perfect finance office of 630 employees. But two of the "young stars" have just quit, and Boyd is sure the constraints of salary ceilings are responsible. He talks with a compensation consultant (Hay Associates).