...Executive Summary This paper proposes the implementation of self-directed teams (SDTs) in the Roaring Dragon Hotel (RDH) in south-west China after the termination of the contract with Hotel International (HI). This proposal will detail the advantages of implementing SDTs in an environment that is influence by guanxi networks in order to increase guanxi influenced and as a direct result increase profits. Self-Directed Guanxi Teams Introduction The provincial government decided to hire an international organization to manage the RDH, to develop the hotel into a five star quality hotel, and to increase the profits of the hotel. Hotel International (HI) was the organization selected and after various financial and culture problems, the provincial government terminated the contract within six months and reinstated the former General Manager Tian Wen. Background The Roaring Dragon Hotel spiraled into financial decline within six months after Hotel International took over of management and failed to, as Grainger (2008) stated, “help realize the hotel’s potential” (p.2). HI installed a new general manager and hired eight professionals to manage the transition. HI managed to reduce the hotel staff, began renovations but could not increase profits as they were hired to do. HI failed to communicate properly to the staff and could not retain employees crucial to conducting business in the region. At the end of six months, HI’s contract was terminated and the hotel’s management...
Words: 1289 - Pages: 6
...Abstract Self-directed teams are groups of individuals who work together without typical managerial supervision. These types of teams are an asset to companies because they by nature do not rely on direct administration to accomplish tasks. For an organization to establish self-directed teams, they need to understand the difficulties in in creating self-directed teams, be able to identify the characteristics of these teams, encourage the success of self-directed groups, and have a plan to assist struggling teams and managers. Self-directed teams are a way to maximize the human resources of a company by reducing the workload of managers and by increasing the personal responsibility and accountability of employees. Self-directed teams are autonomous work groups that solve problems, implement solutions, and take full responsibility for outcomes (BOMI). Establishing this type of work team is crucial to the success of an organization. These teams function without direct supervision, thus leaving managers free to focus on other tasks. Sometimes managers struggle with implementing these teams. A few difficulties a manager may encounter when working to create self-directed teams are a lack of trust among team members, uncooperative members, lack of team training, vague goals, an absence of corporate support for teams, or hostile corporate atmosphere (individually competitive or manager-controlled). The corporate atmosphere is the first thing that must be addressed. If the...
Words: 881 - Pages: 4
...RMIT International University Vietnam Bachelor of Commerce Program Assignment Cover Page | Subject Code: |BUSM2301 | | | | |Subject Name: |Organizational Behavior | | | | |Location & Campus (SGS or HN) where you study: |RMIT Vietnam | |Title of Assignment: |Individual Paper | | | | |Student name: |Nguyen Dinh Dung | |Student Number: |S3310053 | | | | |Teachers Name: ...
Words: 1629 - Pages: 7
...1. Self-Managed/ Directed Team Self-directed work teams, also known as self-managing teams, represent a revolutionary approach to the way work is organized and performed. It is a group of people working together in their own ways toward a common goal which is defined outside the team for example - James River Corporation’s Kendallville Plant ALPHA team. They manufacture cardboard boxes as defined by executive leadership. Team does their own work scheduling, training, rewards and recognition, etc. Minnesota-based 3M is among an increasing number of companies that involve employees in the daily management of their business through work teams. These teams are empowered to take corrective actions to resolve day-to-day problems. They also have direct access to information that allows them to plan, control and improve their operations. In short, employees that comprise work teams manage themselves. At 3M, the movement toward self-managed or directed work teams has been driven more by initiative and need than by corporate directive. Now most of 3M's manufacturing facilities, while at different levels of empowerment and different degrees of involvement, employ a team-based approach. In 1994, 3M's new Brockville, Ontario, facility came on-line as the organization's first "greenfield" site. It was designed and built to operate with self-directed work teams. Many work groups in line divisions and staff groups are moving more and more into self-direction. 3M's commercial office...
Words: 3679 - Pages: 15
...engineering for RL Wolfe, implemented self-directed teams at the Corpus Christi plant after seeing reports of 30% to 40% improvement in productivity. (David A. Garvin, 2009) Problems: The Corpus Christi plant has run into a few problems. A few issues they are having are recognizing individuals, the shifting of boundaries between management and workforce decisions, and the old ways of the company is creeping back into the culture. (David A. Garvin, 2009) Opportunities: There’s plenty of opportunity for the Corpus Christi plant to solve the few problems it has with SDTs. Morale and productivity is higher there than the other two plants in Columbus, OH and Austin, TX. (David A. Garvin, 2009) Recommendations: There is a need for continued training. Employees will revert to a hierarchical structure within their teams unless they’re trained differently. (Tudor & Trumble, 1996) Training should be done over time rather than in one lump sum. (Wellins, 1992) The plant should implement performance based compensation for meeting company goals through teams. (Tudor & Trumble, 1996) The teams could earn bonuses for exceeding goals and divide it equally. (Wellins, 1992) Management should only define the essentials of the work processes and leave tasks, roles, methods, and policies broad and open-ended. (David A. Garvin, 2009) Conclusions: Self-directed teams work best when employees are thoroughly trained and management gives authority to the teams. David A. Garvin, E. C. (2009)...
Words: 313 - Pages: 2
...Introduction: The case was analyzed to determine the impact of the SDTs on organizational efficiency, proficiency, and overall effectiveness. Background: In 2003, John Amasi, the Director of Production and Engineering for RL Wolfe introduced the concept of Self Directed Teams into their newly acquired plastics manufacturing plant in Corpus Christi, Texas. Problems: Line workers were treated a lower grade than the maintenance staff. Lack of incentive for extra work and the lack of empowerment for decision making. No control over the day to day activities and no team work Oppotunities: The key Advantages Self Directed Teams are improved quality, productivity and service, greater flexibility, reduced operating costs, faster response to technological change, better response to workers' values, increased employee commitment to the organization, ability to attract and retain the best people. Recommendations: The management team needs to relook its commitment to the self-directed approach and commit to the goals and objectives of the SDT concept. Information by way of feedback from the coordinators and teammates need to be sought to understand the problems with the self-directed teams. There should be continuous training and development for the various line operators and technicians. Employee empowerment and motivation Conclusion: In my opinion SDTs have proven to be an effective tool for improving productivity and staff moral; there are several areas that need to...
Words: 297 - Pages: 2
...(Garvin & Collins, 2009). Opportunity: The Corpus Christi plant can increase the annual production by building relationships between employees, modifying job description and improving the moral of the employees. Recommendations: Employee needs lot of training in team skills, employees on the team must be interdependent and the team must be established for the tangible business reason (Caudron, 1993). Need to improve recognition and reward system because these are the primary factors which affect the employee’s values and beliefs (Boon, 2005). Conclusion: The move to the self directed teams requires changing the attitudes of people, organizational structure, information patterns, rewards and compensation system. References: Boon,Q.EE. (2005, March). Self directed work team’s effectiveness: The impact of team characteristics and team task design. Retrived March, 2005 frot http://eprints.usm.my/25634/1/SELF_DIRECTED_WORK_TEAM%E2%80%99S_EFFECTIVENESS_THE_IMPACT_OF_TEAM_CHARACTERISTICS_AND_TEAM_TASK_DESIGN.pdf Caudron,S. (1993, December). Are self directed teams right for your company. Personnel Journal, 72(12), 76-84. Collins, E. & Garvin, D. A. (2009, December). RL Wolfe: Implementing self-directed teams. Boston, MA; Harvard Business School....
Words: 271 - Pages: 2
...Introduction Self-directed teams (SDTs) with setting boundary for decision making between Self-directed teams and management will not only yield "High Productivity"(95% or more of plants design capacity) but also committed workforce with high level of satisfaction in their work. Background RL WOLF privately held plastic manufacturer head quartered in Houston, Texas brought Moon Plastics a small, family owned custom plastics manufacturer in Corpus Christi. It is a 300,000 square foot facility ran 24 hours a day over three shifts. Each shift has 27 workers with most of the activity focused on bringing raw materials to hoppers, running lines and transporting pipe away from the finishing lines. John Amasi director of Production and Engineering had implemented self-directed teams (SDTs) in 2004, but the plant was running only between 80% and 82% of design capacity annually. Problems As SDTs allowed each employee to determine their own job responsibilities and involved in overall process of the organization employees, employees want control over the amount of overtime they work and when they work on it , employees are looking for individual recognition and performance evaluation done by the peers are raising a host of questions. Opportunities By increasing the coordination between coordinators and team members and recognizing the employees who are really working will help motivate other employees and will in turn help achieving the goal of 95% of plant production capacity. Recommendations...
Words: 445 - Pages: 2
...Introduction Self-directing teams (SDT) were implemented at RL Wolfe plastic manufacturing company in order to improve productivity (Garvin & Collins, 2009). Background The director of production and engineering – John Amasi introduced the SDT to the plant in 2004, but he finds that there is still areas to be improved when he re-visits. (Garvin & Collins, 2009). Problem There were no set goals for neither management nor the employees and there were no formal individual performance reviews. Line operators and material handlers felt less valued in the cooperation which lead to miscommunication between line operators and technicians and resulted in high turnover. Opportunities The majority of the employees agreed to participate in the SDTs. In SDTs, teams function individually and therefore everyone’s opinion is considered. Every employee gets the attention this way which makes them feel they matter in the organization. Therefore everyone will try their best to achieve the company goals which will improve the production. At the same time, it’s also important to set goals and evaluate the employee performance. Recommendations In a team, a demand or need for performance is more important than team building exercises. A team should have a common need to perform (Mark M. Chatfield). Also the teams should be provided with goals and boundaries and they must be assessed with performance reviews (Ray and Bronstein, 1995) Conclusions SDT performance and outcome can be...
Words: 313 - Pages: 2
...establishing self-directed, high-performing teams Some of the difficulties that managers may have when establishing self-directed, high- performance teams is that the team is not provided with a vision and directions. High performance teams are psychologically bound together by the team goals they work which help them to achieve their future aspirations. The manager is the team leader and should guide the team in the right direction. This vision can be articulated in various ways through images, words and experiences. The more experiences you can provide your team members with of the future, the more likely they are to understand where you want to take them and how they could get there. Managers need to discuss the expectations and establish objectives with the team. A manager needs to adjust their leadership styles to help their team members. Most team members need strong direction by the leader. This will help the team become stronger. Other difficulties managers have in establishing high performance team is not paying attention to the development needs of the team members. Some managers do not know what knowledge each team member needs to have to get the job done. Managers need to inspire, encourage, support and nurture the team’s personal development. Identification of the successful characteristic of establishing self-directed, high performing teams Some of successful characteristics of establishing self-directed, high performing teams are listed...
Words: 702 - Pages: 3
...Enhancing production through team-building mechanisms Improving Production and Quality through Self-Directed Teams at the Corpus Christi Plant Sullivan University MGT 510 Jermaine Paul Enhancing production through team-building mechanisms Executive Summary This proposal highlights the benefits which can be achieved using selfdirected teams (SDT's) at RL Wolfe's, Corpus Christi Plant. Increases in productivity of 13% to boost productivity beyond the 95% production margin can be achieved if the following issues are resolved at the plant. At present, the company is struggling with the issue of inequality amongst workers. Line operators feel inferior to technicians and are therefore unwilling to give full support in team based efforts. This has filtered into the creation of a new company culture where distinctions amongst employees titles suggests their hierarchy. Continuous occurrence of these issues will lead to a reduction in production as evident with the present target of the third shift not being met. The present morale of the line operators is low and unless boosted will result in a continuous erosion of the company culture. To address the following issues management needs to reduce the concept of distinction between employees. Working as a team, no employees should feel less valuable than the other. The culture of a team as a component needs to be emphasized within the company with performance appraisals apportioned first on a team basis and then on an individual...
Words: 1985 - Pages: 8
...Success as a Manager Kimberly Parrish November 05, 2011 Abstract: This essay will present information on how to identify difficulties you as a manager may have when establishing teams. It will also provide information on successful characteristics of establishing teams. Stressed throughout are four recommendations for success, a guide on how to improve and resolve conflict. Understanding and being able identify the successful and unsuccessful things of managing a team is very important. This is not only important to the success of the team or when establishing teams but can help make a manager that more effective. Getting recommendations from those who are succeeding is also a very important aspect of being a manager. Success as a Manager In today’s meeting, we discussed the difficulties and success our mangers have had with our transition to self-directed and high-performing teams. We also discussed some ways to improve and become more effective in our managing. I will include the minute notes from this meeting along with some recommendations for success and a designed plan on how to improve intercession and conflict resolution abilities. The difficulties we have faced: Self-directed teams have to make several mechanical and operating decisions, which were priory made by supervisors. This may include things such as bonuses and rewards, schedules for the staff, inventory, and so forth. However, the biggest encounter, which will be faced, is implementing and managing...
Words: 885 - Pages: 4
...High Performing Teams Tami Durling MGMT340-1501B-02 -5th IP Abstract High Performing Teams help organizations to succeed with their goals, short, and long term plans. Internal and external High Performing teams organize the company within a moral, virtue, innovative, positive, and kind atmosphere (Institutionalism). The culture of the business takes on a highly driven positive behavior of conflict and resolution. With these teams there is perseverance and healthy compromise to get the task at hand finished, and its everybody’s responsibility. The stress and responsibility of getting the job done is on the shoulders of the team as a whole not just one person. High Performing Teams organizational management has no chain of command, however the team is considered one unit. Avenues of High Performing Teams Difficulties managers are having establishing self-directed High Performing Teams.- Global information technologies pertaining to being proficient in computer hardware and software is a must in the twentieth century. Everyone is connected globally throughout every nation through the Internet. Businesses market and hire all over the world to trade, service, and sell to different cultures around the world. It is important to know how to video conference, email, research credible sites, and operate applications such as excel and Microsoft word. High Performance functioning teams need to be equipped with virtual teams and e-leadership...
Words: 1138 - Pages: 5
...other areas of life, therefore transforming into a self-directed learner to be successful. The quote below is an excerpt from The Measurement of Personal Responsibility in Adult Learning. This quote speaks volumes on the prominence of personal responsibility within educational success and what self-directed learning entails. (Caffarella 1993) described the importance of learner responsibility and control: "The ability to be self-directed in one's learning, that is, to be primarily responsible and in control [emphasis added] of what, where, and how one learns, is critical to survival and prosperity in a world of continuous personal, community, and societal changes" (P. 32). Garrison (1997) supported this position in his definition of (SDL Self Directed Learner): "An approach where learners are motivated to assume personal responsibility and collaborative control of the cognitive (self-monitoring) and contextual (self-management) processes in constructing and confirming meaning and worthwhile learning outcomes" (p. 18). (Betts, 2012, p. 12). The traditional definition of responsibility is the state of answerability, or accountability for something within one’s power, control, or management. To complete tasks in a timely manner either for college/school or otherwise, one must be accountable for their own actions. Responsibility is the nucleus of self-regulation, and accountability influences ones self-regulation. It is simply cause and effect:...
Words: 842 - Pages: 4
...Self-Directed learning is definitely workable in tertiary education with today’s technology. Students get access to unlimited resources via the World Wide Web. With the introduction of self-directed learning, students will also be more motivated and independents. Self-Directed learning also demand discipline from both the lecturers and the students. More work must be done before, during and after the lesson. The lecturers must believe that they do not hold all the knowledge in this World and the best that they can give the students is to teach them how to fish instead of giving them the fish. Training must be provided for lecturers to administer self-directed learning. However, self-directed learning cannot be recommended in “full throttle” to the entire curriculum. From the research, it was shown that only about 50% of the students are more receptive to this method for learning. We still have another half of the cohort who prefers to learn through the “traditional” classroom teaching. Motivated students are more willing to spend the extra efforts into research. Employers will find them value-adding to the organization as they are taught to learn by finding answers for themselves. In the higher-learning, they will be able to contribute to a more effective team and obtain potentially better grades than others. The limitation for self-directed learning can be a challenge as we may not be able to assess students’ learning until the conduct of an assessment...
Words: 399 - Pages: 2
