Response to "Teams at Evans RV Wholesale Supply and Distribution Company"

For this case, there are a few mistakes Alex has already made in developing a team-based organization.  First of all, this type of decision is not one that can be made quickly, if fact, the planning should take place in two phases: making the decision and preparingfor implementation.  Before making the decision, Alex should have discussed it with top management to establish the leadership for the change, developed a steering committee, and conducted a feasibility study. These steps are neccessary to ensure that the work processes within the company are condusive to team use, that the employees are willing to work in teams, and if managers are willing to learn and apply a hands-off managerial style.  Alex should have addressed these issues before reaching his decision and then prepared for implementation.  This includes: clarifying the mission, selecting the site for the first work team, preparing the design team, planning the transfer of authority, and drafting the preliminary plan.  Alex should have taken all of these steps before deciding to switch to a team-based organization.

If I were a consultant for Alex, I would advise him to go back and go though all of these steps and to then decide if he still wanted to swith to a team based-company.  During the preparation for implementation, I would suggest to him that he develop a mission statement that expresses the purpose of the teams and summarizes the long-range benefits he hopes to gain; this must also be consistent with the company's strategy.  It should also set the parameters and boundaries within which the change will take place. 

Next, I would tell Alex he needs to advise his steering committee to decide where the first team will be implemented.  The best site is one that includes workers from multiple jobs, one where improving performance is feasible,and one where the workers are open to the change. 

After the mission statement has been developed and the initial sites have been chosen, I would tell Alex to advise his steering committe to set up the team that will design the other teams.  This team should be a select group of employees, supervisors, and managers who will work out the staffing and operational details to make the teams perform well.  I would stress to Alex that considering the composition of the teams is one of the most important decisions throughout this process. 

Next, I would advise Alex to transfer authority from managers to team members.  this step can take up to several years and is the most imperative and difficult part and is basically a cultural change for the company. 

The last step I would advise Alex to take is to write a tentative plan for the initial work teams.  This plan is used as a map throughout the transformation and will act as a guiding force.  It should recommend a process for selecting people who will be on the first teams, describe roles and responsilibilites for those who will be affected, explains the training that will be needed, specifically identifies which work processes will be involved, and lays out a schedule for the next two to three years. 

As a consultant I would stress to Alex that this change should not be taken lightly and the entire organization needs to be prepared for this change.

Response to Professor Johnson's Post: 100 years After the Trianlge Factory

There are no words that could possibly describe how upsetting and shocking this video was.  Just as upsetting as the events that were shown and discussed in the video, is the fact that nowhere on television or mainstream news was this mentioned.  As tragic and devastating as this is, one would think that EVERYONE in America should be made to watch this clip from democracy.org.  It comes as no surprise to me that the repercussions of our unaware, materialistic, capitolist, and flat-out selfish country, are plaguing the developing world.  People in America seem to have no idea that everything we own, eat, wear, and touch, came from a place that we know nothing about, where people are forced into the kind of labor discussed in this video.  The lack of knowledge, and care about those who have and are still suffering so that Americans can continue to live easy and convenient lives, is heartbreaking.  I will never understand how the corporations such as Abercrombie, the Gap, etc...can proceed with such little value for human life.  We in America have it so incredibly easy and yet we forget that one of the main reasons we lead such priviledged lives is because we have exploited other countries.  Until there is structural and governmental change, and until our society as a whole changes, nothing will change.  We forget the the clothes on our back, the shoes on our feet, the food we eat, was made somewhere else by somebody.  Until people start to care and demand legislative change, I don't think anything will change.  I think the exploitation that results from American corporations outsourcing to other countries is a direct result of American values (or lack there of).  We always want the most for our money, the best deal for the cheapest, and we want everything right away.  This comes at a cost, maybe not to us, but to humanity.  This video by democracy.org is truely tragic and depressing and yet not many Americans seem to notice or even care about the damage that globalization has brought about.   

Question:  What can be done about this situation?  Do you think anything can be done?  Should there be laws and restrictions regarding labor for American corporations?