Due to the early and untimely death of her mother, Harriett did not have the opportunity to attend college, although she could have easily handled the demands of academe. Instead, she opted to go to work to support her two younger siblings. The local plant of Aztec Electronics readily employed her and trained her for their injector line, a critical process in the manufacture of electronic semiconductors. Harriett's job was to operate equipment that performs an important function in the manufacture of printed circuit boards, an operation where quality and yields are watched closely and play an important role in corporate profitability. Harriett takes pride in her work, always striving to do a good job. She has, over the years, become one of the most highly skilled and productive workers. Her job is highly specialized and requires only a few tasks, but each must be performed with great precision and close attention to detail.
Harriett's world has just been turned upside down. As a result of customer pressures on Aztec for just-in-time deliveries, the company has recently hired a consultant to help transform the manufacturing plant into one that supports cellular manufacturing. New social work groups have emerged. Harriett has been relocated from her line position, next to her friend Cathy, and placed in a work cell with people she does not know very well. She misses the daily chats with Cathy as they worked side-by-side on the line. She is now in this new group and has been told that her job responsibilities have changed in breadth and depth. She will have to undergo some intensive training and her performance will be based not only on her individual achievements but also on the collective performance of her work team. Harriett is frightened and has suddenly become overwhelmed by a sense of insecurity. Like an anchor she feels that the tide of anxiety and frustration is slowly pulling her under. "Coming to work used to be such fun-now I dread it and look forward to the weekends."
a. How could Harriet's management have anticipated what impact the change in Harriet's job responsibilities might have on her as a person and the quality of her future contributions to Aztec Electronics?
b. If the employees, including Harriet, are defined as a valued stakeholder group, what could Aztec management do differently in managing change so that the needs of these stakeholders are considered?
c. Assuming that Aztec is able to identify good employees such as Harriett who do not wish to have their jobs enriched, and do not wish to be empowered, how should they resolve this issue if their intended changes are aimed at greater decentralization, a flatter organizational structure, and more autonomy at the work interface?