Falls Engineering

Located in New York, Falls Engineering is a $850 million chemical and materials operation employing 950 people. The plant has two distinct manufacturing product lines: industrial chemicals and computer materials. Both divisions are controlled by one plant manager, but direction, strategic planning, and priorities are established by corporate vice presidents in Chicago. Each division has its own corporate vice president, list of projects, list of priorities, and manpower control. The chemical division has been at this location for the past 20 years. The materials division is, you might say, the tenant in the landlordtenant relationship, with the materials division manager reporting dotted to the plant manager and solid to the corporate vice president. (See Figure I.)

QUESTIONS

1. Explain how the landlordtenant relationship works.
2. How are priorities established for each division?
3. What is the working relationship between the plant manager and the superintendent for materials?
4. Can this dotted line be eliminated? If so, under what circumstances?
5. Can we establish one uniform set of priorities? If so, who will have to make concessions?
6. How are project coordinators selected?
7. Should the company have a career path in project coordination?
8. What is the difference between a project coordinator and a project manager?
9. On what kinds of projects are project coordinators being used?
10. Can these projects be run informally?
11. Of what value is computerized project management on capital equipment projects?
12. How should the company solve its project coordinator problems?
13. Who gets blamed if the project schedule is not met? If unrealistic estimates are given?
14. What is your recommendation to the plant manager? To the corporate vice presidents?
15. Will your answer to the last question have political ramifications?