I am preparing for my exam and trying to work past papers. This is a past paper question that I am trying to work and would like your input.

The West Indies Glass Company $($WIGC$)$ manufactures and sells plate glass for the construction and automotive industries. Over the years, the multi$-$plant company has employed Organizational Development Interventions to improve various areas of the organization. WIGC$$s organizational design is organic, and the manufacturing plans are given the freedom to develop their own operational strategies.

WIGC recently put together a problem$-$solving group made up of the management team at its newest plant, which is having quality problems. The team consists of the plan manager and the managers of the $5$ departments that report to him: accounts, Human resources, engineering, maintenance, and quality control. The team is relatively new, and members have been working together for only about $6$ months.

The team is supposed to meet formally for $2$ hours each week to share pertinent information and to deal with plant$-$wide issues such as inter$-$departmental relations, safety issues, resource allocation and communication. Members describe the strategic meetings as informative, but ineffective in terms of decision making. The meetings typically start late as members straggle in at different times, usually offering excuses about pressing matters in their departments. Additionally, the meetings are often interrupted by urgent phone messages for various members, including the plant manager, and in most cases, the person would leave the meeting hurriedly to take the call.

Relationships among team members are cordial yet somewhat strained, especially when the team is dealing with complex and problematic issues. Although the plant manager publicly stated that he wanted full participation in discussions, he often interrupted or attempted to change the topic whenever there were strong disagreements. That action was usually followed by an awkward silence in the group.

Also, when a solution to a pressing problem is not forthcoming, the group would move on to another issue or informally vote on proposed options, allowing majority rule to decide the outcome. These behaviours have emerged informally over time and become acceptable ways of dealing with difficult issues. Meetings often far exceed the two hour limit$.$

Usually, the group has problems arriving at clear decisions on particular issues. Discussions often ramble from topic to topic, and resolution of the problems is postponed to future meetings. This has led to a backlog of unresolved issues. When decisions are made members often report problems in their implementation. Further, members typically fail to follow through on commitments to the point there is confusion on what had actually been agreed upon. Everyone has expressed dissatisfaction with the team meeting and their results.

$1)$ If you were contracted as an external OD consultant to help WIGC resolve the problems at the new plant, what would your initial reaction to the result entail?

$2)$ If you were then hired to do an OD intervention, using the information provided in the case, state what method you think should be proposed to WIGC and why.

$3)$ Outline $4$ key steps that would be involved in your chosen intervention method.