Martin Brass Case Analysis
Martin Brass Company Unless Tom Fuller, Vice President of Manufacturing for Martin Brass, can not quickly find an answer for the conflict brewing between Harry Smith and Jim Jones, the whole department will not only fall behind schedule, but they will also lose synergy within the company. The most acceptable undersired outcome would be that if Jim Jones does have to leave the company, he does so in good terms because of his business brought to the company from the local school board.
The management decision variable would be to have both Jim Jones and Harry Smith work out their differences and begin a new relationship in which both employees feel comfortable and happy, this also includes them both working more efficiently, effectively, and professionally with each other. Tom Fuller has been placed in the difficult situation in handling the ongoing dispute between two of his employees, Harry Smith and Jim Jones. Harry Smith (Supervisor of the Maintenance Department) is the boss of Jim Jones (Foreman of the Maintenance Department).
Jim Jones is a hardworking employee who has been in the organization for 19 years, his problem with Harry is that he feels that he has been abused and humiliated by Harry. Harry has screamed at him in front of other employees and has had Jim’s employees come directly to himself for some small issues that should have went through Jim. This of course throws off the synergy through the whole department, and when Harry embarrasses Jim by yelling at him in front of the whole department, Jim feels that it is very difficult to maintain discipline around the workplace. Jim quoted that, “I just can’t stand it any longer.
The man wont give me any latitude at all. He wont let me think for myself. Everything I do is wrong”. Although Jim wants to stay at Martin Brass, if things do not shape up he will find another job where his contribution will be more appreciated. Jim wants Harry to appreciate and respect the work that he does as chairman of the School Board and be more appreciative of his work Harry of course has a different side of the story, his 26 years within the organization has given him a position in which he holds his own department and has the power to run it how he sees fit.
Harry feels that Jim spends so much time thinking about his role as chairman of the school board that he loses track of what is really important- getting the job done at Martin Brass. Harry has a situation in which the saying, “if you treat a man like an s. o. b. , he will act like an s. o. b. ,” Harry stated that he leaves work to fulfil projects with the school board, which is fine, but never lets Harry know when he is leaving. When he is at work he stops by Harry’s office nine or ten times a day for his approval or advice on a situation which annoys Harry.
Harry explains that he can not depend on Jim in emergencies and has tried to talk to him about the problems but he has given him no real answers. Harry wants Jim to perform on the job. He needs to know that he can rely on Jim. We should note that Harry has had many problems with members in the organization before, forcing the man who had Jim’s job to quit after a few years. The desired outcome is for Tom Fuller to come up with a way that both of these men can put their differences aside and come together in the office.
Tom Fuller interviewed another foreman “Jim Sprout” who knew the men very well. He was able to provide Tom with useful information, bringing up a lot of points that would favor Jim’s arguments. It looks like Harry is a problem in the top management staff because he has very poor managerial skills. This is probably due to the fact that in most of his previous work he has not had many people actually working with him. Giving him less control to run everything exactly the way that Harry wants to.
Harry is a valuable asset to the company that cannot be lost, however when faced with projects that require teamwork and cooperation from others he has to learn to deal with his management in a more ethical way. Working through the course “The Management Process” at Juniata College, I was able to learn that synergy is more important to a company than many people think. Harry Smith needs to show his employees more respect, appreciation, and treat them with more equality. This is why I suggest that Tom Fuller should insist that Harry take a few management courses to better handle situations with employees.
Tom Fuller should also request that Jim Jones puts more effort into his work at Martin Brass. Tom Fuller should not suggest that Jim Jones leaves his position as Chairman of the School Board, he should let him know that he respects and admires the work that he does for the school, but he should sternly remind him that his first priority needs to be Martin Brass, if he can not accept this proposal, Tom Fuller should suggest that Jim Jones parts from the company, although he must do this on good terms so that the school board continues cooperation with Martin Brass.
There are some costs to this issue, for one the company will have to help Harry pay for these classes, however this is an expense that must me made to improve the company as a whole. Another cost could be losing Jim Jones, but the company could also find another Foreman, we however can’t lose Jim’s cooperation through the school boards business. If we can keep Jim Jones in the company and Harry takes the classes, many major benefits will immediately be seen throughout the company; synergy will be improved, efficiency will improve as well, and the maintenance department will be as productive as it has ever been.
It is obvious that the task of being Chairman of the School Board and Foreman of the maintenance department is very time consuming in difficult. Jim needs to put more effort towards Martin Brass and needs to get more rest in order to perform both jobs. If he cannot the company will settle with the UDO and leave him and Martin Brass on good terms. Regardless of the outcome of Jim Jones, Harry Smith will still take the management classes, due to his numerous incidents with employees in the past.
The pros of this idea include improving; efficiency, productivity, synergy, and most importantly improving the relationships that have been damaged within the Martin Brass Company. The comparison between the MDV and the UDO is clear, if possible we would love to have Jim Jones stay with the company, but if he is unable to balance the work of Martin Brass and the Chairman position of the School Board, Tom Fuller will have to let him go. No matter Jim’s outcome though Harry will take classes or receive professional mentorship on the handling of his employees.
