Management 14th Edition by Leslie Rue,Lloyd Byars ,Nabil Ibrahim

Exercise 13

Resisting Change
One of the problems you face in your firm involves mistakes being made by employees who perform a particular operation. The same mistakes seem to occur in more than one department. You believe a training program for the people concerned will help reduce errors.
You are aware, however, that your supervisors may defend existing procedures simply because the introduction of training may imply criticism of the way they have been operating. You realize, too, that the supervisors may fear resistance by employees afraid of not doing well in the training program. All in all, you plan to approach the subject carefully.
1. Add a recommendation to the agenda of your weekly staff meeting that training be undertaken to help reduce errors.
2. Talk to all your supervisors individually and get their attitudes and ideas about what to do before bringing the subject up in the weekly staff meeting.
3. Ask the corporate training staff to come in, determine the training needs, and develop a program to meet those needs.
4. Since this training is in the best interests of the company, tell your supervisors they will be expected to implement and support it.
5. Appoint a team to study the matter thoroughly, develop recommendations, then bring it before the full staff meeting.
Other alternatives may be open to you, but assume these are the only ones you have considered. Without discussion with anyone, choose one of them and be prepared to defend your choice.