Case #1: Tucker Company (p.395)
Q1. Sketch out a simple organisation chart showing Tucker Company’s three division, including the location of the laboratory. Why would the laboratory be located in the military jet engine division? Answer: President/CEO Tucker CompanyVP- Commercial Jet Engine Division VP – Military Jet Engine Division VP- Utility Turbine Division Laboratory Service Department *The laboratory is located in the military jet engine division because they can provide better service to them compared to other divisions. |
Q2. Analyse the conflict between Hodge & Franklin. Do you think the conflict is based on personalities or on the way the organisation is structured? Answer: Hodge is a new manager of laboratory department that service and support all of the major divisions. He replaced Garfield who retired in 1988. During the time of Garfield there was little evidence of interdepartmental or interdivisional conflict. However in the case of Hodge 6 months after he took the post, he became involved in several interdepartmental conflicts over work that involves his department particularly in Utility turbine division engineering department where Franklin is the head. There seem to be a clash of authority and a question of chain of command. I think the conflict is both based on personalities and the way the organisation is structured.Hodge personality of over competitive to the point of always eager to gain the attention of management cause him trouble. He was even perceived by his peers as an empire builder who was interested in his own advancement rather that the company’s wellbeing. These characteristics of Hodge made his judgement call compromise in performing his tasks as laboratory head which is supposed to be