Case Study - Organizational Development in a Small Sign Business

Case Study:

Organizational Development in a Small Sign Business

Introduction

This case study focuses on a small sign business, Bright Signs, which has been operational for over a decade. The company has 45 employees distributed across four departments: Design, Production, Sales, and Administration. Despite early successes, the business is currently facing significant organizational challenges.

For this assignment, you are required to read the situation and provide a proposal to address the issues using the processes and tools we have discussed in class. You are NOT to provide solutions in your proposal because you would first need to do some diagnosis and choose a process to follow. That is what this assignment is all about. Your proposal should tell me what process you recommend be followed to make changes and what diagnostic tools you will use to understand Bright Signs’ situation better.

History of Bright Signs

Bright Signs was founded in 2010 by John Bright, a graphic designer with a passion for creating visually appealing and effective signage. The company started as a small workshop in John’s garage, producing custom signs for local businesses. Due to the high quality of their work and excellent customer service, Bright Signs quickly gained a reputation and expanded its operations.

By 2015, the company had moved into a larger facility and hired additional staff to meet the growing demand. The business continued to thrive, securing contracts with several large corporations and expanding its product line to include digital signage and vehicle wraps. By 2020, Bright Signs had grown to 45 employees and was considered a leader in the local signage industry.

Early Successes

The early successes of Bright Signs can be attributed to several key factors:

1. Quality and Innovation: The company consistently delivered high-quality products and stayed ahead of industry trends by adopting new technologies.

2. Customer Focus: Bright Signs built strong relationships with clients through personalized service and a commitment to meeting their needs.

3. Team Spirit: In the early years, the small team worked closely together, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

John Bright has contacted you to help him make changes in the company. Here are the symptoms he has observed and when you asked him to give you examples, he provided specific stories.

Symptoms Observed by the CEO

John Bright has observed several symptoms of problems recently:

1. Projects are taking longer to complete, and the quality of work has declined. Deadlines are frequently missed, and customer complaints have increased. Clients are frustrated with delays and errors, leading to a decline in repeat business and referrals.

2. Employee morale seems to be at an all-time low. There is a noticeable lack of enthusiasm and motivation among staff. Absenteeism has increased, and employees seem disengaged from their work.

3. Conflicts between employees are common, often requiring intervention from management. These disputes are not only disruptive but also create a hostile work environment.

Specific Stories and Examples

· Design vs. Production: Recently, there was a significant conflict between the Design and Production departments. The designers created a complex sign that required intricate details, but they did not consult with the production team about the feasibility of manufacturing it. When the production team received the design, they realized it would take much longer to produce than anticipated, causing delays in the project timeline. This led to heated arguments between the two departments, with each blaming the other for the delays.

· Sales vs. Administration: Another example involves the Sales and Administration departments. Sales representatives often promise clients quick turnaround times without checking with the administration team about the current workload and capacity. This has led to overcommitment and missed deadlines, causing frustration and resentment between the teams. The administration team feels overwhelmed and undervalued, while the sales team feels unsupported.

· Missed Deadlines: A critical project for a major client was delayed because the project manager did not communicate the changes in the client’s requirements to the design team. The design team continued working on the original specifications, only to find out later that the client had requested significant changes. This miscommunication resulted in wasted time and resources, and the client was unhappy with the delay.

· Disconnected Employees: Employees often feel left out of important decisions and updates. For instance, when the company decided to invest in new digital printing technology, the decision was made by the top management without consulting the production team. The production team was not adequately trained on the new equipment, leading to operational inefficiencies and frustration among the staff.

Conclusion

Bright Signs is at a critical juncture. The company must address these organizational issues to restore its early successes and ensure long-term sustainability. Ultimately you want to help rebuild the company’s culture and re-engage employees.

Proposal Guidelines

You are to develop a 1200-1500 word proposal that outlines a comprehensive plan to tackle these challenges. It should be in APA format with a cover page. We will begin to follow the change process outlined on the first page of chapter 3 of your textbook. We will also use the OD Concepts chart.

This assignment will cover the first part of the change process: Entering and Contracting, Diagnosing and Providing Feedback, and we will begin to get in to Designing Interventions. Implementing and Evaluating will be part of your final class project (along with a partner).

Your proposal should have the following elements and should be formatted as follows:

1) Entering and Contracting

a) What goals or objectives do you want to accomplish in working with Bright Signs?

b) What will be your role? What can the CEO expect from you?

c) Are there any ground rules for the work?

 

2) Diagnosis and Providing Feedback

 

a) How will you analyze the root causes of the problems identified in the case study? What diagnostic tool or tools will you use and why?

b) How do you plan to collect data?

c) How will you provide feedback back to the CEO?

3) Designing Interventions

a) Which process model will work best. Choose a process model from the first column of the OD Concepts chart and explain why you made that choice and how it will benefit Bright Signs.

b) Based on what you know from the case study, will you be focusing on interventions at the individual, team, or organizational level or a combination? Why?

After reading your proposal, John Bright should know what process you will use, what diagnostic tools you will use, and how Bright Signs will benefit from working with you.

After these proposals have been graded, you and a class partner will then work together to explain the what you learned from the diagnosis of the organization's issues and what you recommended for interventions with measurements. You and your partner will submit a draft of your presentation to me for feedback. After you use the feedback to make edits, you will then submit the PPT as a final project. More on that part later.

 

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