Allentown Materials Corporation

The analysis of the tot in ally in allentown Materials slew case cartoon reveals a tally of issues mostly link to the untimely death of a see leader, the subsequent transfer in leadership, and as well up as the management style of the impertinently official upper-level managers. This paradigm transfigure in operational management strategy is matchless of the root causes of the conflict among departments, absence seizure of teamwork, and low morale. Addition onlyy, radical diversitys are infallible to bring Allentown Materials Corporation into a new era of manufacturing and jibe their continued supremacy in the grocery state of affairs.The bequeathingness to win over is critical in a manufacturing transcription where the means of maintaining a militant advantage change frequently. (ReVelle) The spring General Manager of the Allentown Materials Corporation Joe Bennett was very authoritarian in nature, preferring to make all nearly all important decisions by him self, and no decisions at all were make without Mr. Bennetts approval. Many of the managers reporting to Bennett were considered semipolitical and manipulative by their employees, and as a result few were willing to contest his operational management style.When founder Rogers took oer Joe Bennetts sit as world-wide manager the aggravating factors of a major(ip) down subprogram in trading were already present, but the centre were non necessarily being felt passim the organization. A revolutionary change should turn in been enforced under Bennett when the line of business shifted from principally army applications to private sector uses, only managers perspective whitethorn cause them to oerlook important organisational changes or respond to these changes in confiscately. Both common managers are at fault for the accredited situation at Allentown Mr.Bennett for overlooking when change was required and Mr. Rogers for responding to the lead for change inappropriately . The armed services market revolved around highly reliable and consistent genes for crucial military equipment and the military was willing to pay a premium to acquire such components. In contrast the consumer and private sector market withal demands high- fictional character products, but at the worst cost possible. (ReVelle) The secondary consequence of this shift from military to consumer markets is an change magnitude presence in the extremely competitive Japanese market.Japanese manufacturing firms had foresighted since developed and implemented their own manufacturing methodologies such as Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing and Total Quality Management. Allentown Materials Corporation is inwroughtly attempting to compete in a market that has already seen revolutionary change at the hands of new methodologies and techniques. Changes do need to be made to ensure a manufacturing organization has the competitive advantage, and selecting the appropriate change methodology is equally crucial.The sestet Sigma quality management program was in the first place developed by Motorola in 1986 and as a business strategy focuses on improving the quality of outputs by removing the causes of defects, unsatisfactory variability in the manufacturing appendage, and discontinuing practices that do not add value to the final output. (CIT) ace method in which six Sigma accomplishes this is though improving processes already in place or creating new processes when the existing ones flunk to meet business objectives. CIT) Motorola reported over 17 billion in savings in 2006 since the start of their Six Sigma initiative, and many a(prenominal) other manufacturing companies have also actiond mastery with their own implementations of Six Sigma. (CIT) These tangible effects are the results of information in quality improvement methods, rearrangement of business processes to make them to a greater extent than efficient, initiation of projects that improve production or save money, and improved communication between management and employees.For a caller-up to achieve Six Sigma any single process must not produce more than 3. 4 defects per million opportunities. (CIT) This in turn means increased profit for the company and potential bonuses or incentives for employees. We can also make comparisons between Six Sigma and the diametric Japanese methodologies and draw a number of conclusions Six Sigma addresses half of the revolutionary change required for Allentown Materials Corporation to remain competitive in the ever-changing manufacturing marketplace.The second component of the change required involves giving the replete(p) organization a divided hatful for the future which plays strongly on the means competencies of the Allentown Materials Corporation. The strength of Allentown Materials Corporation lies with its research and development, and manufacturing discussion sections. blow up of this change will come virtually as Six Sigma is adapted and implemented at the Allentown Materials Corporation.Employees at all levels of the organization will recognize the potential benefits and rewards including increased job security, new opportunities with the company, and better executing evaluations and pay increases. Additionally, employees will be cognizant that if the company is deriving benefits from Six Sigma these benefits will eventually trickle down to them. (CIT) All of the new rewards and incentives will lend themselves to a shared vision within the company. superstar aspect of particular importance of the Six Sigma methodology will be the effect of training and teamwork on the various divisions.When a sense of teamwork is lacking the employees have a tendency to focus on the productiveness of their particular department or division and fail to documentaryize the impact of their actions on the entire operation. (CIT) For these changes to take hold at Allentown Materials Corporation a vital genus Phallus of u pper management must hold the role as the change recall dose. Don Rogers seems like the clear superior to take on this position collectable to his position with the company and the fact that he has an established history of involving people in issues with the company and consulting them on decisions.The change title-holder at Allentown will have a number of new responsibilities related to ensuring the winner of Six Sigma and simultaneously being the crusade force behind the entire business revolution. In order to show genuine commitment to the program and the new shared vision the combatant will need to be heavily involved in the change process, ensuring that it moves swiftly and that the change is real and positive. Encouragement, motivation, involvement with projects, removing the barriers to project success, celebrating successes when they occur, and recognizing achievements are all ways the champion can institute commitment.In the course of implementing change the chang e champion should consider naming a counsel committee consisting of him or herself, key managers from all the functional areas including the newly separated gross revenue and marketing functions, and a new position training manager. The steering committee would coiffure to enact the changes, but would also give crucial feedback from lower managers and employees about the pragmatical implications of their changes.Among the responsibilities of the steering committee would be evolution a new team vade mecum that clearly states the policies and goals of the company and a training program emphasizing teamwork, team interaction skills, and The issues effecting Allentown Materials Corporation may very well lead to its ultimate demise. It is therefore essential for Allentown Materials Corporation to institute a unshakable and positive change to ensure its huge term viability and retain its competitive advantages in the marketplace. Six Sigma when implemented properly by a committed change champion can usher in a new era for Allentown Materials Corporation.