6. Case Study:- A Failure to Communicate

Could you come to my office for a minute, Bob?’
Asked Terry ( the plant manager ). Sure, be right there,”
said Bob Gemson. Bob was the plant’s quality control
director. He had been with the company for four years.
After completing his degree in mechanical engineering, he
worked as a production supervisor and then as maintenance
manger prior to promotion to his present job. Bob thought
he knew what the call was about.

“But letter of resignation catches me by surprise,’
began Terry. “1 know that Wilson products will be getting a
good man, but we sure need you here, too”. “J thought about
it a lot, ‘said Bob, “but there just doesn’t seem to be a
future for me here. “ “Why do you say that’?” asked
Terry. “Well,” replied Bob, “the next position above mine
is yours. With you only thirty- nine,. I don’t think it’s
likely that you’ll be leaving soon.

“The fact is that I am leaving soon,’ said
Terry. “That’s why it’s even more of a shock to know that
you are resigning. I think I’ll be moving to the corporate
offices in .Tune of next year. Besides, the company has
several plants that are larger than this one. We need good
people in those plants from time to time, both in quality
control and in general management.”






“Well, I heard about an opening in the Cincinnati
plant last year,” said Bob, “but by the time I checked, the
job had already been filled. We never know about job
opportunities in the other plants until we read about them
in the company paper


‘All this is beside the point now. What would it
take to get you to change your mind?” asked Terry. “I don’t
think I can change my mind now,” replied Bob. “I’ve already
signed a contract with Wilson.’

Questions

(a) Evaluate the communication system at this company.

(b) What actions might have prevented Bob’s resignation?