Reference no: EM133190193
Jake Underwood is one of the p lant m anagers at Ply Form Products Corp., a company that manufactures high - density plywood flooring products that are used in the construction industry. The company has a total of five plants - Ash, Locke, Ottonabee, Trent, and Watertown locations . Each location has a p lant m anager responsible for supervising approximately 100 employees working on the production line in each plant. Each plant works on a 24 hours timetable - three shifts of eight hours each (morning, afternoon, and night shifts). Productivity at 4 of the plants - Trent, Locke, Ottonabee and Ash - is at a consistently high level. However, productivity at the Watertown plant for which Jake is responsible is typically 25 % lower than the other plants. Jake is very frustrated with the employees at hi s Watertown plant. A recent efficiency report compiled by a consultan cy group hired by Ply Forms highlighted a number of concerns and issues at Watertown that they have determined to be the primary causes of the less -than -desired productivity levels , specifically : 1. Employee chronic lateness for the morning shift . 2. Chronic employee absenteeism on Friday s, particularly before long weekends . 3. Higher t6han average rates of employee turnover , especially amongst night shift workers who tend to be the lowest senio rity employees. 4. Shift worker disregard for consequences of unsafe work practices. 5. S ubordinates ' slow learning curve on new machinery and equipment .
Questions :
1. Apply the needs theories of motivation proposed by Maslow, Alderfer, Herzberg and McClelland to the situation at the Watertown plant. Be sure to explain each theory, and indicate how each could be applied to resolve the specific motivation problems indicated in the consultancy report .
2. Apply the process theories of motivation proposed by Adams, Locke, and Bandura to the situation at the Watertown plant. Be sure to explain each theory, and indicate how each could be applied to resolve specific motivation problems indicated in the consultancy report.