Running head: UNDERSTANDING THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
Understanding Theoretical Foundations
Objective 1B- Educational Entry
Kimberly T. Rivera
McDaniel College
February 23, 2015
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Many times, an organization may suffer from workforce issues that are not simply
resolved by purchasing resources. In the circumstance at Treadway Tire Company, job
dissatisfaction and high turnover were of major concern at their Lima Plant. I am submitting a
case study review of this organization to exhibit how I would apply theoretical foundations to
assist in organizational development. This submission is an educational entry and will satisfy
objective six of McDaniel’s HRD program. I will discuss the importance of conducting a need’s
analysis, using exit interviews, and implementing soft skills training.
Treadway was a major supplier of tires to replacement tire markets and to original
equipment manufacturers, including Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. The company staffed
almost 9,000 hourly and salaried employees in North America. The Lima plant in Ohio was one
of eight manufacturing plants for Treadway and suffered from high turnover and dissatisfaction.
There was constant conflict between the foreman and the production line employees; between
salaried and union employees. Turnover was significant in 2007, when 23 out 50 foremen at the
Lima plant left. Ashley Wall, Director of HR, was determined to solve the problem and cut
overall costs by reducing turnover and improving productivity.
“People tend to be brutally honest about their experiences in an exit interview – they no
longer have to please their bosses, and they have little to fear by being honest. Because of this,
the feedback you get from exit interviews can be very useful for identifying problems with
operations, performance and staff retention” (Mind Tools, 2015). Wall was able to collect
reliable, honest feedback to analyze, by listening to the employees leaving the plant. Exit
interviews reveal opportunities for improvement, and they encourage people to leave on a
positive note (Mind Tools, 2015). Wall realized a common theme of employees being
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unsatisfied with work schedules and treatment from the foreman. This led her to conducting a
need’s analysis.
There are three levels of a training needs assessment: Organizational, Occupational, and
Individual (OPM, 2015). Wall conducted an occupational assessment which ‘examines the
skills, knowledge, and abilities required for affected occupational groups. Occupational
assessment identifies how and which occupational discrepancies or gaps exist, potentially
introduced by the new direction of an agency. It also examines new ways to do work that can
eliminate the discrepancies or gaps’ (OPM, 2015). Wall identified one of the dysfunctional
causes as being the move from regular eight hour a day shifts to shifts that operated on a twelve
hour basis, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. This strategy allowed the company to
reduce its labor costs while also utilizing total plant capacity, thereby reducing production costs
and allowing the spreading out of fixed overhead. Although this was ideal from a business
perspective, it did not support the needs of the employees. Long hours and employee’s attitudes
caused dysfunctional behaviors to permeate throughout the workforce. Alleviating the tension of
long hours was an authority of the executives of the plant, but Ashley could help ease the
attitudes and tension among employees. Creating a soft skills training for managers was an
essential deliverable to relieve the issue.
Poor communication within or across work teams is one of the greatest causes of poor
productivity in the workplace (Tracom, 2007). It was evident there was poor communication at
the Lima Plant that was causing dissatisfaction and high turnover. Wall was determined to create
training for all employees, especially the foreman. A soft skills training, specifically an
interpersonal skills training was in order. “In an award-winning management study, the authors
reported that managers spend up to 42 percent of their work time resolving interpersonal friction,
UNDERSTANDING THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS
conflict, refusal to collaborate and other forms of non-productive behavior in the workplace”
(Tramcom, 2007). This indicates the distractions that can occur while managing a team.
Distractions that are caused by poor communication can take away from the group engagement,
commitment, and satisfaction.
Completing a case study review on Treadway Tire Company allowed me to learn about
the dynamics of employment training and development, and engagement. I have had little
experience with exit interviews, but I would like to strive to improve the results derived from
them, if I had the opportunity. I believe exit interviews are very helpful, as seen in this case.
Just like a company gathers feedback from customers to improve operations, organizations
should continuously do the same for their employees, to improve satisfaction. Upholding
positive interpersonal communication skills and business relationships among colleagues,
subordinates and superiors is the key to maintaining a successful work environment. By
executing a need’s analysis and identifying the need for a soft skills training, employees at the
Lima Plant will develop their interpersonal skills and create a more positive work environment.
Applying theoretical foundations will allow the Lima plant to succeed by engaging their
employees and developing their skills.
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References
Mind Tools. (2015). Exit interviews- getting feedback from departing staff. Retrieved from:
http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMM_41.htm
OPM. (2015). Training and development. Retrieved from: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-
oversight/training-and-development/planning-evaluating/
Skinner, W. & Beckham, H. (2008). The treadway tire company: job dissatisfaction and high turnover at
the lima tire plant. Harvard Business School, Brief Cases. p.2189
Tramcom. (2007). Creating more effective managers through interpersonal skills. Retrieved
from:https://www.trainingindustry.com/uploadedFiles/Executive_Toolkit/Knowledge_Co
mmunity/White_Papers/Tracom_-_Effective_Managers_WP.pdf