MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS ACROSS CULTURES

Are Two Manager Too Many?

Three years ago, a german manufacturer of domestic electrical appliances (hairdryers,blenders,coffee  grinders, etc) opened a plant in tijuana,Mexico.

The company has two assembly line managers; one is german and one is mexcian. Nine month ago, a new german assembly line manager was sent over to replace a returning manager was not succesful with managing the assembly line employees during his stay. The new manager is Ms. Mara Graus. Working alongside Ms. Graus is the mexcian manager, pablo arango, who has been at the plant from the begining. Both managers share responsible for four floor supervisors  who oversee the thirty assembly line workers.

From the begining the two manager have disagreed on many management policy issues:

Ms. Graus feels that Mr.Arango is too friendly with subordinates ,both the supervisors and assembly line workers. Mr. Arango, in contrast. Feels that Ms. Graus is very cold and unfriendly to subordinates.

Mr. Arango feels that the floor supervisors should be given more responsibility and control over their workers. He feels they should be given more information related do their jobs and more decision-making power. Ms. Graus feels that they have  enough information to carry out their jobs and that she and Mr. Arango should be making all decisions.

Ms. Graus feels that the assembly line workers have low company morale. She believes that competitions in which  workers with the greatest output are rewarded with a bonus would raise company spirits Mr. Arango feels such competitions actually lower morale not raise it.

The disagreements have become serious that Ms. Graus and Mr. Arango are no longer able to effectively manage the assembly line.