Introduction
The program for change at Acme Minerals has seen mixed success thus far. The Wichita plant changes have proven fairly successful in easing social tensions and increasing productivity. However, the Lubbock plant is not currently achieving the same level of success that was reached during the Wichita project. To fix this problem, it must be recognized that the solutions that were effective locally in Wichita do not necessarily comprise a perfect formula that can be applied to all plants throughout the company. Rather, more attention needs to be paid to the differences between the Wichita and Lubbock plants so that more appropriate measures can be used to solve problems. Furthermore, strategies for the future need to take into account differences between plants, promote unity and commitment among plant workers, and make better use of technology and knowledge available if more success is to be expected.
The Wichita Project
Before attempting to address Lubbock and other plants with different backgrounds and situations, it is important to review past success and understand the reasons behind it. The successful result achieved at the Wichita plant can be attributed too many factors, including the historical context of the plant and the local culture and social situation in place before implementation.
The Wichita project benefited from having been implemented in a plant experiencing an urgent situation. Because the plant had been underperforming, the company was considering eliminating it. Workers at the Wichita plant were therefore more likely to accept any plans for improvement as they represented a measure of job security. This set the stage for the eventual success of the monthly problem chats and the SPITS program implementation ...