Nogo Railroad Company

Case Study: Nogo Railroad Company

Alan Yates, a manager of the Nogo Railroad Company has decided to promote Dave Keller to communications manager. Dave Keller will be responsible for two groups within the communications department; telegraph operators and clerks. His operating territory will consist of Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Dave Keller has discovered that between each group there are problems that have cause an increase in expenses and a lack of employees’ acceptance within in his own department. Dave Keller must a way to resolve these problems without harming his own job and building up the moral in the company.

Problems

Macro

Dave Keller is faced with two problem areas at Nogo Railroad Company that has affected the company as a whole. The reduction of current employee expenses necessary to run the day to day operation, and the improving attitude of the employees to except the necessary changes to increase productivity and the continue growth of Nogo Railroad Company. (Brown, D. R. & Harvey, D., 2006)With the current operation system at Nogo Railroad Company, the threat of layoffs could be in the near future.

Micro

Dave Keller doesn’t seem to be receiving any backing from management to help him solve the current problems in his department at Nogo Railroad Company. David doesn’t have the authority to make such changes. He is missing the motivational force of his manager and the company owner to implement these changes. The current issue he is faced with has been ongoing and has not been handled by the previous manager. Currently at Nogo Railroad Company low moral has also been an issue. Most employees don’t feel that have to do extra work, so other employees are overworked.

Causes

One of the major causes for lack of employees’ acceptance within in his department is that they are union employees. The union is a restraining force that is blocking any changes that could greatly improve this organization. The union contract...