Riordan Manufacturing Gap Analysis

Running head: GAP ANALYSIS: RIORDAN MANUFACTURING

Gap Analysis: Riordan Manufacturing

University of Phoenix

MBA 530 Human Capital Development

Caroline Rick

May 25, 2009

Gap Analysis: Riordan Manufacturing

Riordan Manufacturing (RM) is a plastic company with a global presence. The company, owned by Riordan Industries, earns $46 million each year. Riordan Industries is a fortune 1000 enterprise that generates an income that exceeds $1 billion dollars annually. RM has three production facilities, which are located in Hangzhou China, Albany, Georgia, and Pontiac, Michigan. Their headquarters is located in San Jose, California. This is where all research and development is performed. Riordan has experienced a decrease in sales and profits, so the company made a choice to make a strategic change in the practices of the manufacturing process. Now the company’s customers will receive services through the sale team instead of the regular process provided through individuals. This will help improve relationships with the customers because it uses different people from the team and allows that person to focus on one specific customer segment.

Redirecting the workforce to other facilities in order to support the teams has resulted in an increase in employee turnover as well as a decrease in personal job satisfaction. A major factor making this issue worse are the various generation gaps that exist at Riordan. These dissimilar generations all have their individual views on motivation and rewards. A worker’s eagerness to follow specific behaviors is an important determinant of behavior. In other words, “employees must be “motivated” if they are to perform behaviors such as high task performance, job seeking, attendance, or cooperation with others,” (Dreher, 2007).

This paper will look at the Riordan situation and analyze it in depth. This is necessary to form a thorough understanding of the issues causing these differences. Addressing the values of the...