Magnetrol International, Incorporated: A Case Study in the Use of Appreciative Inquiry

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-39
Author(s):  
E. John Heiser ◽  
Jeffrey K. Swallow
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Appreciative Inquiry ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Service Organization ◽  
Multinational Company ◽  
Support Organization ◽  
The Us ◽  
World Class ◽  
Innovative Action

This case examines the use of appreciative inquiry by a multinational company to gain market differentiation by developing a world-class global service and technical support organization. Magnetrol International, Incorporated is a family-owned manufacturing company headquartered outside Chicago, Illinois USA, with manufacturing facilities in the US, Belgium, Brazil, China and the UAE. The purpose of the article is to demonstrate how the appreciative inquiry framework was used to drive innovation in the creation of a world-class global service organization through the use of positive discourse and employee engagement. Data was collected over a 5-month period including during two appreciative inquiry (AI) summits, one in the US and one in Belgium. The article seeks to demonstrate that positive discourse conducted in an inclusive environment can lead to positive, innovative action with an ensuing benefit of a more engaged, committed workforce.

scholarly journals A World Class Industry: Honda in Alabama and the Rise of the Foreign-Owned Auto Sector

2020 ◽  
pp. 002200942092588
Author(s):  
Timothy J. Minchin
Keyword(s):  
Work Force ◽  
Historical Case Study ◽  
Site Location ◽  
Historical Case ◽  
Car Industry ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Press ◽  
The Us ◽  
World Class

This article provides the first in-depth historical case study of Honda’s assembly plant in Lincoln, Alabama. Established in 1999, the plant became one of the biggest auto factories in the US, employing over 4,500 workers. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including rare interviews with top company and state officials, it argues that the establishment of the plant did not just reflect financial subsidies, the prevailing view in the press (and limited academic literature). Other factors were crucial, including site location, the availability of a willing and qualified workforce, and union avoidance. The personal intervention of state leaders, especially Governor Don Siegelman, is also uncovered here. In a broader context, the article illuminates the globalization of the car industry. In 2018 foreign-owned companies accounted for half of US auto production, and Alabama was a leading producer. Despite this, the burgeoning sector has been overlooked by scholars compared to domestically-owned carmakers. Honda in Alabama has been particularly neglected, yet its story is significant and distinctive. A highly successful plant, Honda Manufacturing of Alabama had one of the highest levels of domestic content in the country, along with more American managers than Honda’s better-known factory in Marysville, Ohio, and a more diverse work force.

The Relationship between Working Environment and Internship Satisfaction Level: A Case Study Of A 4-Star Hotel Restaurant In Germany

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-291
Author(s):  
Chatarina Natalia Putri
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Satisfaction Level ◽  
Supervisory Support ◽  
Support Organization ◽  
The Relationship

There are many factors that can lead to internship satisfaction. Working environment is one of the factors that will result to such outcome. However, many organizations discarded the fact of its importance. The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between working environment and internship satisfaction level as well as to determine whether the dimensions of working environment significantly affect internship satisfaction. The said dimensions are, learning opportunities, supervisory support, career development opportunities, co-workers support, organization satisfaction, working hours and esteem needs. A total of 111 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents and were processed by SPSS program to obtain the result of this study. The results reveal that learning opportunities, career development opportunities, organization satisfaction and esteem needs are factors that contribute to internship satisfaction level. In the other hand, supervisory support, co-workers support and working hours are factors that lead to internship dissatisfaction. The result also shows that organization satisfaction is the strongest factor that affects internship satisfaction while co-workers support is the weakest.

EXPLORATORY STUDY OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-106
Author(s):  
Tita Miawati ◽  
Widodo Sunaryo ◽  
Nancy Yusnita
Keyword(s):  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Turnover Rate ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Multinational Company ◽  
Optimal Conditions ◽  
Implementation Program ◽  
Employee Groups ◽  
Company Growth

Employee engagement is now recognized as an important topic in the company because it relates with turnover rate, productivity of employee and finally to the company growth. A study conducted to describe the finding of an effort to increase the effectiveness of engagement implementation by company in order to increase level of employee engagement. The study used qualitative research method through exploratory study in a multinational company in Jakarta. Data obtained through interviews with key leaders of the company to find out how the implementation of engagement conducted by the company, and a Focus Group Discussion of employee groups to determine the condition of employee engagement. The researchers analyzed the data from both of company and employees to see if there is a gap between engagement implementation by the company and the conditions of employee engagement. To obtain the validity of the data, researchers used triangulation techniques carried out by experts in the HR field. The study found that the company's efforts to implement employee engagement had not been carried out optimally and equally on all engagement indicators. Likewise, the condition of employee engagement has not yet reached optimal conditions. The conclusion described that there is a gap between company’s engagement implementation program and the engagement conditions felt by employees. Thus, it is necessary to make efforts to improve the effectiveness of engagement implementation so that increasing the employee engagement bring contributes to the company's growth

Prohibition, Legalization, and Political Consumerism

2018 ◽  
pp. 740-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Drug Control ◽  
Psychoactive Substance ◽  
Political Consumerism ◽  
Control Laws ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Us

Cannabis (marijuana) is the most commonly consumed, universally produced, and frequently trafficked psychoactive substance prohibited under international drug control laws. Yet, several countries have recently moved toward legalization. In these places, the legal status of cannabis is complex, especially because illegal markets persist. This chapter explores the ways in which a sector’s legal status interacts with political consumerism. The analysis draws on a case study of political consumerism in the US and Canadian cannabis markets over the past two decades as both countries moved toward legalization. It finds that the goals, tactics, and leadership of political consumerism activities changed as the sector’s legal status shifted. Thus prohibition, semilegalization, and new legality may present special challenges to political consumerism, such as silencing producers, confusing consumers, deterring social movements, and discouraging discourse about ethical issues. The chapter concludes that political consumerism and legal status may have deep import for one another.

Did Groupthink or Polythink Derail the 2016 Raqqa Offensive?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kasey Barr ◽  
Alex Mintz
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Study Analysis ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Case Study Analysis ◽  
The Us ◽  
Tactical Decisions

This chapter examines the effect of group dynamics on the 2016 decision within the administration of President Barack Obama to lead the international coalition in a mission to liberate Raqqa, Syria, from the Islamic State. The authors show that whereas the groupthink syndrome characterized the decision-making process of the US-led coalition’s decision to attack Raqqa, it was polythink that characterized the decision-making dynamics both in the US-led coalition and within the inner circle of Obama’s own foreign policy advisors. Through case-study analysis, the authors illustrate that groupthink is more likely in strategic decisions, whereas polythink is more likely in tactical decisions.

scholarly journals Comprehensive technical support for safe mining in ultra-close coal seams: A case study

2021 ◽  
pp. 014459872110093
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Jiawei Guo ◽  
Kaidi Xie ◽  
Jinming Wang ◽  
Liang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coal Seam ◽  
Technical Support ◽  
Surrounding Rock ◽  
Coal Seams ◽  
Deformation Control ◽  
Hard Roof ◽  
Working Face ◽  
Close Coal Seams ◽  
Safe Mining

In order to mine the coal seam under super-thick hard roof, improve the utilization rate of resources and prolong the remaining service life of the mine, a case study of the Gaozhuang Coal Mine in the Zaozhuang Mining Area has been performed in this paper. Based on the specific mining geological conditions of ultra-close coal seams (#3up and #3low coal seams), their joint systematic analysis has been performed, with the focus made in the following three aspects: (i) prevention of rock burst under super-thick hard roof, (ii) deformation control of surrounding rock of roadways in the lower coal seam, and (iii) fire prevention in the goaf of working face. Given the strong bursting tendency observed in upper coal seam and lower coal seam, the technology of preventing rock burst under super-thick hard roof was proposed, which involved setting of narrow section coal pillars to protect roadways and interleaving layout of working faces. The specific supporting scheme of surrounding rock of roadways in the #3low1101 working face was determined, and the grouting reinforcement method of local fractured zones through Marithan was further proposed, to ensure the deformation control of surrounding rock of roadways in lower coal seams. The proposed fire prevention technology envisaged goaf grouting and spraying to plug leaks, which reduced the hazard of spontaneous combustion of residual coals in mined ultra-close coal seams. The technical and economic improvements with a direct economic benefit of 5.55 million yuan were achieved by the application of the proposed comprehensive technical support. The research results obtained provide a theoretical guidance and technical support of safe mining strategies of close coal seams in other mining areas.

scholarly journals Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Capability: A Case Study of the Hanoi Primary Healthcare System

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117863292110192
Author(s):  
Minh Van Hoang ◽  
Anh Tuan Tran ◽  
Trang Thu Vu ◽  
Tuan Kim Duong
Keyword(s):  
Public Information ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Emergency Operations ◽  
The Us ◽  
Local Stakeholders ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Issue Public ◽  
Analytical Frameworks

This study examined the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preparedness and response of the health system (HS) in Hanoi, Vietnam, and identified enabling factors and barriers. This cross-sectional, mixed-methods study was conducted in 4 urban and peri-urban districts that included some wards with COVID-19-positive cases and some without. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analytical frameworks were used. Overall, 10% of health facilities (HFs) failed to fully implement COVID-19 risk determination; 8.8% failed to fully implement stronger community partnerships with local stakeholders to support public health (PH) preparedness; 35% and 2.5% incompletely implemented and did not implement evaluation of PH emergency operations, respectively; 10% did not identify communication channels to issue public information, alerts, warnings, and notifications; 25% incompletely implemented identification, development of guidance, and standards for information; 72.5% had good preventive and treatment collaboration; and 10% did not fully implement procedures for laboratory testing and reporting results. Enablers included sufficient infrastructure and equipment, strong leadership, and good cross-public-sector collaboration with police and military forces. Barriers included workforce constraints, overburdened and inconsistent reporting systems, inappropriate financial mechanisms, ambiguous health governance, and lack of private-sector engagement. Nonetheless, the HS preparedness and response were satisfactory, although further coordinated efforts in evaluation, coordination, communication, and volunteering remain necessary.

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