Case Study-Williams Machine Tool Company The new senior management...

Case Study-Williams Machine Tool Company

The new senior management at Williams Company recognized that 85years of traditional management had come to an end for a company now committed to specialty products. The company culture was about to change, spearheaded by project management, concurrent engineering,and total quality management.Senior management's commitment to product management was apparent by the time and money spent in educating the employees. Unfortunately,the seasoned 20-year-plus veterans still would not support the new culture. Recognizing the problems, management provided continuous and visible support for project management in addition to hiring a project management consultant to work with the people. The consultant worked with Williams from 1986 to 1991.From 1986 to 1991, the Williams Division of Crock Engineering experienced losses in 24 consecutive quarters. The quarter ending March31, 1992, was the first profitable quarter in over six years. Much of the credit was given to the performance and maturity of the project management system. In May 1992, the Williams Division was sold. More than 80% of the employees lost their jobs when the company was relocated over 1,500 miles away.

1.Could project management have been used for those projects involving modifications to the standard machine tool line?

2.How should you handle experienced employees who live in the past and refuse to accept project management?

3.Who should be blamed for the failure of Williams Company to react quickly to changes in the marketplace?

4.Is project management the real reason why the company was sold and employees lost their jobs?

5.Should Crock Engineering have held on to the Williams Company? If so, how?

6.Could there have been a hidden agenda behind the sale of Williams Company? (i.e., such as poor prognosis for the future of the machine tool industry)