Acme Minerals Extraction Company

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CASE STUDY: ACME MINERALS EXTRACTION COMPANY Several years ago, Acme Minerals Extraction Company introduced teams in an effort to solve morale and productivity problems as its Wichita plant. Acme used highly sophisticated technology, employing geologists, geophysicists, and engineers on what was referred to as the “brains” side of the business, as well as skilled and semi-skilled labour on the “brawn” side to run the company’s underground extracting operations. The two sides regularly clashed, and when some engineers locked several operation workers out of the office in 100-degree heat, the local press had a field day. The company hired Suzanne Howard to develop a programme that would improve productivity and morale at the Wichita plant. The idea was that it would then be implemented at other Acme sites. Howard had a stroke of luck in the form of Donald Peterson, a long-time Acme employee who was highly respected at the Wichita plant and was looking for one final challenging project before he retired. Peterson had served in just about every possible line and staff position at Acme over his 39-year career, and he understood the problems workers faced on both the brains and the brawn sides of the business. Howard was pleased when Peterson agreed to serve as a leader for the Wichita pilot project. Three functional groups at the Wichita plant included operations, made up primarily of hourly workers who operated and maintained the extracting equipment; the “below ground” group, consisting of engineers, geologists, and geophysicists who determined where and how to drill; and the “above ground” group of engineers in charge of cursory refinement and transportation of the minerals. Howard and Peterson decided the first step was to get these different groups talking to one another and sharing ideas. They instituted a monthly “problem chat,” an optional meeting to which all

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