Purdue Farms Essay

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1. Describe the change in management style at Perdue Farms. Frank Perdue belonged to a phase of industry development where people had little formal education and started their own companies. Like many traditional leaders of start-up businesses, Frank mostly utilized a centralized style of management where he retained control of decision-making and only shared it with his most trusted associates. Frank treated his associates as regular workers and each was expected to do their jobs. As the business progressed and grew, so did Frank’s style of management as he eventually began encouraging employee participation in quality issues and operational decisions. Unlike Frank, Jim Purdue was a highly educated professional. He understood the importance of the workforce and various ways to keep associates loyal to the company with his people first management style. Under his leadership, company goals were centered on the 3 P’s including People, Products, and Profitability. He believed the success of a business relied on satisfying customer needs by providing quality products. Jim emphasized the importance of associates in the company and believed it was the associates who strive to assure quality products are supplied to customers in turn creates satisfied customers. Jim’s people first philosophy provided stability in the workforce. He worked towards overcoming disadvantages of associates by providing English language classes for non-English speaking associates and by redesigning jobs that put workers at greatest risk. He also began a wellness program for associates that helped reduce turnover and created a healthier and happier workforce. Under the leadership of Jim Perdue, management style changed from being autocratic to permissive. From decision-making being in the hands of a chosen few, it is now open to all subordinates of Purdue Farms Inc. 2. How would

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