Effective Workplace Communication Argumentative

Assignment- 1 – Memorandum Writing

DASHMAN COMPANY

Submitted By-
Aneri Sheth
TY- iMBA (Batch- 5)
Roll no. 178
MEMORANDUM
To: Mr. Post
From: Mr. Larson
Date: 9th September 2017
Subject: Ignorance of company’s policy
According to the company’s new policy, each of the purchasing executives in several plants of Cashman will have to notify the Vice President in case the purchase of raw materials exceeding $10,000. However, it is not followed by the purchase executives of Dashman. So, the case brings in front of us, the matters like “Communication in an Organization” and “Effective Decision Making”.

Problem-
The current state is that the company has not been notified of any purchase procedure of raw materials for armed equipment over $10,000. Moreover, the executives visiting the plants reported about the plants being busy with the usual routine for that time of the year. The desired state is that there should be proper communication in the company.
Also, there should be timely purchase and availability of raw materials. The purchase executive of plants should comply with the new centralize approval policy of the company. They should create a separate purchase department for the company with all the decision powers and control on the purchase process of individual units.
Cause-
The Dishman Company has always focused on the decentralization structure where all the decisions (purchase) are taken by plant executives. This type of structure has become part of the culture of the organization. Also, it was practiced for long in the organization and it passed the test of time. Hence, when you proposed the idea of centralization of purchase procedure it not only affected the executives but, it violated the whole culture of the organization.

The requirement of such action would also be a probable problem for the orders of Mr. Post not being taken seriously. There has to be a very logical approach to any decision that is to be taken at the Vice – President Level of the company. The heads of purchases of the unit were not the part of the decision-making process which would have reduced the effectiveness of the measure that was decided upon.
Another reason for the ignorance of the orders was the lack of formal power and personal relationship with the executives. To avoid these circumstances, the suggestion to meet the plant executives was proposed to you. Perusing this suggestion could have made a better personal relationship with the executives. At the same time, the new policy could have been discussed with the executives inviting their views on it. Further, this could have established a formal power relationship with you and plant executives. Since it was not done there was no formal obligation of executives to follow the orders.

Apart from all these reasons, another important reason for the ignorance of the policy was the way the memo was written to the executives. The memorandum didn’t seem to be persuasive. Whereas, it should be persuasive as it is not only targeting the executives but, also attempts to change the prevailing decentralized structure of operations. Further, the change in the system would lead to change in the culture of the organization. Hence, the memorandum should have included the reasons as to why the systems of operations are changing.
Recommendations-Mr. Manson should personally introduce the new Purchase head to all the plant executives to make them comfortable with the appointment of Mr. Post i.e. you.

One of the possible ways to improve the situation would be to change the mode of communication. Since by giving a memo to all the executives won’t ensure better communication as it will be just passing of the information and not communication per say.
The decision that was taken for the new decentralized policy didn’t include any of the plant executives in decision making. The company should have also taken the executives view about the policy and they would have implemented it.
Any communication in the organization becomes more effective when it is from the bottom to top and not the vice versa. In this situation, the exact opposite was done. The policy was inflicted by the top management to the executives. In place of this, the management could have asked the executives to come up with the solution to the coordination problem among the 20 plants of Dashman.
Taking a lesson from this incident the company can propose a “what if not complying” clause to all the employees of the company.
Thanks!

Sincerely,
Larson