Question

Space Utilization - The perception process

Sherman Adder, assistant plant manager for Frame Manufacturing Company, is chairperson of the ad hoc committee for space utilization. The committee is made up of the various department heads in the company. The plant manager of Frame has given Sherman the responsibility for seeing whether the various office, operations, and warehouse facilities of the company are being optimally utilized. The company is beset by raising costs and the need for more space. However, before okaying an expensive addition to the plant, the plant manager wants to be sure that the currently available space is being utilized properly.

Sherman opened up the first committee meeting by reiterating the charge of the committee. The Sherman asked the members if they had any initial observations to make. The first to speak was the office manager, He stated; “Well, I know we are using every possible inch of room that we have available to us. But when I walk out into the plant, I see a lot of open spaces. We have people piled on top of one another, but out in the plant there seems to be plenty of rooms.” The production manager quickly replied: ‘We don not have a lot of space. Your office people have the luxury facilities. My supervisors don’t even have room for a desk and a file cabinet. I have repeatedly told the plant manager we need more space. After all, our operations determine whether this plant succeeds, or fall, not you people in the front office pushing paper around.” Sherman interrupted at this point and said: Obviously, we have different interpretations of the space utilization around here. Before further discussion I think it would be best if we have some objective facts to work with. I am going to ask the industrial engineer to provide us with some objective statistics on plant and office layouts before our next meeting. Today’s meeting is adjourned.”

Answer:

1. Do you think that Sherman’s approach to “getting facts” from statistics on plant and office layout will affect the perceptions of the office and production managers?

2. How does such information affect perception in general?

Answer 1

1. No! I do not think that Sherman's approach to “getting facts" from statistics on plant and office layout will affect much, the perceptions of the office and production managers.

The production managers have perception that office people do not do as much important work as they do. This is their negative attitude towards office people. Production managers think that industry is working only because of them and they are neglecting administrative people's contribution, which is wrong. They believe that office people just keep on playing with papers, only they (plant people) do real technical and physical work. Until they change their perceptions for each other, they cannot get much help from statistics of facts of plant and office.

2. Statistical information of facts is, in general, very important. This give realistic data of things we are dealing with. Hence when people analyse facts and figures, their perception also changes up to certain level.