Discussion Question 7 – Managing Groups and Teams
By 11:59 p.m. Eastern on the due date, post your initial response to this week’s question. By 11:59 p.m. Eastern within 2 days of the due date, reply to 1-2 classmates.
Read the Teamwork Takes to the Sky case in Bauer and Erdogan, Chapter 9: Managing Groups and TeamsLinks to an external site.. Write a response or share a video answering the questions from the case:
Would Robert Henderson’s strategy have worked if GE were manufacturing an entire plane rather than just an engine? What about if they were manufacturing medical equipment?
Jack Welch stated that productivity “comes from challenged, empowered, excited, rewarded teams of people.” Do you agree with this statement? What are some other factors of productivity that Welch may have left out?
One of the factors that contributed to the success of Henderson’s new factory was the use of FAA-certified mechanics. How could Henderson have accomplished his goal if the industry was suffering a shortage of FAA-certified individuals? At the beginning of the GE story, it was said that the company had already put $1.5 billion into the jet engine project. This means that GE has a lot of money available to it. Henderson’s groundbreaking production facility might not have been possible without the money that GE gave him. How might he have planned and built the factory differently if he had been working for a small, new company that was just starting out?
As stated at the opening of the GE story, GE had already invested $1.5 billion in the jet engine project. This implies that GE has a large amount of money at its disposal. Could Henderson have pulled off his revolutionary production facility without the amount of financial capital GE provided? How might his initial planning and development of the factory have differed if he were working for a new, small, start-up organization?
Remember…
Your initial post should be at least 200-300 words (but no more than 400 words) long and should respond to the professor’s weekly question(s). If you choose to use a video post, your initial video should be 2-3 minutes long.
Your discussion posts are graded on six criteria:
Responsiveness – Is each question answered completely?
Quality – Is the response written clearly and in academic English?
Length – Is the initial response at least 200-300 words (but no more than 400 words) long?
Citations – Is the post free of plagiarism? Does the response properly use references in APA format when appropriate?
Evidence – Are ideas supported by outside sources or clear examples from your personal or professional experience? Are any sources you use reliable?
Timeliness – Is it posted by the deadline?
