Fabritek Communication

Analytical Writing: Sessions 7, 8, 9

How to prepare for the sessions 7 and 8

Please read the case, ‘Rocky Mountain Mutual: Promoting Fun or Fitness?’ copied below. Treat the situation as one in which a decision needs to be made. As Joe Mirola, what is the problem you see in this situation? How did you arrive at it? What are the elements or contents that you would like to include in your written response to Zachary Evans? Logical rigour and depth of analysis would play an important role here.

Also, develop a rough idea of how you would write the report if you were Joe Mirola. When you are developing the rough idea of the report, keep in mind parameters such as the following:

Profile of the audience (Zachary Evans and possible others)

Selection and sequencing of ideas and data

Reader orientation, tone, style

Qualities such as brevity, clarity, and coherence

Language and mechanics (grammar, usage, punctuation)

Now get into your group and share your views with the other members. They may not agree with your ideas on how to write this report. You needn’t arrive at a consensus. But be prepared to contribute to the discussion in the class on the report.

[Extract taken from Peter Robinson (1994). Snapshots from Hell: The making of an MBA. London: Nicholas Brealey. Pp 128-131.]

Consider, for instance, the Fabritek case:

This was the case that [Professor] Benchley assigned to illustrate a third process type, the “job shop,” in which a batch of orders was completed in one shop, or at one station, before advancing to the next.

Fabritek, a small company in Indiana, produced machined parts for more than 100 different manufacturers.  Like many business school cases, the Fabritek case opened with a brief, dramatic vignette:

One afternoon in March 1969, Frank Deere, milling department foreman of the Fabritek Corporation, was approached by Stuart Baker, Fabritek’s automotive products manager.  “Hi, Frank,” Stuart said, “I hope you’ve got good news for me about this week’s order.  I don’t think my nerves can take a repeat of last week.”

Stuart, a young MBA who was new to Fabritek, had landed a big new contract, with a firm in the automotive industry, that required Fabritek to mill and grind castings for use in engine sub-assemblies. The week before, the number of defective castings had suddenly risen, slowing the work of the entire grinding shop.

“Stu,” Deere said, “we’ve got a real problem.  It looks as though I’ll have to add more people, replace someone, work overtime, or put on another grinder.”  “Wait a minute,” Stu replied. “We don’t know what’s causing those rejects yet. If we sweep this problem under the rug with something like overtime, we’ll lose our shirts on this order.”