Question

As he walks out of the president’s office, Philip shakes his head. It was clear that the president was a bit embarrassed that she does not know the details of her company’s configuration management system; she seemed even more embarrassed that she will have to cancel an agreement she made last night at a dinner meeting with her counterpart in HeavyEng. “In a way it serves her right” he mutters. Since Philip was appointed procurement manager at TechnoVehicle, several issues relating to communication have come up, especially with the development of a vehicle that TechnoVehicle has been designing and for which HeavyEng made the prototype, and is preparing to produce. The product is a state-of-the-art firefighting vehicle on order by several airports. Philip has been concerned about the constant meetings between the engineering staffs of the two companies and the numerous design modifications it has apparently led to. However, he also realizes the necessity of such meetings to ensure cost-effective manufacturing. And now the president called him in to say that she had told HeavyEng’s president that TechnoVehicle will in the future supply HeavyEng with electronic copies of the drawings instead of the “hard” copies they have been sup-plying. He had to inform her that the “hard” copies of the drawings—not the electronic ones—are under configuration control and that what she agreed to at the dinner meeting would simply not work. After an hour of mulling around in the office, he calls the president’s assistant to request a meeting; the agenda: formal and informal communication. Then he calls the engineering manager to arrange a meeting with the two of them on the same topic.

1. Why do you think Philip is upset about the agreement between the two presidents?

2. What similarity is there between the communication between the two presidents and the communication between the engineering staffs of the two companies?

3. What message should Philip convey during the two meetings he has scheduled?

4. Why is Philip’s idea of face-to-face meetings with the president and the engineering manager a good one?

5. What is a good general rule regarding formal and informal communication for any project?

Answer 1

1) Philip is upset about the agreement between the two presidents because the president had conveyed to the HeavyEng’s president that TechnoVehicle will henceforth supply HeavyEng with electronic copies of the drawings instead of the “hard” copies they have been supplying. But Philips told the president that the “hard” copies of the drawings are under configuration control and that what she agreed to at the dinner meeting would simply not work.

2) The similarity between the communication between the two presidents and the communication between the engineering staff of the two companies is that they have been engaged in constant meetings regarding the development of a vehicle that TechnoVehicle was designing and for which HeavyEng had made the prototype. These meetings have also ensured cost-effective manufacturing.

3) The message that Philip should convey during the two meetings he has scheduled is that the “hard” copies of the drawings are under configuration control and therefore supplying HeavyEng with electronic copies of the drawings instead of the “hard” copies would not be possible.

4) Philip’s idea of face-to-face meetings with the president and the engineering manager is a good one because it will ensure a clear line of communication and mitigate any scope of miscommunication.

5) A good general rule regarding formal communication for any project is that it should be done to ensure clarity, transparency, and accountability.

A good general rule regarding informal communication for any project is that it should be done to keep things fast and flexible.