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Dissertation Information for Wendy S. Becker

NAME:
- Wendy S. Becker

DEGREE:
- Ph.D.

DISCIPLINE:
- [No Discipline Recorded]

SCHOOL:
- Pennsylvania State University (USA) (1999)

ADVISORS:
- None

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
- None

MPACT Status: Incomplete - Not_Inspected

Title: Field of dreams: An investigation of high performance work practices and sociotechnical systems in greenfield plants

Abstract: "The purpose of this study is to investigate the high performance work practices and sociotechnical systems found in new greenfield plants. New plants provide unique opportunities for organizations to experiment with innovative work systems; greenfields are special kinds of new plants that embrace a unique management vision and philosophy of high performance. High performance work systems, while not yet well defined in the organizational literature, involve implementation of ideal sets of work practices. A model integrating the themes of high performance and sociotechnical systems is proposed.

Based on data obtained from plant managers, human resource managers, and operations employees, the study uses multiple regression analysis to examine specific relationships between twenty-four high performance work practices and twenty sociotechnical systems variables. The thirty-three participating plants represent a diverse group of manufacturing and service providers, including automotive, food and beverage, household and consumer products, heavy manufacturing, steel producers, pharmaceutical and distribution facilities. Size of plants range from 53 to 1150 employees; two of the thirty-three plants currently have union representation. Labor costs as a percentage of total plant operating costs, range from 6% to 50%. Several plants in this sample represent an overall capital investment in excess of $200 million. Management vision and work practices vary widely across the new plants. Many organizations attempt to implement high performance work systems through a vision for team-based operations; however, having an early vision in place for teams was not sufficient for early plant success. Great challenges for managers of greenfields are in the implementation of people systems, specifically, identifying and training the new workforce."

MPACT Scores for Wendy S. Becker

A = 0
C = 1
A+C = 1
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:13:32

Advisors and Advisees Graph