Problems In One Country Are Not Seen As Sufficiently Important In Headquarters
Oct 03,2007 00:00 by admin

Problems In One Country Are Not Seen As Sufficiently Important In Headquarters

Each location has individual problems and situations. Management at headquarters may not want to hear about these things. They rely on the managers put in place in the location to deal with the situations. This was the only way centuries ago when communications were poor. Remote managers and governors were given wide discretion on what to do. The problem is exacerbated by local managers who want to get promoted and so tend to push local problems “under the rug” if they cannot deal with them.

Prevention

Independent of the projects going on, management at headquarters must make the effort to be informed of local issues and problems. Managers at various locations should be encouraged, not discouraged, to present problems. This often is a major culture problem in companies. It requires a degree of openness that is not common or inherent in the culture of the firm.

Action

When a problem surfaces, it is often treated as unique. This is not the proper course of action. When you kill one termite, you can assume that there are many others. Here it is the same. You should institute an effort to uncover local issues. You should visit the locations and work with Human Resources to encourage people to come forward with problems and situations.