Date of Award

1990

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Business

First Advisor

Susan Myers

Second Advisor

Jeffrey Harris

Third Advisor

Bill Myers

Abstract

The implementation of team concept at General Motors (G.M.) Wentzville (Missouri) appears to be on the road to failure. By tradition, G.M. management and union relationships have been conflicting, but since the 1930's both parties have agreed that a more cohesive working environment would be advantageous for both parties. In the early 1970's General Motors and the United Auto Workers Union signed an agreement to start a new Quality-Of-Work-Life (QWL) program. This agreement lead to the development of team concept at General Motors Wentzville. Wentzville tried to model their team concept program similar to the Japanese but they seemed to overlook a few important facts . . . the Japanese are a disciplined culture that depends not only on technique but on human aspects and their productive aims.

The hypothesis of this project is that Quality-Of-Work-Life (team concept) at General Motors Wentzville is not successful due to the attitudes of the hourly workers. After researching this hypothesis by the use of historical data, secondary data, personal communications, and surveys, it has been rejected.

There are many variables involved in the lack of success of QWL at G.M. Wentzville, with hourly attitudes being only a small portion. From QWL's implementation, management has not been a true participative style group. They did not practice what they preached. This project revealed that the root cause for the struggle for success for QWL was management's reluctance to share their power and control and to practice in a true participative style.

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