Space Utilization - The perception process

Sherman Adder, assistant plant manager for Frame ManufacturingCompany, is chairperson of the ad hoc committee for spaceutilization. The committee is made up of the various departmentheads in the company. The plant manager of Frame has given Shermanthe responsibility for seeing whether the various office,operations, and warehouse facilities of the company are beingoptimally utilized. The company is beset by raising costs and theneed for more space. However, before okaying an expensive additionto the plant, the plant manager wants to be sure that the currentlyavailable space is being utilized properly.

Sherman opened up the first committee meeting by reiterating thecharge of the committee. The Sherman asked the members if they hadany initial observations to make. The first to speak was the officemanager, He stated; “Well, I know we are using every possible inchof room that we have available to us. But when I walk out into theplant, I see a lot of open spaces. We have people piled on top ofone another, but out in the plant there seems to be plenty ofrooms.” The production manager quickly replied: ‘We don not have alot of space. Your office people have the luxury facilities. Mysupervisors don’t even have room for a desk and a file cabinet. Ihave repeatedly told the plant manager we need more space. Afterall, our operations determine whether this plant succeeds, or fall,not you people in the front office pushing paper around.” Shermaninterrupted at this point and said: Obviously, we have differentinterpretations of the space utilization around here. Beforefurther discussion I think it would be best if we have someobjective facts to work with. I am going to ask the industrialengineer to provide us with some objective statistics on plant andoffice layouts before our next meeting. Today’s meeting isadjourned.”

Answer:

1. Do you think that Sherman’s approach to “getting facts” fromstatistics on plant and office layout will affect the perceptionsof the office and production managers?

2. How does such information affect perception in general?