Summary

Sam Nolan, chief information officer at Century Medical, is having a hard time with his new boss. Century Medical is a large medical products company in Connecticut. Sam Nolan had been with the company for about four years and he has been successful in integrating technology into Century Medical. Two of his main projects included a benefits-administration system for the company’s human resources department and a complex Web-based purchasing system that streamlined the process of purchasing supplies and capital goods. The Web-based system cut the time needed to process requests and orders extensively. This also helped purchasing managers have more time to work with key stakeholders more directly. Sam Nolan had trained a 61 year-old HR employee, Ethel, on the new Web-based system. After learning, Ethel was very passionate about the new systems and how much they could help the company. Sam and Ethel then pulled together a team and developed an idea for linking Century managers, internal recruiters, and job applicants using artificial intelligence software. His previous boss, Sandra Ivey, enthusiastically endorsed the idea while his new boss Tom Carr seemed to have very little interest in the project. Tom Carr believes that the company should not do anything else with technology. He believes that employees can learn more by talking to people rather than looking on the Internet. He also seemed like he did not accept change when he said, “Just stick to the original plan and get it done.” Carr also argued that since the program was designed to help internal recruiting, then it shouldn’t be hard to talk to the candidates since they are working for the company. Carr stated, “My job is people, and yours should be too.” This stated that he would rather the employee’s talk to the customers than be on the computer.

Analysis I think Tom Carr is being extremely narrow minded. We do not know much about Tom Carr’s previous position, but maybe he is not used to being a manager. I think he needs to take a step back and learn to consider his employees’ ideas. Sam Nolan needs to speak with Tom Carr privately. He should inform him the benefits of using technology. He could show him statistics about the new program and how it would positively affect the company. He could also ask Tom Carr if he has time available for Sam to show him the program and show him how to use it. This way Tom can see the benefits himself. Sam needs to tell Tom how important the project is to him. I think he needs to explain that for the last six months Ethel and he have been working on this project. They should be able to continue the project regardless of who comes in as their new boss. Furthermore, in modern society, it is crucial that companies keep up with technology. If Tom Carr does not allow Sam and Ethel to go through with the project and execute the new program, then it could, in the long term, negatively affect the company. Competitors could be developing the same type of software. Since Century Medical is a medical products company, there are people that need their productivity to increase. To do so, they need qualified employees. They could be positively affecting so many more lives by using these different technologies. Tom Carr has never seen the company’s website. I think it is important for him to see and understand the positives and negatives of the technology Century Medical is using. Sam Nolan needs to speak with Tom Carr privately and really present the program and technology to him and really show him the benefits.