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www.gyaniversity.com201MMPC001: Management Functions and Organisational ProcessesImproving the communication systemdemonstrates itsconcern for both upward and downward communication, ensuring that employees feel valued and heard.His focus on reducing costs and wasteful expenditure while increasing welfare activitiesfor employees highlights his dual focus on production and people.Robert, one of the field sales managers of Major Tools Ltd., had been promoted to his first headquarters assignment as an assistant product manager for a group of products with which he was relatively unfamiliar. Shortly after he had taken over this new assignment, one of the company's vicepresidents, Smith, called for a meeting of product managers and other staff to plan marketing strategies. Robert's superior was unable to attend, so the director of marketing, Reynolds, invited Robert to the meeting to help and orient him to his new job.Because of the large gathering, Reynolds was rather brief in introducing Robert to Smith. After the meeting began, Smith,a crusty veteran with a reputation for bluntnessbegan asking a series of probing questions, which most of the product managers were unable to answer in detail. Suddenly, he turned to Robert and questioned him quite closely about his group of products. Somewhat confused, Robert confessed that he really did not know the answers.It was immediately apparent to Reynolds that Smith had forgotten or had failed to understand that Robert was new to the job and was attending the meeting more for his own orientation than to contribute to it. He was about to offer a discreet explanation when Smith, visibly annoyed with what he took to be Robert's lack of preparation, snapped, \work, and there is no excuse for it.\Reynolds had to make a quick decision. He could interrupt Smith and point out that he had judged Robert unfairly, but that might embarrass both his superior and his subordinate. Alternatively, he could wait until after the meeting and offer an explanation in private. As Smith quickly became engrossed in another conversation, Reynolds followed the second approach. Glancing at Robert, Reynolds noted that his expression was one of mixed anger and dismay. After catching his eye, Reynolds winked at Robert as a discreet reassurance that he understood and that the damage could be repaired. After an hour, Smith, evidently dissatisfied with what he termed the \department in general, abruptly declared the meeting over. As he did so, he turned to Reynolds and asked him to remain behind for a moment. To Reynold's surprise, Smith immediately raised the question of Robert himself. In fact, it turned out to have been his main reason for asking Reynolds to remain behind. \