The Waterview Case Analysis

OVERVIEW

Located on the waterfront at a premier resort, for decades the Waterview snack bar had been the leading tourist destination in the Muskoka District of Northern Ontario. After multiple changes of ownership, however, the quality of service at the resort and especially at the snack bar deteriorated, and revenues fell sharply. Exacerbating an already difficult situation, long-time employee Michael Welland, recently promoted to snack bar supervisor, engaged his manager, Rebecca Boddington, in several heated arguments. The arguments revolved around Boddinton's assigning Michael tasks beyond the scope of his job description, paying him less than she had promised when she promoted him, and refusing to take time for discussing and resolving Welland's job-related concerns. Discouraged and disgruntled, convinced that Bodington held a personal grudge against him, Welland felt unsure about finishing the four weeks remaining on his contract with the Waterview. This serious lack of communication, coupled with poor employee morale and workers' frequent disputes with their supervisors, substantially diminished the Waterview's share of its highly competitive tourism market.

PROBLEMS

Even a cursory review reveals problems in The Waterview snack bar's organization and processes, its manager's professional demeanour and skills, and its employees' task management.

For example, Bodington changed Welland's job responsibilities without consulting him or notifying him in advance. In one instance, when Welland arrived to start work at the snack bar as supervisor, he discovered--to his considerable dismay