Managing with Fairness in an Operational Context

Helen Priano, manufacturing manager at General Grain’s Michigan Cereal Facility had two critical decisions to make in early February 2002. Helen needed to decide whether or not to fire a 30-year veteran employee and if she should drop charges against an employee caught stealing company property. Helen wanted to be known as a fair leader and she realized that how she handled these issues and upcoming union contract negotiations would establish her reputation as a leader within the plant. Priano, at age 27, had been promoted to her new position after spending two years as a production manager in the neighboring powdered drink mix factory.