This case describes the history and management of a startup plant that manufactures guided-missile canisters for the U.S. Navy. The plant is rare in that management is minimized; most of the work is done by self-directed work teams. The decision-maker is the Green River, Wyoming, FMC plant manager, who is trying to assess whether the unusual management approach at Aberdeen would suit his facility, which is larger, older, in a different industry, and unionized. The case includes data on the Aberdeen plant's history, philosophy, recruiting methods, evaluation procedure, reward mechanism, career development, and information systems. There is a condensed version of this case (UVA-OB-0431).
