From: The Managing Director, To: All Office Staff Date: 27 April, 2009 Subject: Efficiency of Productivity in the Office As a result of the productivity survey carried out in the factory, more rapid and more efficient ways of operating are now being applied. In the theory, productivity has been increased by over 50 percent. The management intends to apply these same methods to office staff in order to reduce costs. Our company must adapt in a competitive world. We aim to find ways of avoiding unnecessary actions by all staff. We therefore propose to pay a month's extra pay to any person who in the management's opinion has put forward the most practical suggestion to improve a particular office routine. All suggestions should be sent to MDS office before the end of month. Dear Managing Director, Following your memorandum of 27 April our department suggested that we should install the automatic coffee machines in the offices of each division, which we think would greatly help us with our work efficiency. My personnel officer informally asked a representative sample of office workers a number of questions. He asked whether 1. they drank coffee during their break, 2. they made it themselves or brought it with them from home, 3. they would be in favor of a shorter coffee-break, 4. they would use an automatic coffee-machine if available. We can summarize the results as follows 1. 65% said they enjoy a good cup of coffee, 2. Only 5% brought their own coffee with them from home, 3. 25% would be in favor of a shorter coffee-break and finishing earlier, 4. 15% said they would use the automatic coffee-machine. But most added if the coffee was cheap. On 30 April, during a routine meeting with the chief union representative, I mentioned that in some departments the coffee-break was lasting a lot longer than is actually allowed. The representative's answer was not very helpful. They had some ambiguity about it. She said the union would always insist on the coffee-break being left as it is. There is a point beyond which no negotiation would be possible without asking all the union members in the company their opinion. In conclusion, it seems important to draw the board's attention to possible difficulties which the rapid installation of coffee-machines could bring. We need to discuss the problem a little longer and with more people before taking any action, it would seem. Sincerely yours, Personnel Manager What is the purpose of the memorandum?