"Could you come to my office for a minute, Bob?" asked Terry Geech, the plant manager.

"Sure, be right there," said Bob Glemson. Bob was the plant's quality control director. He had been with the company for four years. After completing his degree in mechanical engineering, he worked as a production supervisor and then as a maintenance supervisor prior to moving to his present job. Bob thought he knew what the call was about.

"Your letter of resignation catches me by surprise," began Terry. "I know that Wilson Products will be getting a good person, but we sure need you here, too."

"I thought about it a lot," said Bob, "but there just doesn't seem to be a future for me here."

"Why do you say that?" asked Terry.

"Well," replied Bob, "the next position above mine is yours. Since you're only 39, I don't think it's likely that you'll be leaving soon."

"The fact is that I am leaving soon," said Terry. "That's why it's even more of a shock to learn that you're resigning. I think I'll be moving to the corporate office in June of next year. Besides, the company has several plants that are larger than this one, and we need good people in those plants from time to time, both in quality control and in general management."

"Well, I heard about an opening in the Cincinnati plant last year," said Bob, "but by the time I checked, the job had already been filled. We never know about opportunities in the other plants until we read about the incumbent in the company paper."

"All this is beside the point now. What would it take to get you to change your mind?" asked Terry.

"I don't think I will change my mind now," replied Bob, "because I've given Wilson Products my word that I'm going to join them."

Questions

1. Evaluate the career planning and development program at this company.

2. What actions might have prevented Bob's resignation?