Things Are Foul at This Chicken Farm – A Case Study
Key People and Groups
| Name / Group | Background | Role | Main Perspective / Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| David | 55-year-old Israeli from Tiberias | Owner of MBD Poultry Farm | Built the company over 35 years using personal relationships, flexibility, and trust. Wants to step back from daily management. |
| Alexandra | Immigrant from the former Soviet Union; PhD in Agricultural Science; former Soviet Army logistics officer | Operations Manager | Strong believer in discipline, punctuality, centralized authority, and strict systems. Claims the workforce lacks discipline and needs restructuring. |
| Igor | Ukrainian-born former supervisor | Former Supervisor | Feels humiliated after Alexandra removed his authority. Believes she understands technology but not people management. Personally connected to David’s family. |
| Inam | Arab female worker | Employee representative voice | Feels Alexandra does not understand local cultural norms and transportation realities affecting Arab workers. |
| Russian-speaking workers | Employees hired over the years | Production staff | Previously managed informally and flexibly under David. |
| Native Israeli workers | Israeli-born Jewish workers | Production staff | Frequently question authority and expect explanations rather than blind obedience. |
| Arab village workers | Workers commuting from nearby Arab villages | Production staff | Arrive very early due to village-organized transport and cultural/security arrangements. Previously treated flexibly by David. |
Background
On March 20, 2018, I visited MBD Poultry Farm, located near the Israeli-Syrian border. The temperature had already exceeded 100°F by 7:30 in the morning. Although the border itself appeared calm, the atmosphere inside the farm was anything but peaceful.
MBD is the largest poultry farm in northern Israel. Its owner, David, has spent 35 years building the business and is now trying to reduce his involvement in day-to-day operations. Most management responsibility has recently been transferred to Alexandra, an immigrant from the former Soviet Union who arrived in Israel in 1973.
Alexandra holds a PhD in Agricultural Science and previously served in food transport logistics in the Soviet Army. Since taking over as Operations Manager, the workplace climate has deteriorated sharply.
Problems Emerging at the Farm
Since Alexandra assumed control:
- Sick leave has increased significantly.
- The new time clock system has been sabotaged 23 times.
- Numerous maintenance problems have appeared.
- Employee morale has deteriorated.
At the same time:
- Production has increased by 75%.
- Market share has grown substantially.
- Shipment accuracy has improved dramatically.
David invited me to assess the situation and make recommendations.
Alexandra’s Management Approach
Alexandra believes David was too lenient with employees.
According to her:
- Russian-speaking workers became accustomed to arriving late, leaving early, and avoiding difficult work.
- Native Israeli workers constantly challenge authority by asking “lama?” (“why?”), instead of obeying instructions.
- Arab workers were improperly paid for arriving early and waiting before shifts began.
She stated bluntly:
“It will take a year, but I will whip them into a team.”
Alexandra insists David must completely withdraw from management so she can enforce discipline consistently.
Her approach emphasizes:
- strict schedules,
- formal accountability,
- obedience to authority,
- centralized control,
- measurable productivity.
Resistance From Employees
Igor’s Perspective
Igor, a former Ukrainian-born supervisor, criticized Alexandra’s leadership style.
He argued that she is technically competent but lacks people-management skills. Alexandra removed him from his supervisory role, causing embarrassment among his coworkers, who mock him for “taking orders from a babushka.”
Igor also has a personal connection to David: he is married to David’s cousin, and the two men regularly run together on weekends.
Inam’s Perspective
Inam, an Arab female worker, focused on issues of trust and cultural misunderstanding.
Under David’s leadership:
- employees operated largely on trust,
- problems were handled quietly,
- disputes were mediated informally by senior workers.
Alexandra introduced a formal time clock system and monitors attendance daily, which many workers view as humiliating and distrustful.
Inam also explained that Alexandra does not understand the transportation realities of Arab village workers. The women travel together in organized village transportation accompanied by a male escort, and the workers themselves do not control the truck’s timetable.
As Inam explained:
“We do not set the timetable of the village truck.”
Previous Intervention
David had previously hired a consultant who attempted to improve conditions through group discussions and outdoor team-building exercises. These efforts failed to create meaningful change.
Core Management Dilemma
The central issue at MBD is not productivity alone. Alexandra’s methods are producing measurable operational success, but at the cost of morale, trust, and workplace stability.
David now faces a difficult decision between two fundamentally different management philosophies:
| David’s Style | Alexandra’s Style |
|---|---|
| Relationship-based | System-based |
| Flexible | Rigid |
| Trust-oriented | Control-oriented |
| Informal problem-solving | Formal enforcement |
| Sensitive to cultural differences | Standardized expectations |
| High morale, lower efficiency | High efficiency, low morale |
The challenge for David is determining whether a multicultural workforce can be managed successfully through a single strict system, or whether different employee groups require different leadership approaches.
