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Discussion Questions

P6-1. What companies might be good benchmarks for Starbucks? Why? What companies might want to benchmark Starbucks? Why?

P6-2. Describe how the following Starbucks managers might use forecasting, budgeting, and scheduling (be specific): (a) a retail store manager; (b) a regional marketing manager; (c) the manager for global development; and (d) the CEO.

P6-3. What control criteria might be useful to a retail store manager? To a barista at one of Starbucks’s walk-in-only retail stores? How about for a store that has a drive-through?

P6-4. What types of feedforward, concurrent, and feedback controls does Starbucks use? Are there others that might be important to use? If so, describe.

P6-5. What “red flags” might indicate significant deviations from standard for (a) an hourly partner, (b) a store manager, (c) a district manager, (d) the executive vice president of finance, and (e) the CEO? Are there any similarities? Why or why not?

P6-6. Evaluate the control measures Starbucks is using with its gift cards from the standpoint of the three steps in the control process.

P6-7. Using the company’s most current financial statements, calculate the following financial ratios: current, debt to assets, inventory turnover, total asset turnover, profit margin on sales, and return on investment. What do these ratios tell managers?

P6-8. Would you describe Starbucks’ production/operations technology in its retail stores as unit, mass, or process? How about in its roasting plants? (Hint: you might need to review material in Chapter 11, as well, in order to answer this question.)

P6-9. Can Starbucks manage the uncertainties in its value chain? If so, how? If not, why not?

P6-10. Go to the company’s website, www.starbucks. com. Find the information on the company’s environmental activities from bean to cup. Select one of the steps in the chain (or your professor may assign you one). Describe and evaluate what environmental actions it’s taking. How might these affect the planning, organizing, and controlling taking place in these areas?

P6-11. Look at the company’s mission and guiding principles on its website. How might these affect the way Starbucks controls? How do the ways Starbucks controls contribute to the attainment or pursuit of these?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

11-13. Describe and evaluate what Pfizer is doing with its Pfizer Works.

11-14. What structural implications—good and bad—does this approach have? (Think in terms of the six organizational design elements.)

11-15. Do you think this arrangement would work for other types of organizations? Why or why not? What types of organizations might it also work for?

11-16. What role do you think organizational structure plays in an organization’s efficiency and effectiveness? Explain.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

8-18. What role do you think goals would play in planning the change in direction for the company? List some goals you think might be important. (Make sure these goals have the characteristics of well-written goals.)

 
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CASE 3: The manager at Haines Company observes that the morale of employees in her company is low. She thinks that if their working conditions are improved, pay scales raised, and the vacation benefits made attractive, the morale (self-confidence) will be boosted. She doubts, however, if an increase in pay scales would raise the morale of all employees. Her conjecture (guess) is that those who have supplemental incomes will just not be ‘turned on’ by higher pay, and only those without side income will be happy with increased pay, with a resultant (subsequent) boost in morale.

Questions for CASE 3:

1. What is the problem statement presented in this case?

2. Based on your own opinion and understanding, who is best advised to conduct this research? Internal or external team of researchers and why?

3. Develop the theoretical framework (conceptual model & hypotheses) for this study, giving at least 3 adequate hypotheses.

4. Determine the following components of research design for this case:

a. The purpose of the study

b. The extent of researcher interference

c. The study setting

d. The research strategy

e. The time horizon

f. The unit of analysis

 
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Imagine you have been appointed as the general manager of a company working in smart phone industry and you have a big market. How do you interpret the strategic importance of the supply chain for your company? Explain in detail. 2. “Make-or-Buy Decisions”, which one do you choose as the main policy of your company in the supply chain decision process as the manager of a company producing TV. Explain why? 3. A manufacturing company has a new project to construct a new factory in a certain geographical area. The company is planning to deal with low volume and high variety production. You have been asked as an expert to give an advice to this company. In your opinion what is the suitable layout you suggest to this company and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the suggested layout. 4 Assume that you have been appointed as operations manager for a business firm. The firm facing problems how to manage its inventory. You have been asked by the top management to prepare a proposal about how to manage inventory. Discuss the possible inventory management approaches that can be used to solve this problem 5. A company located in Muscat decided to expand its activities in other regions in Oman. The company has two options: Dhofar Governorate and Ad Dakhiliyah Governorate You have been asked to give an advice to help this company to choose the suitable region. Discuss in details the factors that affect location decisions in such case in new established company. You have been asked by the company management to
 
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B Ltd. Performance Appraisal Issues is a medium-sized maker of leather and vinyl shoes situated in Wil, tario. It was created in 1973 and presently employs roughly 500 employees at its Willocation, as well as another 200 in offices and warehouses located around tario. The yearly performance review, or “ritual,” as some managers refer to it, has arrived. They received the appraisal forms one week before to the deadline from the personnel department. John McAllister, the previous personnel manager who just left the company for a comparable post in Toronto, designed the present system. McAlister feels that performance appraisal forms should be straightforward and simple to complete, and he produced his own (see Table 1). By August 31, supervisors must evaluate each employee. Before returning the assessment to the personnel department for inclusion in the employee’s personnel records, it should be discussed with the employee. When new promos become available, the current ratings must be considered. When raises are granted, it is assumed that the ratings will be used as a check. Jane Reynolds, Maple Leaf Shoes’ special assistant in the personnel department, shakes her head in response to the mountain of completed rating forms in front of her. She is dissatisfied with the manner in which performance evaluation is conducted at this organisation and wishes to design a new system. However, the company’s president, Robert Clark, has been so adamantly opposed to change that she is afraid to express her views. Reynolds conducted an informal survey last month to ascertain managers’ and employees’ perceptions of the current system. The results corroborated her suspicions. Over 60% of managers and over 75% of employees expressed either indifference or negativity toward the assessment method. Almost half of supervisors completed the forms in three minutes or less and returned them to staff without informing their staff of the results. Another 40% spent time with staff members to collect feedback, although there was little discussion. Only 10% attempted to provide meaningful performance feedback to each employee by providing detailed remarks and setting new targets. Table 1: Performance Evaluation Form for Maple Leaf Shoes Ltd. Supervisors of Performance Evaluations. Complete this form for each employee. Separately examine each area of

performance. Kindly return this form no later than September 1st. 5 (4) 3 (2) 1 The quantity of work is excellent; the quality is good; the quantity is average; the quality is poor. t Excellent Coworker relationships might be fantastic, satisfactory, equitable, or terrible. The Supervisor’s total signature The givenname Employee No. 22 of Eipkiye PART 4: Human Resource Recruiting, Training, and Evaluation Reynolds learned from her former company, McAllister, that the forms were rarely retrieved for promotion or pay-raise analysis. As a result, the majority of supervisors may see the appraisal process as meaningless. Supervisors have never received training on how to conduct performance reviews. The consultant, Tir Lance, comes to mind. Clark once hired Lance to conduct an investigation into the existing and future functions of Maple Leaf Shoes’ personnel department and to identify appropriate action plans for increasing the department’s contribution to the organisation and assisting the company in managing future challenges. Lance made several recommendations in his final report, but Clark deferred implementation until a new people manager was hired. Reynolds recalls the consultant advocating a new technique for evaluating employee performance, among other things. This, she feels, provides her with a strong reason to urge for a systemic change. Time is a significant constraint. She must prepare for the following month’s contract negotiations with two distinct unions. Two additional performances are scheduled for a month later. She is hopeful that Clark would agree to rehire Lance to build a new performance review system. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS Tim Lance is your given name. Conduct an evaluation of the Maple Leaf Shoes methodology for evaluating performance. 2. What changes do you believe the business should make? Why is this the case?

 
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