02 Jan Have someone who

Week 1 discussion

Learning Activity #1

This week, students learn about organizational theory and the relationship to the role of 21st century manager. A manager is a person whose job it is to direct the implementation and achievement of a subset of organizational goals. Organizational theory is a field of study that has evolved in the last one hundred years to offer assistance to managers in the way they approach their job in an effort to accomplish the organization’s vision and mission. The 21st century manager is a person who organizes, executes, and plans the process and production of an organization. Traditionally, the role of the manager, as defined by organizational theory, has been the person who sets short term goals for the organization to execute and performs tasks that include the process, procedure, and production of the organization’s purpose or vision. The modern role of the manager still includes these tasks but has developed to include the role of facilitator in the way the manager accomplishes the organizational goals assigned to his or her control.

• With these ideas in mind, compare and contrast the role of management, as reflected by management theory, in the 20th century organization with the role of management in the 21st century. Include in your discussion the theoretical schools of thought(s) that speak to the manager’s role in the business environment as well as definition of the environment itself.

• How has the change in business purpose (i.e. manufacturing vs. service) and the business environment, worker attitudes, and behaviors affected the role of the manager in an organization and how has the theory evolved to cope? Discuss in detail. Be sure to use information from the organizational theory timeline in your answer.

Learning Activity #2

As we saw in theme one the role of the manager has changed from the 20th century to the 21st century, with the manager becoming more people-centric in the execution of their tasks.

• From this week’s material identify and discuss 5 skills that are unique to the successful manager of the 21st century. Consider in your answer workplace dynamics of new organizations such as the change in organizational structure (flat, horizontal, virtual etc.) and employee expectations for the workplace environment.

Week 2 discussion

Learning Activity 1

For businesses to succeed they must maintain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The key to doing this has changed over the last century as illustrated in our discussion in week one about the 21st century business environment and its challenges. In theme one, we take a closer look at the way managers create competitive edge in the 21st century organization.

You have been hired by Baltimore Spring Waters, Inc. (BSW) as a management consultant. The growing demand for bottled water in the face of worldwide supply shortages has management at BSW concerned about the future of the business. The company wants to remain competitive in price knowing that sourcing difficulties will make it harder to do.

The question posed to you is how can BSW’s managers help the company maintain their competitive edge? Using this week’s course material and the articles from last week on 21stcentury organizations, answer this question for BSW.

Learning Activity 2

A challenge for the manager in the 21st century is to merge the traditional functions of a manager with the new demands of workplace life. The change of value regarding human resources to the organization coupled with technology is shifting the design of organizations towards “boundaryless” and flat organizational structures. In this theme we examine Fayol’s five functions of management as well as the 14 lesser functions of management upon which most management models are based today and how they are bumping up against the constructs of 21st century management to create tension in the workplace.

Read the following articles on big business’ break with telecommuting and managing with technology at

Working from home alone is the real culprit

http://fortune.com/2013/03/19/working-from-home-alone-is-the-real-culprit/

Working from home: how Yahoo, Best Buy and HP are making moves

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/working-from-home-yahoo-best-buy-hp-moves

The role of informational technology in virtual management theory

http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/abe/business/miller/virorg.html

Examine the role of Fayol’s pillars of management and how they may conflict or conversely fit with contemporary organizations and management theories. Explain comprehensively why or how a manager might reconcile happily the two approaches to management.

Week 3 discussion

Learning Activity 1

The 21st century manager is the person tasked to implement the leader’s vision and mission for the organization. The manager does this with the help of Fayol’s theoretical framework known as the four pillars of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. This week, we begin our examination of the four pillars of management with the first function, planning.

The planning stage of management is considered by most to be the most important because of the advantages that planning has for achieving goals. Due to the complexity of the business landscape in the 21st century managers are faced with planning and the need for quick change. The agile organization attempts to address the advantages and disadvantages of planning.

Explore the Internet and retrieve articles that discuss the pros and cons to the planning function.

Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages to the planning function and explain how the manager in an agile organization may use both to their advantage.

Learning Activity 2

There are several elements that result from the planning stage but for our purposes we will focus on the development of long-term and short-term goals. Long-term goals are set by the owners, leaders or upper management depending on the structure, size or type of organization. Long-term goals reflect the big-picture goals and objectives are directly related to the purpose and vision that the leaders and owners develop. In today’s change-dominated business environment long-term goals are set to be accomplished in 2-3 years’ time as opposed to the previous century’s 5-10 years.

Long-term goals are often created through planning and strategizing. The process begins with the vision and mission of the business. To understand the concepts of vision and mission and their role in the process, you will take the role of the leader and formulate the vision and mission of an organization.

Create a vision and mission statement to fit the company described below:

Mohammed Abul and his family own the Long-lasting Boot (LLB) store. LLB is a specialty boot store located in the downtown area in a medium sized city Scottsdale, Arizona and sells a broad line of boots to all members of the family including a novelty pet line. The store sells boots for work and recreation as well as a line of expensive cowboy boots for the tourist trade. The business is twenty-five years old. It has a reputation for being the best place to get boots in the community because of the selection, quality, and customer service. LLB will even work with custom designed boots for people with unusually sized feet or medical problems. The boots in some instances, work boots in particular, are considered expensive by middle class buyers but the construction quality is so long-lasting that it makes the higher prices seem worthwhile. The store is successful but sales are very slow growing at the moment. The family is looking to boost sales by developing a competitive edge for the future.

Hint: Before you begin be sure that you clearly understand the difference between a vision and mission statement as well as the purpose they each serve.

Week 4 discussion

Learning Activity 1

As mentioned last week the planning process begins with an environmental scan of the business and its relationship to vision and mission statements. Read the following and complete the activities below:

Mohammed Abul and his family own the Long-lasting Boot (LLB) store. LLB is a specialty boot store located in the downtown area in a medium sized Scottsdale, Arizona and sells a broad line of boots to all members of the family including a novelty pet line. The store sells boots for work and recreation as well as a line of expensive cowboy boots for the tourist trade. The business is twenty-five years old. It has a reputation for being the best place to get boots in the community because of the selection, quality, and customer service. They will even work with custom designed boots for people with unusually sized feet or medical problems. The boots in some instances, work boots in particular, are considered expensive by middle class buyers but the construction quality is so long-lasting that it makes the higher prices seem worthwhile. Abul, who is 32 years old and just out of the military after 10 years of service, has returned to find the business at a crossroad.

The store is successful but sales are very slow growing at the moment. The family is looking to boost sales by developing a competitive edge for the future. Up until now the business has been successful because of the company’s ability to anticipate changing boot styles. In the past three years, sales have remained constant but growth has waned. Despite sales, the use of loyalty reward cards and staying open later in the evening, revenue has not grown. Yet, total sales in the Central City metropolitan area including the suburbs have grown substantially. Stores that sell in volumes like Wal-Mart and Payless have boot sales that pull in three times the sales of LLB.

Abul and his family are planning for the next three years and want to find ways to increase sales. They have come to you for advice. As their consultant, you want to cover the following ideas in your response:

Create a SWOT analysis;

Using the facts from the case study, discuss how you determined the various elements of the SWOT analysis

Learning Activity 2

In the planning phase, managers create a detailed action plan aimed at the organizational goals. Strategic management, or what you will learn as strategizing, is what an organization will do or not do to achieve the goals and objectives that lead to meeting the stated mission and vision. Using the vision, mission, and SWOT analysis from learning activity 1, complete the following:

Create three long term goals and objectives (3 each) for the business (2 years forward);

Create three medium term (operational) goals and objectives (3 each) for the business (usually accomplished within the year);

Create three short term (day, week, month) goals and objectives (3 each)for the business; and

Create at least three contingency goals in the event that the current strategy would fail.

Week 5 discussion

The organizing function is where management gathers and synchronizes the resources of the organization (people, capital, and physical) to complete the goals set out in the planning stage.

Learning Activity 1

One of the long-term goals set out by the LLB owners (from wee k4) is to increase sales in the cowboy boot line by 15%. The short term goal to accomplish this is to create a sales campaign that targets the tourist trade. This campaign includes:

Creation of an Internet website (this is part of a larger plan to instigate Internet sales in general)

Create a Boot blog

Exposure to local hotels and tourist eateries through pamphlets

Discount plans for hotel guests

Boot delivery service to hotels

Free shipping for purchases

The current budget for the cowboy/tourist portion of the marketing project is $40,000. Mohammed Abul is the marketing director. He wants to hire an assistant to oversee the cowboy/tourist boot line. The assistant will be in charge of the three current part-time sales associates, give purchasing direction to the purchasing department, run the boot blog, create new copy for the Internet website on a monthly basis, and execute all other duties related to the implementation of new boot tourist campaign. Salaries for the assistant and the associates are not included in this portion of the budget. Additional useful facts include:

Currently the structure of LLB has been adhoc in nature. The long-term decisions are made by the family, Joseph Abul (father, and his sons, Mohammed Abul (marketing) and Ali Abul (store manager). Fatima Abul (mother) oversees staff and AdoulAbul (brother of Joseph) does the purchasing. YaraAbul (daughter) handles the finances. There are two full-time sales associates and 8 part-time associates not including the new assistant and the cowboy boot associates. Store hours are M, T, W, F, S 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Thurs 10:00 am to 8:30 pm

Complete the following based on the information provided above:

Create a plan that organizes the physical and monetary needs to accomplish the goal of 15% sales plan. This plan would entail defining the physical and monetary requirements that must be used by the assistant to implement the goal.

Create an organizational structure for the business and the cowboy boot project.

Explain why you chose the structure as opposed to others that you did not choose and what the decision making flow and job tasks are for each person.

Illustrate the structure in an organizational chart

Learning Activity 2

Explain the type of culture that will enhance the organizational alignment of people in LLB;

Explain what organizational culture is and how it relates to the structure of the organization;

Explain why you chose the organizational culture as opposed to others that you did not.

Week 6 discussion

Learning Activity 1

This week, we look at leadership from the manager’s perspective and explore the differences from looking at leadership from a leader’s perspective. Managers focus on process, procedure, and implementation of the organization’s purpose. A manager’s perspective is about getting the job done and keeping stability. The leader’s mindset is about change and moving workers toward the organization’s vision. The area of overlap comes in terms of the need to use “soft or people skills” to get their job done. It is said that a manager motivates while a leader empowers.

In the following five quotes each leader is commenting on the perspective of a manager in an organization as opposed to a leader.

Define the difference between a manager’s mindset and a leader’s mindset.

Using the readings for the week, reflect and explain the meaning of each quote. and how each quote relates to a manager’s or leader’s mindset.

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

Peter Drucker

“Leadership is working with goals and vision; management is working with objectives.”

Russell Honore

“When a management with a reputation for brilliance tackles a business with a reputation for bad economics, it is the reputation of the business that remains intact.”

Warren Buffett

“Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them.”

Paul Hawken

“Management is nothing more than motivating other people.”

Lee Iacocca

Learning Activity 2

The manager must be able to solve problems, communicate, and lead teams toward the completion of a task.

You are the manager of the northern branch of the Laurel City Bowling Alleys. The owner, Jill Espy, has 4 other bowling alleys around town. The average employee assigned to the concession stand of all the Laurel City Bowling Alleys lasts approximately 3 years. However, in your branch, the average employee lasts only 8 months. Jill is concerned about the lack of retention of concession employees especially since training new employees is costly to the company and this high turnover is costing her money that could be better spent elsewhere.

You have talked with your current concession staff and have learned that pay and scheduling may have some effect on the turnover rate. Employees feel that the pay is low and the scheduling is erratic making it difficult to make plans outside of work. You know that employees do not benefit from pay raises because they tend to leave before being at the alleys for a year.

One worker indicated that many of the workers do not know how to handle difficult customers. It makes them not want to come to work. At the time, the focus seems to be on getting the job done rather on customer service.

Using the employee’s feedback and other facts from the case scenario, what ideas should you consider motivating or changing employee morale that would encourage employees to stay longer in the job?

Week 7 discussion

Learning Activity 1

In this article as well as your reading for this week the balanced scorecard is explained:

The Balanced Scorecard

http://www.tutorialspoint.com/management_concepts/the_balanced_scorecard.htm .

One of the best tools a manager has is a balanced scorecard. Remember, our bowling alley manager from week 6!

Address how the scorecard approach fits in to the control function of management.

Create a balanced scorecard and explain how the use of a balanced scorecard could help to measure and possibly improve the turnover of employees. The scorecard will include objectives, measures, and targets.

Just so you do not have to go back to week Six, here is the case scenario:

You are the manager of the northern branch of the Laurel City Bowling Alleys. The owner, Jill Espy, has 4 other bowling alleys around town. The average employee assigned to the concession stand of all the Laurel City Bowling Alleys lasts approximately 3 years. However, in your branch, the average employee lasts only 8 months. Jill is concerned about the lack of retention of concession employees especially since training new employees is costly to the company and this high turnover is costing her money that could be better spent elsewhere.

You have talked with your current concession staff and have learned that pay and scheduling may have some effect on the turnover rate. Employees feel that the pay is low and the scheduling is erratic making it difficult to make plans outside of work. You know that employees do not benefit from pay raises because they tend to leave before being at the alleys for a year.

One worker indicated that many of the workers do not know how to handle difficult customers. It makes them not want to come to work. At the time, the focus seems to be on getting the job done rather on customer service.

Learning Activity 2

Traditionally, theorists suggest that the managerial function of controlling should not be confused with control in the behavioral or the manipulative sense. This function does not imply that managers should attempt to control or to manipulate the personalities, values, attitudes, or emotions of their employees. Instead, this function of management concerns the manager’s role in taking necessary actions to ensure that the work-related activities of employees are consistent with and contribute toward the accomplishment of organizational and departmental objectives.

Research the concept of the virtual organization. Then, explain how can a manager measure work that is performed when the employee may be 5,000 miles away? Be sure to consider the virtual and global organizations and how a manager would control and measure work from afar.

Week 8 discussion

Learning Activity 1 – Theme 1

In 1988, Clark Material Handling Company sought to survive a competitive run on their business from the Japanese. They survived by using the systems thinking method.

Google Clark Material Handling Company;

Determine how they saved their company by using the systems thinking method.

Identify three to five major concepts of systems thinking and then explain how when applied they worked for Clark;

Evaluate the identified major concepts for success and explain why this approach was a better fit than the more conventional theories discussed in prior weeks.

The Same Old Principles in the New Manufacturing

Clark Manufacturing Company

Clark Manufacturing Company

CLARK MANUFACTURING CO.: Precision CNC Machining Services

Learning Activity 2- Theme 2

When we started the class we learned that the 21st century manager must be agile to survive the fluid and dynamic business environment of this century. However, we established that the foundation of management theory in most organizations today is the traditional Fayol functions. Reflect on the classwork and then address your comments to the articles from this week on agile managers to debate this question: “Agile management is not the answer to creating a facile and competitive business organization.”

Assignment 1 The Role of The Manager and The Impact of Organizational Theories on Managers (Week 3)

Purpose:

In the first assignment, students are given a scenario in which the shipping manager who has worked for Galaxy Toys, Inc. since 1969. The scenario serves to set the stage for students to demonstrate how management theories have changed over time. For example, management 30 years ago is different than management in the 21st century.

Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment:

integrate management theories and principles into management practices

Instructions:

In Part One of this case study analysis, students are to use the facts from the case study to determine two different organization theories that are demonstrated. For Part Two, students will compare the 21st century manager to that of the main character in the case study and the implications of change in being a 21st century manager.

In selecting a school of thought and an organizational theory that best describes the current shipping manager, students will use the timeline to select a school of thought and a theory or theories of that time frame. Students will use the course material to respond to most of the assignment requirements but will also need to research the theorist(s) and theories to complete the assignment. Students are expected to be thorough in responding.

In Part Two, students are going to take what they have learned and compare the management skills of the 21st century shipping manager to the skills of the current shipping manager.

Step 1: Review “How to Analyze a Case Study” under Week 3 Content.

Step 2: Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document that is double-spaced, 12-point font. The final product will be between 4-6 pages in length excluding the title page and reference page.

Step3: Review the grading rubric for the assignment.

Step 4: In addition to providing an introduction, students will use headings following this format:

Title page with title, your name, the course, the instructor’s name;

Background;

Part One;

Part Two.

Step 5: In writing a case study, the writing is in the third person. What this means is that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person. Also note that students are not to provide personal commentary.

Step 6: In writing this assignment, students are expected to support the reasoning using in-text citations and a reference list. If any material is used from a source document, it must be cited and referenced. A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. View the sample APA paper under Week 1 content.

Step 7: In writing this assignment, students will use resources from the course material and no more than 4 external source documents. NOTE: The expectation is that students provide a robust use of the course material

Step 8: In completing the assignment, students are expected to use the facts from the case study and company profile paired with the weekly courses readings to develop the analysis. View the company profile here: Galaxy Toys, Inc. Company Profile.

Step 9: In writing this assignment, students are expected to paraphrase and not use direct quotes. Students are expected to paraphrase, which can be learned by reviewing this link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html

Step 10: In writing this assignment, students may use external resources to address the school of thought and the theorist but the majority of resources (a minimum of 3 course resources) will come from the course material.

Step 11: Read critically and analyze the following scenario:

Part One

Scenario:

The shipping manager for Galaxy Toys Toledo, Ohio branch, Bart Aldrin, has been in his job since 1969. Prior to coming to Galaxy, Bart worked as shipping clerk for International Shipping, a large container company. Bart quickly rose to supervisor at International Shipping because of his ability to plan daily work, provide detailed instructions to workers that helped optimize the way tasks were performed and his knack of implementing processes so workers could be trained to perform their specialized sequence of motion in the most efficient way. He brought this management style to Galaxy, which helped to improve the methodology of toy assembly as well as the shipping processes.

Employees often criticized Bart, who was heard to say (on many occasions), “It’s my way or the highway” or “Just do your individual task the way you were trained and don’t worry about what others are doing.” In fact, it was clear that Bart was focused on efficiency and to that end, he had a keen understanding of all of the tasks that needed to be completed and was focused on hiring and training workers that could perform their individual task in the most efficient way possible. In his early days, one could find Bart on the shipping floor taking copious notes as to each individual task completed and figuring out ways to turn the employees into robots…programming them to perform their one task in the single-most efficient way possible (at least from his perspective).

A major shift in management occurred in the late 1980’s and early 90’s that caused Bart (and other managers) to reconsider their management approach. For example, heightened competition, advances in technology, the workers threat to unionize, a greater demand for employee management participation, work-life balance and a general shift in employee workplace values caused management to change the culture of Galaxy. A greater focus on employees led to a new approach to management at Galaxy: people focus within a learning environment. The owners of Galaxy embraced diversity and were willing to hear the ideas of employees and this was change in attitude and culture was evident in Bart, who embraced these changes wholeheartedly. These internal changes enabled the company to adapt to uncertainty and to respond to its competitors more quickly.

Answer the required assignment elements making sure that the facts of the scenario and the course readings support the reasoning of the answers provided.

Identify and discuss the school of thought that best describes Bart’s management style when he first joined Galaxy. Remember to explain the facts that you have relied upon in your selection.

Discuss the theorist under the identified school of thought that best depicts Bart’s management style when he joined Galaxy. What contribution did this theorist make to management and why was his or her contribution important to the field of management? Remember to explain the facts that you’ve relied upon in your selection.

Identify and discuss the school of thought that best describes the management style Bart used once the shift took place? Why is this school of thought the best choice? Remember to demonstrate that the facts given in the scenario align with your choice.

Identify and discuss the theorist who best supports this school of thought. Address the principles of the theory and how these principles affected the new approach to management as exhibited Bart and his fellow managers. How does what the theorist proposed, support the facts in the case study?

Compare and contrast the two schools of thought that were identified above

Part Two

Scenario:

Recently, Bart announced his plans to retire. His replacement is Joyce Barnhart. Joyce is confident as a 21st century manager that she is capable of handling the new position as manager.

As a 21st century manager, how will Joyce’s understanding of the role of a manager be manifested/demonstrated in how she approaches her job? Remember that in responding to this question, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the 21st century management concepts discussed in this course.

How will the new approach to the job likely change the production and shipping department at Galaxy headquarters?

Step 12: Create the introductory paragraph. Within this paragraph, provide a brief overview of the scenario. Then, provide a thesis statement and tell the reader the main topics covered in the paper. The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper but is typically written after writing the body of the paper (Questions students responded to above). View this website to learn how to write an introductory paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html

Step 13: Respond to the questions in Part One and Part Two following the format provided. Be clear and concise in the writing and make sure the questions are comprehensively answered.

Step 14: Using the grading rubric as a comparison, read through the paper to ensure all required elements are presented.

Step 15: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person writing.

Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a first measure;

Have someone who has excellent English skills to proof the paper;

Consider submitting the paper to the Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC will provide 4-6 areas that may need improvement.

Step 16: Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.

Assignment 2: Planning the Future at Galaxy (Week 6)

Purpose:

In the second assignment, students will create a SWOT analysis and provide a detailed explanation of what considerations led to the determination of the SWOT components. Students will then make recommendations and explain what factors were considered in making the recommendations.

Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment:

integrate management theories and principles into management practices

employ effective planning processes to develop strategies, goals, and objectives in order to enhance performance and sustainability

identify the essential characteristics of decision making and indicate the range and types of decisions a manager makes

Instructions:

Step 1: Review “How to Analyze a Case Study” under Week 3 Content.

Step 2: Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document. This paper should be presented in a professional manner, double-spaced with indented paragraphs. The final product will be between 6-8 pages in length excluding the title page and reference page.

Step 3: Title page with your name, the course name, the date, and the instructor’s name.

Step 4: In writing a case study, the writing is in the third person. What this means is that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person. Do not include personal commentary.

Step 5: In writing this assignment, students are expected to support the reasoning using in-text citations and a reference list. If any material is used from a source, it must be cited and referenced. A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. View the sample APA paper under Week 1 content. Step 6: In writing this assignment, students are expected to paraphrase and not use direct quotes. Learn to paraphrase by reviewing this link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html

Step 6: In writing this assignment, students will use resources from the course material and no more than 2 external source documents. NOTE: The expectation is that students provide a robust use of the course material. This reference is not about just using the company profile.

Step 7: In completing the assignment, students are expected to use the facts from the case study and company profile paired with the weekly courses readings to develop the analysis. View the company profile here: Galaxy Toys, Inc. Company Profile.

Step 8: Review the grading rubric for the assignment.

Step 9: Read critically and analyze the case study provided under Week 6 content. Notate the key points in the case study.

Step 10: Create the introductory paragraph.

The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper but is typically written after writing the body of the paper (Questions students responded to above). View this website to learn how to write an introductory paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html

Step 11: Respond to the required elements of the assignment. Be clear and concise in the writing and make sure the questions are comprehensively answered.

Review the main case study located under week 6 content.

Part One: Long Term Planning Goals and Decisions

The toy industry is very fickle and innovation is critical. Sales for January 2016 showed only a 3% rise over January 2015 leaving the company managers concerned about meeting projected sales targets for 2016. In a 30-month plan, George Jepson, Jr., as CEO, together with Edward Mercury, CFO, set long-term goals for the company to include the following:

increase sales unrelated to NASA toys by 22 percent;

reduce company-wide costs by 5 percent within 15 months and 11.2 percent by the end of the plan;

create new technology based action toys;

use innovative technology in production to increase efficiency;

reduce carbon footprint by 5 percent.

In November 2015, the long term planning team began to select the newest Galaxy product line. The choice of the right product design will hopefully stop the slump in sales and jump start growth. Tomorrow, February 4, 2016 is the final meeting of the planning team. The team will choose between three options:

produce 1 million Payload Nine toys or MMTJE1 for Christmas 2016;

produce 1 million Payload Nine toys for Christmas 2016 and 1 million MMTJE1 for Christmas 2017;

produce 1.5 million MMTJE1 toys for Christmas 2017.

The products have different production requirements. Payload Nine is designed to complement the International NASA Space Station series. Payload Nine is geared to the 7-10 age group and contains building blocks to make the space shuttle with emphasis on the cargo hold and its loading arm.

Focus group results suggest that Payload Nine will sell well but it is not a “wow” product in the eyes of the group. It is not a trendsetting toy. The introduction of Payload Nine is estimated to jump NASA sales by 6.8%. Payload Nine requires little change on the production floor and supplies are easily obtainable. Production could begin May 1, 2016 and completed in time for the Christmas toy market. No additional personnel would be needed and existing production would not be delayed. Production costs would fit within the current year’s budget.

The other project “Moon Mission to Jupiter’s Europa” (MMTJE1) is a 3D engineered of the Curiosity vehicle used to. explore Mars. The toy is operated remotely allowing a child and parent to launch the capsule “Juno 1” craft, 500 ft. in the air, unload the rover called Galileo and move it along all terrain surfaces. Galileo takes pictures remotely and sends them to a cell phone. The toy is geared for the age 11-15 market but can be used with younger children as long as there is adult supervision. The toy is made from a 3D printer and consists of a plastic capsule and rover base with electronics added separately in production. [Not sure what 3D printing is, view http://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/]

Focus group results suggest that it is a “wow” product and would also encourage sales of related toys and books as Jupiter’s Moon Europa has been deemed by scientists as the most accessible and likely place to support habitable life as we know it to be. Children can view pictures and imagine a Moon currently covered in ice as a new space frontier adventure. An interactive video game is also envisioned. It will also be the first intergalactic action toy that Galaxy Toys has ever produced. MMTJE1 is estimated to bring a 15% increase in unrelated NASA sales if rolled out in 2016 and 21.6% increase if rolled out in 2017. However, MMTJE1 is not production-friendly at this point.

The new production equipment, electronics, computer programming and trained personnel would not see production beginning before November of 2016. Anticipated budget costs of $450,000 necessitating a budget increase of $300,000 over all five plants would be needed. In order to meet the October deadline for Christmas 2016 sales additional manpower would be needed with a cost increase of 20% over the projected $450,000 budget costs. In addition, the push would necessitate significant rescheduling of current production and likely require factory workers to put in overtime. Finally, the rush would be predicated on the assumption that production problems would not occur.

Part One: Long Term Planning Goals and Decisions

Keith Wisternick, VP of Production, has the job of aligning all the production teams for Galaxy Toys, and more specifically, he is the person that ensures that each of the plants are capable of producing toys that meet the quality standards of Galaxy Toys in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Also, part of Keith’s job is to provide valuable input into the long-term planning process of the company. Every two years, Keith and his counterparts in the other departments meet to determine the new product line for the upcoming two years. They are presented with new ideas that have been developed by the Design and Engineering Department.

After soliciting input for recommendations on the toys that would most likely meet the company’s future objectives, the Board of Directors narrowed the choices to Payload Nine and Moon Mission to Jupiter’s Europa 1 (MMTJE1).

As VP of Production, Keith is very aware that his recommendation and vote lends great influence to the outcome. Lucky for Keith, he is not expected to provide his recommendation without first delegating some researching responsibilities to others. One person that he relies upon for research and analysis is Itza Yu who is a Production Manager. Yu has been tasked with creating a SWOT analysis for Keith’s review. However, Yu has not had any prior experience with creating this type of information. Keith has provided the following source to help him:

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_05.htm

Required Elements for Part One:

Using the facts that have been provided, the course content and your own research on the toy industry, students should assume the role of Itza Yu and create the SWOT analysis for Keith.

To further assist Keith, Itza Yu must also provide a detailed explanation as to what considerations led to the determination that certain facts should be classified as “strengths” while others were classified as “weaknesses.” In other words, it’s not enough to simply list various strengths and weakness, but instead, Itza Yu must explain “why” these facts were included in the analysis.

Lastly, Itza Yu must select the best long term planning decision for Keith’s approval. In this report, Itza Yu must explain the analysis and factors used in evaluating the vision, mission, long-term goals and SWOT analysis of the company that led to the conclusions that formed the basis of the decision that Keith would recommend to the Long-term Planning Committee.

Part Two: Short Term Production Goals and Objectives

The Board of Directors has decided to accept the recommendation to roll out the “Moon Mission to Jupiter’s Europa 1” for the holiday season of 2017. In a virtual meeting, led by Itza Yu, the production managers have had a “brainstorming” session and have created a list of short-term goals and objectives.

In reviewing the list, Itza Yu noted that some of the items on the list are sound short-term goals and objectives while others are not and therefore, should be removed. He also noted that some of the items do not fit well with the company’s vision and mission and will need to be eliminated.

Assuming the role of Itza Yu, students must determine whether the items on the list are “goals” or “objectives” and whether they should be adopted or abandoned. The list is as follows:

Short Term Goals and Objectives List

Production of quality MMTJE1 toys must start February 20th, 2017.

Production of quality MMTJE1 toys must start by July 1, 2017.

Dates for starting production set.

Completion dates for new personnel hire set.

MMTJE1 quality toys production.

Additional personnel must be hired by February 20th 2017.

Materials must be state of the art.

Completion dates for material purchase and delivery set.

3D printers must be purchased by February 20th, 2017.

3D printers must be purchased and installed by November 1, 2016

The first MMTJE1 toys should be produced by December 1, 2016.

QC should evaluate first toys by December 31, 2016.

Completion dates for QC standards will be determined by QC.

Safety standards should be determined by QC by May 1, 2016.

Materials must be purchased by and delivered by July 1, 2016.

New packages should be palletized by May 1, 2017.

Personnel for all production functions must be organized by March 31, 2016.

Shipping should begin immediately upon the nod from Quality Control.

Shipping should begin July 1, 2017.

Shipping start dates should be determined.

IT must confirm programming for 3D printers is complete by June 1, 2016.

3D machine operators must be trained by October 31, 2016.

Completion dates for 3D programming, training and installation set.

Maintenance for 3D printers must be done daily.

Personnel must be cross trained on the 3D printers.

Training on new equipment must be done by October 31, 2016.

Marketing will determine shipping start date.

Dates for personnel hire set.

Required Elements for Part Two:

From the list above, students should generate three lists. The first list should be a selection of “appropriate” short-term goals. The second list should be a selection of “appropriate” objectives. The third list should be those other goals and objectives that have been abandoned.

In completing this task, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding of the difference between “goals” and “objectives” and their choices should reflect this understanding.

Moreover, students are required to clearly explain their reasoning for the selection (of certain goals and objectives) and the abandonment of others. This analysis will be very helpful to Keith Wisternick and the Board of Directors of Galaxy Toys, Inc.

Step 13: Using the grading rubric as a comparison, read through the paper to ensure all required elements are presented.

Step 14: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person writing.

Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a first measure;

Have someone who has excellent English skills to proof the paper;

Consider submitting the paper to the Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC will provide 4-6 areas that may need improvement.

Step 15: Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.

Assignment 3: Implementing and Evaluating the Future at Galaxy Toys, Inc. (Week 8)

Purpose:

Continuing with the saga of Galaxy Toys, Inc., the third assignment covers the last three functions of the P-O-L-C, Organizing, Leading and Controlling. Students will look at the production floor of Galaxy Toys, Inc. through the lens of the organizing function, create an organizational chart, and assess the decision making authority associated with the organizational structure. Students will then assess change, and discuss motivation from a leadership perspective, and delve into the controlling function by looking and project specifications, interpreting data, and assessing corrective measures.

Outcome Met by Completing This Assignment:

integrate management theories and principles into management practices

organize human, physical, and financial resources for the effective and efficient attainment of organization goals

demonstrate leadership skills by communicating a shared vision, motivating and empowering others, and creating a culture of ethical decision-making and innovation

develop measures and assess outcomes against plans and standards to improve organizational effectiveness

identify the essential characteristics of decision making and indicate the range and types of decisions a manager makes

Instructions:

Step 1: Review “How to Analyze a Case Study” under Week 3 Content.

Step 2: Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document. This paper should be presented in a professional manner, double-spaced with indented paragraphs. The final product will be between 8-10 pages in length excluding the title page and reference page.

Step 3: Title page with your name, the course name, the date, and the instructor’s name.

Step 4: In writing a case study, the writing is in the third person. What this means is that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person. Do not include personal commentary.

Step 5: In writing this assignment, students are expected to support the reasoning using in-text citations and a reference list. If any material is used from a source document, it must be cited and referenced. A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an associated in-text citation and vice versa. View the sample APA paper under Week 1 content. NOTE: The expectation is that students provide a robust use of the course material.

Step 6: In writing this assignment, students are expected to paraphrase and not use direct quotes. Students are expected to paraphrase, which can be learned by reviewing this link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html

Step 7: In completing the assignment, students are expected to use the facts from the case study paired with the weekly courses readings to develop the analysis. View the company profile here: Galaxy Toys, Inc. Company Profile.

Step 8: In writing this assignment, students will use mostly resources from the course material and no more than 3 external source documents.

Step 9: Review the grading rubric for the assignment.

Step 10: Read critically and analyze the case study provided under Week 6 content. Notate the key points in the case study.

Step 11: Create the introductory paragraph.

The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of the paper but is typically written after writing the body of the paper (Questions students responded to above). View this website to learn how to write an introductory paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html

Step 12: Respond to the required elements of the assignment. Be clear and concise in the writing and make sure the questions are comprehensively answered.

Review the main case study located under week 8 content.

Part One-Organizing

Now, it is time for all production managers to begin the organizing process. Doing so requires that managers collect the people, resources, and capital to begin production in a way that will implement the short-term production goals and objectives set through planning. The deadline for production to begin is January 31, 2017. Christmas product shipping must start in July of 2017. The budget for each branch is $300,000 for the total production budget. Currently, the production staff includes a total of 124 employees per day shift and 91 at night per plant for a total of 215 employees. Most tasks are covered in both shifts. Current production and shipping personnel per task include:

Positions

# of Day Shift

Workers

# of Night Shift Workers

Machine Operators

10

5

Machine Maintenance

3

5

Assembly Line Staff

75

60

Electronics Specialists

10

3

Packagers

10

5

Floor Supervisors

1

1

Production IT (computer machine)

1

1

Fork Lift Operators

10

10

Shipping Schedulers

1

0

Plant Maintenance

2

1

Administrative Support

Material Purchase/Secretary

1

0

To complete the Moon Mission to Jupiter’s Europa 1 project, it is projected that additional personnel are needed: Two 3D printer operators for the day shift and two for the night shift. Additionally, instead of having an on-call position for production IT, a full-time night position is needed.

The design and engineering department has provided the product specifications including materials, sizes, and 3D printers and one person per shift to produce the product. Trained personnel are needed for operating the 3D printers. The cost of one complete Moon Mission to Jupiter’s Europa 1 product is set at $7.56, which includes packaging. The 3D printers will produce the completely assembled piece including electronics and packaging in 7.36 minutes and will cost $6100 per printer. Trained personnel are needed to operate the printers.

Required Elements for Part One:

Assuming the role of Itza Yu, explain the role of a manager in the organizing phase of the POLC and identify and discuss five major issues that Itza Yu must address in organizing the production floor for both existing production and the new project.

One of the areas of discussion that must be included in the organizing phase is that of aligning people to the task of production. Create an organizational chart that shows how Yu would organize the people and jobs on the production floor. Discuss why and how the organizational chart was created. This organizational chart will be used as the template for the other branches within the organization, so be sure the structure of the production floor aligns with the organization of the company.

Once you have created the chart, identify the decision making authority for those individuals on the chart. Explain why the structure was chosen and how it best serves the decision making flow for the production floor and the company as a whole.

Part Two-Leading Motivation

During the course of production older line staff and machine workers began to see the speed and accuracy for which the 3D printers made its product. An obvious concern began to surface among the workers. The workers began to ask, “Will I still have a job next year?” Morale of plant workers began to suffer. Itza Yu knows that this concern must be addressed and morale needs to be improved. As the manager, Yu know that the business must innovate to keep growing. How can Yu improve morale?

Required Element for Part Two:

Acting as Joyce Barnhart, what advice should she give to Yu? In discussing the advice, first identify the reasons for the morale problem and how they affect motivation. Be sure to address change and the worker’s reaction to implementing change.

Discuss the actual ideas and the specific ways Yu should take to motivate his existing employees that will build morale and keep production levels on track for the current contracts and the new project.

Part Three-Control:

3A)

The following chart displays the results of the first year’s production of MMTJE1. It was created from data supplied by all the company production department managed by Keith as a means of controlling production output. It is used by the VP in his evaluation of areas of improvement, change, or success to processes used by the production department in the production of MMTJE1. The chart describes the standard goal (identified as standard) set by the department and the result each branch obtained. A comparison of the standard to the results allows the reader to form conclusions about the success or failure of the production department to meet the goals envisioned by the company. It also allows the reader to recognize patterns from the data from which conclusions can be drawn as to the relationship between elements (e.g. cost expended vs time expended; those who spent more time had a higher cost).

Specifications

Standard

Toledo

Dayton

White Plains

Huntsville

Juarez

Cost

7.56

7.67

7.87

7.45

7.52

8.01

Time

7.36

7.32

7.46

7.31

7.32

7.59

Quality Control Problem Ratio (per 500 units)

1

2.5

4

1.5

1.75

8.75

Training Time (per hour)

30

35

38

45

48

25

Shipping Problems/Damage (per 10,000 units)

1

0.333

0.222

0.133

0.178

0.4

3D Problems (per 10,000 units)

0.2

0.25

0.286

0.111

0.1

0.4

Total Number of Pieces Produced per year

400,000

500,000

500,000

650,000

700,000

450,000

Compare the standard specifications data set with the results from each of the results for the five branches.

Interpret the results for the new product production chart above. Detail the areas that need improvement as well as those positive conclusions the data suggests.

Define what “corrective action” means to the manager in the control function of the POLC.

Do you suggest Keith take, if any, corrective action for this report?

3B):

The next meeting of the long term planning team for Galaxy Toys is scheduled for next week. All the VP’s will be there and a report must be given by all as to the viability of the “Moon Mission Jupiter’s Europa 1” toy roll out and the success or failure of the long term goals and objectives.

Keith reviewed his meeting notes with his branch managers when the production results came out. The managers seemed to all talk at once. Most all the managers seem to feel that the project was well worth the effort. It appears that many managers felt that training on the 3D printer in terms of repair and maintenance was the biggest problem. Mexico’s manager, Hernando Gonzalez, said that they lost their trained personnel to a software company and had difficulties finding replacements. The company who supplied the 3D printers provided initial training but follow up training thereafter proved a problem when personnel turnover increased. Gonzalez explained that there is a serious shortage of skilled IT personnel in Juarez. Consequently, finding qualified workers and keeping people without paying more than budget is a major problem. As a result, both the production and the IT departments are losing money. Getting a full time, IT night worker is impossible without a serious budget increase.

Prepare a report for Keith to present to the planning team. The following points must be addressed in the report:

Using the conclusions drawn from the chart in part two as well as Keith’s notes from the meeting (noted above) with the branch managers on the production results, identify at least three conclusions that have potential concern for the long-term future of the project and or company.

Explain why and how each of the factors chosen would affect the future long-term strategic planning. Examine the relationship between the control process and long term planning as part of the explanation

Offer recommendations for solutions that might be introduced along with the issues to the planning committee to address the implications of the factors chosen.

Step 13: Using the grading rubric as a comparison, read through the paper to ensure all required elements are presented.

Step 14: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person writing.

Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a first measure;

Have someone who has excellent English skills to proof the paper;

Consider submitting the paper to the Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC will provide 4-6 areas that may need improvement.

Step 15: Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.