...Question 1 There are many examples of successful companies. To what extent is 3M justifiably highlighted as the ‘innovating machine’? Answer: This case study has highlighted some of the key activities and principles that contribute to 3M’s performance. Many of these are not new and are indeed used by other companies. In 3M’s case they may be summarized as an effective company culture that nurtures innovation and a range of management techniques and strategies that together have delivered long-term success. Many companies pay lip service to the management principles and practice set out in this case study. There is evidence that 3M supports these fine words with actions. 3M hire good people and trust them; this will bring about innovation and excellent performance. 3M ensured that developing new products is much higher on the agenda in management meetings than at other companies. Moreover, the success of the approach is due to the continual reinforcement of its objectives. Indeed, the performance of individual business managers is partly judged on whether they are able to achieve the objective. Question 2 In the 3M case study, what is meant by the statement: ‘the message is more important than the figures? Answer: The 15 per cent rule does not make so much sense, some employees use more than 15 percent of their time on projects of their choose, on the other hand some employees use less than that and some none at all. The figure is not so important as the message, meaning...
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...Kenni Graham D03198968 SBE330 3M Case Study: Week 4 There are many examples of successful companies. To what extent is 3M justifiably highlighted as the ‘innovative machine’? 3M have concentrated the internal development of new products in a variety of different industries. 3M manufacture over 60,000 products, have operations in 61 countries and have achieved an n average year-on-year growth in sales of 10 percent. New products that are less than 4 years old represent Thirty Percent of 3M’s sales. In the 3M case study, what is meant by the statement: ‘the message is more important than the figures’? It means that the 15 percent rule is meaningless, because some people use more than 15 percent for projects of their choosing, some less and some none at all. The message is that there is some slack in the system for anyone that wants to be creative and innovate a new product of their choosing. Discuss the merits and problems with the so-called ’15 percent rule’. Consider cost implications and a busy environment with deadlines to meet. To what extent is this realistic or mere rhetoric? The 15 percent rule is almost pointless due to every project is different and everyone has different roles which may require more time that may cut into their 15 percent. There are others who may have a lot more free time to spare and can dedicate more than 15 percent towards innovation. The other factor is if deadlines need to be met in producing a new producing a new product then...
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...3M Case Study (4) “3M has been known for decades as an entrepreneurial company that pursues growth through innovation. It generates a quarter of its annual revenues from products less than five years old. 3M started life as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company back in 1902. Its most successful product - flexible sandpaper - still forms an important part of its product line but this now comprises of over 60000 products that range from adhesive tapes to office supplies, medical supplies and equipment to traffic and safety signs, magnetic tapes and CDs to electrical equipment. Originally innovation was encouraged informally by the founders, but over more than a century some of these rules have been formalized. But most important of all there has built up a culture which encourages innovation. And because this culture has built up a history of success, it perpetuates itself.” 3M is a global innovation company that never stops inventing. Over the years their innovations have improved daily life for hundreds of millions of people all over the world. They have made driving at night easier, made buildings safer, and made consumer electronics lighter, less energy-intensive and less harmful to the environment. Every day at 3M, one idea always leads to the next, igniting momentum to make progress possible around the world. Innovation is a way of life. It’s a deliberate, ongoing and persevering process of discovery, a curiosity for the new and a passion for making things better...
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...In the restaurant industry nearly everyone can agree that job stress results from the interaction of employee and working conditions. I can also say that sometimes stress can be viewed as being different on what is the most importance between workers characteristics and working conditions? In my opinion both are factors that define and or can escalate stress levels. When referring to individual characteristics you are speaking about someone’s personality and style, however when discussing working conditions we are talking about excessive work loads, demands from management and customers and lets not forget “CONFLICTING EXPECTATIONS”. All can be stressful to anyone especially in the restaurant business. For example employees encounter the following: • Infrequent breaks • Long work hours • Meaning less shift work Shift work that is hectic combined with routine tasks that have little meaning to employees with no direction or personal goals. Other job conditions that I encounter come from management. Such as lack of communication on new products or procedures, broken food policies to family and friends, lack of support and conflicting roles on the team. These conflicting roles lead to arguments in front of employees. Everyone wears a hat but, want to take on the responsibility and tension rises causing the following: • Low morale • Job complaints • Employee turnover All are signs of working conditions which acts as...
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...each item. Another way that he got ideas was to show them other highlighters and ask their opinion of them. 3M researchers conducted both group and individual interviews to get even more ideas. Finally, when working models were produced, he gave them to students and thy shared their thoughts about them in a questionnaire. All of this helped Windorski to design the final version of his flag highlighter. These ideas were important to the success of the product because they came directly from the people who would be buying them. This helped him know exactly what they wanted or needed for maximizing the way that they study. 4. To make students more aware of the Post-it Flag Highlighter, 3M should do more advertising online. College students sped a lot of time on the Internet. 3M could put ads on Pandora radio, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon and other websites that college students might visit frequently. Another way to make students more aware of the product is to bring the product to them. 3M could work with colleges and universities so that they could have a special section or station set up in the campus bookstore for just the flag highlighter and other 3M products. 3M could also work with colleges to place ads, flyers or coupons on the school website or newspaper. 5. There are special opportunities of growth if 3M decides to take its product into international markets. 3M could add to the profit that it is already receiving and positively impact the studying experiences of many...
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...Compare and comment on the economic and social effects of flooding in two contrasting areas of the world. (15) Level 1 (1-6 marks) Describes the social and/or economic effects of flooding. Information likely to be generic – case study named only. Some similarities/differences apparent at top end. Separate accounts. Level 2 (7-12 marks) Description of effects of floods is more specific and precise – begins to distinguish between social and economic or this is implicit. Information relates to case studies – ‘rings true’ – some support. Begins to comment – may be tentative/implicit. May be imbalanced to one area and/or category. Similarities/differences are clear. Level 3 (13-15 marks) Precise similarities/differences of effects of flooding – distinguishes between social and economic effect explicitly. A balanced account – of areas and categories. Case studies are used in support – reference to facts/figures. Comment is explicit and perceptive. Candidate A – L3 Answer The flooding in Carlisle 2005 and in Bangladesh 1998 both had damaging effects. Carlisle being an MEDC suffered relatively more economic damage and was also generally better positioned to cope with the flooding than Bangladesh which suffered both heavy economic damage but particularly high ‘social’ impacts. In Carlisle only 3 people died due to the flooding whereas in Bangladesh 1070 people died because infrastructure and early warning systems were not there to mount a successful rescue attempt. In Carlisle...
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...Case study notes This case study explores a very unique organisation: W.L. Gore Associates. It explores the role of organisational management and culture within a very innovative firm, which is responsible for some very well-known products such as the famous Gore-Tex fabric, and yet few people know much about this remarkable organisation. It is operated in a way similar to that of a cooperative such as The John Lewis Partnership in the UK, where the employees are also owners. In addition, the organisation seeks to minimise management with the emphasis on action and creativity. Case study questions 1. Explain what happened to the Gore-Tex brand after the patent expired. What activity can firms use to try to maintain any advantage developed during the patent protection phase? Competitor products emerged (generic versions if you like). To compete, it was necessary to develop the brand. This is something that has not happened. What else could it do? 2. List some of the wide range of products that the Gore-Tex fabric has been applied? All sorts of clothing, shoes, coats, etc. Also, windsurf sales and kite surf sales. What else could it be applied to? 3. It seems that Gore Associates is heavily orientated towards technology. What are some of the dangers of being too heavily focused on technology? Myopic views such as not listening to customer views, too focused on technology. Missing opportunities that may exist, which involve minor changes. Also, marketing mix considerations need to...
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...Case Analysis: 1.1 Hospitals are Driving toward a Leaner Organization Background: To obtain sustainable organizational efficiency and service quality, many hospitals have adopted an Open Systems Perspective by using “lean management” procedures borrowed from leading car manufacturers, in an effort to “reduce and remove waste from work processes”. These processes improved organizational efficiency reduced costs and provided better patient care. i What ‘seems’ to be the Problem: Secondary Symptoms Full waiting rooms, long wait times, inefficient use of supplies and budgets, needless stress and high mortality rate is feedback from the external environment that the hospitals are not meeting the needs of their stakeholders, or fitting in with their environment. Before adapting lean management processes, hospital staff and patients alike shared the burden of what appeared to be the inevitable consequences of health care delivery and a closed systems perspective.ii These problems are manifestations of organizational deficiencies which negatively affect the quality of patient care, the distribution of hospital resources and employee morale. The Real Reasons Hospitals are Facing Difficulties: Primary Problems The secondary symptoms are indicative of underlying issues, highlighting their poor organizational-environmental fitiii and the ineffectiveness of communication between Internal Subsystems.iv To a large extent hospitals have not adapted to their external environment nor have hospitals...
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...Instructors Manual Case Studies Table of Contents Introduction Shipper Manufacturing Company ………………………………............ C-2 FHE, Inc. ……………………………………………………………….. C-5 Early Supplier Integration in the Design of the Skid-Steer Loader……... C-9 Process Design Eastern Gear, Inc. ………………………………………………………. C-17 Southwest Airlines: Singin’ the (Jet) Blues …………………………….. C-21 The Field Service Division of DMI ……………………………………. C-29 Pharmacy Service Improvement at CVS (A) …………………………… C-36 U.S. Stroller …………………………………………………………….. C-37 Quality Customer-Driven Learning at Radisson Hotels Worldwide ……………. C-41 Quality at Gillette Argentina …………………………………………… C-46 Bayfield Mud Company ………………………………………………… C-47 Six Sigma at 3M, Inc. …………………………………………………... C-53 Capacity and Scheduling Crocs: Revolutionizing an Industry’s Supply Chain Model for Competitive Advantage …………………………………….. C-58 Unifine Richardson …………………………………………………….. C-59 eBags: Managing Growth ……………………………………………… C-60 Merriwell Bag Company ……………………………………………….. C-69 Lawn King, Inc. ………………………………………………………… C-74 World Industrial Abrasives ……………………………………………... C-84 Inventory Consolidated Electric …………………………………………………... C-88 Southern Toro Distributor, Inc. ………………………………………… C-93 ToysPlus, Inc. …………………………………………………………... C-99 SHIPPER MANUFACTURING COMPANY Teaching Notes Synopsis and Purpose Shipper Manufacturing Company is a manufacturer of electrical products, laminated materials...
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...Post it Notes – Case Study Questions Question 1 In the development of this product, how did the creative thinking process work? Describe what took place in each of the four steps. . The Post-It Notes case has clearly illustrated the 4 phases in creativity development and each step has demonstrated by the inventor of Post-It Notes as described below: * Background or knowledge accumulation This phase was demonstrated by Art Fry who is the inventor of Post-It Notes whereby he recalled about the adhesive invented by Dr. Spencer Silver from a seminar he attended in the past. He approaches the R&D department to gather a background information and knowledge about adhesives that developed by Dr. Spencer Silver. * The mind incubation process This incubation process occurs while Art Fry singing in the church choir. Most of the time, the bookmark kept failing out of his hymnal, causing him to lose his page while performing. This prompted him to find a solution or something that could adhere to the page but not tear it. He went on to explore the possibility with the helps from R&D team and managed to find a low-tack adhesive that turn out to be a perfect solution to prevent the bookmark falling out. * The idea experience As Fry’s idea of applying the low-tack adhesive on the bookmark was proven an effective solution, he begin to realize that the same concept could possible turn into a new product. * Evaluation and Implementation This phase was demonstrated...
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...contemporary organizational issue you find intriguing. Use one field site or example for the entire paper. Also, be explicit about the level issue. For example, if you are using the concept of personality then it is an individual level issue. A list of concepts and their related levels is provided in a separate document. Focus of paper-related requirements: Outline: Submit a formal outline for your paper, complete with references. The purpose of the outline is to help you organize your content, which also results in increased clarity, improved logic, and better structure of the paper. There may be adjustments from this document to your final paper, but at this stage the paper should not require major revisions. Final Paper: Use a case study format for the structure of your paper. Identify and analyze issues using course concepts, and propose recommendations for the organization you are focusing on. Use of course concepts 1. Use a minimum of 8 concepts for the paper. Include a list of the concepts you used at the beginning of the paper. 2. Briefly define each concept you use within the text (a paragraph or two). 3. For each concept, write a diagnosis at one level (e.g., the person level). For example, you might write “The employee misses work frequently due to stress from conflict with her supervisor.” Note, stress and conflict would require definitions.) 4. For each concept, write a solution or solutions. Identify the level(s) you addressed in Step 2...
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...Calendar Overall for Case-Study Presentation & Mid-Term Exam – MGT 4760 (Strategic Management) Sem 1, 2012/2013 Sec 8 (M-W) No. | Week | Topics | Class Day | Date | Schedule | Details | | 1 | Chapter 1: The Nature of Strategic Management | 1- Mon 2- Wed | 10/912/9 | | | | 2 | Chapter 2: The Business Vision and Mission | 3- Mon 4- Wed | 17/919/9 | | | | 3 | Chapter 3: The External Assessment | 5- Mon 6- Wed | 24/926/9 | | | | 4 | Chapter 4: The Internal Assessment | 7- Mon 8- Wed | 1/103/10 | Quiz 1 (Chapter 1.2.3) | | | 5 | Chapter 4: The Internal Assessment | 9- Mon 10- Wed | 8/1010/10 | | | | 6 | Chapter 5: Strategies in Action | 11- Mon 12- Wed | 15/1017/10 | | | | | BREAK(22/10 – 28/10) | 13- Mon 14- Wed | 22/1024/10 | | | | 7 | Chapter 5: Strategies in Action | 15- Mon 16- Wed | 29/1031/10 | Case Presentation Session 1Case Presentation Session 2 | Group 1:L: Lia Hilaliah (Case Study 3)Group 2:L: Mas Syairah bte Mohamad (Case Study 5) | | 8 | Chapter 6: Strategy Analysis and Choice | 17- Mon 18- Wed | 5/117/11 | | (Mid-Term Exam 7/11 Wednesday)Seminar Room 1.1 | | 9 | Chapter 6: Strategy Analysis and Choice | 19- Mon 20- Wed | 12/1114/11 | Case Presentation Session 3Case Presentation Session 4 | Group 3:L: Mohamed Sheikh (Case Study 9) Group 4:L: Izzati Nor binti Salleh (Case Study 14) | | 10 | Chapter 7: Implementing Strategies: Management and Operations...
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...ARCTIC MINING CONSULTANTS Case Synopsis Arctic Mining Consultants is a mining company that deals with mineral exploration. In this case study, the project given is staking 15 claims in Eagle Lake, Alaska. The project Manager was Tom Parker, who has a wide experience and specialized knowledge in all nontechnical aspects of mineral exploration. He is a geological field technician and field coordinator for Arctic Mining Consultants. He assigned his previous field assistants John Talbot, Greg Boyce and Brian Millar to help him complete the project. The job required them to stake at least 7 lengths each day in order to be completed on time. However, the whole team has became very tense and agitated, especially Tom Parker, as the deadline was just around the corner and there’s still many to be finished within the limited time. The problem became worse with the way Tom managed and treated his team. The only motivation to the team was the $300 bonuses promised by the company when the job is done on time, otherwise, they might wished to give up already. This happened because working as a field assistant and in long-working hours only giving them low wages, which is considered unreasonable compared to what they have to do. During the eight hard days, everything had actually proved the strengths and weaknesses of each of the team members, including Tom. Case analysis symptoms 1) What symptom(s) exist in this case to suggest that something has gone wrong? The symptom(s) to suggest...
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...Running head: CASE STUDY XYZ Case Study XYZ: An Examination of Project Procurement Management Practices Group 12 John Doe Jane Smith Bobbie Sue University of Maryland University College Project Procurement Management, Semester XXXX, Section XXXX Professor Stephen R. Guth MMMM DD, YYYY [No Abstract or Introduction required for this assignment] The Inception Phase Rating Scale: 5—Excellent, 4—Very Good, 3—Good, 2—Poor, 1—Very Poor |Project Management Area |Inception Phase | |Scope Management | | |Time Management | | |Cost Management | | |Quality Management | | |Human Resource Management | | |Communication Management | | |Risk Management | | |Procurement Management | ...
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...policy. 2) Employee conditions: a. Lack of motivation b. Compensate for low wages by over indulgence of free food allowance c. High turnover rate due to availability of high application rates. d. Employees are mostly college and high school students e. Lack of respect for managers. f. No incentive to increase motivation. In the case study Perfect Pizzeria, the area supervisor has many problems that need his attention. The largest appears to be the organization. In this case study I will assume that the area supervisor has the authority to affect change within his organization (i.e. he is the franchise owner). Being in an area with few job opportunities should give him the perfect opportunity to recruit bright, ambitious, and motivated people to staff his pizzerias. How can the area supervisor change his organization to achieve a more fluid corporate culture? I think this change can be achieved by human resource changes, structure changes, motivational changes, and reward for good performance as well as accountability for poor performance. Each one of these areas will require a change from the corporate level. For the sake of my case study I am going to assume that the area supervisor (franchise owner) can lobby to achieve this change within the organization. The first area to look...
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