...Introduction Tanglewood is a chain of general retail stores featuring items such as clothing, appliances, electronics, and home decor. The company operates in the moderate price niche, targeting middle- and upper-income customers. Tanglewood’s strategic distinction is an “outdoors” theme, with a large camping and outdoor living section in every store. The store also distinguishes itself by its simple, elegant, and uncluttered design concepts for the store and their in-house products. It was founded by two best friends in 1975 by Tanner Emerson and Thurston Wood and later renamed their store chain to Tanglewood in 1984. Initially it operated as a single store and as years went by, as the business developed from 1975 to 1984, the business had grown substantially with a strong base of employee participation, customer satisfaction, and profitability. The company grew to other parts of America and today has a total of 243 stores open in the states of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona. As an external consultant for Staffing Services I have reviewed your Organizational Structure as it pertains to staffing your new stores and your stores that are already in business. In my report you will find that there are many things that I agree that your organization does, however there are some that I feel that you could change to benefit your strategic staffing levels and quality. The staffing strategy...
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...1. Competitors. There are eight major competitors of Tanglewood: Dillard’s, J.C. Penny, Kohl’s, Macy’s, REI, Sears Holding Corp., Target and Walmart. On page 4 of casebook, it says “major concern for Tanglewood has been the westward expansion of companies like Kohl’s and Target”. Tanglewood has even more direct competition right now. It might be good to hire qualified staff to exceed the competition. Structure. Tanglewood is a retail business. It has clothing, jewelry, and non-clothing merchandise: sporting goods, bath, bedding and home décor. Company operates in the moderate price niche, targeting middle- and upper-income customers. Tanglewood is located in 12 geographical regions, with 20 stores per region. The breakdown of stores is: * Eastern Washington * Western Washington * Northern Oregon * Southern Oregon * Northern California * Idaho, Montana and Wyoming * Colorado * Utah * Nevada * New Mexico * Arizona Total number of stores is two hundred forty three. Employees. * Each store is managed by a single individual – store manager * He/she has three store managers working beneath him/her * The assistant managers for softlines, hardlines, and operations and human resources. * Department managers * Shift leaders * Associates Total: two hundred fifteen employees per store. Culture and values. * Tanglewood has emphasized employee participation and teams. * Vision for employee relations...
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...Tanglewood Case 1 Dear: Daryl Perrone, My name is Andreina Polanco I am an external consultant for staffing services. Below please find my recommendations of where Tanglewood should position itself along the continuum: 1. Acquire vs. Develop talent- In my opinion Developing talent is a better strategy for Tanglewood than acquiring talent for many reasons. First Acquiring talent from other companies costs more money. Employees who are new to working in retail can start fresh and learn everything and be molded in Tanglewood’s way. This can also help in any problems with workers about how things should be done, because they have learned it another way in retail store. Tanglewood encourages employees to give their suggestions or their ideas in how Tanglewood can become a better company.. 2. Hire yourself vs. Outsource- Tanglewood should not encourage outsource consultants because of their lack in actual experience with the company. Tanglewood needs employees who have knowledge of the company. Hiring within the company can be advantage because the person will be familiar with the company’s decision making. Even thou there are several advantages for hiring an out source, for a example a new person can bring a new plan, new technique or a new opinion that can improve the company. 3. External vs. Internal- Internal hiring is a better strategy for Tanglewood than external hiring. This allows everyone to start at the bottom as an associate and to work their way up in the company...
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...Rachael Jones Human Resources Consultant 1/24/2011 Case 1 Donald Penchiala Staffing Services Director Tanglewood Inc. Mr Penchiala, I am replying to your request to review Tanglewood’s current strategic staffing decisions. After researching the company’s history as well as Tanglewood’s current and potential competitors, I have broken down the 13 sections you asked me to review. Each section will be weighed differently based on the company’s mission and values: Acquire or Develop Talent While Tanglewood is primarily a general retail outlet with a large number of store associates, I recommend focusing on acquiring talent rather than developing it. Tanglewood encourages suggestions starting from the bottom of the company; if Tanglewood would work toward acquiring talent it could potentially take away employees from other companies who feel their good ideas are often ignored due to their position. A potential employee would have to match the KSAOs (Knowledge, Skill, Ability, and Other Characteristics) of the company and if you could find employees that already have the talent it would potentially lower your training costs. Of course any potential employee would need to have the same values of the company whether already having the required KSAOs or needing to be trained on them. Hire Yourself or Outsource Tanglewood already has a well established Human Resources structure. An outsourcing group would only be beneficial if Tanglewood did not have EEO (Equal Employment Opportunities)...
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...Tanglewood Case 1 02/17/2015 Tanglewood is in need of an update to their human resource functions. As the company has grown, they have found that their human resource system may be archaic. Tanglewood is in need of a new plan that will be modern but will still match their mission statement that they set out to follow even in modern times. Tanglewood's mission is: “Tanglewood will be the best department store for customers seeking quality, durability, and value for all aspects of their lives. We are committed as a company to providing maximum value to our customers, shareholders, and employees. We will accomplish this goal by adhering to the core values of responsible financial management, clear and honest communication, and always keeping performance and customer service in the forefront.” By reading the case, Tanglewood strongly values customer service. Tanglewood believes in the customer experience and face-to-face interactions. Tanglewood believes that the online ordering portal is an extension of the brick-and mortar store not a replacement. The physical stores are their competitive advantage. In-store sales build long-term relationships with customers. Tanglewood is likely to benefit from highly customer orientated individuals. Tanglewood does not view their online sales as a competitive advantage. Tanglewood believes that their store experience will continue to bring customers back on a continual basis. In order for Tanglewood to uphold this philosophy, they...
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...Tanglewood Case Study One Human Resources 594 C.H. March 19, 2013 Tanglewood is a large chain of general retail stores that sell such items as clothing, electronics, appliances, and home décor. In 1975, Tanner Emerson and Thurston Wood were the originally founders of Tanglewood. Initially, Tanglewood’s named originated from Tannerwood, which at the time only sold outdoor products and clothing. The business has a wonderful reputation in the local community. It was known for the superb customer service and loyalty among the customer base. Over the next several years, the company expanded to well over 200 stores across the United States. Tanner Emerson became the CEO and Thurston Wood became the President of the company. Tanglewood Organization A major concern for the company was the expansion of chains like Target and Kohl’s. These expansions have caused the leaders to dissect their HR policies and practices. “For staffing, in particular, the organization fells there absolutely must be a workforce of committed, qualified individuals who will help carry the Tanglewood philosophy into the future.” There was a comparison within the text that showed the standing of Tanglewood in regards to other chains like Dillards, J.C. Pennys, Macy’s, Target, and Wal-mart. “The financial showed that Tanglewood is a moderately sized organization with strong growth potential.” Staffing Levels 1. Acquire...
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...“Tanglewood is a generic chain store, which features items such as men and women’s clothing, appliances, home décor, and electronics. The company initially targets middle and upper income costumers and provides a distinct “outdoors” theme in every store. Tanglewood’s mission statement clearly focuses on implementing maximum value to not only their customers, but to the employees and shareholders as well. The company will accomplish the desire to maintain their goals by developing good communication skills throughout their employees, achieving excellent customer service, and continuing to please shareholders with their business practice (Heneman, chapter 1)”. Acquire or develop talent, core or flexible workforce: When Tanglewood is deciding whether to acquire or develop new talent, they first must take a look at what positions need to be filled. Focusing on the entry level positions such as store associates or cashiers, shelf stockers should be filled with developing talent, because these positions are relevantly the easiest to train. Bringing employees who have a great deal of experience and talent to these entry level positions may bring with them bad habits they acquired from previous employers and may be hard to brake. Employees with no working experience in the retail business would be a good opportunity for Tanglewood to introduce Tanglewood’s philosophy. The higher positions such as store manager, regional manager and assistant managers should be filled with acquiring...
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...|CASE ONE: TANGLEWOOD STORES AND STAFFING STRATEGY | Letitia Pinkney HRM 434-24—Employee Selection & Staffing Background Tanglewood is a chain of general retail stores featuring items such as clothing, appliances, electronics, and home decor. It was originally founded by best friends Tanner Emerson and Thurston Wood. The company’s mission statement is: Tanglewood will be the best department store for customers seeking quality, durability, and value for all aspects of their active lives. We are committed as a company to providing maximum value to our customers, shareholders, and employees. We will accomplish this goal by adhering to the core values of responsible financial management, clear and honest communication, and always keeping performance and customer service in the forefront. By the 1980s there were ten stores open. Emerson and Wood realized they had developed a fairly successful blueprint for running stores with a strong base of employee participation, customer satisfaction, and profitability. While all the stores under the Tanglewood name have the same basic look, the management styles and human resource (HR) practices still reflect the historical differences between stores. For staffing, in particular, the organization feels there absolutely must be a workforce of committed, qualified individuals who will help carry the Tanglewood philosophy...
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...History Tanglewood, founded in 1975, sells outdoor clothing and equipment which is uniquely designed by the owners, Tanner Emerson and Thurston Woods. Initially, the business started with one store and grew rapidly to 243 stores with Regional Managers overseeing the day to day operations. Unique merchandise (quality) with designer looks/appearance and a personable sales staff made them successful and appealing to the middle and upper income group of consumers who seek convenient and reasonable prices. Another distinction of Tanglewood is the outdoor theme in terms of color and wood décor. In addition, Tanglewood has a web portal that guides customers to search for products and arrange for shipment at lower costs. Current Management Practices Tanglewood makes it clear that employees are an asset to the company as employees at every level are allowed to make suggestions. It’s critical to note that Tanglewood does not prefer temporary workers they utilize a core workforce as all employees are full time or part time. Tanglewood believes a core workforce is essential in order to maintain its organizational values and culture. Tanglewood emphasizes employee participation and teamwork and encourages employees to make suggestions and if their suggestions are successfully implemented they receive a financial bonus and department managers receive financial benefits for successfully carrying forward these ideas to implementation. Department stores are run as teams and everyone...
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...Case One: Tanglewood Stores and Staffing Strategy MGMT 485 Selection & Placement Staffing Organizations Authors: Herbert G. Heneman III Timothy A. Judge John D. Kammeyer-Mueller To: Daryl Perrone, Staffing Services Director Subject: Tanglewood Stores and Staffing Strategies Date: 1/29/2012 In today’s increasingly competitive retail market, companies are always looking for ways to improve performance and increase revenue. One important area some companies excel better than others in is staffing. Who a company chooses to staff it’s stores as well as how it chooses to do so will greatly affect the chances of its success. After reviewing the Tanglewood case, we have come up with some suggestions pertaining to staffing quantity as well as quality. Our suggestions are as follows: Acquire or Develop Talent Tanglewood has a very unique strategy encouraging all of its employees to be self-sufficient and voice their opinions when they have ideas for improving the company. We believe developing talent from within will go hand-in-hand with this strategy. By training existing employees to be managers, Tanglewood will be able to teach them a style of management that they feel is in line with the its mission and vision. The company’s investment into the employee will also act as a motivator for the employee. This will in turn lead to greater overall performance. Hire Yourself or Outsource It is our opinion that outsourcing is not the route the company should pursue...
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...Beth Favaloro Tanglewood Case 1 MWF 10:30-11:30 MGT 4322 Tanglewood is a generic chain store, which features items such as men and women’s clothing, appliances, home décor, and electronics. The company initially targets middle and upper income costumers and provides a distinct “outdoors” theme in every store. Tanglewood’s mission statement clearly focuses on implementing maximum value to not only their customers, but to the employees and shareholders as well. The company will accomplish the desire to maintain their goals by developing good communication skills throughout their employees, achieving excellent customer service, and continuing to please shareholders with their business practice. As a consultant, I have developed a few business strategies that Tanglewood can incorporate within the companies already designed business strategies to help the company improve. Staffing an organization is key in developing and maintaining an ideal business strategy. For Tanglewood, when hiring new management for a new acquired store, they should hire personnel outside of Tanglewood’s employees. It has been said that hiring a new management team for an upcoming new store would work the best because the new team is at their peak performance levels the moment they arrive. This is exactly what Tanglewood needs when acquiring new stores nationwide. However, for existing stores, Tanglewood should take on the developing talent approach, where they hire from within the existing...
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...Kristine Prais MGT210 W01/Case #1 3/29/2016 Tanglewood: Staffing Levels and Staffing Quality 1. Staffing Levels a. Acquire vs. Develop Talent i. Whether a company chooses to acquire or develop talent within the organization both options have positive and negative outcomes. Developing existing talent within the organization would be a way for the company to slow down and concentrate on making sure they hold on to their strong company culture. Tanglewood stores want to keep their culture in focus and are proud of their high employee morale and participation, and I recommend developing existing talent within the company. b. Hire yourself vs. Outsource ii. Tanglewood is focusing its attention on centralizing its human resource department and has recently hired two educated individuals to help with reinforcing and improving the human resource function. Therefore, it would be beneficial to utilize these new additions to Tanglewood and not let the hiring be done by an outsource agency. Since Mr. Perrone and Mrs. Gonzalez have been informed of the weaknesses of the staffing process they are knowledgeable on what type of employees would be valuable for Tanglewood. c. External vs. Internal Hiring iii. Tanglewood is committed to providing maximum values and a strong culture for its employees. Tanglewood also wants their customers to experience a unique and personable shopping experience. Consequently, internal hiring will be...
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...Tanglewood Case One Rebecca Cassady With reference to Exhibit 1.7 in the textbook, I think that of the staffing quantity and staffing quality strategies listed; that developing talent, internal hiring, and exceptional workforce quality are the fundamental strategies to implement. By utilizing these differentiation strategies, Tanglewood would continue its strong culture. Tanglewood must differentiate themselves from their competition; companies like Target and Kohl’s. Tangelwood can accomplish this by having the best staff that delivers a positive experience their customers, thus, making their store standout from their competitors. These strategies will help maintain a positive work atmosphere and build a strong relationship among employees, which will lead to successful job performances. Hiring or retain overstaff or understaffed, and external or internal hiring: As we look at these three decisions for the staffing levels, hire or retain, over staffed or understaffed, and external or internal hiring method we will see that Tanglewood Company is over-staffed. The mangers are cooperative with the employees’ suggestions regarding the company's operations, which need to be decreased. By decreasing employees and increasing the responsibility; staffing and training of departments will make the working environment stronger, and job performance to be improved saving both time and money for the company. Tanglewood should focus on retaining their employees and improving...
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...Week 7 assinment foe GM 591 8/21/2011 1 GM 591: Leadership and Organizational Behavior Course Project Introduction Starbucks is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 50 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, and over 700 in the United Kingdom. Donald, Jim (2007) Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, coffee beans, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and Panini, pastries, snacks, and items such as mugs and tumblers. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the companys products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/starbucks_corporation/index.html Starbucks was founded in 1971 where the first store opened in Seattle, Washington. Part of their mission is to positively contribute back to the community and environment. Many of the employees who work at Starbucks take this mission personally and they volunteer throughout the communities in which they work. Part of the Starbucks training encourages employees to go out and do volunteer work in their community. Starbucks also has each store pick a charity in which they donate pastries and coffee to each month. They...
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...Talent Tanglewood will benefit from acquiring talent. The company is expanding yearly, opening new stores nationwide. Acquiring new talent for Tanglewood will speed up the process of expansion. Employees being hired will already possess the necessary KSAO’s to perform the job without new training. Another benefit is time constraints and investment in training. Training new employees can be costly, and take several weeks or months to develop an employee. Tanglewood department stores will hire employees that bring retail and management experience. These new employees will also have retail experience, to maintain the customer service philosophy that drives the company. * Hire Yourself or Outsource Tanglewood will benefit from outsourcing their hiring activities. The organization currently has a Human Resource team; however hiring practices have not remained consistent from location to location. With the expansion of new stores, more employees will need to hire to full available positions. Tanglewood as an organization wants to maintain their core philosophy. In order to maintain this philosophy, consistency needs to be present throughout the retail location as well as corporate level. Tanglewood involves their employees in decision making process; this encourages employees to be proactive to solving organizational problem. Tanglewood can work with the staffing agency to maintain their philosophy as the focus of their staffing practices. Communication between Tanglewood and the...
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