MT499_Team_3_Units_1_2_Assignment

1 MT499-03 2105C: Bachelor’s Capstone in Management Team 3 Cory J. Meyers Jamie Mills Nicholas Nakatsuka Connie Neathery Victor Popp Purdue Global Units 1 & 2 Assignment Deborah Thigpen 12/13/2021 Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

2 Athleisure Apparel LLC. Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

4 that comes with working remotely and virtually. There is no boss or co-worker down the hall or in an adjacent cubical that will stop a team member from spending too much time on their phone or on social media. There is no presence of a highly motivated atmosphere or the hustle and bustle of a busy office reminding each team member that work is needing to get done. There is a significantly diminished presence of competition while working virtually. That is why the team charter has even more of an impact in a virtual setting. It is an agreement each team member was involved in and ensures there are clear standards to be met in between each team meeting. The charter is the boss down the hall or the presence of competition that is missing. It is there to push and hold each team member accountable by ensuring there is no hiding from expectations and performance standards. Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

5 LEARNING TEAM CHARTER – TEAM 3 Course Title MT 499 – 03 2105C Bachelor’s Capstone in Management Team Members/Contact Information Name Phone Time zone and Availability During the Week Email Jamie Mills 270- 315-6551 Central time After 8pm jamiemills@student.purdueglobal.edu Nicholas Nakatsuka 219- 455-1643 After 8 EST M-F, Sat. all day, Sun- late afternoon nicholasnakatsuk@student.purdueglobal.edu Cory Meyers 641- 780-7024 M, Tues, Wed 7pm to 9:30 EST and Fri, Sat, and Sun corymeyers@student.purdueglobal.edu Victor Popp   912- 237-5306 After 9 pm Mountain time any day victorpopp@student.purdueglobal.edu Connie Neathery 318- 331-5472 8pm Central Time Every evening connieneathery@student.purdueglobal.edu Connie7141@gmail.com Team Ground Rules and Guidelines What are the general expectations for all members of the team? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Respond to email or text prior to going to sleep on the day you receive them General communication is expected of all teammates Contribute to your part and what is expected of you Give notice for leaves plan your own deadlines to meet your part of the assignment factor in time for travel Be active during and generally attend the video conferences Be available to alternate responsibilities if needed or requested Try to volunteer for assignments instead of being assigned where feasible Listen with an open mind and respect other’s opinions on the team Provide constructive feedback wherever applicable _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

7 Expectations for Time Management and Involvement (Participation, communication with the team, accessibility, etc.) _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Give notice for leaves Plan your own deadlines to meet your part of the assignment Factor in time for travel Discuss any changes that need to be made before submitted All rough drafts should be submitted by the end of day Saturday Final draft created on Sunday Monday and Tuesday for final notes, touch up, and submission Have questions, comments, and knowledge of the subjects ready for discussion prior to the start of each meeting Actively participate and contribute to each meeting Keep the team informed of any changes in your scheduled as soon as you are aware of them Establish your own timelines in order to complete your work. However, the team leader should establish set deadlines to ensure efficient and timely project completion _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ensuring Fair and Even Contribution and Collaboration What strategy will you use to ensure that all team members are contributing and collaborating appropriately? Describe the communication strategy you will use if a team member is not contributing and collaborating effectively. How will the team manage conflicts between team members? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Break in fair categories so each student is responsible for their duty Break bulk of material into four categories. Those four categories get made into very rough drafts with notes, references, and vital material. Those 4 categories are then submitted to Cory to compile into a final draft and ultimately be responsible for project completions. Communication between teammates should be respectful but open and honest. Speak up where shortcomings are arising, but do so in a constructive and respectful manner Be ready to compromise with your teammates opinions and not stand firm on your own opinion _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Special Considerations What do you, as a team, agree will make this team experience different from past team experiences? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Action items will be assigned at the end of each meeting with owners and due dates Those action items will be document clearly and concisely Victor and Nick’s travel accommodations Jamie’s child and their sports schedule Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

8 Too much communication is always better than not enough Go the extra mile to ensure you are never under contributing Help your fellow team members wherever you can Be open to suggestions from other team members Doing something you think is only partially right, is better than doing nothing because you couldn’t agree, compromise with your teammates to ensure the project moves forward and everyone is involved. Ask questions if you are unsure of the topic or expectation, others may also have similar concerns. Every team is different with each individual member bringing some unique to the table. This in itself will create a different team experience. Whether that be a positive or negative experience will be determined by how a team collaborates and effectively works together in order to achieve its goals. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

10 Team Schedule EST Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 6:00 AM Submit all Rough Drafts to Team Folder Draft Notes and Final Notes Finalize Draft and Submit Initial Outline of Assignment From CEO Initial Outline of Assignmen t From CEO Research Rough Draft Creation 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM CEO to Create Final Draft 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM Team Meeting Team Meeting 10:00 PM Team Meeting 11:00 PM Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

11 Organizational Structure Organizational structures are the blueprints that decide how a company runs and how information is passed. Organizational structures need to be determined on what industry the company fits into, the company’s goals and the overall size of the company. The best organizational structure of online clothing retailers is the traditional (functional) divisional organizational structure. Athleisure Apparel is a startup company with goals of expansion. The traditional (functional) divisional organizational structure is known as a top-down approach. The C.E.O. will be the head of the company, passing down information to his Vice Presidents. The Vice Presidents will lead their divisions at the request of the C.E.O. and his instructions. The C.F.O., human resources, operations, and marketing will all report to the C.E.O. for final decision making, but they will all oversee their departments respectively. The Vice Presidents will have managers directly under them overseeing their employees. In short, the managers report to the Vice Presidents, and the Vice Presidents report to the C.E.O. All Vice Presidents and managers follow the C.E.O.’s instructions. The traditional (functional) divisional organizational structure is best suited for small business with a small number of departments. Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

13 Core Values Here at Athleisure, there are many values that are important, upheld, and established in the workings of the company and between team members. However, there are 5 core values that drive Athleisure’s decision making, keeping the company strong. These 5 core values are: 1. Integrity 2. Reliability 3. A “We” instead of a “Me” mentality 4. An American Sourced Company 5. Equality All of these core values are driven through a utilitarianism approach to decision making. According to Lamb, Hair, & McDaniel (2019, pg. 33), “Utilitarianism is founded on the ability to predict the consequences of an action. To a utilitarian, the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the most people is the choice that is ethically correct”. This approach aligns perfectly with the rest of Athleisure’s core values. The team at Athleisure also uses these core values and decision-making philosophy to ensure we are all working well as a team. The core values and decision-making philosophy are in support of the team charter, keeping all team members in alignment and rowing the boat together to our goal. Athleisure’s values at their core can be summed up in one simple statement: “Athleisure strives to provide an efficient service in conjunction with a quality and affordable product that primarily sources through other American companies; while still providing an enjoyable work environment for all within our banner with no exclusion.” Professional Biographies – Roles and Responsibilities – Individual Philosophies Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

14 Strengths and Weaknesses Cory J. Meyers – Chief Executive Officer My name is Cory Jon Meyers, and I am the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of Athleisure Apparel. In my position as CEO of Athleisure Apparel I have many responsibilities, essential functions, and opportunities to help push the company forward. I personally view my number one responsibility in the company as instituting and upholding a culture throughout the entire organization that aligns with the core values that this company was established with. Culture in my opinion is what makes a company thrive or dwindle. It is what is at the core of all projects, decisions, and interactions throughout the company. However, there are other more tangible objectives that I need to cover as well. I must help our CFO to develop business prospects based off market trends and forecast. Assist our Marketing Vice President with aligning our marketing efforts with the business prospects identified with the CFO. Work with our Human Resources Vice President to ensure we are adequately staffed to handle the upcoming market trends. As well as ensure policies are in place and supporting the core values of the company. And last but far from least, work with our Vice President of Operations to ensure our production plants have the proper space and equipment to support the upcoming product volume. As well as our product is being produced to the highest of quality standards. And finally, that we have the right kind of floor leaders in place to help produce our product and uphold our company’s core values. Prior to taking this roll as CEO I have spent the last 30 years of my life working up to this position and cultivating my skills to align with all the responsibilities that come with it. I started working on the floor of a clothing manufacturing company when I was fresh out of high school at 18. I relatively quickly worked my way up through various floor leadership positions. After 6 years of working my way through the ranks I decided that it was time to get a degree to help Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

16 make poor decisions. Keeping a cool head is vital to ensure the stress of each situation does not weight on my decision making. I will close with a brief summary of my ethical theories and principles followed by a few of my favorite personal quotes: “The main ethical theory that drives my life is the fundamental need of honesty and integrity. Never sacrifice a short-term comfort for a long-term success. Meaning, tell the truth even in times that it is inconvenient and uncomfortable to do so. Better to tell the truth about a mistake you made, or someone else made and work through it immediately instead of letting it grow into a bigger problem” . “Strive for perfection, but be willing to accept slightly less” “Take ownership of all outcomes of the events of your life, regardless of where your brain is telling you fault may be coming from” “Excuses are the killer of progress” Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities –  Maintain integrity at all times  Delegate tasks and share company goals  Day to day operations oversight  View the consumers as your boss  Fostering a corporate culture that promotes ethical practices  Providing leadership and guidance to the entire company Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

17  Provide appropriate management oversight to all departments  Oversee corporate policies and ensure alignment with core values  Consulting with board of directors for all major business decisions  Encourage communication within your team  Outlining and ensure the company is following the strategic plan  Owing, accepting, and correcting your mistakes and the mistakes of your teams Connie Neathery – Chief Financial Officer My name is Connie Neathery and I am the C.F.O. (chief financial officer) of Athleisure Apparel. My role as C.F.O. of Athleisure Apparel means that I am responsible for managing Athleisure’s finances as well as the financial actions that Athleisure anticipate. My duties include tracking Athleisure’s cash flows, analyzing our company’s strengths and weaknesses, financial planning of Athleisure, and making recommendations of corrective actions when needed. I strive to create innovative financial frameworks that drive the financial success of the company. I received my Associates degree from Kaplan University in business management in 2013 and I am currently in my last term at Purdue Global. At graduation I will receive my bachelor’s degree in business management with a focus on financial analysis. I was born and raised in West Monroe, La. My values include always doing the right thing and remaining ethical in all situations. My mission statement as a C.F.O. of Athleisure Apparel is to provide timely, accurate, personalized, and fitting financial assistance daily as well as in a crisis. My goals are to help Athleisure Apparel thrive, grow, and sustainable for the long run. My expertise includes financial statements, reducing expenses, stocks, shareholder equity, and acquisitions. My skills include Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

19 responsible for the company’s financial wellbeing. An effective C.E.O. can explain changes in profitability, costs, and inventory effortlessly. The company’s records are always closed within 5 days of the month’s end. Additionally, the C.F.O. is making efficient and innovative changes to the company’s forecasting, budgeting, and accounting processes. An effective and efficient C.F.O. is vital to the success for any company. (Suzuki, JL 2020) Roles, Responsibilities, and Accountabilities –  Financial compliance with all SEC regulations  Protect the company’s assets  Communication to the board and investors concerning risk and value  Operating an efficient financial organization including planning, analysis, taxes, and operating expenses  Financial leadership  Timely execution of financial reports  Accept and correct your mistakes and the mistakes of your team Jamie Mills – Vice President of Human Resources Officer My name is Jamie Mills, Vice President of Human Resource at Athleisure Apparel. Over the past twenty years, the majority of my career has been spent in the field of healthcare working with a broad array of individuals in various settings. I have slowly worked my way up, starting as an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant to Practice Administrator and now my current position with Athleisure Apparel. The wealth of knowledge I have gained from my previous Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price

20 employments will be instrumental to the success I will have in my new position. In my current role, I will be responsible for recruiting, interviewing, hiring and the training of leadership and management level staff. In addition, I will provide performance evaluations, address disciplinary issues, and terminate any employees in accordance with company policy. Furthermore, my responsibilities will include setting, evaluating, and enforcing human resource policies, in addition to identifying and implementing strategic talent management goals. I have always taken the Utilitarianism approach in making decisions in both my personal and professional life. By utilizing this approach, I make decisions based on what I know are ethical and will be the most beneficial to the majority of those involved affected by any choices made. Decisions can be tough, and many individuals may ultimately be unhappy with the choices made. However, I have a responsibility not only to myself but those around me to evaluate all information presented and base my decisions on what’s accurate, honest, and fair. Jamie was chosen as V.P. of Human Resources because she is a “people” person. Jamie is very outgoing, idealistic, works well with action takers, requires little interaction, pays attention to detail, and is focused on development. Some weaknesses that Jamie may face as V.P. of Human Resources are difficulties with unstructured, financially minded (for Athleisure) individuals, more likely to be employee focused and less customer focused, difficulty working with inventor colleagues, and may lack in terms of strategic foundation as it applies to the company. According to Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart, & Wright (2020, pg.3), “Human Resource Management is the policies, practices and systems that influence employees’ behavior, attitudes, and performance.” Employees are essential to the ultimate success of any company. An Athleisure Apparel LLC. – Efficiently and effectively providing comfort and style at an affordable price