Assume you are a business consulting company that has been hired to help turnaround a struggling company. MarqueCosmetics International has three work sites-a manufacturing plant in MexicoCity; the product development team in Toronto; and its headquarters in WestCovina, CA. You were retained90 days ago by the CEO to conduct an organizational assessment in hopes to help the company grow, improve operations, and foster the company culture. Since then, the CEO abruptly left the company 2months ago. The founder of the company has asked you to continue to work with the company. There has been steady growth, but during your initial research and interaction with the company, you have noticed that there are a number of challenges that are preventing the company’s future success. For one thing, you have noticed that neither of the regional offices interacts with each other except during quarterly sales calls. During the pandemic crisis, the CEO determined that marketing, customer support, and personnel functions would be centralized to the home office. This was viewed negatively in the company, as it was a decision made without any planning or preparation. Additionally, the departure of the CEO during this critical time has left avoid in decision-making, communication, and overall leadership at all three sites. There is growing discontent and confusion among different team members who question if the company can recover. You have also observed that there is open hostility between the product development, located in Toronto, and the marketing department, located in West Covina. You are concerned about the overall operational effectiveness since both departments need to work more closely moving forward. It has also come to your attention that the Toronto office has a very different company structure. Since they were previously decentralized; you have discovered that they prefer a non-hierarchical structure with several employees not having formal job titles. They have reduced the role of day to day management; opting instead for employees to create their own schedules and insisting on less interference by the company founder in the more “creative development” of the product line. The Mexico City workforce also has its own set of grievances. There have been attempts to unionize its employees due to worksite safety and questionable labor practices. There have been allegations of sexual misconduct among workers. Management has delayed modernizing some of the manufacturing equipment which often causes work delays in orders during peak seasons. After several weeks of furlough during the pandemic, workers have been asked to return but are refusing to until their previous concerns are not fully addressed. Local news reports have surfaced which has led to embarrassment among key customers and suppliers. Additionally, the lease on the West Covina office location is set to expire later this year. Currently, the company is looking at office parks which are more convenient for commuting distances for keytop management. Logistics to accommodate key customers in the entertainment industry is of growing concern. The company has experienced explosive growth in the last few years. The founder of the company is a former high-fashion designer who had the vision to create a new line of cosmetics. She hired an industry-respected CEO who left all major decisions but maintained control over the brand identity. With the CEO’s departure, the company is looking to the founder for more leadership and direction. The founder has expressly asked you to come up with cost reduction strategies which include a total reorganization and restructuring of the business. She is concerned about the growing unrest in the company that is impacting the overall brand identity. She has also asked you to recruit a new CEO to implement your recommendations. You have 30 days to come up with a plan of action to address the issues. What role does technology play in improving communication and productivity in the company
CHALLENGE Scenario: Assume you are a business consulting company that has been hired to help turnaround a struggling company. MarqueCosmetics International has three work sites-a manufacturing plant in MexicoCity; the product development team in Toronto; and its headquarters in WestCovina, CA. You were retained90 days ago by the CEO to conduct an organizational assessment in hopes to help the company grow, improve operations, and foster the company culture. Since then, the CEO abruptly left the company 2months ago. The founder of the company has asked you to continue to work with the company. There has been steady growth, but during your initial research and interaction with the company, you have noticed that there are a number of challenges that are preventing the company’s future success. For one thing, you have noticed that neither of the regional offices interacts with each other except during quarterly sales calls. During the pandemic crisis, the CEO determined that marketing, customer support, and personnel functions would be centralized to the home office. This was viewed negatively in the company, as it was a decision made without any planning or preparation. Additionally, the departure of the CEO during this critical time has left avoid in decision-making, communication, and overall leadership at all three sites. There is growing discontent and confusion among different team members who question if the company can recover. You have also observed that there is open hostility between the product development, located in Toronto, and the marketing department, located in West Covina. You are concerned about the overall operational effectiveness since both departments need to work more closely moving forward. It has also come to your attention that the Toronto office has a very different company structure. Since they were previously decentralized; you have discovered that they prefer a non-hierarchical structure with several employees not having formal job titles. They have reduced the role of day to day management; opting instead for employees to create their own
What role does technology play in improving communication and productivity in the company
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