The Wake Sally worked as a project manager for a high-tech electronics firm in the late 1980s. The company was using "bubble ink" technology to develop affordable color printers. Sally was in charge of a team tasked with cutting the prohibitive cost of printers in half. If successful, significant bonuses would be earned and several team members would be given key positions when the product went into production. The team had overcome several difficult technical challenges and was well on its way to accomplishing their objective when the project was canceled. Top management discovered at a trade show that several competitors were about to introduce ink jet printers at a cost one-third the price of printers Sally's team was developing What could Sally say to her team? They had worked so hard, expected so much out of this project. She knew they would be devastated. Sally knew she had to do something to help them deal with this bitter disappointment. So she decided to hold a traditional Irish "wake" for the project. She persuaded management to hire a backhoe tokig a grave in the backyard of their office and purchase an actual coffin. After she and other members gave a brief eulogy about the project, each member dropped something from the project into the coffin. For some members it was a piece of a printer prototype;, for others it was a memo or a plan. One by one, each member put something personal in the coffin. After the coffin was buried, the team retreated to a local brew pub to imbibe, cry, and share fond memories of the work they had accomplished. The "wake" became part of the company's folklore and team members still laugh about the experience. Sometime it is more important to "kill" a project than finishing a failing one. Question - What was Sally able to achieve by holding a wake for the canceled project?
The Wake Sally worked as a project manager for a high-tech electronics firm in the late 1980s. The company was using "bubble ink" technology to develop affordable color printers. Sally was in charge of a team tasked with cutting the prohibitive cost of printers in half. If successful, significant bonuses would be earned and several team members would be given key positions when the product went into production. The team had overcome several difficult technical challenges and was well on its way to accomplishing their objective when the project was canceled. Top management discovered at a trade show that several competitors were about to introduce ink jet printers at a cost one-third the price of printers Sally's team was developing What could Sally say to her team? They had worked so hard, expected so much out of this project. She knew they would be devastated. Sally knew she had to do something to help them deal with this bitter disappointment. So she decided to hold a traditional Irish "wake" for the project. She persuaded management to hire a backhoe tokig a grave in the backyard of their office and purchase an actual coffin. After she and other members gave a brief eulogy about the project, each member dropped something from the project into the coffin. For some members it was a piece of a printer prototype;, for others it was a memo or a plan. One by one, each member put something personal in the coffin. After the coffin was buried, the team retreated to a local brew pub to imbibe, cry, and share fond memories of the work they had accomplished. The "wake" became part of the company's folklore and team members still laugh about the experience. Sometime it is more important to "kill" a project than finishing a failing one. Question - What was Sally able to achieve by holding a wake for the canceled project?
Chapter1: Financial Statements And Business Decisions
Section: Chapter Questions
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Transcribed Image Text:The Wake
Sally worked as a project manager for a high-tech electronics firm in the late 1980s. The company was using "bubble ink" technology to develop
affordable color printers.
Sally was in charge of a team tasked with cutting the prohibitive cost of printers in half. If successful, significant bonuses would be earned and several
team members would be given key positions when the product went into production. The team had overcome several difficult technical challenges and
was well on its way to accomplishing their objective when the project was canceled. Top management discovered at a trade show that several
competitors were about to introduce ink jet printers at a cost one-third the price of printers Sally's team was developing.
What could Sally say to her team? They had worked so hard, expected so much out of this project. She knew they would be devastated. Sally knew she
had to do something to help them deal with this bitter disappointment. So she decided to hold a traditional Irish "wake" for the project. She persuaded
management to hire a backhoe tokig a grave in the backyard of their office and purchase an actual coffin. After she and other members gave a brief
eulogy about the project, each member dropped something from the project into the coffin. For some members it was a piece of a printer prototype; for
others it was a memo or a plan. One by one, each member put something personal in the coffin. After the coffin was buried, the team retreated to a local
brew pub to imbibe, cry, and share fond memories of the work they had accomplished.
The "wake" became part of the company's folklore and team members still laugh about the experience. Sometime it is more important to "kill" a project
than finishing a failing one.
Question- What was Sally able to achieve by holding a wake for the canceled project?
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