Case Analysis in Engineering Management PDF

Preview

Summary

Case Analysis inEngineering ManagementLeadership and Management Case Study #Laura is the associate director of a nonprofit agency that provides assistance to children andfamilies. She is the head of a department that focuses on evaluating the skill-building programs the agencyprovides to families. S...

Description

`

Case Analysis in Engineering Management

`

Leadership and Management Case Study #1 Laura is the associate director of a nonprofit agency that provides assistance to children and families. She is the head of a department that focuses on evaluating the skill-building programs the agency provides to families. She reports directly to the agency leadership. The agency has been cautious in hiring this year because of increased competition for federal grant funding. However, they have also suffered high staff turnover. Two directors, three key research staff, and one staff person from the finance department have left. Laura has a demanding schedule that requires frequent travel; however, she supervises two managers who in turn are responsible for five staff members each. Both managers have been appointed within the last six months. Manager 1: Kelly has a specific background in research. She manages staff who provide research support to another department that delivers behavioral health services to youth. Kelly supports her staff and is very organized; however, she often takes a very black and white view of issues. Upper-level leadership values Kelly’s latest research on the therapeutic division’s services. Kelly is very motivated and driven and expects the same from her staff. Manager 2: Linda has a strong background in social science research and evaluation. She manages staff that work on different projects within the agency. She is known as a problem solver and is extremely supportive of her staff. She is very organized and has a wealth of experience in evaluation of family services. Linda is very capable and can sometimes take on too much. The managers are sensing that staff are becoming overworked as everyone takes on increased responsibilities due to high staff turnover. Staff have also mentioned that Laura’s "glass half-empty" conversation style leaves them feeling dejected. In addition, Laura has not shared budgets with her managers, so they are having difficulty appropriately allocating work to staff. Laura said she has not received sufficient information from the finance department to complete the budgets. The finance department said they have sent her all the information they have available. As staff become distressed, the managers are becoming frustrated. They feel like they are unable to advocate for their staff or solve problems without key information like the departmental budget.

`

I.

Background of the Case

Nowadays, a fast-changing modernized world affects organizations with reductions and employee turnover due to an increase in competitive federal grant funding. The nonprofit agency where Laura works at is a great example of this. The agency grants aid to families and children. Laura is the associate director of the agency and the head of the department that is responsible for evaluating the skill-development programs that the agency grants to families. However, due to Laura’s hectic schedule that has a need for frequent travel out of the agency, she was not able to manage the department effectively. That year the agency was not able to hire new staff and that increases the workload and responsibilities of the other staff. The staff in the department that was headed by Laura was in great distress and overworked. The managers that she supervises are frustrated because they were not able to solve the department’s problem and issues that were caused by a lack of key information and also Laura’s attitude and performance to work has great effect to them. She was not able to manage her team efficiently. Leadership is expounded as the capability to influence. Effective leadership plays a vital role in efficient management, and to be an effective leader, one has to learn how to communicate with others clearly. The fishbone diagram for the root cause analysis of the case study is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Fishbone Diagram

`

II.

Objectives

The objectives of this case study are: 1. 2. 3. 4. III.

To be able to utilize both management and leadership skills effectively. To improve leadership and management skills. To build staff confidence and boost morale for better performance in work. To improve communication between the head, managers and employees. Alternative Courses of Action Plan A – Study different management and leadership styles and conduct leadership training I.

Advantages:

Studying different management and leadership styles will help department heads and managers to acknowledge their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. This will help an individual to know how to use these strengths, and make use of different leadership styles to make up for the areas of weakness. Leadership training can help to increase productivity, implement effective leadership style for better decision making, and also expand employee engagement for a clear and precise communication around the work environment. II.

Disadvantages:

One of the main disadvantages of conducting training is it could cost a lot of money because it is required to pay someone to be the trainer. Even if it will be conducted internally or externally, spending money is still required. The other disadvantage is it uses a lot of time. This could cause a temporary staff shortage in a department due to the absence of the managers and department heads because of the training. Plan B- Create an effective incentive program for the employees I.

Advantages:

An effective incentive program will increase employee morale and performance. This will increase their productivity and will help them grow in their roles. The employees will make a huge effort to improve their skills and expand their knowledge about their work. It also escalates job satisfaction and loyalty to the organization.

`

II.

Disadvantages:

One of the disadvantages of an employee incentive program is that it could cause a conflict within the organization. Due to its selection process, some employees might get jealous when they don’t receive an incentive when some of their colleagues have received it. That will lead some of the employees to think that there is favoritism among them. It could escalate unhealthy competition among the employees because some incentives are limited only to a few individuals of top performers. Plan C – Conduct a team-building within the organization I.

Advantages:

Conducting a team-building will help to improve the communication between the employees, managers, and head. This will strengthen their relationship and will also help to reduce stress levels that were caused by the many workloads at the workplace. This will develop unity within the organization and will also cause in the increase of productivity and performance. II.

Disadvantages:

Conducting a team-building is an expensive process. It is required to pay for the cost of the activities and the labor of the staff for that team even though they are not doing something productive related to their work. It consumes a plenty amount of time. Some team-building’s achieved results are for short-term only. After the team-building event, some of the teams will soon return to their baseline and this only implies that in order for a team-building to beneficial, it must be conducted regularly, but this is not a practical solution. Plan D - Utilizing transparent tools for team management I.

Advantages:

An example of a transparent tool for team management is the MeisterTask. It is a software that is used for team management to provide an overview of scheduled projects, tasks, and responsibilities assigned to the team. This will inform the team members of the task that are assigned to them, such as the details and the deadline. This will organize the workflow within the organization. This also helps the team members to understand clearly their role in a project and the managers and heads could lessen the hands-on approach to their members because all tasks and responsibilities are displayed transparently.

`

II.

Disadvantages:

The use of transparent tools could consume a lot of time and an additional responsibility for the managers and heads because they are the ones who will organize it for every new project and task assigned to their team or department. Also, some transparent tool is not free to use; some require a monthly subscription to be able to use all of its features, therefore it will be an additional expense. IV.

Recommendation

Prioritize accountability in conducting leadership training. This implies that employers should hold their employees accountable to take part in leadership training. The training should also encourage the employees to continuously improve themselves for better performance. The course of the training should fit the situation. It is also important to emphasize the goals of the training so that the participants will be aware of the purpose of the training. In order to protect the integrity of the incentive, employers should set up parameters for it. Such as setup a limit or cap on incentive payments. For example, the incentive payments are three times the target or will not exceed 100% of salary. It is important to make sure that the employees’ focus is not only on the incentive because this might affect the quality of their performance and sometimes this will cause some employees to do unwise actions for the attainment of the incentive award. It is also recommended that Laura and both the managers to undergo an evaluation of leadership and management styles. This will help them know their capabilities as a leader and what is needed to improve for them to be efficient in managing their staff. This will also help the two managers to understand each other capabilities and fully utilize it to help the manpower.

V.

Conclusion

Leadership and management play a vital role in organizational success. These two must be present in an organization because if there is only good management but no leadership, the results might be bureaucratic. If there is only an efficient leadership but ineffective management, the results might be meaningless. Also, interaction between head, managers, and employee is required to build a better communication system within the workplace. Because effective communication helps to resolve the organization’s issues faster and smoothly. Efficient leadership inspires the whole team to strive for greater accomplishments, and effective management serves to motivate them to not lose sight of the organization’s goals and objectives.

` Case Analysis 2

Case Problem Art auto company C Ltd is facing a problem of declining market share due to increased competition from other new and existing players in the market. Its competitors are introducing lower priced models for mass consumers who are price sensitive. For quality conscious consumers, the company is introducing new models with added features and new technological advancements. Guide Questions: 1. Prepare a model business plan for C Ltd. to meet the existing challenge. You need not be very specific about quantitative parameters. You may specify which type of plan you are preparing. Preparing a strategy is the best option for this situation. Comprehensively planning a strategy is the vital key in attaining the company’s goals and objectives. The Objectives of the company are: • • • •

To surge sales significantly over the next years. To offer new and high-quality products that are budget-friendly. To increase the customer base per year. To attain 100% customer satisfaction.

Mission C Ltd.’s mission is to provide state-of-the-art automobile with value-based price. Prioritizing the customers’ satisfaction will increase the sales of the company. To ensure success in the market, the company will strive for the improvement of its products and services to tend with the customers’ demands and innovate products that will bring more convenience to the users and will adapt with the advancement of the technology. Competition There are competitors who are releasing models that have low price with new features. These competitors are those who are well-known in the market, such as the MG Motor-Carmona, Nissan Motor Philippines, and Toyota Motor Corporation. These are just few of the competitors that auto companies have.

`

Strategies: Image plays a vital role in moving forward to higher echelons of automotive sales and attaining the company’s goals. Uplifting its image to the public by advertisement through prestigious trade publications and actively promoting to a selected group of people located around the area of the target market. By offering latest model and excellent service, the customer base will increase. The model of the automobile to be release must have new features, something that other models doesn’t have. Models that have competitive price, but at the same time has a top-notch quality that will not compromise the customer’s safety when in use. Marketing Strategy The company will use inbound marketing strategies because nowadays, it has the highest potential of growth. • Through Search Engine Optimization, the company’s official website will appear on different search engines such as Google, MS Edge, Firefox, and etc. • Through social media marketing, the target market will be easily to reach out, because nowadays, most of people are spending more time in social media. • Through word-of-mouth advertising of satisfied customers, the company’s customer base will grow and uplift the company’s image. In order to achieve this gaining 100% customer satisfaction is a must. 2. Identify the limitations of such plans. Here are the limitations of the strategies mentioned above: •

Expensive Advertising to different platforms and releasing new model of automobiles requires a massive amount of money.

•

Lack of experience of the technical staffs Releasing a model that will adapt to the latest technologies requires great technical skills, knowledge and experience in order to differentiate it from the other competitors.

•

Maintaining 100% customer satisfaction Customers taste and needs are not constant. Due to the fast changing of the environment, there’s a possibility that the company might not be able to cater all the needs of its customers.

•

The success of the plan is not certain. The company must predict the future plans of its competitors in order to come up with a new plan greater and better than them.

`

3. How will you seek to remove these limitations? To remove these limitations, the company must: •

Allocate funds in advance.

•

Have a team composed of skilled and experienced professionals. When recruiting, it must be done comprehensively, selecting the best candidate for the technical team. As much as possible select those candidates that have greater experience in the technical field of automotive industry.

•

Always listen and consider the customers’ feedback and suggestions. Because this plays a vital role in catering their needs and attaining 100% customer satisfaction.

•

The plan that the company will make must be futuristic, that will look for the possible events that may occur in the near future.

On the next page is the business plan made for the C Ltd.

`

Executive Summary C Ltd. manufactures automobile at a competitive price. The company keeps on adapting with the latest trend and the demands of costumer, and always ensures that the products that will be release in the market are defect-free and offers flawless services that go beyond the bounds of customers’ expectations.

Market In today’s world, almost everyone needs a car to lessen the hassle of traveling. Many families prefer to travel together, and many professionals have work located far from their home, so it will be more convenient if they have their own car. They can travel anytime they want without waiting for the scheduled trip of the public transportations. Competition The automobile industry is oligopolistic with various manufacturers around the globe. There are big companies that are well-known in every part of the world and are more trusted by the consumers. Customers are cautious in choosing which company they’ll buy a car. The more we can provide high-quality automobiles at a competitive price, the more we can gain the trust of our customers. The company keeps on innovating in order for our models to be able to adapt with the advancement of the technology. We will always ensure our customer’s satisfaction and will rely to their suggestions and preferences to determine what kind of design and specifications most of the car buyers prefer. Objectives • • •

To surge sales significantly over the next three years. To offer new and high-quality products that are budget-friendly. To attain an increase of 20% in the customer base per year.

`

Mission C Ltd.’s mission is to provide state-of-the-art automobile with value-based price. We give importance to our customers’ satisfaction. We strive to achieve and maintain good relationship with our employees, suppliers, and customers in order to offer flawless services. To ensure our success in the market, the company will strive for the improvement of our products and services to tend with the customers’ demands and innovate products that will bring more convenience to the users and will adapt with the advancement of the technology. Keys to Success To succeed and attain our goals, C Ltd. must: • • • •

Have a team composed of skilled and experienced professionals. Have innovative marketing strategies. Listen to customers’ feedback and suggestions. Using forefront, updated technology in order to enhance our products and services, while making ourselves different from our competition.

Company Summary C Ltd. is an automobile manufacturer that is located at Carmona Toll Plaza, Maduya, Carmona, Cavite. Combining the experience from other automotive industries, the company began to operate in 2000. Aside from offering different models of car, the company also offer car maintenance and repair, utilizing automotive parts that are high-quality and will ensure the safety of the customers. Company Ownership C Ltd. is owned by its co-founders, Tim M. Fernan and Andy M. Avila. Company History During the initial startup stage of C Ltd. one of the major hindrances before it operates completely, was the lack of capital. As the sales are growing through the years, the company managed to design and manufacture state-of-the art automobiles. But as the company keeps on innovating its products, it requires additional capital to acquire the needed parts and equipment, overall, decreasing the cost of goods sold by 20%. Products and Services C Ltd sells automobile integrated with new technology and safety features, developed using advance equipment. It offers maintenance and repair services. The parts use for replacement repairs have excellent quality, that is not lesser than its original replaced part. Usually, the average hour of repair varies from 2 days to 2 weeks depending on the issue.

` Future Products C Ltd is currently planning for the new model to release. The company wants to enter the industry of environment friendly automobiles. The research and design for the zero-emission vehicle is still on going.

Market Analysis Summary Target market The customers who will be interested in this kind of products and services are usually the professionals, those who have stable job, especially those whose job locations that consume long time of travel and also those kinds of jobs that require frequent travelling to other places. The age of the target customers is ranging from 25 to 65 years old. The target customers of C Ltd wants...