Case Study

Owen Mills Limited

We have all that you want!

Owen Mills Limited began its operations on Trumpet Land, a beautiful island in the Caribbean with a very diverse population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and origin. In 1970, at the age of twenty-eight (28), Owen Mills a progressive thinking young man decided to start his own business.   His father had worked as a Manager at a large department store in the city of Trumpet Land for as long as Owen can remember, and his father would share his daily experiences. The idea of operating his own business was always at the forefront of Owen’s mind. After gaining four (4) Advanced Level subjects (Mathematics, Geography, English Literature and Spanish), Owen got a job at a large Credit Union where he moved up the ranks from a Customer Service Clerk to Supervisory level within four (4) years and then onto being a Credit Officer.

During his time at the Credit Union, Owen attended a number of short management courses. This built his confidence that someday soon he will achieve his dream of being a big business man. At age twenty-eight (28) Owen thought that he had saved sufficient money along with his wife who worked at another Credit Union, so that they could purchase a small one-story building in the heart of the city. The building was at the corner of French Street and John Street, the main street in the city. The building was refurbished and painted in bright red, and blue to suit the liking of Mr. Mills.   He thought to himself “No one could miss this building” and he also thought of a tag line. Business started in February 1970. From the inception of the business to date, the tagline emblazoned at the front of the store “We have all that you want!’ has remained.

The Early Years

Owen Mills Limited operated as a sole proprietorship for many years selling almost every item that a household could want, staying true to his tagline. The business began with five (5) employees: his wife serving as the cashier, two store clerks, one driver and a cleaner. The store was well sectioned with a variety of items as shown in Table #1 below.

Table #1 – Variety of Items sold by Owen Mills Limited

Orders would be placed with wholesalers who would deliver the products on scheduled days. Mr. Mills was very organized. During the first two (2) years of operating in the city of Trumpet Land, Mr. Mills observed that his customers comprised of citizens from all over the island. He got an idea, “I could go to the outer area of the city with my products.” He started in October 1971 to pack his Toyota panel van and leave with his driver on Saturdays and Sundays to the areas bordering the city.   Mr. Mills was successful with this venture and discovered that there were retirees and housewives who were at home during the week, and he began to go into those area at least two (2) days per week in addition to Saturdays and Sundays.

Clearly, Mr. Mills was an astute businessman who was always thinking of the next move to grow the business. He and his wife joined the Chamber of Commerce, read widely about what was happening locally, regionally and internationally, and made every effort to attend conferences and seminars which they thought would be beneficial. He was always thinking about growth and expansion. Owen Mills Limited became a known business even to those persons who had never patronized the store. In the midst of it all, Mr. Mills understood his corporate social responsibility and as such was respected highly by other businessmen and members of the community and country. A proud moment for Mr. Mills, his family and employees occurred when he was awarded Business Man of the Year Award in 1999.

On a Growth Path

The years flew by very quickly and by 1995, Mr. Mills had added two (2) more floors to the original building that he bought.   He now had four (4) grown children (two (2) boys and two (2) girls) all in their twenties and who all showed an interest in the business. Similar to their father, they had done very well at the secondary school level and had aspirations of gaining a tertiary level education as well as being a part of the business. They pondered their options of going to school full-time or enrolling in an online programme, so that they could better manage their time and fulfill their career objectives. The oldest son began to pursue the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Programme.   He thought that he can become the Accountant for Owen Mills Limited or open an accounting firm in the next few years.  

By the year 2000, Mr. Owen Mills had spread his wings to the eastern, southern and western part of Trumpet Land.   He was able to purchase within a five-year period, three (3) large two-story buildings in each of the areas. The buildings were painted in the same colors as the first one in the city in the north and carried the well-known tagline - We have all that you want!  The business incurred a manageable mortgage loan, but that will be repaid in less than ten (10) years.

Mr. Mills began to think about succession for his business and the future of his children who had been supporting him throughout the years. He held a family meeting and it was decided that with the imminent opening of three (3) other Branches, that each child would manage a branch and he will now be considered as the Chairman.

In the midst of the initiatives being undertaken, Mr. Mills was very cognizant that the world of business was wrought with dynamism and uncertainty and he and his family needed to understand about strategic moves that could be undertaken. He had been reading and trying to keep up to date with what was happening in the world of business.   He and his family did not have a full grasp of the theoretical underpinnings to maneuver quickly out of any new challenges, and he understood very well that challenges can surface with expansion. By 2018, the total staff had grown to eighty (80) persons which included cashiers, information technology personnel, supervisors, customer service staff, cleaners, drivers and his four (4) children as managers,

Looking to the Future

Undoubtedly, Owen Mills Limited has been a successful enterprise. However, Mr. Mills and his eldest son, who had gained his ACCA qualification began to look at the financials very closely. They recognized that while the company had repaid the mortgage loans, and there was still an influx of customers at all branches, the profits had been reducing in the three (3) years prior to 2020, though minimally.

Mr. Mills and his family had their usual monthly meeting in December 2019. One of the daughters took some points in relation to the present status of the Company. It related to a SWOT Analysis. Whist the SWOT Analysis was not fully articulated in terms of what the strengths can and have brought to the Company; how the weaknesses are impacting the Company; the possible outcomes from taking advantage of available opportunities; and the possible impact of threats, her brief notes are highlighted below:

Strengths:

• Committed employees and management
• Appropriate management style
• Adequate financial and human resources
• Wide variety of products
• Broad market coverage
• Good financial management
• Brand name reputation
• Excellent customer service skills
• Some expertise in new venture management

Weaknesses

• Lack of research and development skills
• Lack of understanding of strategic management and planning

Opportunities

• Exploit new market segments
• Move into new businesses, but how and what type
• Expand into foreign markets
• Acquire a profitable acquisition

Threats

• Increase in competition, but where do we look
• New forms of competition
• Changes in customer preferences
• Rising costs of products and labour
• Changes in demographic factors
• Changes in economic factors and down turn in the economy
• Slow growth in the market

At the start of 2020, Mr. Mills and his family began to follow the news with respect to the deadly COVID-19 virus.  “This is a time for quick action” pondered Mr. Mills. The business has been successful, but Mr. Mills and family has recognized that things are changing in the environment and could have negatives on the business. At the January 2020 monthly meeting, it was decided that the company should seek the services of a reputable consultant who can advise and assist the company with getting a clear understanding of what strategic management and planning entails. Other matters discussed which the family agreed to pursue, include embarking on a training initiative which would include staff at all levels as well as to create an awareness of the environmental factors that can affect the company. One member in the meeting raised the issue of how they can determine with accuracy the financial situation at the company. She is aware that ratios could be used, but that’s as much as she knows.

Mr. Mills stretched his imagination, “We had better start thinking about starting a branch in some foreign country, or start to manufacture something that people will need.”   Then he pondered to himself, “I do not have all the knowledge about the intricacies of manufacturing and so-called strategies to continue to be a winner”  

The meeting ended with Mr. Mills thinking aloud that they should all read up about what it means to be innovative.   He indicated that at the next meeting, they will all come with their ideas of a plan that is different to what they are doing now and which can contribute to continued success. He was not sure what type of plan that would be.   He has been following keenly the possible impact and negative fallout that the company could experience because of the COVID-19 virus.   However, the astute businessman that Mr. Mills is, he purchased some cotton material, took some elastic and thread from the store, and hired two (2) seamstresses to make protective masks. The masks have been a fast seller and is bringing a profit to the store.   Once more, Owen Mills Limited is living up to its tagline - We have all that you want!

Question 3(c):

Based on the existing situation at Owen Mills Limited, and as the Consultant hired by the Company, suggest three (3) strategies that the Company could undertake to maintain a competitive advantage. Provide justification for your selected strategies.

Use the following project information:

(a) Calculate the expected completion time for this project.

(Round your answer to 2 decimal places, the tolerance is +/-0.01.)

Project completion time = weeks.

(b) Identify the activities included on the critical path of this project.

(If there are several critical paths enter the first one from the alphabetical order.)

Critical activities:

ACEFHJ

ABDFHJ

ACEGIJ

ABDGIJ

.

You have recently accepted a position as Human Resource Director for Jupiter Industries, a multi-national organization operating across 5 business segments, specifically, industrial valves and controls, plastics, fire suppression equipment, electronic components, and specialized medical products. Jupiter Industries has established worldwide headquarters in Bremen, Germany, and has groups located in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Pacific Rim countries. The MENA group is the most recently formed division within the Jupiter organization, and is composed of various concentric businesses that fit into one of the five organizational business segments, all of which have been acquired over the past two years in both the Middle East region (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, and Jordan) as well as North Africa (Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria). You will be working at the MENA headquarters located in Manama, Bahrain and will be responsible for all divisions located in the MENA (Middle East, North Africa) region. You will report directly to the VP of Operations in Manama, with dotted-line reporting responsibility to Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) in Bremen.

Specifically, you are being tasked with establishing Human Resource policy and practice in regard to strategic collaboration with divisional heads, utilizing HRIS systems in addressing areas such as recruitment and retention, training and development, performance management programs, compensation management, employee benefit programs and employee relations, including motivational programs, incentive programs, and disciplinary procedures. You will be working on policies and procedures that can be utilized throughout the region, to bring some semblance of order and uniformity in dealing with strategic HR employee programs.

After a thoughtful review of current HR programs for the region, you will prepare a report for the VP of Operations and CHRO and distribute to all division heads, formulating your HR strategic goals across all HR areas of responsibility, highlighting recommendations for improving the overall impact of these programs on talent management initiatives including attraction and retention of top talent and the methodologies used to do so.

What role do line managers play in this rolprocess? Why are coaching skills a necessary asset for line managers? How does coaching influence employee motivation and job performance?

One of your first assignments will be to address high turnover among new hires employed for less than 120 days. This is a constant source of frustration for both HR and hiring managers. How could an onboarding program help reverse this trend? Describe your plan and explain your anticipated results and outcomes

Does the creative strategy (e.g., the Big Idea) contribute to campaign legs? If so, how? How about the media strategy? Which one is more important, do you think?

According to the EEOC lawsuit, a 64-year-old, qualified applicant was referred by a staffing agency for a vacant position with United Precision. During the interview with United Precision, the company's plant superintendent then asked the applicant his age and date of high school graduation, which the applicant reluctantly supplied. The superintendent also asked for and received the applicant's driver's license and twice commented about how good he looked for his age. United Precision rejected the applicant for the position, claiming the superintendent believed the applicant lacked the commitment to work long-term. When the staffing agency sent an email reassuring the superintendent the applicant intended to work for at least another 10 years, the superintendent did not respond.

Such alleged conduct violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), which protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older from employment discrimination based on age. The EEOC filed suit (Case No. 2:20-cv-10930 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its voluntary conciliation process.

The EEOC is seeking injunctive relief prohibiting the employer from discriminating against applicants based on age, as well as monetary relief, including backpay and liquidated damages, and other relief for the applicant.

"Refusing to hire an applicant because of age is a textbook violation of the ADEA," said Dale Price, trial attorney for the Detroit Field Office. "The EEOC is pursuing this matter because federal law provides specific protections to members of our workforce who are age 40 or older."

The Detroit Field Office is part of the Indianapolis District Office, which oversees Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, and parts of Ohio. The EEOC is responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment dis­crim­ination.

Summarize the issue(s) presented in the case, identify the relevant EEO laws, and explain why the court ruled as it did. How could the company have prevented this lawsuit in the first place?

1. Without SBA loans, what can the small business owner do for finances? Give examples.

2. What can the employer do during the lockdown to keep employees' attention and interest? Give examples.

3. How is the small business going to re-enter the market? Give examples.

4. What are some strategies you might suggest to stay in business? give examples

Note: all 4 questions require Example.

Thank you

Chapter 9, Problem 6 please walk through the steps. My subject is (Organizational Management)

A restaurant wants to forecast its weekly sales. Historical data (in dollars) for 15 weeks are shown below and can be found on worksheet C9P6 in the OM6 Data Workbook at OM6 Online. (Note: You may copy the data from the worksheet to the appropriate Excel template.)
a.   Plot the data and provide insights about the time series.
b.   What is the forecast for week 16, using a two- period moving average?
c.   What is the forecast for week 16, using a three- period moving average?
d.   Compute MSE for the two- and three-period moving average models and compare your results.
e.   Find the best number of periods for the moving average model based on MSE.

47) In the context of the training needs-assessment model, which of the following statements is true about operations analysis?

Multiple Choice

• It requires careful examination of the work to be performed after training.

• It defines training needs in terms of the difference between desired performance and actual performance.

• It provides information that transcends particular jobs, even divisions, of an organization.

• It provides information such as diagnostic ratings of employees by customers.

44) In the context of effective teams, which of the following teams best represents the characteristic of conditions?

Multiple Choice

• A team in which members have ready access to resources and information

• A team that collectively believes that it can succeed

• A team in which leaders promote and share ground rules

• A team that has psychological safety granted by leaders

36) In the context of absenteeism, identify a true statement about measures.

Multiple Choice

• They include methodologies used to identify the causes of absenteeism.

• They refer to formulas.

• They focus on specific numbers.

• They refer to surveys and interviews with employees and supervisors.

31) Identify a true statement about big data.

Multiple Choice

• It is the collection and analysis of the digital history created when people surf the Internet.

• It excludes tests and measures of aptitudes, behaviors, and competencies that employers compile about applicants.

• It is similar to the traditional approaches to analytics in terms of volume, velocity, and variety.

• It rarely provides insights into users who seek to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.

30) Luke is a manager at a foundry. To improve safety in the workplace, he introduces new behaviors for employees. These new practices forbid employees from being within 20 feet of an active furnace. In the context of organizational safety and health programs, Luke's introduction of new safety behaviors for employees is characteristic of _____.

Multiple Choice

• engineering controls

• management controls

• wellness programs

• employee assistance programs

24) The managers at Star Holdings decide to assess the management potential of certain employees in the organization. They gather the employees in a group and ask them to hold a 30-minute discussion about a certain production procedure used by the organization. The managers observe the employees and rate them on their communication skills and problem-solving abilities. In the context of assessment methods, this is an example of a(n) _____.

Multiple Choice

• group ideation discussion

• situational-judgment test

• in-basket test

• leaderless group discussion

Subject :Business research

Read the extract below and answer the questions that follow.

ChemLee Manufacturing is a chemical manufacturing firm that produces and supplies various chemical substances. ChemLee manufacturing employs 300 employees. However, the labour turnover rate experience by ChemLee manufacturing has escalated substantially ovet the years. This has compromised ChemLee's ability to ensure efficient service delivery to its clients.

As a consultant, you have been assigned to investigate the causes of labour turnover for ChemLee manufacturing. You are also required to develop suitable strategies and resolutions for ChemLee manufacturing.

1.1 develop an appropriate title for the study.
Read, understand and supply Section 1: Introduction to business research. (3)

1.2 discuss the various steps in the research process that you would undertake. Read, understand and supply Section 1: introduction to business research (14)

1.3 Explain which research paradigm would be the most appropriate.
Substantiate your answer. Read, understand and supply Section 1: Introduction to business research. (6)

1.4 Discuss the most suitable research strategies to be used. Justify your answer. (6)
Additional research is required. Read, understand and supply Section 3: research
designed

1.5 Provide two questions you include on the research instrument. (4)
Additional research is required. Read, understand and supply Section:5 data collection

1.6 Discuss the three possible data collection methods that could be used for the study. (12)

1. Describe the impact of internalization in the (BSG Game) simulation?

13-14. How would you prioritize and delegate the tasks of the new key decisions-makers in Dubai?

1. Is it important to have a manufacturing strategy to be successful in the simulation, and if so, why / how? If you have implemented a manufacturing strategy, what conditions were the reason(s) for your thinking? Just need bullet points.

1. Why is it difficult to develop performance metrics for supply chains?
2. What performance measurements are used in the company where you work (or in a company you are familiar with)?
3. What performance metrics would you use to evaluate Amazon and its supply chain?
4. How can the Balanced Scorecard be used to evaluate the company that you work for (or in a company you are familiar with)?

What one major organizational subsystem needs to be changed in Costco? Justify your choice. How does it compare to a similar successful organization?

Please Help

1. (a) Explain four ways to position a product of your choice.
   (b) Identify and explain the intermediaries involved in performing the functions required to avail photocopy papers in a university and indicate clearly the functions performed by each intermediary you have identified.
   (c) Explain for pricing strategies that you would apply to launch a new product in the market.