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ECOM 201

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Virtual Team Successes and Stresses

A Case Study

8/8/2016

As widespread as diverse and dispersed teaming is these days, leading a virtual team can be a challenge. This case study offers ideas on making the best of diverse and dispersed team structures.

Virtual teaming, that is, working on teams whose members are not present in the same location, is a fact of our modern, globalized business world. Virtual (or diverse and dispersed) teams are prevalent not only in multinational companies with offices in different countries, but also in academic and non-governmental institutions with bases across the world. In such team structures, members often have to communicate and collaborate with others who could be thousands of miles and many time zones apart.

As widespread as diverse and dispersed teaming is these days, leading a virtual team can be a challenge. Team leaders need to not only account for practical matters such as scheduling across time zones, but also technical issues such as varying rates of connectivity and access to communication platforms. However, one of the biggest factors in creating successful collaboration among diverse and dispersed teams is culture – specifically, tailoring the team’s mission, plans and procedures to the preferences of the different cultures represented on the team.

The following is a case study provided by a Cultural Navigator subject matter expert in diverse and dispersed teaming:

“A virtual team leader named Rebecca, originally from the United States, recently led a virtual project team with members from Japan, Mexico, Germany, Korea and the US. Rebecca was focused on setting the team up for success, and although she deliberately used strategies and tools made available by her company, she learned some valuable lessons along the way.

“Before initiating the project with a kick-off meeting, Rebecca made sure that everyone filled out their Cultural Orientations Indicator (COI) assessment to get to know their own work-style preferences. She then invited all members into a team message board on the Cultural Navigator, and encouraged them to share their profiles to better understand each other’s work-style preferences.

“The team was not able to have a face-to-face kick-off meeting, so during their first virtual meeting, every team member took time to introduce him or herself. The members talked about the different preferences in their team using the non-judgmental vocabulary of the Cultural Orientations Approach. At the end of the call, the team agreed on some ground rules for their upcoming teleconference and then closed the call.

“As the project continued, the team leader noticed that key team members were regularly not sharing their sales pipelines during their calls as agreed upon. Rebecca used humor during their sessions to lighten the mood, thinking some of the team members were nervous. However, she noticed the same people began to skip the calls, and were reluctant to speak when they were in attendance.”

In the above case study, the team leader Rebecca had done her due diligence in preparing the team to accommodate different cultural preferences among its members. But then she hit a snag. What had she done wrong?

The subject matter expert offered this reading of the situation: “In retrospect, Rebecca realized that even though she had set ground rules, she could have had an individual talk with each member before finalizing the team structure and processes. Perhaps in those discussions she would have understood that Woo-jin, her Korean colleague, worked in a strict hierarchical office environment and had to clear most decisions with his direct supervisor before sending anything to her. Woo-jin had hoped his team leader realized he did not have this approval, however Rebecca was not aware of this.

Similarly, the Japanese team member named Kamiko was concerned about the strict data protection laws in Japan, so she did not feel comfortable sharing her sales pipeline information. Kamiko had tried to indirectly convey this limitation to Rebecca, who wasn’t able to understand this message.

As for Rebecca’s use of humor during teleconferences, she did not realize how many cultural references she was using in her jokes, which her colleagues from outside her own culture had little understanding of.”

In essence, while Rebecca began the team’s collaboration with most of the components necessary for success, throughout the project duration, she learned the hard way that cultural mishaps often stall even the best plan.

While cultural due diligence and careful preparation are necessary components of working with a virtual team, the team leader and members need to exercise cultural awareness and cultural competence all along the way.

Though there can be challenges to working in diverse and dispersed teams, they are a fact of modern work life. The good news is that, when managed well, virtual teams can be as effective and productive as their traditional equivalents.

Questions:

1. What did the team leader notice during the team meeting (calls) and what did she tried to do to enhance the situation?
2. What should Rebeca had to do for each virtual worker and why?
3. What were the special situations with the Korean and the Japanese workers?
4. What the virtual leaders and the virtual members need to exercise?
5. How can the virtual teams be as effective and productive as their traditional equivalents?

One of the major problems facing private security administrators in retail stores is the issue of internal theft, or theft by employees. Imagine that you own a retail business. Then, think about the reasons employees become involved in theft.

Respond to the following questions: How does the motivation for internal theft differ from that of external theft? Based on your thoughts, what types of procedures would you put into place to curb internal theft? Please explain your recommendations.

You just landed a Project Manager volunteer position for a non-profit organization. As they don’t know much about project management, they want your advice with a couple of things. Some of their sponsors are giving them money for buying materials and software. They trust you because you seem to know a lot about this, help them with the following recommendations:
1. Is it worth it to buy a PM software or to get a Free/Open source/Online version? Provide two reasons to justify your answer.
2. Find two suitable paid PM software and provide the cost of their licenses.
3. List three free PM software and mention their top three features.
4. What are those three functions/features, software must-have for you to like it?
5. There is money for one manual/book, what is your recommendation? And why?

There are five career stages typical for most adults, regardless of occupation.

talk about it.

John Smith, President of Metro Motors, just returned to his office after visiting the companys newly acquired automotive dealership. It was the fourth Metro Motors dealership in a network that served a metropolitan area of 400,000 people. Beyond the metropolitan area, but within a 45- minute drive, were another 500,000 people. Each of the dealerships in the network marketed a different brand of automobile and historically had operated autonomously. What set them apart was the high volume of vehicles it stocked on the lots. With a wide variety of options, they avoided the need to special order from the manufacturer for individual clients. Mr. Smith was particularly excited about this new dealership because it was the first “auto supermarket” in the network. Auto supermarkets differ from traditional auto dealerships in that they sell multiple brands of automobiles at the same location. The new dealership sold a full line of Chevrolets, Nissans, and Volkswagens. Within the metropolitan area, outside of the Metro Group, there were 3 other major auto dealerships, one “auto supermarket” and 7 smaller auto dealers selling only “previously owned” vehicles. 2 of the used car dealers had closed over the past year due to the downturn in economic conditions. Starting 15 years ago with the purchase of a bankrupt Dodge dealership, Metro Motors had grown steadily in size to 3 domestic brand dealerships and had gained a favorable reputation. John Smith attributed this success to three highly interdependent factors. The first was volume. By maintaining a high volume of sales and turning over inventory rapidly, economies of scale could be achieved, which reduced costs and provided customers with a large selection. The second factor was a marketing approach called the “hassle-free buying experience.” Listed on each automobile was the “one price-lowest price.” Customers came in, browsed and compared prices without being approached by pushy salespeople. If they had questions or were ready to buy, a walk to a customer service desk produced a knowledgeable salesperson to assist them. Finally, and Mr. Smith thought perhaps most importantly, was the after-sale service. Metro Motors established a solid reputation for servicing, diagnosing and repairing vehicles correctly the first time. Customer feedback from online surveys indicated that customers appreciated the free, specialty coffee, located in the waiting area while they browsed, as well as the children’s activity room. The “Kid Zone” included a TV with DVD player and a selection of Disney movies, a Wii console with 3 different games and various toys and books. The room was unsupervised, however, it was located between the reception desk, where a Metro Motors employee was stationed at all times, and the customer waiting area. Feedback also indicated that customers valued the 2 work-stations available in the customer waiting area and free wifi access. Customer feedback wasn’t all glowing however; Metro Motors received regular complaints regarding the long waiting times on the sales side to set up insurance after purchase. Metro Motors used a third party mobile insurance agent (Mr. Smith’s niece) who came into the dealership on an as needed basis. When the client had the financing and purchase in place, the salesperson would call in the insurance agent to meet with the client, but if they were busy at another dealership, it could take up to an hour for them to arrive. In the service department, customers complained about waiting on parts, which might delay the service anywhere from 1 hour for non- manufacturer parts that could be obtained from local wholesalers, and up to 2 days for certified manufacturer’s parts if they were not available locally. High-quality service after the sale depended on three essential components. First was the presence of a highly qualified, well-trained staff of service technicians. Second was the use of the latest tools and technologies to support diagnosis and repair activities. Third was the availability of the full range of parts and materials necessary to complete the service and repairs without delay. Mr. Smith invested in training and equipment to ensure that the trained personnel and technology were provided. What he worried about, as Metro Motors grew, was the continued availability of the right parts and materials. This concern caused him to focus on the supplier relationship process and management of the service parts and materials flow in the supply chain. Mr. Smith thought back to the stories in the newspaper’s business pages describing the failure of companies that had not planned appropriately for growth. These companies outgrew their existing policies, procedures and control systems. Lacking a plan to update their systems, the companies experienced myriad problems that led to inefficiencies and an inability to compete effectively. He did not want that to happen to Metro Motors. Because each dealership was considered a separate business within the Metro Group, each of the dealerships had its own ERP system that kept data relating to the individual business processes, including finance, HR, inventory management and a CRM database. Each dealership also purchased and stored its own service parts and materials. Purchases were based on forecasts derived from historical demand data, which accounted for factors such as seasonality. Batteries and alternators had a high failure rate in the winter, and air-conditioner parts were in great demand during the summer. Similarly, coolant was needed in the spring to service air conditioners for the summer months, whereas antifreeze was needed in the fall to winterize automobiles. Forecasts also were adjusted for special vehicle sales and service promotions, which increased the need for materials used to prep new cars and service other cars. One thing that made the purchase of service parts and materials so difficult was the tremendous number of different parts that had to be kept on hand. Some of these parts would be used to service customer automobiles, and others would be sold over the counter. Some had to be purchased from the automobile manufacturers or their certified wholesalers, to support for example, the “guaranteed Volkswagon parts” promotion. Still other parts and materials such as oils, lubricants, and fan belts could be purchased form any number of suppliers. John Smith believed in a tidy work environment and invested in good, sturdy shelving in the storage room. Mr. Smith was known to “blow up” at the nearest employee if he saw boxes of parts piled up on the floor so the staff made sure that all inventory received was placed on a shelf right away. These parts were shelved in no particular location, usually the nearest empty space and technicians often ended up sorting through countless boxes of parts to find the ones required for the service. Because they were frustrated in their lengthy search, they often failed to “check out” the parts they took from inventory. This often led to parts that appeared to be “in stock” in the computer system, not actually being available in the stock room. This inventory discrepancy was a constant frustration for both the purchasing department and the service technicians. Mr. Smith was trying to figure out how to balance having the right inventory at the right time and not having to tie up too much cash in inventory. Given the company’s cash flow problems, he wanted to keep a close eye on the high dollar value inventory items. The purchasing department had to remember that the success of the dealership depended on (1) selling in volume, by lowering costs to support the hassle-free, one price-lowest price concept and (2) providing the right parts at the right time to support fast, reliable after-sale service. Mr. Smith looked out the window of his office and noticed his niece rushing from her car with briefcase in hand to set up a new customer’s insurance. He was proud of her for the successful business she had built in a tough industry and decided that she had inherited the “Smith smarts”. He closed the door to his office to think about what had to be done to be able to survive in this competitive economy. Regarding the purchasing of parts and materials, two things kept going through his mind: the amount of space available for parts storage and the level of financial resources available to invest in parts and materials. The acquisition of the auto supermarket dealership put an increased strain on both finances and space, with the need to support three different automobile lines at the same facility. Investment dollars were becoming scarce, and space was at a premium. Mr. Smith wondered what analysis and supply chain and operational process improvements could be done to address some of these concerns and alleviate some of the pressures.

Prepare a situation analysis?

Define and analyze the problems Metro Motors is facing?

What do you recommend Mr. Smith do to address the problems you have identified?

Case 13.2

Ralph O’Riley is a dynamic CEO of a large for-profit system. He is well known in the community. He is a brilliant businessman, and he is highly rewarded for it, enjoying various perks such as a beautifully appointed office suite, a company car, and a parking spot right outside of the hos- pital entrance.

He rarely attends employee-related functions, and he only occa- sionally visits the other facilities in the system, let alone the units on his own campus. He is a mythical figure among employees and intimidates his own leadership team. He shows up to meetings late, relies on hischief executives to “fill him in on the agenda,” and does not know all of his staff’s names and their positions. He does not participate in oper- ational discussions, but he gives orders that affect operations, some- thing that confounds his team and angers employees.

Once during a retreat, he was overheard by some of his team members boasting about his golf game and his power: “This is a waste of my time,” he complained over his cell phone. “It’s not PC to say it, but I own these people. They do what I tell them to do. I made a lot of money for this system. Now they should give me a break.”

Questions

Obviously, everything Ralph is seems to run counter with the practices that build and enhance trust.

1.          What long-term effects does Ralph’s behavior have on the team, the employees, and the organization as a whole? Are these effects irre- versible?
2.          Ralph is clearly a financial wizard and has great business instincts. How should he leverage these competencies to create a better cul- ture? To make himself even more powerful by being approachable and trustworthy?
3.          What role does power play in Ralph’s success?

Business Law

Mickey has never liked Nucky so he decides to play a practical joke on him by pretending to sell him his home in the Cayman Islands. He tells Torrio that he has no intention of selling Nucky the home. Mickey approaches Nucky in a bar where Nucky is clearly intoxicated. The home is assessed at $10 million but he offers Nucky the home for $50,000. He winks and smiles at Nucky and Nucky accepts and the two shake hands. Nucky quits his job at Replay Baseball and moves to the Cayman Islands where Mickey informs him that he never had any intention of selling him the home. Nucky is moving furniture and trimming the hedges at the time. Of course, Mickey never mentioned that he owned a second home in the Cayman Islands that was recently destroyed in a hurricane.  

Nucky decides that he will build a new home in Massachusetts with a large Jacuzzi. He compiles specifications for the construction of the home and sends it to several general contractors so they may provide bids/quotations. Part of the general contract includes a large plumbing sub contract. Boardwalk Construction submits a bid to Nucky for $20 million to serve as the general contractor. As part of its general bid, Boardwalk Construction factored $1 million for plumbing based upon a sub bid submitted by Atlantic Plumbing. There were two other bids for the plumbing work. Boardwalk Construction and Atlantic Plumbing have a falling out and Atlantic Plumbing no longer wants to work on the project. The two other bids were for $10 million each respectively.   

1. Discuss whether Atlantic Plumbing may revoke its offer. What are the competing arguments? Are there any other important facts?

Boardwalk Construction is working on small renovation project for Capone at his home. There is no written contract, but the two have orally agreed that Boardwalk will renovate Capone’s garage for $75,000. The two have agreed that construction is to be completed within one month. Two weeks later, Boardwalk approaches Capone and complains that the cost of nails has increased by 40% and that the cold weather has slowed the construction project. Boardwalk and Capone agree to increase the contact by $5,000 and to extend the completion date by three weeks. Each party agrees in writing to this change. Upon completion of the project, Boardwalk sends Capone a bill for $80,000.

2. How much does Capone have to pay? What are the competing arguments?

Boardwalk Construction has provided Eli a quotation of $20,000 to provide and install a high-end refrigerator. Boardwalk has provided this quote in writing and has stated that the quote is valid for 30 days and that Boardwalk may not revoke its offer. The next day, several of Boardwalk’s employees quit. Boardwalk sends a fax to Eli attempting to revoke its offer. Two seconds after Boardwalk sends the fax, it receives a fax from Eli accepting the offer.

3. Is there an agreement here? What are the competing arguments?

*(Please don't copy and paste the answer from another question, if I am asking those questions again that's because I want different answers!)*

Explain some of the challenges that the food industry is facing due to the coronavirus pandemic. How are companies using Artificial Intelligence to help tackle the challenges?

2 Paragraphs Please thanks!

Average flow and average delay based on FCFS, EDD, and SPT

How to deal with conflict in the workplace? (300 minimum)

could the Civil War have been avoided? include the influence of at least one cultural, political, economic, or social movement on whether or not the Civil War was avoidable

2. The type of customer can influence the type and level of services that a retailer provides. Name six factors to be considered in this regard.

How does amazon adapt to change？

How does information flow in amazon?

What type of communication is common in amazon?