Business Essay

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Dowling Flexible Metals Case #3 Background In 1960, Bill Dowling formed a business of his own when he became very frustrated with his job at a large auto firm. Eve Sullivan and Wally Denton also left the large auto firm with Bill. Bill started a manufacturing operation in his garage that consisted of a few general purpose metal working machines. Bill acted as his company’s salesman, accountant, engineer, president, and manufacturing representative and Eve Sullivan began as the secretary and payroll clerk. Bill’s work force consisted of part time “moonlighters,” full time mechanics for other firms, who were interested by the jobs ability to provide further job experience and the environment which required a high degree of ingenuity. The firm began to gain a reputation for being ingenious at solving unique problems and for producing a quality product on, or before, the deadline. The business fabricated dies for making minor component metal parts for automobiles and a specified quantity of the parts. Bill realized that his firm was too dependent on the automobile industry so he began marketing their services toward other manufacturing firms that included legs for vending machines, metal trim for large appliances, clamps and latches for metal windows and display racks for small power hand tools. The lack of working space was such a constraint that it controlled the work process. As Dowling Flexible Metals became more diversified, the need for expansion lead to the construction of a small factory which also required a larger workforce. The firm now employs Student 2 thirty full time journeymen and apprentice mechanics, a staff of four engineers and a full time office secretary subordinate to Eve Sullivan, the Office Manager. The rapid growth has created problems that have not yet been fixed. Bill states that although he has a lot of talent and experience in his staff,
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