The southern division has seen decreasing numbers in sales and having difficulty meeting sales targets. The company is very assertive with increasing revenue and encourages each division to work hard to meet sales goals. The company is publicly traded and failure to meet annual sales goals can cause the stock price to drop, affecting bonuses for senior management. The company will face ethical and legal challenges in how to maximize the last quarter of 2010 to meet sales goals. Frank Campbell, Director of Southern Sales Division, has recognized the decrease in sales and desperately seeking to meet sales goals.
Current Ethical Issue in Business Learning Danielle Christine University of Phoenix Ethics in Management PHL 323 Laila Dabbagh Lambdin February 23, 2009 Current Ethical Issue in Business Learning Identify the ground rules manifested in the situation as well as which ethics theories apply. Circuit City is the nations 2nd largest retailer of consumer electronics, entertainment software and personal computers. On November 3, 2008, Circuit City announced that they would layoff and close 17% of it’s workforce by the end of the year. Due primarily to weakened economic environment and its potential impact on the timing of the overall sales of the companies inventory, cost and expenses. As a result of the companies deteriorating
The all-day event alone costs about $2 million a year in lost sales, project expenses, and wages for employees. When Timberland’s profits were soaring, that seemed fine, but then the company hit a rough patch. It reported its first operating loss since going public, laid off some employees, and shipped some work overseas to cut costs. So, when one of the company’s bankers implied that the focus on philanthropy was hurting the company and its stakeholders, Swartz found himself in a quandary. One of Timberland’s bankers bluntly told Swartz that the company needed to “cut this civic stuff out and get back to business.”
FACULTY & RESEARCH Case | HBS Case Collection | April 2008 Engstrom Auto Mirror Plant: Motivating in Good Times and Bad by Michael Beer and Elizabeth Collins Abstract In May 2007, the Engstrom Auto Mirrors plant, a relatively small supplier based in Indiana, faces a crisis. The business was in the second year of a downturn. Sales had started to decline in 2005; a year later, plant manager Ron Bent had been forced to lay off more than 20 percent of the work force. Plant productivity was dropping, employee morale was low, and productquality issues had begun to surface. Relationships with key customers were at risk.
During the 1990’s, it was one of the fastest growing retailers in history. This was mainly due to the fact it trained its employees to form enduring long-term customer relationships rather than push for immediate sales. In 2001, a new CEO implemented a number of new initiatives intended to make the business more competitive. These changes led to significant dissatisfaction, low morale, high turnover, reduced productivity, and general discontent among the associates (Dr. Ronald L. Hess, Jr., 2012.) As a result, the company suffered a decline in customer satisfaction and financial performance.
CalPERS vs. JC Penney Overview CalPERS investment program began on February 22, 2000 when they included JC Penney on their annual Focus List. CalPERS further exclaimed that due to declining sales and a deteriorating customer base they had lost confidence in Penney’s management. Subsequent to the release of their focus list JC Penney made numerous strategic decisions to revitalize and boost the value of the company. Penney forced their current CEO James Oesterreicher to retire. Next instead of promoting from within, they searched for new blood and hired former Barney’s CEO Allen Questrom.
A majority of workers had been there over 20 years and were “resistant” to change. Finally the factory was closed and all five thousand employees were laid off. Then Toyota proposed a joint effort with GM to reopen the plant and the employees were rehired to produce a Chevrolet vehicle. Believing that Toyota’s success was a result of an overworked underpaid labor force, distrust was still rampant among the workers. Yet within three months the plant was producing better cars at half the cost than ever before—and the workers were happy!
Key Players Chester A. Wonka III, CEO: Ladies and Gentleman, I called you to this meeting to discuss the future of our company. As you are aware, our sales and profits have been stagnant the last few years. Our portfolio consists of two popular products, Willy’s Yummy Chews and Willy’s Sour Straws. No matter what we have tried, we have not been able to grow their sales, profitability and market share. In fact to maintain our market share, we have had to offer significant pricing and trade incentives.
Week 9 Case Analysis Utiliscan’s By: Tenika Carroll Wednesday March 3, 2010 Dr. Kimberly Scanlan Utiliscan has experienced a growth rate in company business. The HR director and the company CEO’s have been having a very hard time trying to find experienced employees and also address the current issues within the Utiliscan. So Paul the current Director of HR has just learned of a new opportunity and has decided to leave the company, but before he left he conducted a survey on some of the employee concerns. Once the survey was completed, Paul was asked to complete a conceptual plan that would address the employees concerns and stay within the companies’ budget. Throughout the case analysis Paul will address each of the employees
America: falling apart at the hinges, literally. America has had the leading transportation, electrical, and sewer systems in the world for decades. But with economic poverty and an aging system burdening us. Along with a growing, more demanding population. What will America do?