This occurred when the two specific micrometers vanished from the factory
despite the fact that the suppliers had paperwork proving they had been given. One of the employees verified receipt of the aforementioned things, but the expediter denied taking them.
This was obvious on multiple instances
for example, when problems arose as a result of late payments to vendors long after the materials had been delivered. However, until the end of the month, when the accounting statement was released, the management were unaware of what supplies were being charged. The responsible clerks would often forget to do their filing resulting in reported losses (Rosemann & vomBrocke, 2015)
Considering his talents, the current expediter should be regarded as responsible for what position and responsibilities?
According to the text, the expediter had two functions that included picking up and rushing the orders and the supervision of the stockroom. Given his talents, he should be one of the clerks, to type purchase orders for items and offer the suppliers with the confirming orders. His knowledge of the needs of the goods supplied and the ones needed by the company, he could also work as a link between the purchasing department and the suppliers to ease the work of the ineffective typists
Responsibility for purchasing department in defining and interpreting technical conditions
Considering that the expediter had troubles in interpreting and establishing the technical specifications, the purchasing department should have replaced him with a person that could comprehend the verbal descriptions of items needed by each department without mixing them up.
The Muenster Pump Company
What other information would be useful in arriving at this make \u2013or- buy decision?
The location of the said factory is key in enabling the determination of whether; distance will be a factor while delivering the items because time is a crucial factor while conducting business. Also, the quality and the market acceptance of the castings that factory produces will determine whether Muenster would be required to refurbish them to meet the expectations of the customers (Zsambok, 2014)
Who should take part in the make or buy decision process?
The founder, the president, and the vice president of the company should be the ones to make such decisions.
What role should purchasing play?
Purchasing should conduct research on the said organization to assess its existence, the quality of their products and the costs of items to guide Muenster in making an informed decision.
Should Muenster make or buy its casting housings?
Muenster should continue making casting considering that it makes quality that cannot be equated in the foundry industry. Most of the other upcoming companies are an imitation of Muenster. Also, considering the employment, it offers to the people working in the industry, shutting the operations of the company would render them jobless with no other employer available for them in the locality. Another aspect is the direct cost of materials and labor that seems to be lower compared to buying already made castings, which comes with additional costs like transportation, among others (Jeston & Nelis, 2014)
Additionally, the demand for the castings in the neighborhood is relatively high, and their ability to deliver them fast and efficiently cannot be overlooked. Considering their reputation, it would be risky to sell to customers, goods that they have not produced, since factors such as quality and cost would be compromised. Customer satisfaction would also be adversely affected (Zsambok, 2014)
Hydrosub\u2019s Unfloatable Amphibious Assault Vehicle
Person who contributed to the unfortunate outcome of the contract
It is the previous main consumer or buyer, who had retired that was responsible for the substandard performance of the deal.
Factors that contributed to delay in production and miscalculations cost
The change in design specifications, the continual reworking of the project and time delays interfered with the progress of production. Additionally, the aluminum welders were not readily available and affordable. Also, the Bolger\u2019s cost reporting system was ineffective in helping contract negotiations thus slowing the progress of the project( Jeston &Nelis, 2014)
What Kathleen Johnson needs to consider to reduce more problems and to enhance project completion.
Kathleen should ensure that she defines a realistic budget and schedule. Given the strict timeline, she should set a common ground for all the stakeholders regarding the projects budget, scope, and the schedule. After doing this, she should then make regular communication regarding the status of the project and remind every one of the ultimately desired expectations. This can be achieved via, either emails and meetings, status reports or by status meetings, which should be done on a regular basis. She should also ensure that she involves the other executive leaders to maintain a management commitment. She should give them regular reports on the status, the progress of the project and the due dates, which they have committed themselves to. By updating the management and involving them in vital decision \u2013making, she will be assured of their support and the project will run smoothly.
She should also monitor the progress of the project time after time to see that it is still on course. She should also ensure that there exists understanding amongst all the stakeholders and that they are moving forward on the right track. This is essential especially during negotiations and where costs of the project. Moreover, she should ensure that there is team motivation. A motivated team normally has the vigor and enthusiasm to deliver the expected results in good time (Zsambok, 2014)
How should Hydrosub\u2019s staff have prepared for negotiations with the suppliers on this initial contract?
They should have developed their negotiation strategy in writing before the beginning of the negotiations, as it is crucial in the setting of clear goals. It also aids in defining of priorities such as price, delivery schedule, and specification of goods among others. It could also have helped in thinking of other different offers that may have come up during the negotiations and their point of compromise (Zsambok, 2014)
Their negotiation team ought to have had the required skills, and ensure that each member of the team had been familiar with the negotiating strategy. They should also have emphasized on the value of the products disregarding the monetary gain. It seems they focused more on the financial aspect ignoring their in-house troubles that saw them incapable of winning the contract. Emphasizing value does not only benefit the negotiation but also in raising the reputation of the organization (Rosemann & vomBrocke, 2015). They should have gathered sufficient information about the other organization then use it to their advantage. It is also imperative to listen, take time and get the clarification regarding their offer and when it is your turn, ensure the utilization of all the necessary skill to enhance they understand you. This most probably did not happen during the initial contract negotiations. Hence, they were unsuccessful (Zsambok, 2014)
References
Zsambok, C. E. (2014). Naturalistic decision making. Psychology Press.
Jeston, J., &Nelis, J. (2014).Business process management.Routledge.
Rosemann, M., &vomBrocke, J. (2015). The six core elements of business process management. In Handbook on business process management 1 (pp. 105-122).Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
