One of Dunkin's strengths is its ability to be incredibly inventive. Initially, the main goods were coffee and donuts, but the company has expanded to include branded Durkin's bagel, sandwiches, and sausages. They also have the ability to provide high-quality beverages such as muffins. Other countries, like as Qatar and South Korea, have seen rapid growth in the company. Furthermore, high-quality, competitive items, such as espresso drinks, are ingrained in the culture, resulting in a ready market (Jackson, Joshi, and Erhardt 807).
However, the enterprise faces the challenge of being limited to offering only drinks and other coffee products and slow to adopt technological use. Moreover, it finds it hard to control the costs of operations due to less efficient cost-control measures.
Opportunities and Threats
The possibilities for the enterprise include a large number of coffee users who forms a considerable market. Also, the business partners with strategic quality supermarkets to maintain efficiency in the delivery of its products. The threat to the enterprise is the existence of competitors with varieties of products supplementing mere drinks and coffee (Jackson, Joshi, and Erhardt 810). Also, some potential investors would wish to enter the industry at any given time, thereby, putting the business at the risk of losing some of its customers in the future.
The Durkin's top leadership has performed well in employing strategic management. According to Noe (157), strategic management occurs in two phases. First is the formulation stage that involves the analysis of business environment and the second one is the making of policy decisions based on the factors and implementation of the firm. Durkin leadership designs the plans necessary to achieve the set objective 'to provide donuts of high quality and affordable to all consumers nationwide.' The officials have critically analyzed the business surrounding including the competitors and come up with unique services. The individual provisions like the morning fare make it better than the opponents. Collaboration with other enterprises like the lodges and supermarkets enables it to extend the scope of operation.
Part b
The strategic alliance between the firm and its distribution agents and suppliers has eased the distribution of Durkin products and timely deliveries. Furthermore, the association would lead to the mutual share of the financial risks like losses on transit since every party takes some responsibility. Similarly, the union would increase chances of reaching target markets in states with hostile legislation and other complications of operation (Noe 231). Also, the liaison with the partners such as peer firms would give room for the gain of capabilities to produce other related products to complement donuts, coffee, and drink. The collaboration allows for the sharing of resources, knowledge, and expertise.
Case 11
Part a
Diagram 1: Shows the organization structure of Nike Company
In order to improve the organizational structure, Nike company leadership must strive to introduce the legal protection department dealing with patents and other legal rights. Likewise, the business should include the transparent corporate social responsibility section to limit the frequent compromise of the activities. Improving the social responsibility would brand the company an impressive image to enhance competitiveness with other similar corporations (Noe 257). On the other hand, the new direction to encourage primary invention by limiting the imitation culture of Nike would deliver a unique product in the market that sustains the varying demand.
Part b
A shift towards a more mechanistic organizational design may greatly assist Nike Company in avoiding bad labor practices. It would lead to productive labor divisions and high specialization that motivate the workers to improve quality and output. Also, the management's efficiency will increase to the point of supervising a large number of employees and increasing the span of control (Noe 67). With regards to the foreign contractors, the company will ensure order in handling their issues, thereby, avoiding the instances of confusion that often destroy the firm's reputation.
Case 12
Part a
Various organizations have adopted gaming activities for multiple uses. Nike Company, for example, uses gamification to increase the level of performance among consumers of the athletic products. At Khan Academy, gaming is used to enhance the learning process of students as well as experience (Noe 93). As well, some corporations use gamification events to connect and engage the employees who travel for extended distances and taking a long time working from home. Additionally, other companies like software organization use the game to assign sale leads and environmental challenges by giving points for the tasks such as carpooling.
The enterprises that are fond of gaming activities highlight its various roles in the institutional cultures. Games change the behavior of workers by increasing the level of engagement and connection in an online working environment alongside the routine chores (Kriz 500). Some companies argue that gasification helps to boost morale and interest of workers to perform involving tasks like data entry and invoicing. As a result, the activity assists in the strategic planning to facilitate business issues. On the other hand, gaming enables workers to improve the productivity since it nurtures personal traits for success like persistence, resilience, creativity, confidence, and motivation to perform the tasks (Kriz 501). The few companies that are encouraging games have the subjective views to prolong the activity due to the perceived benefits of long-term prosperity, thus, claiming that it is not just a passing trend.
Part b
Personally, I would take the contrary approach to discourage gamification in offices. First, the activity could lead to procrastination of essential duties. At times, workers would over enjoy themselves and neglect their job chores (Kriz 508). Second, gaming inculcates addiction culture to the users, thereby making them its subjects. Some workers often become inattentive especially in the busy customer service organizations, an instance that would loosen the link with the potential clients. Furthermore, previous studies on the effects of gamification unearthed under service to customers, addiction, and idleness which constitute adverse attributes in customer service.
Work Cited
Jackson, Susan E., Aparna Joshi, and Niclas L. Erhardt. "Recent research on team and organizational diversity: SWOT analysis and implications." Journal of management 29.6 (2003): 801-830.
Kriz, Willy C. "Creating effective learning environments and learning organizations through gaming simulation design." Simulation & Gaming 34.4 (2003): 495-511.
Noe, Raymond A. Human Resource Management: Gaining a Competitive Advantage. Boston (Mass.: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print.
