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1. READ ORIGINAL QUESTION 2. READ STUDENTS RESPONSE 3. AFTER READING STUDENTS RESPONSE DO YOU AGREE WITH OPTION 1 OR OPTION 2 AND ANSWERS THE

1. READ ORIGINAL QUESTION

2. READ STUDENTS RESPONSE

3. AFTER READING STUDENTS RESPONSE DO YOU AGREE WITH OPTION 1 OR OPTION 2 AND ANSWERS THE QUESTIONS IN THE OPTION CHOSEN.

Option 1 is that you find a consultant selection made by a classmate to address a specific issue, as identified by the issue number and description, with which youdisagree. You must state why you believe a better consultant should address a particular issue that differs from your classmate's response. You must state the major idea associated with your choice and why that idea applies to the issue more appropriately. Your reply must be supported with course materials, in-text citations, and references.

Option 2 occurs if you agree with all of a particular classmate's consultant selections. In that case, you must address one of the remaining two (2) listed issues that your classmates did not answer. You will explain which consultant you think could best address that issue, the school of thought that individual represents, and explain how that individual's major contribution or idea applies to the specific issue you selected. Your reply must be supported with course materials, in-text citations, and references.

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ORIGINAL QUESTION:

SMITHFIELD'S CUSTOM FURNITURE

It is 1901. Alicia Smithfield, daughter of the founder of Smithfield Custom Furniture, just inherited the company. She is the only surviving heir to the furniture empire her father built.

Headquartered in upstate New York, the company has grown significantly over the past 60 years. Began in a shed built next to his log cabin, Jonas Smithfield's quality furniture developed a huge following among New York City's wealthiest residents.

After being educated in the best business schools in Europe and America, Alicia has run the business side-by-side with her father for the past 15 years. When there were many issues confronting the business, a tree being felled took an unexpected route and brought Jonas' life to a surprising end.

The company had just moved to a facility large enough to house its workers: 10 carpenters; 5 furniture designers; 5 wood finishers (varnish and dye experts); 10 machine operators to assist with the various equipment needed to cut the wood into various designs, polish and sand the wood; 5 mechanics to keep the vehicles (5 trucks) and boats (7) that transported wood from upstate New York and Canada to the work area in good repair; 15 lumberjacks who cut wood in nearby areas and moved it downriver by boat or over the rugged highway by truck; and 5 office personnel who assisted with filing, invoicing, drafting and responding to correspondence, handling customer inquiries, and performing other necessary office functions. More than half of these employees were hired in the past 5 years.

Alicia's Big Issues

The major issues confronting Alicia Smithfield are these:

(1) The furniture manufacturing functions are very disorganized. It is not clear how to best organize these functions. For example, the varnish and dye experts each use a different method to complete their tasks.

(2) The production schedule is a mess. It is not clear which projects should be completed first to ensure products are being delivered to customers on time.

(3) The lumberjacks, both cutting trees down and shipping them by truck or boat, differ on the best methods to perform these tasks.

(4) Tempers are flaring as a result of the disorganization. The office, clerical, and support workers are rude to each other and can't seem to act as a cohesive work unit.

(5) While the company is financially successful, as it has grown from a small family-owned business to a large and complex enterprise, the organizational structure has not kept pace. Few formal rules exist, and the keeping and maintenance of records are haphazard.

(6) Employees are feeling overworked and losing satisfaction in the work they are doing. They believe their basic needs are not being addressed.

Alicia's Proposed Issue Solutions

Alicia Smithfield is familiar with all of the contributors (e.g., Weber, Gilbreath, Taylor, among others)to the management theory you have read about this week. She has decided to hire six (6) of those contributors to management theory from the week's readings as consultants. (We shall now refer to those contributors(e.g., Weber, Gilbreath, Taylor, among the others) in this week's readings as "consultants.")

Each of the six (6) consultants selected will be assigned to solve only one of the six (6) issues listed above. Alicia's problem is that she is unclear as to which of the six (6) contributors selected from the week's reading to be her consultants are best matched to solve each of the six (6) specific issues listed above.

Your Task for Your Initial Post

You are to answer four (4) of the above-mentioned six (6) issues identified by Alicia Smithfield. Specifically, she has asked you to recommend a consultant to solve four of the six issues confronting her. You have been requested to explain to Alicia why you selected the four consultants you chose to solve each of the four selected issues. Each consultant will solve one of the four issues you identified that particular consultant to address. You must explain the major contribution/idea of the consultant selected and how that contribution/idea applies to the specific issue you have recommended that the consultant solve. You must identify the school of thought that each consultant represents.

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STUDENT RESPONSE:

2. Production Schedule is a Mess

The primary reason I chose Gantt as the consultant for this issue was the utilization of the Gantt chart. By using this chart, it can show Alicia Smithfield where the disconnects are in her company. This chart helps to identify key tasks, assigns an estimated time to complete, and determines a starting date for each element of the task (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). This chart would help organize the production schedule. Using this chart will help Alicia Smithfield make a timeline as to when each project needs to be completed, therefore helping to eliminate any potential waste. This will also help to ensure that products are delivered to the consumers on time. In the long run, the company may be able to save time and money all while becoming more productive.

3. Lumberjack Disagreement Methods to Cut Trees/Load Boat

For this issue I chose Gilbreths as the consultant. The Gilbreths were interested in worker productivity, specifically how movement and motion affected efficiency (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). This would help Alicia Smithfield see each method that the lumberjacks use to cut down trees and transport them. Alicia could analysis this data and come up with the best method to complete each task. The Gilbreths believed that by reducing the number of motions associated with a particular task, they could also increase the worker's well-being (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). Using the classical school of management can help produce more productivity meanwhile reducing the risk of work-related injuries.

5. Lack of Formal Rules/Record-Keeping Processes

I chose Fayol as the consultant for this problem. Fayol concern was how workers were managed and how they contributed to the organization (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). Since the company is growing it is crucial to maintain a form of structure. This problem could be addressed by implementing the four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). Planning could help keep all employees on track of what needs to be done. Organizing resources needed to get the job done could save the company time and money. By leading, Alicia would make sure that all of the employees know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Controlling would help Alicia keep the company on track and fix processes that aren't working. This could ensure that the company would remain successful for many years to come.

6. Basic Needs and Job Satisfaction Overlooked

I would choose Maslow as the consultant for this problem. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs could help determine the employee's motivation to work (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). Alicia Smithfield, understanding the needs of the employees first, could help make the workers feel validated. Moslow's level of human needs is physiological (acceptable pay and working conditions), safety (job security, health and safety protection), social (working in a team), esteem (status, authority, trust), and self-actualization (promotion opportunities) (University of Maryland Global Campus, n.d.). Alicia could improve the company's success by ensuring these needs are met. I believe that the workers will feel more appreciated, therefore becoming more productive and having a sense of pride working for the company.

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