I have to discuss the ideas at the end of the case.

businesses in the Petoskey area and gave a telephone number , Evaluate Claire Kelly's strategy planning Jy e- mail address , and brief description . She also listed her busi - ness . Why isn't she able to reach her objective of $70, 000?) Who rat should Claire do now ? Explain . 5 . Polymer Dynamics Paige Chen , a chemist in Polymer Dynamics' resins labora - 1 . Foam board is stiff _but can be formed or bonded to itself tory , is trying to decide how hard to fight for the new product by heat alone . she has developed . Chen's job is to find new , more profitable 2 . Foam board is extremely lightweight and easy to handle . It applications for the company's present resin products _ and her has good structural rigidity .* current efforts are running into unexpected problems . 3 . Foam board has excellent and permanent insulating character - During the last four years , Chen has been under heavy pres - istics . ( In fact , the major use for foam board is as an insulator . ) sure from her managers to come up with an idea that will open 4 . Foam board provides an excellent base on which to apply a up new markets for the company's foamed polystyrene . variety of surface finishes , such as a readily available I'wo years ago , Chen developed the " foamed- dome concrete- based stucco that is durable and inexpensive . concept" - a method of using foamed polystyrene to make dome- shaped roof's and other structures . She described the pro - Using her good selling abilities , Chen easily convinced her cedure for making domes as follows : The construction of a managers that her idea had potential .* foamed dome involves the use of a specially designed machine According to a preliminary study by the marketing research that bends , places , and bonds pieces of plastic foam together department , the following were areas of construction that into a predetermined dome shape . In forming a dome , the could be served by the domes :" machine head is mounted on a boom , which swings around a pivot like the hands of a clock , laying and bonding layer upon 1 . Bulk storage layer of foam board in a rising spherical form .* 2 . Cold storage According to Chen , polystyrene foamed boards have several 3 . Educational construction 4 . Covers for industrial tanks advantages , such as :` 6265. Light commercial construction 6. Planetariums "Building codes in our area are written for wood and 7. Recreational construction (such as a golf-course starter house) cement structures. Maybe we'd be interested if the codes change." The marketing research study focused on uses for existing dome structures. Most of the existing domes are made of After this unexpected reaction, management didn't know cement-based materials. The study showed that large savings what to do. Chen still thinks they should go ahead with the would result from using foam boards, due to the reduction of project. She wants to build several more demonstration pro- construction time. jects in the United States and at least three each in Europe Because of the new technology involved, the company de- and Japan to expose the concept in the global market. She cided to do its own contracting (at least for the first four to five thinks an interactive website and online video will also help spread the idea. She thinks architects outside the United years). Chen thought this was necessary to make sure that no States may be more receptive to really new ideas. Further, mistakes were made by inexperienced contractor crews. (For she says, it takes time for potential users to "see" and accept 627 example, if not applied properly, the plastic may burn.) new ideas. She is sure that more exposure to more people After building a few domes in the United States to demon- will speed acceptance. And she is convinced that a few re- strate the concept, Chen contacted some leading U.S. archi- ports of well-constructed domes in leading trade papers and tects. Reactions were as follows: magazines will go a long way toward selling the idea. She is "It's very interesting, but we're not sure the fire marshal of working on getting such reports right now. But her managers aren't sure they want to OK spending more money on "her" Chicago would ever give his OK." project. Her immediate boss is supportive, but the rest of the "Your tests show that foamed domes can be protected review board is less sure about more demonstration projects against fires, but there are no good tests for unconventional or going ahead at all-just in the United States or in global building materials as far as I am concerned." markets. "I like the idea, but foam board does not have the impact Evaluate how Polymer Dynamics got into the present situa- tion. What should Paige Chen do? What should Chen's manag- resistance of cement." "We design a lot of recreational facilities, and kids will ers do? Explain. find a way to poke holes in the foam." To asbot ail ashton 2 60goes to vinono shrael lom