In 2001, Troy Stubblefield, the owner of Shreveport Air Tools, a company that sold equipment for the petroleum, automotive, and construction industries, was prompted to create an online business when he lost one of his major customers to an early online retailer. Online retailing was a new and risky prospect at the time, but Troy was an early adopter of the business model. Lacking the necessary technical skills to create an e-commerce website, he turned to his son Ryan, who set up the first ToolTopia.com site. Relatively soon afterward, they realized their best option was to function as an affiliate, which meant they processed orders and asked their suppliers to actually fill the orders. The Stubblefields needed people with technology and sales skills to grow ToolTopia.com, and eventually they replaced their part-time help with a combination of full-time and part-time employees. As the company grew, it also became a virtual workplace, with employees working from various locations and communicating electronically. Some of the early employees did not fare well in this telecommuting work environment, but eventually ToolTopia found the right mix of employees. Six years into the operation of the business, having built up a strong customer base through effective online marketing, Troy and Ryan received an offer to sell the business to a supplier.

1. How has the public perception of online retailing changed since ToolTopia first started in business in 2002? Explain.

2. What technical and personnel hurdles did Troy Stubblefield face when he decided to take the company online? If you were an employee, how would you have responded to Troys announcement?

3. Compare and contrast ToolTopias virtual workplace with the concept of a virtual network structure.

4. How, according to Troy, was managing millennial generation workers different from managing his traditional workforce?