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.

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.

(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.

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

Alicia Smithfield is asking to recommend a consultant to solve four 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.

Note: You may not use any of the individuals in the readings to solve more than one of the four (4) issues. If a person you select is deceased, do not let that inconvenience stand in your way. You may still use that individual to solve a specific issue.