Question

Task: Provide a constructive feedback or questions you have about the case study I wrote below for my systems engineering class.

Case Study SME issues & recommendations

Carl Hoffman the Senior VP of Global Supply Chain Operations

Carl Hoffman’s work as the Senior VP of the Global Supply Chain Operations has led to the most issues within SME’s supply chain. This is because he isn’t successfully managing the separate sectors of the supply chain division of SME. Collectively and individually, all seven sectors have internal and external operational issues that become the cause of inefficiency, improper conduct amongst teams, and degradation in communication. After analysis of the company through the case study, there does not seem to be an effective means to communicate amongst the different sectors. In addition, some of the leads don’t wish to talk to or even be involved in the work of the other teams. In the case of those that wish to or need to communicate, their recipient is often difficult to reach for a variety of reasons. These issues in conduct may not be Carl’s fault, but it is his responsibility to take the proper steps to correct them. Issues like this can only be managed and corrected by an individual connected to and overseeing all parties involved. As VP, Carl should analyze his subordinate's issues and create a plan of action to have them corrected instead of hoping that they will begin “sorting them out amongst themselves” (Anderson, 2017). When the situation is this bad, and Carl doesn't even trust his employees to complete the jobs they were tasked with (shown by Carl’s actions in relation to outsourcing the M4X Batteries), then he is required to step in and reorganize the sectors within the supply chain because letting each lead attempt to sort things out with the others leads to inefficiencies like the ones that are shown in this study.

Recommendations

Carl could take the time to interview each sector’s leaders and workers, then produce a plan of attack to resolve the problems. With that plan of actions, he could slowly improve the situation over time and ease everyone into a better way to operate. This transforms his original role as senior vice president of global supply chain operations, where he overlooked the operations of the seven supply chain sectors, to senior vice president of global supply chain operations and organizational manager.

It would be ideal to bring in someone to specialize in the management or the supply chain sectors. The best person to place in this position would be Darlene Williams of the Project Management Office or PMO. The purpose of the PMO is to oversee, plan, and integrate the other sectors together in order to complete projects. They see everything and everyone as a resource that can be used to complete the necessary work. For this step to work however, Carl would have to work alongside Darlene and her team to ensure the goals, plans, and needs are clearly defined. Darlene did a very good job of explaining her issues with SME’s supply chain operations, and ideally a proposal made to Carl would lead to change. The senior VP at times is the cause of misunderstanding and conflict within the organization and thus the root cause of the lack of efficiency and progress. Integrating the lead of the PMO into an overall leadership role directly below Carl that can overlook all the other sectors is the first step toward a more efficient organizational structure.

The second step is to improve the capabilities of the planning sector. Lead by Louis Gonzales, the planning sector of the supply chain department should know about any pending changes and actions requested from the supply chain by Carl the VP. It is essential for the planning sector to be up to date so that they can become a source of information for the entire supply chain. All sectors should be able to consult planning instead of making their own decisions about the schedule or going to Carl directly. This delegates responsibilities and alleviates pressure from the PMO and the VP. Essentially, the PMO should be working side by side with planning to provide sectors like manufacturing various updates on scheduling and requirements. This will also promote communication between sectors like warehouse shipping and supplier contracts, because with a proper plan everyone will know what to buy as well as what is in stock.

Issues with Change

The primary hurdle that must be cleared before initiating change is Carl. His mentality as the senior VP of the global supply chain operations must shift to a more corrective one instead of his current idea that his management is “weak.” It has become his responsibility to take the initiative to switch the way he leads his employees thanks to the issues with recalls. Ideally, after he begins to change the way he operates, everyone will follow his lead.

Conclusion

The best means of going forward would be to implement the following organizational structure.

Figure 2: proposed organizational structure

This organizational structure will ensure the chain of command is well informed, coordinated, and effective in completing projects if all the managers actively participate in the new structure. It would take some push from management, but the rearranging of the order of things is necessary to improve as a business.

References

Anderson, D. L. (2017). Organizational Design Assessment of Superior Module Electronics. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Answer 1

As per the information provided about the issues , the company needs a rearrangement for things to work , lack of communication is the problem in the company and it can also be sorted out by appointing or rearranging new teams , a feedback system about the performance of different teams and members would also help .

The problem as mentioned was lack of communication and that the team leads would not work with other teams so, the VP can first try to interview them and look at rearranging the teams .

The teams before carrying out their tasks must make a specific plan about the execution of process and someone should be appointed under the VP who is capable of judging whether the plan is good , if it is it can go to the VP for further decision , this can also be a double check method.

Answer 2

The case study highlights several issues within SME's supply chain and provides recommendations for improvement. Here is a summary of the key issues and recommendations:

Issues:

1. Lack of effective communication among sectors: There is a lack of proper communication and collaboration among the different sectors of the supply chain, leading to inefficiencies and degradation in communication.

2. Reluctance to interact with other teams: Some team leads do not wish to engage or collaborate with other teams, creating silos and hindering effective coordination.

3. Difficulty in reaching the right people for communication: The recipients of communication are often difficult to reach for various reasons, causing delays and obstacles in information sharing.

Recommendations:

1. Conduct interviews and create a plan of action: The Senior VP, Carl, should interview sector leaders and workers to understand the issues and develop a comprehensive plan to address the problems. This will involve taking proactive steps to correct the communication and coordination issues.

2. Appoint a specialized manager: Consider appointing Darlene Williams from the Project Management Office (PMO) as an organizational manager overseeing the supply chain sectors. The PMO can play a crucial role in integrating and coordinating the sectors to complete projects efficiently.

3. Strengthen the planning sector: Enhance the capabilities of the planning sector, led by Louis Gonzales. The planning sector should be well-informed about changes and actions requested by Carl, acting as a central source of information for the entire supply chain. This will promote better decision-making and coordination across sectors.

4. Address mindset and initiate change: Carl, as the Senior VP, needs to shift his mindset and take responsibility for driving change within the organization. He should lead by example and demonstrate a corrective approach to address the issues.

Organizational Structure: The proposed organizational structure suggests integrating the PMO as an overall leadership role directly below Carl. This ensures effective oversight and coordination of all sectors. Additionally, improving coordination between the PMO and the planning sector will help facilitate communication and decision-making.

It is important to note that the success of these recommendations relies on active participation and commitment from all managers and employees involved. Clear communication, collaboration, and a willingness to embrace change are essential for the implementation of an efficient supply chain structure.

Figure 2: Proposed Organizational Structure:

javaCopy codeSenior VP of Global Supply Chain Operations (Carl Hoffman)|
Organizational Manager (Darlene Williams)|
Planning Sector (led by Louis Gonzales)|
Other Supply Chain Sectors (manufacturing, warehouse shipping, supplier contracts, etc.)

Implementing these recommendations will require effort and cooperation from all stakeholders involved, but it is a necessary step towards improving SME's supply chain efficiency and effectiveness.