Best Snacks Problem Solution

MMPBL/550
October 15, 2011
Best Snacks Problem Solution Best Snacks, Inc. is has been in business for 150 years and within the past two years the sales have been slipping (Scenario, 2006). Due to the increase of businesses in the same snack market Best Snacks must figure out a way to increase the sales and to be in the number one spot again. With Best Snacks having comfort of being success the past few years they have now discovered that they must find creative and innovative ways to sell the snacks that the business has been built on. The areas that Best Snacks will need to focus on are sales, marketing new ideas and management support. With over 100 years of notoriety they need to focus on how to be creative by involving the staff and employees thoughts and ideas that can be used for innovative change within the company and the customers that they serve. This paper will attempt to discuss and create a problem statement that Best Snacks, Inc. and its team players are facing and needs to resolve. The resolution will need to implement a strategic plan that will be able to identify, define, and have a purpose and display what the priorities are needed to ensure a successful outcome. The problem solution will begin with realizing what the creative and innovative plan will need to have in order for the implementation to begin the process. The order of business has been brought forth by Elizabeth Fairchild who is the Chief Executive Officer and believes that Sabrina McKay, Vice President of Organizational Development will be able to implement some fresh and new ideas (Scenario, 2006). Sabrina’s area of accomplishments is within organizational development which can produce innovation through the people who are within the organization. While the staff is more than willing to finding ways to accomplish increasing sales they also realize that not much has changed at Best Snacks as far as marketing ideas. While Best Snacks believed that the success of yester-year has carried them now the market has widened and it is now affecting the sales. What Best Snacks needs to keep in mind is that the increase sale will come from the well-researched and developed ideas, which has not been implemented lately. So with Sabrina’s disposition it already encounters that she is in full agreement with the plan. The next issue is to market the product at an angle that will be appealing to the customer, while still being affordable. With the competition starting to gain momentum Best Snacks needs to be able to keep up with the masses by adhering to what the customer is wanting and how to implement change without failing Best Snacks. Sabrina’s task of being creative and innovative will to be specific, measureable, achievable, relevant and have a timeframe (SMART) (Sadeen, 2010). The implemented plan will need to have a positive outlook for the team players, employees, and most importantly the customers.

Describe the Situation
Issue and Opportunity Identification Although Best Snacks Inc. is a 150 year old company in the last 10 years the company has suffering a slip in sales. The slip in sales is due partly to the fact that there are other companies who are providing the same service which gives customers more choices. Sabrina has been chosen to defeat the competition and she has decided to start with involving the employees by having surveys conducted (Scenario, 2006). These surveys that have been conducted included what needs to be reviewed, improved on and implemented. The employee surveys produced that the training and development of creativity should be enforced as well as the employees having the support of the management team. If the ideas of the employees are to be used for the betterment of Best Snacks it can possibly increase the sales of the snacks which will help bring Best Snacks to the standings that they were once at. Once the creativity has been implemented to providing some innovative changes the new ideas that are marketed will help to develop a more consistent sales promotion for the company and therefore incentive programs will be developed to reward the employees or management team. With this survey there will be plenty of communication and no room for any one’s input due to the content of creativity and innovation. Now that the survey has become the focal point of the creative and innovative process of Best Snacks the employees have a closer relationship with the managers and are more eager to share the thoughts and ideas. So now they are all experiencing how to create and implement an innovative plan that will satisfy all parties involved. Sabrina and the main players are aware that they must take into consideration that whatever the outcome is it must be a realistic and that all for parties to be in agreement. The opportunity that Best Snacks, Inc. has is the reputation that they have created for themselves and their dedication to be number one in the business again. The motivation is that the ideas will help to increase sales and implement values that are sure to compliment the 150 years that Best Snacks has been in existence. With the issue of developing creative ideas Sabrina would like to implement a plan that will encourage employees to become part of the process and that is to have an incentive program. Although not many details have been developed it will be a positive way to gaining a positive relationship with the company. By having the employees involved with the process of developing new ideas will give different insights on how to market the snacks from a different perspective. With the development of ideas everyone involved must have an understanding of what the strategies are, the objectives, and the implications for the operation as a whole (Davila, Epstein, & Shelton, 2006). As far as the issue of increasing sales Best Snacks must take into consideration the marketing skills and the customers. When innovative ideas are implemented for sales the first thing that a customer wants is a reasonably priced snacks, by having the snacks that are equal in price as taste is a very appealing approach. According to Susan Ward “the 6 sure ways to increase sales are to have an incentive program, encourage sales staff, give customers the inside scoop, give a “tier” for customers, set up a customer awards program and be sure to distribute samples to the customers (2011).” With these six concepts in place should not only initiate an increase of sales, but it should also motivate the employees to want to participate in creating profitable innovative ideas. Lastly, the management teams needs to be more forthcoming when evaluating employees’ thoughts or ideas of creativity and innovation. The learning levels for innovation should begin with systems of delivering value, refining the current model, building competencies and crafting a strategy (Davila, Epstein, & Shelton, 2006). This involves the organization having a keen since of control and being very knowledgeable, proving constant improvement, facilitating learning associated with new capabilities and encouraging and capturing knowledge outside of the current business model (Davila, Epstein, & Shelton, 2006). By enforcing the above can create an innovative strategy that will produce innovation from employees.
Stakeholder Perspectives and Ethical Dilemmas The stakeholders that are involved Sabrina, the team players, employees and the customers. Sabrina’s idea of success is obviously how much more she can get the employees involved in creative and innovative thinking. By her implementing and presenting the survey proves that she wants to get the employees more involved in the process of increasing sales. While it may look like a way to increase sales others see it as a risk-taking venture. The team players have been informed of who the take charge person will be and how much time she has to turn the company around. Included with her plans is to conduct an all the employees in a survey that will give some insight to the failing sales and lack of innovation that Best Snacks is now experiencing. The ethical decision that has been placed on the team is what’s more important being innovative or just selling a product? It would seem that Sabrina’s method of involving the employees will be the motivating force that helps to embrace the importance of creative thinking and innovation. The team will need to have a clear understanding that the survey is the road map to increasing sales for Best Snacks. With management having the complete understanding of encouraging the ideas of an employee will help to incite some creativity that will cause innovation and change although it is associated with high risk it can change the present marketing methods (Jones, 2004).
Frame the Right Problem The “right” problem that I understand is that Best Snacks is afraid of being innovative. According to the scenario there was a time when Best Snacks was willing to take a risk, but it seems as though the organization had become very comfortable with the position they had and the last 2 years has proven to be bad. Now with the implementation of Sabrina and the time frame she has to turn the marketing approach around she has decided to involve all the employees in a survey. The survey results have proven that employees have not been pressed to share ideas. Now that the results of the survey have been revealed, the managers are being asked to implement incentives for employees to help in the implementation of marketing model for Best Snacks.
Describe the End-State Vision
The end-state vision that Best Snacks needs to perceive is that everyone will be a part of the creative and innovative plan. Sabrina and the team will analyze how to implement incentive programs for the employees who participates in creating innovative ideas that will help to increase sales. Best Snacks is seeking to regain and maintain their standing, while giving the customers quality products at a reasonable price. Sabrina’s vision is to extend opportunities to the employees to sharing the same values while accomplishing the goal of implementing creative and innovative ideas. With Sabrina only having 12 months to accomplish this goal is a challenge that will be met with great intensity.
Identify the Alternatives and Benchmarking Validation Best Snacks sales have been declining for the past two years in a noticeable status. Elizabeth’s concern for Best Snacks has incited her to choosing Sabrina to turn the marketing model around in twelve months. Noting the successful organizational skills that Sabrina has, she will begin her task with the confidence of success. The way that Sabrina encounters the plummeting sales is by fostering surveys that will better assist her in her quest to giving Best Snacks the number one spot that they once had. The benchmarking findings are that the employees will be a very large part of the revamping of the marketing model. With the implementation of incentive programs Best Snacks will be able to reward the employees with gift cards, money or a paid day off. With such incentives in place it will increase the employee participation and allow the employees to think creatively with the hopes that his/her idea to become a marketing model success.
Evaluate the Alternatives Employee participation is a way that the employee can feel like a part of the organization. When an employee creative thinking can help to increase sales of the product it will give the individual a sense of being part of a winning team. The incentive program is another way that the employee can feel appreciated. With the incentive program being implemented will help to increase the participation of employees. The employees will be able to make a change not only at Best Snacks but also in the corporate world. Best Snacks can also initiate a program where the customers are rewarded for being loyal to the organization. The loyalty plan can involve discounted foods, free food, weekly drawings or grand prize drawing yearly. Best Snacks can also have different departments competing against each other for the most creative and innovative saying that will help to attract customers.
Narrowed List of Alternatives The best two alternatives are employee incentive program and customer loyalty program. The employee incentive plan helps and encourages thinking creatively. When creativity is involved it enlists researching and developing a plan that will express innovation for a well thought out plan coming to life. The customer loyalty program will not only retain customers but it will also increase the number of customers. When a customer is rewarded for being loyal he/she is more than likely to continue to shop at that store and tell others about the great deals.
Identify and Assess Risks The identifiable risk is that creativity and innovative ideas can fail. With that being noted not many would want to take the chance at his or her idea failing. According to Davila, Epstein & Shelton “the ley to learning is not to avoid making mistakes, but to learn from them (2006).” With the employees being able to voice their creative ideas gives the management team a chance to research and develop what the possible risks are before seeking any type of innovation. When an organization does not learn from the mistakes made that organization will continue to make the same mistakes regarding the innovation implemented (Davila, Epstein & Shelton, 2006). The negative consequences can be an hurt ego or failed attempt, but where there’s failure there is a learning process where knowledge can be obtained.
Make the Decision As with any decisions there are risks, or what we may call pros and cons. The pros for the creative and innovative plan are that Best Snacks market model will be success and the sales will increase. Once everyone is aligned with new strategy plans and it improves to be a better fit for everyone involved Sabrina’s survey will be proven to being successful. With the pros in place it can help to improve the morale to a certain degree meaning that some of the concerns can and will be meet. Then there are the cons, the first one stating that time of implementing the plan can be proven to being very long process where as there is not any employee participation. There is also the chance that the team players may not take out the time to listen because the main focus is his or her personal gain for his or her department. This challenge will be met with both pros and cons on the line, if the creative and innovative plan is accepted and retained.
Develop and Implement the Solution The major milestone for Best Snacks is to increase sales, implement a market model, and to involve the employees. The milestone is to regain the top spot of being the leader in product sales. The timeline that has been implemented is 12 months this will be meet with the implementation of research and development, employee participation and team playing skills intact. Sabrina will be the driving force of the implementing the market model with the use of her surveys will help to incite popular votes on what is for the good of Best Snacks. The resources that will be used to initiate the plan will be the results of the surveys, thereafter the implementation of the employees ideas will be encouraged by the management team.
Evaluate the Results The results of the survey have shown that the employees are very interested in the sales of Best Snacks. The employee incentive program has encouraged many of the employees to give the market model a shot and to implement his or her ideas with the hopes of winning. The creativity that the employees have displayed will help to push Best Snacks into the 21st century and increase the sales of the products. For over 100 years Best Snacks has managed to stay in business now with the employees becoming a voice within the company Best Snacks is sure to regain the title of being number one.
Conclusion
Best Snacks, Inc. is a business that was afraid of taking risk, but since Sabrina and her ability to organizational development skills being implemented, it has changed the mindset of the employees and managers of Best Snacks. Sabrina has encouraged risks taking skills that have deemed to be a pivotal point with the declining organization; Best Snacks will now foster and inspire the employees to be a part of the marketing model of the century old business.

References
Davila, T, Epstein, M., Shelton, R. (2006). Learning Innovation: How do we become better at innovating? Retrieved October 16, 2011 from University of Phoenix eResource readings. Davila, T, Epstein, M., Shelton, R. (2006). Cultivating Innovation: How to design a winning culture. Retrieved October 16, 2011 from University of Phoenix eResource readings.
Jones, G.R.(2004). Innovation, intrapreneurship and creativity. Retrieved October 16, 2011 from University of Phoenix eResource readings.
Sandeen, C. A. (2010). Fostering Creativity and Innovation in the Workforce: An Annotated Bibliography. Continuing Higher Education Review, 7493-100. Retrieved October 15, 2011 from EBSCOhost.