Decisions in Paradise, Part 1
Chelsea Robinson
MGT 350 - Critical Thinking
June 20, 2011
Bruce Betts

Decisions in Paradise, Part 1
Kava, a small island country in the South Pacific¸ has been plagued with disastrous circumstances that have brought about one disaster after another. Kava is a country that is in dire need of some help and aid in the situation of getting the country cleaned up and on its way to recovery. The job of the director of strategic planning is to see what the Macy’s, Inc. can do to help this country recover and continue on a path of growth and success. Macy’s, Inc. currently has a small presence over in the country of Kava. The goal of Macy’s, Inc. is to “be a retailer with the ability to see opportunity on the horizon and have a clear path for capitalizing on it” (Company Statements & Slogans, 2008). Macy’s, Inc. sees an opportunity in Kava and needs to make a clear path so that we can capitalize on it. Since Macy’s, Inc has a long standing tradition of believing that giving back is the right thing to do (Macy's Inc, 2011) , we would like to help Kava try to recover from all the disasters they have gone through, and help to overcome the challenges that they are now facing. Macy’s will do this by addressing the issues found in the business scenario, forces involved in the formulation of the problem, and organizational and environmental obstacles impacting key stakeholders.
After looking at the business scenario and seeing what the director of strategic planning had to say, it was easy to see what issues are present. Challenges now facing the island of Kava are 1) over 50% of the population are under the age of 15 years old; 2) the ethnic mix of languages and cultures indigenous to the South Pacific area of Kava; and 3) the economy for which the natives of Kava depend is constantly threatened by natural disasters such as tsunami, typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fire, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, HIV/AIDS epidemics, avian flu, and man-made disasters such as petroleum spills, and terrorism (University of Phoenix, 2011). Kava having a population with over 50% under the age of 15 is a problem because people under the age of 15 do not normally shop at department stores, and the hirable population is under 50%. Since Kava residents speak numerous indigenous languages as well as English, Spanish, and French, communication would be a problem. The natural disasters and man-made disasters that Kava experiences would cause tourists to avoid Kava and this would affect the business Macy’s, Inc. plans to develop in Kava. These problems have factors, or forces, that helped to form them.
Forces that are involved in the formulation of the problem include natural and man-made disasters, health issues, language, and age. The disasters that befall Kava are a major issue, especially the natural disasters. Tidal waves, tsunamis, typhoons, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes cannot be prevented. This poses a problem for Macy’s because the cost of constructing a building that can withstand these disasters is high. The same goes for the man-made disasters that Kava encounters. The cost of protecting the store from those disasters would be high. As for the health issues that plague Kava, the avian flu and HIV/AIDS, these can be prevented. However, the cost for prevention would also be high. Language is an issue because most tourists that would travel to Kava would probably only speak English. Also, communication between employed natives and employees and managers brought over from the mainland would be an issue. As for age, the fact that over 50% of the population is under the age of 15 is a major problem. As for hiring¸ labor laws would have to be looked into. These forces impact various stakeholders within Macy’s, Inc.
Using the 5 w’s – what, who, why, when, and where (McGraw Hill, 2009) – the obstacles that face Macy’s, Inc. can be described to the various stakeholders that will be impacted by decisions made.

First we ask “what is the problem?” In this case, the problem includes the ages of the population, the language, and the disasters that Kava is faced with. The second question we ask is “who is affected by the problem?” The stakeholders affected by the problem are 1) Macy’s, Inc. shareholders and 2) the residents of Kava. The third question is “why does this problem affect these people?” The answer to that is that the shareholders will have to spend the money to help Kava, and the residents of Kava will have the possibility of an increased economy or may end up being displaced due to the construction of a new Macy’s. The fourth question is “when does this problem occur?” and the fifth question is “where does this problem occur?” The answer to “when” is immediately, as soon as the problem was formulated it occurred. The answer to “where” is simple. It occurs in Kava.
In conclusion, the issues found in the business scenario have been addressed, as well as forces involved in the formulation of the problem, and organizational and environmental obstacles impacting key stakeholders. Macy’s, Inc. will need to take these into consideration when coming up with solutions to these problems. Without doing so, establishing a greater presence in Kava will not be possible.

References
Company Statements & Slogans. (2008). Macy's. Retrieved from http://www.company-statements-slogans.info/list-of-companies-m/macys.htm
Macy's Inc. (2011). Macy's Inc.: A Diverse and Inclusive Organization. Retrieved from http://www.macysinc.com/aboutus/diversity/Default.aspx
McGraw Hill. (2009). Problem Identification. Retrieved from http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/dl/free/0070144702/698395/Wood_1e_Chapter_02.pdf
University of Phoenix. (2011). Decisions in Paradise Business Scenario. Retrieved from https://portal.phoenix.edu/classroom/coursematerials/mgt_350/20110606/