...The Tao of Timbuk2 There are several companies that rely on advertising themselves as a pure “American made” brand that drives loyalty and alludes to superior quality. The case of Timbuk2 brands lends itself to a similar strategy in that customization requires the product to be hand made. What makes their brand unique is that the many options provided to customers require the company to have workers employed by their craft. Traditionally our minds gravitate towards less quality and value when associated with other manufacturing based countries so much so that our culture jokingly remarks about it regularly in television and through other popular mediums. In the case of Timbuk2, the buyer’s dedication to their bag is in part because of the durability allowed by a team of skilled and veteran workers in San Francisco. The company is in a classic predicament of the sustainability requirements for shareholders in that it needs to continue to make profits while still offering customization for the dedicated consumers. The newly added messenger bags threaten excessively high labor costs that could compromise the organization’s ability to meet future needs and consequently cut into the value for investors. The question lingers that the doubt from steadfast customers concerning the move to China may also threaten the sustainability of Timbuk2. Companies like Timbuk2 are often run by owners that can implement lean manufacturing techniques in the midst of mass customization...
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...The Tao of Timbuk2 1. Consider the two categories of products that Timbuk2 makes and sells. For the custom messenger bag, what are the key competitive dimensions that are driving sales? Are their competitive priorities different for the new laptop bags sourced in China? For the custom messenger bag, the key competitive dimensions that are driving sales are high-quality custom (bags are worn daily for a decade), reasonable price, high differentiated design (customers select the basic bag configuration, size, color, pocket and strap options themselves), convenience in purchasing (customers can buy bags that are tailored to the exact specifications they like by just getting on the website), quick delivery speed (sent by overnight delivery directly to the customer), flexible and very quick new product introduction speed (people design new products online everyday). Since the new laptop bags are made in China, the shipping speed is not as quick as that of the messenger bags made in San Francisco. But other competitive priorities are not so different, especially for the retail price, which is lower comparing to the other laptop bags of the same quality, features and functions. Since these bags are more complex to build and require more labor and a variety of different machines (more expensive) to produce these products, to keep the prices lower for the consumer, outsourcing the manufacturing of these bags is necessary. Putting up factories in China makes labor costs cheaper...
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...Introduction Timbuk2 has been a San Francisco original since 1989 and has reputation and a loyal following among real-life, hard-working bicycle messengers and cycling enthusiasts. In the case of “The Tao of Timbuk2” the company took some risk of losing its loyal customer base by moving its new productions to China. This paper will address the three questions for the case. 1. Consider the two categories of products that Timbuk2 makes and sells. For the custom messenger bag, what are the key competitive dimensions that are driving sales? Are their competitive priorities different for the new laptop bags sourced in China? The key competitive dimensions driving sales for Timbuk2 are quality and speed of delivery. Product or service is defined by the two characteristics; design quality and process quality allowing for establishing a level of design quality that focuses on the requirement of the customer. (Chase) The most impressive competitive dimension for Timbuk2 is their custom bags are Delivery Speed. Once the order is completed by the customer on the Timbuk2 web site, a custom designed bag reaches the customer two days later. Customers and end consumers now dictate what will be produced, when products will be delivered and what they will pay for that level of service. The local manufacturing for Timbuk2 focus of custom messenger bag is a direct example of the driving need for speed in manufacturing to meet the expectation of customer. Internet ordering capability...
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...Project Management Case Studies: Ikea And Timbuk2 Project Management Case Studies: IKEA and Timbuk2 Table of Contents Case I: IKEA Design and Pricing 3 Case Summary: 3 Key Terms: 3 Case Questions 5 Conclusions 9 Case II: The Tao of Timbuk2 9 Case Summary: 9 Key Terms: 10 Questions: 11 Conclusions: 15 Bibliography 16 Case I: IKEA Design and Pricing Case Summary: IKEA is a Swedish retailer that dominates the home market in 32 countries and is currently expanding in the United States. The success of the company is providing low cost products that include function, modern design, environmental considerations and healthy manufacturing conditions. IKEA designs its products, manufacturing, and distribution systems with the target price in mind. IKEA’s processes and corporate mantras feel unique and cheerful. Both customers and employees count on the company to operate responsibly. IKEA makes customers feel like they are living well even though they aren’t paying for premium product. There is a great deal to learn from its operations and management. The company’s goals have been incorporated into the product design process that IKEA uses. Key Terms: • Triple bottom line – A business strategy that includes social, economic and environmental criteria. IKEA is an example of a company that judges itself by the triple bottom line. While it strives to do good business, it includes a business and operating model designed to minimize the...
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...Project Management Case Studies: IKEA and Timbuk2 Table of Contents Case I: IKEA Design and Pricing 3 Case Summary: 3 Key Terms: 3 Case Questions 5 Conclusions 9 Case II: The Tao of Timbuk2 9 Case Summary: 9 Key Terms: 10 Questions: 11 Conclusions: 15 Bibliography 16 Case I: IKEA Design and Pricing Case Summary: IKEA is a Swedish retailer that dominates the home market in 32 countries and is currently expanding in the United States. The success of the company is providing low cost products that include function, modern design, environmental considerations and healthy manufacturing conditions. IKEA designs its products, manufacturing, and distribution systems with the target price in mind. IKEA’s processes and corporate mantras feel unique and cheerful. Both customers and employees count on the company to operate responsibly. IKEA makes customers feel like they are living well even though they aren’t paying for premium product. There is a great deal to learn from its operations and management. The company’s goals have been incorporated into the product design process that IKEA uses. Key Terms: • Triple bottom line – A business strategy that includes social, economic and environmental criteria. IKEA is an example of a company that judges itself by the triple bottom line. While it strives to do good business, it includes a business and operating model designed to minimize the impacts on the environment. The company markets its philosophy...
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...Walkthrough Major Study and Learning Features The following section highlights the key features developed to provide you with the best overall text available. We hope these features give you maximum support to learn, understand, and apply operations concepts. C STRAEPYTANDR 2 H AT G E SUSTA Chapter Opener INABILITY Learning Obj LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 ectives Understand the parameters of a sustainable opera Understand the tions and supply competitive dim chain strategy. ensions of opera Identify order tions and supply winners and or chain strategy. der qualifiers. See how strategy is implemented through operatio Introduce the co ns and supply ch ncepts of risk as ain activities. sessment and mi Show how prod tigation. uctivity is me asured and ho supply chain pr w it relates to ocesses. operations and Chapter Outlin e 25 Mi ssi on St at em en ts wi th As pir at ion s be yo nd Ma 26 A Su sta ina kin g a Pr of it ble Op er at ion s an d Su pp ly Ch ain St rat eg y 28 W ha t Is Op er at ion s an d Su pp ly Ch ain Competitive Dim St rat eg y? ensions The Notion of Trade-Offs Order Winners and Order Qualifi ers: The Marketing–O perations Link Operations and Sustainability defi ned Triple bottom line defined supply chain str ategy defined Operations eff ectiveness defi ned Straddling defi ned Order winner defi ned Order qualifier defined e Ris k As so cia system maps defi ned te d wi th Op er at ion s an d Framework Su pp ly Ch ain St rat eg ies 37 Pr od uc tiv ity Supply chain risk...
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...TJPU Operations Management By Dr. Deng Hua TEXTBOOKS: Fundamentals of Operations Managemen(Fourth Edition) Mark M. Davis ,Nicholas J Aquilano,Richard B. Chase McGraw-Hill Higher Education ISBN: 7-302-09879-4/F.987 REFERENCE BOOKS (Optional): Operations Management, 11th Richard B. Chase, Nicholas J. Aquilano, F. Robert Jacobs McGraw-Hill Higher Education ISBN: 0-07-232315-9 COURSE EVALUATION: Attendance 30% Final Assignment 70% Total 100% Case 1/4 BSB, INC.: The Pizza Wars Come to Campus Renee Kershaw, manager of food services at a medium-sized private university in the Southeast, has just had the wind taken out of her sails. She had decided that, owing to the success of her year-old pizza service, the time had come to expand pizza-making operations on campus. However, yesterday the university president announced plans to begin construction of a student center on campus that would house, among other facilities, a new food court. In a departure from past university policy, this new facility would permit and accommodate food-service operations from three private organizations: Dunkin’ Donuts, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. Until...
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