...BUILD A BEAR A MEMORY SUMMARY: Maxine Clark opened a company store “Build A Bear” in 1996. In that era people were interested in dot-coms . Opening a retail shop at that time was not rational. But the founder of the company store found a new way to attract customers and to satisfy them. As its name shows it is a workshop where bear are built but not by the worker but by the customers themselves. This was the concept that took Build A Bear to the highest position in the retail stores. Maxine Clark established a system where children come and by moving to various work stations step by step they make their own toy or stuffed animal unlike any other made anywhere in the world. This empowerment gives the customer more value than any other company. Maxine Clark sells the experience and not the product to the customer. This affordable empowerment of $10 to an average of $25 is the key success of Build A Bear. Maxine Clark takes all the ideas from the customers. It is a completely customer centric organization. This participation of customer has made it too successful that its annual sales have rose to $359 million for the year 2005 and is consistently increasing 20% per year. Build A Bear believes on customization and they think of their selves as an experience not the product. Question No 1: Give examples of need, want and demand that build A Bear customer demonstrate, differentiating each of these three concepts. What the implications of each are on Build a Bear’s actions...
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...Integrative Paper Kotter and Cohen’s The Heart of Change Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson’s Organizational Behavior and Management Introduction Kotter and Cohen’s The Heart of Change is written with the premise that “people change what they do less because they are given analysis that shifts their thinking than because they are shown a truth that influences their feelings” (Kotter and Cohen, p. 1). This is an extremely powerful message and important for organizations to understand if they are going to be successful at implementing a large-scale organizational change. The Heart of Change describes how companies can effectively transform their organization to better succeed in the constantly changing, turbulent society we live in today. Kotter and Cohen’s strategy for successful reorganization is described in an eight-step process. Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson’s Organizational Behavior and Management, builds on the ideas presented in The Heart of Change by giving a more in-depth explanation of organizational behaviors, processes and changes. Both of these readings offer a better understanding of how shifting the behaviors and emotions of an organization’s employees is essential in succeeding at organizational change. Discussion Step one of Kotter and Cohen’s The Heart of Change is the most significant of all eight steps. Step one involves the need to create a sense of urgency throughout the workforce to begin the process of organizational change...
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...Career Development Plan Part III- Performance and Career management Tina Young HRM 531 Anne Selcer, Ph.d., SPHR University of Phoenix October 25, 2010 There are new changes implemented and designed to achieve the maximum results to meet the objectives and goals of the organization. During the newest stages of the merger, we explained how a managers behavior could affect productivity and how management action has to align with employment laws and we described the best practices for working in a diverse environment. In the second phase we implemented a job analysis, which included new duties and specifications pertinent to the new sales department. This included creating a workforce planning system. This reviews the hard and soft skills of employees, and identified the needs and positions required to fulfill the organizations needs. During the third phase of the development plan for the new sales team, we came up with training and mentoring program that met the objectives of Interclean and Envirtech. This included a specific time frame of when everything would be accomplished. We also concluded that the best use of monitoring each individual’s progress was through observations and peer reviews. We also decided that we would give feedback to the employee in a timely manner so that each team member will be able to improve his or her performance. We are at the fourth phase of the career development plan; this plan will clarify how feedback is given to each...
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...1. Which one of the five generic competitive strategies discussed in Chapter 5 most closely approximates the competitive approaches that Built Build-a-Bear is employing? Build-a-Bear Workshop closely approximates by employing a Focused Differentiation Strategy which concentrating on a narrow buyer segment by meeting specific tastes and requirement of niche members. A focused strategy keyed to differentiation aims at securing a competitive advantage with a product offering carefully designed to appeal to the unique preferences and needs of a narrow, well-defined group of buyers (as distinguished from a broad differentiation strategy aimed at many buyer groups and market segments). Successful use of a focused a differentiation strategy depends on the existence of a buyer segment that is looking for special product attributes or seller capabilities and on a firm’s ability to stand apart from rivals competing in the same target market niche. Build-a-Bear Workshop employs successful differentiation-based focused strategies targeted at upscale buyers wanting products and services with world-class attributes. Indeed, most markets contain a buyer segment willing to pay a big price premium for the very finest items available, thus opening the strategic window for some competitors to pursue differentiation-based focused strategies aimed at the very top of the market pyramid. 2. Critic the chosen strategy in terms of effectiveness, suitability and competitiveness for a...
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...urgency, meaning you need to create the initial motivation to change within the organization. In the case of Blockbuster, we will need to not only communicate our poor performance, but express the urgent need for us to change our business, or face being pushed out of the market by our competitors. Seventy five percent of people within the organization need to be on board with change in order for the change to be successful (Kotter). The first step is very important, as failure to get everyone motivated to change will result in the change not gaining momentum, and ultimately failing. The second step is to build what Kotter calls a “change coalition”. This step involves asking members of the organization to make a commitment to change, and a commitment to communicate the urgent need for change with others. The people who will be most effective will be good leaders, and of course, those with a large stake in the organization. The third step is to create a clear vision for change, and communicate that vision frequently. We will need to determine the values that are essential to the change, and summarize what we see for the future of our company. We will then create a strategy for facilitating change, and make sure that every member of our change coalition can communicate our vision accurately, and with a short summary. The fourth step is all about communicating our vision to individuals within the organization. We need to make sure to communicate our vision as frequently as possible, and...
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...At the beginning of JetBlue, this company had a goal, plan and ideas to how the company would grow into a successful organization throughout the aviation world. With a successful hard work accomplished staff of JetBlue Airways believe that success was within the hard effort of every employee that choose to work for the organization. Rhodes the Executive Vice President for the people had a goal that has a staff of only 10 people that grew 1000. JetBlue Airways wanted to increase the staff to 5000 within 4 years. With successful staff within JetBlue Airways, this company had the opportunity to become an excellent organization for years to come. Ann Rhoades previously worked for Southwest Airlines from 1988 to 1994. With her experience dealing with the excellent customer service, she dedicated her staff to deliver excellent service there was opportunity for JetBlue Airways to strive for success. As an organization JetBlue was has been able to accomplish success because of their innovative ways of handling business, and introducing new method to the airway society. JetBlue was started as a start-up in the early 1999 with a strategy to bring technology throughout many areas of the organization. Introducing technology of the foundation to increasing the overall success of JetBlue as worked well for the founder of JetBlue Airway David Neeleman. JetBlue Airways believe that using paperless technology by substituting computers and aviation information for everything including, airline...
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...PROJECT IN QUALITY Nikolas Bellosillo TC303 INTRODUCTION This book review is for our QUALITY subject with our professor Mr. R. Romero. The book is entitled Built to Last: Successful habits of Visionary companies By Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, published by HarperCollins Publishers. Built to Last is a blueprint for building organizations that will endure long into the twenty-first century. "This is not a book about charismatic visionary leaders. It is not about visionary product concepts or visionary products or visionary market insights. Nor is it about just having a corporate vision. This is a book about something far more important, enduring, and substantial. This is a book about visionary companies." So write Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in this groundbreaking book that shatters myths, provides new insights, and gives practical guidance to those who would like to build landmark companies that stand the test of time. Drawing upon a six-year research project at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Collins and Porras took eighteen truly exceptional and long-lasting companies -- they have an average age of nearly one hundred years and have outperformed the general stock market by a factor of fifteen since 1926 -- and studied each company in direct comparison to one of its top competitors. They examined the companies from their very beginnings to the present day -- as start-ups, as midsize companies, and as large corporations...
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...Build-A-Bear's 1. Give examples of needs, wants, and demands that Build-A-Bear customers demonstrate, differentiating each of these three concepts. What are the implications of each on Build-A-Bear's actions? Answer. Demonstration of needs, wants, and demands that Build-A-Bear customers. Needs: Needs are basic human requirements. Build-A-Bear customers demonstrated the strong needs for: · Recreation · Entertainment · Individual choice · Self Expression Wants: Need become wants when they are directed to specific objects that might satisfy the need. Wants are shaped by the society. When children enter in Build-A-Bear store they step into “cartoon land” having child friendly assembly line comprised of clearly labeled work stations. When children choose unstuffed animal from bin, stuff them, add voice box, spa treatment, dress them and name process of creating a stuffed bear become their want. Demand: demand are wants for specific products backed by an ability to pay. Build-A-Bear actually puts customer ideas into practice. The ideas generated by customers are actually demand of customers. The ideas that become successful addition of Build-A-Bear are: · Mini scooter · Mascot bears · Sequined purses Implications of needs, wants, demand on Build-A-Bear action: It is most important for Build-A-Bear to distinguish between these three concepts. First of all they should identify the core needs of their customers....
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...Running head: CMR CMR Eva Stefferud Herzing University In order for this retailer to support its employees in their to build and sustain customer relations, it does need to start from top level down. The most important way in doing so is establishing communication with its employees. When communications is stablished and employees are confident in with the information that is provided to them, trust is then formed. According to Baslin & Reddin, (2004) “Trust is a powerful force that builds loyalty, increases credibility and supports effective communications. It gives you the benefit of the doubt in situations where you want to be heard, understood and believed. A workforce that trusts its leaders and really understands what is happening within the company will be more satisfied, more productive and better able to contribute ideas for improvement. Measuring progress, getting feedback after making the effort, you also want to know whether what you have done is working. Just as there is no end to improving quality, there is no end to building trust. This makes it necessary to combine ongoing, sporadic, short-term measurement activities with regular, long-term measurement. Once you gain the employees trust and buy in, the organization can move forward in building strong relationship with their customers. I believe that internal competitive work methodology can in fact insure the success of a CRM program. I believe that a company that has a strong leadership that...
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...Introduction Teamwork is not something that is easy to learn or teach. When it comes down to it, most of learning to work together as a team is developing the skill of communicating with and trusting the members of the team. When forming a team, one must keep in mind and try to create an environment where individuals can learn how to communicate and trust each other. Building a team and teamwork in organizations will most likely be the greatest accomplishment a manager or leader can reach. Belonging to a team is result of feeling part of something larger than one person. It has a lot to do with understanding the mission or objectives of the organization. This paper will explain the difference between team and group, how to build successful team, and how to manage team conflict. Difference between a Team and a Group According to the article The Difference between a Team and a Group, the author cites The Wisdom of Teams in defining a team which states "A team is a small group of people with complementary skills and abilities who are committed to a common goal and approach for which they hold each other accountable." (Mackin, 2009). The author says a team consists of seven to twelve individuals. Usually, members of the team have a common goals, and responsibilities. Sometimes team members don’t have the same skills but working together they are capable of accomplishing their goals. Teams don’t wait their leaders to tell them what their goals and objectives are instead they take...
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... Creative, and Open-Minded, Pursue Growth and Learning, Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication, Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit, Do More with Less, Be Passionate and Determined, and Be Humble. If I had to pick two values from that list they would be Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit and also Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication. I believe that these two values would have the biggest impact in developing an organizations culture. Organizational culture has been described as the shared values, principles, traditions, and ways of doing things that influence the way organizational members act and that distinguish the organization from other organizations. Organizational culture has many characteristics but the book uses 3 particular words to define culture: Perception, Descriptive, and Shared. An organizations culture cannot be physically touched or seen, the organization is concerned with how members perceive the culture and how the describe it and finally individuals with different backgrounds or work at different levels of the organization can describe the culture of the organization in similar terms. When the key values are deeply held and widely shared a strong culture is born. When employees are greatly influenced by their organizations culture they are more committed and creates what is defined to be “good” employee behavior. When an employee feels that the organization has created an environment that is friendly, warm and exciting...
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...how marketers manage demand and build profitable customer relationships. 4. Compare the five marketing management philosophies. 5. Analyze the major challenges facing marketers headings into the next century. CHAPTER OVERVIEW Marketing is part of all of our lives and touches us in some way every day. To be successful each company that deals with customers on a daily basis must not only be customer-driven, but customer-obsessed. The best way to achieve this objective is to develop a sound marketing function within the organization. Marketing is defined as a social and managerial process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating and exchanging products and value with others. Marketing is a key factor in business success. The marketing function not only deals with the production and distribution of products and services, but it also is concerned with the ethical and social responsibility functions found in the domestic and global environment. Marketing and its core concepts, the exchange relationship, a brief description of marketing management, the five major philosophies of marketing thought and practice, marketing challenges in the new millennium, marketing’s relationship to the information technology boom and the Internet, and the new marketing landscape are the topics presented in this introductory chapter. CHAPTER OUTLINE 1. Introduction a. Today’s successful companies at all levels have one thing...
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...self-understanding, vision, and values congruence. Each characteristic plays an important role in the success of leadership of a team. Team environments thrive when effective managers are strong in these five leadership characteristics. It is realistic to think that every manager is not going to be naturally strong in each characteristic but if they are aware and frequently checking in with these five points as successful team can be built and lead. Empowering your Team I believe that having the ability to empower is a gift but can also be learned. It requires confidence, trust and the ability to read people and what motivates them. Gaining the trust of the people who follow you is key to a successful care team for the following reasons. Staff must trust your decisions and how they think you would care for patients yourself. If the staff that follows a manager does not believe that the manager could care for a patient with integrity, advocacy and accountability they will never be empowered by the manager to do the same. Managers who empower their staff lead by example first and by doing so build trust. They are then given the ability to empower staff as staff will desire to lead by the manager’s example. Empowerment is also very dependent on a leader’s ability to provide the tools and resources needed for an employee to excel at their job. Having the knowledge to provide direction is important, but just as important is knowing where direct employees to find the right answer. It’s empowering...
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...of a group or be vocal amongst others. However, to be a leader, one must not only have the ability to take charge or be vocal, but also must have the respect of others in the group, team, or organization. With leadership, perception is the better part of reality: Being a good leader may be difficult if followers do not perceive the individual as one (Altar 2006). A leader must know what his or her followers think. Most important leaders will say that leadership ability is the single most important personal attribute that one needs to succeed. Leadership has many facets to its name. Some of the most important leadership skills are communication and relationship building. One trait that is not characteristic of a good leader is dominance. When a leader tries to dictate, they will lose respect from others. A commanding style of leadership in not recommended, but rather have one who can win hearts and minds. In the present, many organizations are putting their employees through different leadership development programs. "Companies with effective processes for assessing individual leadership development needs were significantly more likely to have recorded an increase in sales and net income between 2003 and 2004" (Switzerland 2006). Leadership has become such a critical aspect to organizations that universities are starting to open leadership schools. People are now offered leadership as a major at some colleges and universities. Management can be defined as the ability to handle...
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...of the field of study students enter before going into specific details. William J Byrnes’ makes his primary point very clear of how important the introduction is of concepts work together to create what the Arts and Entertainment industry entails, and the process of management and skills required to be a successful arts manager is for a successful career. This paper will elaborate on opportunities for arts managers, the management process, and the levels and types of managers Byrnes’ discusses in his introductory chapter. Opportunities for Arts Managers In the world of Arts and Entertainment management, business is so big and demanding. There is opportunity in every type of job level. Hard-working and effective leaders and managers with the required skills are needed in thousands of arts organizations. Because the creative industry is so large, it offers a diverse range of organizations to work in. These industries include Arts or Humanities Councils, Consulting services, Dance, Film, Museums, Music, Opera, Presenting, Recording, Service organizations, Theatre, Sports, Theme parks, and Festivals. Industries such as these all require managers to work towards a successful business. Depending...
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