Problem Solution Riordan
Problem Solution: Riordan Manufacturing
Riordan Manufacturing is a global plastics producer employing 550 people with projected annual earnings of $46 million. The company is wholly owned by Riordan Industries, a Fortune 1000 enterprise with revenues in excess of $1 billion. Production is divided among three plants: plastic beverage containers in Albany, Georgia; custom plastic parts in Pontiac, Michigan; and plastic fan parts in Hangzhou, China. Research and Development is conducted at corporate headquarters in San Jose, California. Riordan's major customers are automotive parts manufacturers, aircraft manufacturers, the Department of Defense, beverage makers and bottlers, and appliance manufacturers.
Recently, Riordan made several strategic changes in the way it manufactures and markets its products. Declining sales and uneven profits over the past two years not only forced the company to change its sales processes, but prompted them to adopt a customer-relationship management (CRM) system. Customers are now serviced primarily by sales teams rather than single salespeople, with each team focusing on a particular customer segment. Teams typically include a sales person, product engineering specialist and customer service rep. The hope is that the team approach will improve sales (Riordan scenario, white paper). As the changes were being done in the entire company, employee retention and motivation started to become an issue. Now, in order to improve the overall employee morale, the leadership team for the company is trying to find the best solutions to keep their current employee base happy and functional.
Situation Analysis
Issue and Opportunity Identification
Organizational problems come in many forms—whether in processes (how managers lead, how employees communicate, how work flows, how conflicts are solved, how employees deal with customers or suppliers) or outcomes (inadequate or unsatisfactory products or...
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