Assignment Scenario:
You are the leader of a medium size organic cereal company known as “Cereal Stuff “. The mission statement is: “To provide the world with cereals and good stuff that the company can make.” You want to expand your business to the Canadian and Mexican markets and develop a new related product containing quinoa that some of your customers have wanted you to make. You have decided to take on a new vice president to spearhead the expansion. Your business is set up horizontally with each department in charge of their decision making. Department heads are all vice presidents and they form a team that works with you to lead the company business efforts and to keep the business moving forward. The departments include: production, quality control and product development, finance and accounting, and marketing and sales. The new vice president will be head of the new marketing division. The business has a culture that is best described as an adhocracy. You are hoping to move toward a more democratic culture. The business values include only using quality organic foods, the customer needs are first, and sustainability in production processes and packaging.
1) Is it true that the future of business lies on people not profit? What is the purpose of business of 21st century?Is it true that the future of business lies on people not profit? What is the purpose of business of 21st century?
2) How companies are changing nowadays?
3) There are various changes happening in the sphere of business. What are the key traits crucial for leaders?
4) According to Seidman (2012), modern leadership style is actualizing because the era of one-way conversations is over. Instead of exerting power over people, leaders need to generate power through people. What is the meaning of the phrase “generating power through people”? How leaders could change their professional behavior?
5) Is trust important to the leaders?
6) The company is going to expand the business to the Canadian and Mexican markets. How the process of globalization might help to realize that plan?
7) What is the role of marketing?
8) “Cereal Stuff” company has the horizontal organizational structure. What is the influence of company’s structure to employees’ work?
9) The business culture of the “Cereal Stuff” company is best described as an adhocracy. However, the company plans to move toward more democratic culture. What are the ways of transition from adhocracy to democracy?