GEN 480: Critical thinking case Essay Sample

budget cut will not affect the Optimize project and they will meet the August deadline. However, Pat thinks that Kelly is being unrealistic by assuming that there is enough time and resources to complete the iScann project.

Pat believes that outsourcing coders to complete the project would cost approximately $350,000 but it would be worth it to increase market leadership. Conversely, Cliff thinks that the new iScanner product can still be developed and launched by the end of the year despite a 15% budget reduction. Additionally, Cliff wants Chris to reduce the original investment request for "Operation Optimize" by 30%.

Cliff assumes that there are no issues with reducing the initial investment from $575,000 to $400,000 without any further certification of treatment. Meanwhile, Chris believes that based on marketing research, there is an urgent need to introduce new technology into new markets to regain their top position as the industry's leading seller. He notes the competition as a potential factor.

Secur-A Corp. is developing a strategy that mirrors the Optimize product. The company recognizes a significant benefit in introducing the product to the market by year end. In discussions with Chris, the marketing manager, it was determined that the only requirements for the iScanner product were additional scheduling, as well as design and development of new packaging.

Chris believes that the August 1st deadline for utilizing Bing employees for selling and promoting is both aggressive and challenging, yet still achievable while helping to cut costs.

Chris is challenging section leaders to reduce their budget by 15% without resorting to layoffs. Instead, he suggests offering voluntary layoffs and retirements, which could result in a decrease in the number of employees. The

arguments presented in this case can be categorized as emotional, logical, sound or unsound. Cliff O’Conner has argued for a budget decrease based on unfavorable mid-year revenue projections.

The company must cut expenses aggressively in order to compete with other competitors. This effort is described as intense by Cliff, who encourages all section supervisors to contribute to overcoming the company's short-term budget crisis. Additionally, Cliff mentions the company's new project should be ready for launch by the end of the year and increase future revenues. While the statements appear reasonable, they are not well-founded.

Developing a new product requires substantial financial investment to ensure its success. Without adequate resources, the project may result in an uninspiring product that fails to generate industry excitement. This outcome would disappoint both the company and customers, who may choose to look at alternative products from competitors instead of waiting for an updated version. Chris provides sensible and reasonable arguments on this matter.

Chris endeavors to engage all departments in collaborative efforts to effectively execute company projects. He comprehends the organization's mission statement and goals, and aims to create a pragmatic and prosperous program. With courage and knowledge, he will strive to ensure the successful optimization, development, testing, and marketing of the program.

Chris struggles to effectively convey his message to other staff members due to becoming emotional and making personal attacks, putting his colleagues on the defensive instead of working with them professionally. Meanwhile, Kelly makes strong yet emotional statements. Meanwhile, Pat's arguments are both unsound and emotional, as she lacks communication skills and tends to jump to conclusions without considering all the facts beforehand.

During an informal hallway meeting, Pat discussed with Kelly

her thoughts on the current situation. However, Pat's assumptions were based on Kelly's impromptu remarks and she never sought further assistance with the product concept. While Pat's arguments are strong, she tends to work independently and only seeks evidence to support her case. Both Pat and Kelly are resourceful and enjoy debating.

Despite being narrow-minded to input from other members and their research for the Optimize project, Pat rushes into decisions. She selectively listens to information that supports her preconceived notions and statements. In the impromptu hallway meeting, she created a plan that couldn't be adequately supported by product development with a budget that was too conservative.

When quick assessments and decisions are made, it can sometimes result in a lack of time to analyze the product or pressure to find a solution to the problem quickly. Pat faces the additional challenge of having a closed-minded attitude and not considering the opinions of her colleagues. As the initial idea for the product came from Pat, she felt that she could develop it independently with little input from other departments such as product development or technology. Additionally, unnecessary assumptions were made by most or all of the departments involved.

Considering that Optimize was not able to reach the market by the end of the year, it would result in other competitors taking over AcuScan's position as the market leader. Several factors and data were overlooked during the development stage of the Optimize project. For example, there was an unverified report that a competing company of AcuScan was developing a similar product. Additionally, there was no discussion or contingency plan in case Optimize failed to meet the deadline and

had to delay its release until spring 2004.

Furthermore, there was no program or analysis indicating that the Optimizer would surpass other products offered by competitors. Optimize, assumed to be ready for distribution in December of 2003, would only result in limited revenue for the year and would not directly impact the current budget. In conclusion, workplace rejection and difficulty are common in one's career.

To foster their career advancement and challenge workplace rejection, employees should engage in ongoing education and information exchange with colleagues. This can enhance their confidence in their professional abilities. Although AcuScan has faced communication and idea development challenges, the marketing manager Pat Lambert took it upon herself to develop a new product called Optimize.

Normally, when a company plans to create a new product or construction, they convene a meeting with all department supervisors to discuss and examine the design and development of the new item. In Pat's case, she came up with the initial idea, but failed to communicate clearly with the other departments for which she lacked skills. She did not organize proper meetings to develop the product. Rather, she conversed with engineers in the hallway to discuss feasibility or resource concerns. Unfortunately, Pat did not document the plan officially, which caused the vision to fail. Moreover, Pat oversimplified the product concept based on discussions and emails with the head engineer.

Due to her lack of technical expertise, it is inappropriate for Pat to add requirements to the specifications without consulting the skilled engineers. To address this issue, Pat should have formalized meetings with other departments to jointly discuss and develop the product concept as a team. Additionally, Finance or a Business

Manager should have been invited to assist with budget development. The company also faced ineffective communication and unprofessional behavior amongst team members. Email communication should not replace face-to-face meetings. Collaborative discussions among team members in the same location is necessary.

The use of personal attacks or insinuations is not appropriate in emails or in the workplace. Such behavior only serves to disrupt communication and strain working relationships. A company ought to foster unity among its employees, even if they come from diverse backgrounds and possess different skill sets, as this ultimately distinguishes and enables a company to succeed in the market with a shared goal. In light of these considerations, it may have been beneficial for Cliff to direct Pat, who was new to the organization, to work more collaboratively with Kelly and Chris on the Optimize project. Therefore, AcuScan has improved its product offerings over the years and should continue to do so.

AcuScan has recently streamlined their product offerings and now focuses on a select few that are highly desirable to customers. These products are essential for increasing sales and encouraging repeat business. AcuScan's main goal is to provide more appealing products at competitive prices and superior quality. To achieve this, the company recognizes the importance of emphasizing teamwork in both product development and communication strategies.

AcuScan requires an image point accuracy within 3% of their competitors and 3-5% accuracy on other products. They promise the lowest sale prices to their customers. To achieve this, Cliff O'Conner should create an Optimize team comprising Pat, the financial planning director, Chris, the advertising director, Kelly, the Chief Engineer of Products Software, and the newly hired Vice President of

Organizational Development who should also serve as the project manager.

The project timeline needs to be revised using Microsoft Project to ensure clear communication. The financial review shows that it is unlikely that releasing Optimize by the end of the year will be beneficial for AcuScan. Additionally, releasing a mediocre version of Optimize could harm the company's reputation and discourage customers from trying a future version. Furthermore, the research and development department should not be impacted by the company's 15% budget cut this year.

At times, businesses may need to take risks, such as investing money to generate more profits, and not pursuing new product development can limit a company's future growth. As the sales and service revenue forecast is projected to decline this year, the sales and marketing department should prioritize gaining new customers within their existing competitive market using their current products. Despite the market's competitiveness.

Chris suggested that there is no reason to not be aggressive and attack other types of companies about drawn-out security applications. This includes banks, government offices, and even authorities contractors, all of which could benefit from the existing iScanner applications. Attracting new clients is a difficult task, but it could open up new opportunities and bring in more revenue, which is part of AcuScan's core business. The area of product development and marketing is constantly growing and changing to meet the new demands and challenges of a constantly-evolving workforce.

Once deemed "simple" and known for being highly structured with ample resources and finances, the field has evolved into its current strategic form. Nevertheless, significant changes have occurred.

Haven't halted at that spot, engineering has advanced to the forefront of Product Development and

Marketing, outlining both benefits and drawbacks. Technological advancements have enhanced communication and transformed the way we learn.

Our abilities have been enhanced by developing new machines, making improvements to existing ones, or discovering new uses for current technologies.

Although it might seem like a hassle to keep up with the constantly evolving and expanding field, in the end it always proves to be worth it.

AcuScan, the manufacturer of iScanner, a retinal scanner security product, embarked on a new project called "Operation Optimize" following a case study that aimed to determine the appropriate course of action amidst the advent of more advanced engineering that enhances efficiency and productivity.

The task assigned to the selling and merchandise development departments involved creating a fresh product to target a new market while also retaining existing loyal customers. It is imperative for AcuScan's future success that they introduce new products into new industries and provide exemplary customer service as is expected of any business. However, the marketing manager and chief engineer disagree on certain aspects of the Optimize product's development such as its concept, timing, and budget.

Despite the Vice President of Product Development's unsuccessful attempt to convene a meeting addressing details for all divisions, the present case study does not mention the company's plans in handling the budget cut for all sectors or its marketing strategy for current products. - Pat Lambert

The merchandise development section did not receive accurate guidance from the recent arrival of the selling manager at AcuScan, resulting in erroneous decisions regarding Optimize's product concept. Additionally, there is no indication of financial planning involving the finance director for this project.

The development of the new merchandise as presented is hindered by

unequal resources and clips. In recent months, unprofessional accusations, insinuations, and communications have been exchanged among section supervisors regarding Optimize. The pressure to launch Optimize by year-end has caused employee stress and resulted in conflict without a resolution, jeopardizing the integrity, quality, and reputation of AcuScan.

AcuScan's reputation and market share suffer when they release a non-developed product, rather than enhancing them. Sacrificing quality to be the first to market can lead to losing customers to competitors. The small gain from being the first is not worth the risk of losing to competitors with better products.

There is no confirmation on reports that our competitor, Secur-A Corp., is working on an application similar to Optimize. The potential reason for this development could be to generate higher profits in the long term.

AcuScan needs to extend its timeline and allocate more resources to the Optimize project while maintaining a reputation of coherence, as it strives to establish a new industry standard.

To improve its revenue forecast, Gross Revenues should focus on marketing its Bing iScanners to government offices, contractors, banks, and other organizations.