+1 862 207 3288 Case Study 3 – The Four Functions of Management
Carl Thomas worked for one of the big outdoor sporting goods stores for more than seven years. Although he never completed his degree, Carl took some management courses at the local community college. The knowledge he gained from his coursework along with his own tenacity enabled him to rise into entry-level management. Although Carl enjoyed his job, he couldn’t help wondering if there was more to life. Carl always wanted to open his own business because he wanted to be his own boss and thought he might be able to earn a decent living.
Recently, retired from a career with the school system as a PE teacher and sports coach, Carl’s Uncle John was looking to fulfill his dream of having an outdoor adventure business. He had inherited some property years back but had not done anything with the land to this point. When Uncle John learned that Carl was thinking along the same lines, he determined it was time to start a business. The two decided to go into business together and brought in Carl’s younger brother, Joe, who was working part-time as an athletic trainer. The trio combined their savings and started hashing out a plan to use the five acres of land that Uncle John had inherited.
The concept was simple…to open a business where teenagers, young adults, and work teams from local businesses could enjoy hours of outdoor fun and entertainment. There was limited sports and entertainment for the target audience so the family decided to open a themed outdoor paint ball park, which they called Outdoor Adventure Paintball Park. Outdoor Adventure offers customers a choice of five battlefields, each offering a different level of play.
Each field provides a unique experience for hours of enjoyment. There is the civil war field with a simulated headquarters and trenches; an old castle, which is made of multiple levels and a tower; the woods, which offers a true woodsy battle with placement of several man-made buildings for additional cover; the village, which is a large field with a wooded section running down one side, a two story building and bunkers in the middle, with a creek running down the other side; and the hill, which contains a wooded section and a number of bunkers on a steep incline. A small store is strategically placed in a location central to the fields to eliminate the need for guests to leave the playing area.
The costs to customers vary, with rental packages starting at $25 per person. Customers may also purchase a la carte based on their individual needs. Additionally, season passes are available for a cost of $150 and birthday party packages are available for $300. The minimum age to participate in a paint ball event is 10 years.
In addition to the five battle fields, there are six air ball fields that are formatted for 3, 5 and 7-man tournament play. Air ball fields offer a variety of layouts that are constantly changed to keep up with the latest craze in tournament play. Many of the fields have dedicated fill stations to eliminate the need for players to leave the field to reload.
The facility also includes a shooting gallery designed to allow individuals to sharpen their shooting skills. The gallery contains high velocity paint guns and a variety of still and moving targets. Players may practice aiming, have shootouts or just blast away at targets for sheer enjoyment.
Carl manages the business and spends most of his time in his office with the door closed, Joe trains new employees and supervises paint ball events, and Uncle John has oversight of the shooting gallery. The business started with three employees but has grown quickly to a staff of 20.
The venture seemed like a good idea. The family’s passion for sports and working with youth appeared to be paying off. There are loyal repeat customers who purchase expensive equipment and supplies from Joe. These customers also enjoy attending extra training and information sessions. The tournaments have become popular and the local news has been covering the events. Moreover, the business has a reputation for being a safe family friendly environment.
However, recently, Outdoor Adventure has been experiencing growing pains. Scheduling is becoming more challenging as the activities on the field increase. Staff is pulled from one area of the park to provide coverage in another. Employees are starting to complain that they do not understand their job duties outside of the paint ball fields and feel they need additional training and procedures. Additionally, a major event was missed due to double-booking. A number of customers have expressed their displeasure with the service and, as a result, spending less time on the field. Local businesses are not responding to special discounts for employee events. There has been an increase in workplace mistakes but fortunately these have not resulted in serious accidents. Customers and employees are starting to question the leadership and often ask, “How long can a business like this one last?” or “Who’s running the show?”
Carl has noticed a dip in sales and is now starting to feel they are losing control of the business. While the two closest competitors are 30 – 45 miles away and do not offer nearly the same amenities, Carl understands that if they do not do something quickly, their customer base may decide travel to the competition. Moreover, his passion for owning a sports-oriented business is waning. He is concerned about the continued success of the business but the work no longer seems fun or interesting.
Uncle John, on the other hand, is not interested in discussing the books and does not see any need to worry. He is not concerned about what he calls “a few random incidents” and sees the dip in sales as an indication that it would be a good idea to expand the offering. In fact, he has been presented with the possibility of forming a paint ball competing team. He feels this opportunity is too big to pass up and wants to convince the others that it’s a good time to pursue.
Case Study #3: The Four Functions of
Management
Instructions
Case Study #3: The Four Functions of Management
Students will read the case study that focuses on the four functions of management: planning,
organizing, leading and controlling (P-O-L-C). You have been hired as a consultant to help Carl Thomas
and his family to solve the problems with his business. You will create a management plan that covers
the four functions of management. In creating the management plan, you must also demonstrate how
the four functions of management are interrelated showing how issues in one function impact other
functions.
In speaking with Carl, Joe and John, you alread y know the following about the business owners:
1. failed to develop or share a mission statement;
2. failed to determine the best way to or ganize resources, including personnel;
3. underestimates the importance of recruitmen t, job design and descriptions, and training;
4. assumed that motivation will occur naturally;
5. fails to define standards and other measurable outcomes;
6. ignored negative information;
7. delayed actions to improve organizational outcomes.
Resource that will help you develop the mini-management plan:
How to Make a Management Plan
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of- contents/leadership/effective- manager/management-plan/main
Management Plan Example
Management Plan Examples
Required Elements of the Management Plan
Students will create a management plan that helps Carl, Joe and John run the business, both day-to-day
and over the long term (strategically). Be succinct in your writing but persuasive so that the
recommendations will have positive outcomes for the business.
Students are not using buzz-word and are not defining terms using a dictionary. Students are expected to
present the material in a prof essional manner describing and explaining to the owners. As a consultant,
you should be secure in your presentation so there are no Carl, Joe and John should do this or do that or
they needs to do this or do that bu t present in an action-oriented manner. Students are expected to make
connections between the facts of the case study and co ncepts, theories, and ideas presented in the course
material.
• In creating the mana gement plan, students will first assess the business and identify specific areas
of stre ngths and weaknesses of the business as it relates to the components of the P-O-L-C. In
completing this section, do not create a heading for each element of the P-O-L-C but writ e from
the perspective of the consultant discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the business;
• Select a management model (class hi erarchy, democratic hierarchy, collaborative management or
collective management) and explain why the selected model is most appropriate for Outd oor
Adventure Pai ntball Park;
• Develop roles and responsibility of the owners and employees (Be creative in completing this
task);
• Discuss why these positions are necessary to the business;
• Make specific recommendations for improving the management of Outdoor Adventure Paintball
Park. Cover all aspects of the P-O-L-C. This area of the paper specif ically addresses the areas of
strengths and weaknesses identified above and puts in place a plan for the short and long –ter m
s uccess of the business;
• Create a balanced scorecard that will help Ou tdoor Adventure Paintball Park align its business
activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improves communication and mo nitors
performance against goals;
• Students are expected to show what they have learned in the course by applying theories and
concepts. Be sure to support your reasoning.
Required Formatting of Management Plan:
• The management plan should be single-spaced, 12-point font, and between 6-8 pages in length
excluding the title page and reference page.
• Title page with your name, the course name, the date, and the instructor’s name.
• An introductory paragraph, a summary paragr aph and the use of headings are required;
• Use the course material to support your reasoning. Outside resources may be used but the main
resources must come from the classroom;
• Use APA formatting for in-tex t citations and reference page. You are expected to paraphrase and
not us e quotes other than in identifying the mission statement and vision statement.
• In citing sources, the page number/paragra ph of the cited source must be provided;
• Write in the third person;
• Submit paper in the Assignment Folder.
