Case Study for Acuscan, Inc

Critical Case Study Assignment

Maurine Shaughnessy

GEN/480

Paul C. Moretti, M.B.A.

September 12, 2006

I am the newly hired Vice President of Organizational Development. My responsibilities include creating the Organizational Development Department. I look forward to working with all of you especially with finding a new and improved product based on our already developed retinal scanning system iScanner. First of all I am going to discuss assumptions made by Kelly Thomas, Pat Lambert, Cliff O'Connor and Chris Martinas. After each employee assumptions will be their arguments and my evaluation of whether the argument is sound or unsound and why.

Kelly Thomas - Senior Engineer, Product Development

1. Assumed that Pat, Director of Marketing knew nothing about QC (quality control).

2. Assumed that all the features for the retinal scanner could not be developed in the time frame allotted.

3. Assumed that due to lay-offs last year they would not have the staff to develop a new product.

4. Assumed the customer would be "short changed" because the company may not be able to comply with the customers expectations.

5. Assumed Pat did not have any technology experience because his past experience was with the cereal business.

6. Assumed Pat was going behind his back because Pat spoke to the programmers first without consulting with Kelly.

Kelly argued that new product was much more complicated to produce than Pat had implied. He also argued that Pat had no understanding as to how the iScanner worked and would have a better understanding if Pat took the time to involve him in other areas of the business not just marketing.

Kelly's argument was logical and sound because he based his decision on the time it took the staff to develop the iScanner. Past history of creating a new product can give you an idea of how long it would take to produce a new product. He also did not want to jeopardize his reputation or the company's by producing and inadequate product.

Pat Lambert - Director of Marketing

1. Assumed the new product would be a simple addition to the new product.

2. Assumed programmers had plenty of time to work on new product even though he knew staff was cut last year.

3. Assumed because they were not agreeing with him they were not committed to the new product.

4. Assumed that the job could be done by outside contractors in the specified time frame. Also with money being a problem.

5. Assumed a meeting would resolve all problems.

6. Assumed the customer would be happy with whatever product was developed and launched.

7. Assumed Kelly was being a "smart ass" because he questioned his knowledge about QC.

Pat argued that the scanner needed to be launched in retail, not banks or other easy markets. He also argued with Chris, Kelly's manager, that Kelly informed him that it would not be a problem to expand the iScanner. Another argument he made is he had bigger problems than to listen to than answering other questions presented by other staff members.

Pats decision to launch a new product in a new market was sound. To be the first company on the market with a new product to get ahead of your competitors is a good market strategy. His idea to use an outside contractor was unsound because we are already in a budget deficit and there is now guarantee that the contractor would have the product completed in time. His statement about having bigger problems than to answer questions from other staff members was an emotional one. I think he felt nobody wanted to work with him and he was taking on this responsibility all by himself. Kelly evidently mislead him was his feelings.

Pats had two fallacious arguments. The first being that he stated other staff members din not the new product developed was fallacious. The other staff members had been with the company longer than Pat and knew what they had to accomplish in order to get a new product off and running. Another fallacious statement was that an outside contractor would be able to produce the new product in the allotted time given. The outside contractor is unfamiliar with the company's product. So the contractor would have to take the same steps as AcuScan to produce a new product.

Cliff O'Connor - CEO

1. Assumed Pat's history in marketing for a cereal industry would enable

him to produce the new product for AcuScan, Inc.

2. Assumed the staff would overcome any