Essay Exam 2
In this paper, you’ll address one topic given in the question. You have 2 pages to answer the question.In answering the question, please explainwhich position you take. In doing so, also include what you think the major arguments against your position are, and explain in your view why they are not justified. You are expected torelyonly upon evidence from course materials (readings, lectures, and discussions) to make your argument.This is not a research paper.You will be graded on the thoughtfulness and creativity of your analysis and by yourcompleteunderstanding of the course material.
A hard copy of your assignment is
due at the beginning of class March 7, 2014, and you must also submit
your paper on bSpace no later than 12 noon on March 7, 2014. No extensions will
be given for any reason, and late papers will lose one-third letter grade per
day.
Question
You are the CEO of an American manufacturing company that operates 15 factories across the United States. One of these factories is located in Concord, California. It employs 5,000 people and is the main driver of Concord’s local economy. Due to competition pressures facing your business, however, you’ve been challenged by the board of directors to cut the costs of doing business.Assume that if you don’t make the cuts, they will find someone who can.
Question
You are the CEO of an American manufacturing company that operates 15 factories across the United States. One of these factories is located in Concord, California. It employs 5,000 people and is the main driver of Concord’s local economy. Due to competition pressures facing your business, however, you’ve been challenged by the board of directors to cut the costs of doing business.Assume that if you don’t make the cuts, they will find someone who can.
The Concord
factory consistently ranks as one of your most expensive and least productive
factories. You’ve identified two options:
(1) Shutter the Concord plant and outsource its operations to the Philippines,
or
(2) Reduce the Concord plant’s costs by automating 30 percent of its workforce and cutting the remaining employee's wages and benefits by 25% over the next 3 years.
(2) Reduce the Concord plant’s costs by automating 30 percent of its workforce and cutting the remaining employee's wages and benefits by 25% over the next 3 years.
You know that Option
1 guarantees the viability of the manufacturing company in the long run, but
will cause significant economic pain for the entire town of Concord. Option 2
guarantees the viability of your company for just 2-3 years, will raise the ire
of your investors and board of directors but help preserve the larger economy
of Concord.
You have to settle on a recommendation for the board of directors by
tonight. Choose one option for your final recommendation. Discuss the societal consequences of
both options as well as whom the winners and losers are associated with your
decision. Be thorough in your incorporation of material from the first 6 weeks
of the course.
Paper Guidelines:
- Papers
should be 2 pages TOTAL. Bibliography may be a third page.
- Double
or 1.5 spaced
- Size 12 font
- With 1-inch margins.
- Include a cover sheet with your name and student ID OR you may
write you name in pencil on the back of the last page. Your name should
NOT appear anywhere else on the paper. Please put your student ID in
header on all pages.
- If you reference readings and lectures from the course, please do
so in APA, MLA, or Chicago Manual of Style format. Your bibliography does
not count toward your page count.
-
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