A Study of Herman Miller’s Cradle-to-Cradle Design Case
In the case of “Cradle-to-Cradle Design at Herman Miller: Moving Toward Environmental Sustainability”, the company faces a dilemma of using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) arm pads for the Mirra chair, or replacing PVC with a “greener” material thermoplastic urethane (TPU) (Lee & Bony, 2009). Considering the long-term benefits of adopting PVC-free approach, the company should offer the Mirra chair with TPU arm pads. This article will introduce the problem Herman Miller has encountered, examine the effectiveness of the two main solutions, and justify the decision of eliminating PVC arm pads. Then, it will take a look at Aveda’s design process on their cradle-to-cradle (C2C) product, and relate
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To implement the protocol, Herman Miller made new human resource arrangements, trained the employees, developed C2C measures for the material, and replaced some hazardous materials ((Lee & Bony, 2009). However, the high-performance material for arm pads, PVC, is against the C2C protocol, due to its toxic emission during manufacture (Lee & Bony, 2009, p.1). An alternative material, TPU, with a higher cost still needs to be tested. Both development and supply chain management teams prefer PVC, while the Design for Environment (DfE) team intends to adopt TPU (Lee & Bony, …show more content…
It is also easier to work with suppliers, since PVC is a known product (Lee & Bony, 2009). While the major drawback of this material is that the product would not be deemed as a C2C and PVC-free product (Lee & Bony, 2009). Using TPU instead is multi-beneficial in the long run. Firstly, the company can market itself as an environmental friendly company better, by producing the “first highly engineered product to use the C2C protocol” (Lee & Bony, 2009, p.10). Moreover, it is a precious opportunity to launch the product on the coming annual trade fair, where customers will come for the most recent designs (Lee & Bony, 2009, p.11). The PVC-free chair will be mind-blowing at the fair, considering more customers starting to acknowledge environmental performance as an important aspect. In addition, this product will set a new industry standard for sustainability, inspiring the suppliers and the competitors in this industry to develop their product according to C2C protocol. However, since TPU is still a newly identified material, “testing with production tooling at higher volume still needed to be done”, and not to mention that TPU is uneconomical (Lee & Bony, 2009, p.11). Besides, the public might expect all other products from Herman Miller to be PVC-free (Lee & Bony, 2009,
You are the social media director for Tiblana Candle Company. Tiblana is a manufacturer and sells candles through partner retail stores such as novelty stores found in shopping malls, as well as big box retail and department stores, and online through sites such as Amazon.com. The company has a solid 20-year reputation for making popular household decor candles in a variety of scents and colors. Candles are sold in elegant, well-branded boxes. The primary customer base is women 30-45 years old (but Tiblana wants to start targeting women 45-60 as well). Tiblana’s CRM data shows that customers average eight purchases each over lifetime, very good for their niche. The company is profitable and growing.
Marvin Pickering was a science high school teacher in Will County, Illinois. Pickering was dismissed from his job after he wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper, Lockport Harold. The letter was sarcastically criticizing the way his superintendent and school board raised and spent funds. The superintendent and school board took offense to the comments within the letter and dismissed Marvin Pickering from his teaching job.
In the early 2000’s Lowe’s was rapidly intensifying its presence nationwide. The company carried a varied assortment of home improvement products and catered to the needs of retail as well as commercial business customers. Lowe’s expanded their reach by acquiring a 41-store chain, Eagle Hardware and Garden, and engaging in a strategic alliance with HGTV to obtain a more profound existence in their market (Rouse, 2005). By 2004, Lowe’s operated almost 1,000 stores with plans to continue expansion across the nation (Rouse, 2005). The company has a core competency in helping customers meet their home improvement needs at a low price. In order to use this core competency to gain a competitive advantage, the company has focused on key functional strategies. To continue their success, Lowe’s must specifically focus on marketing, logistics, and human resource management strategies.
1. How was Lincoln able to grow and prosper for so long in such a difficult commodity industry that forced out other giants such as General Electric, Westinghouse and BOC? What is the source of Lincoln’s outstanding and enduring success?
The 3 percent decline in sales causing a 21 percent decline in profits can be attributed to the identification of the accounting concept of operating leverage. Operating leverage is what business managers apply to boost small changes in revenue into sizable changes in profitability. Fixed cost is the force managers use to attain disproportionate changes between revenue and profitability. Therefore, when all costs are fixed every sales dollar contributes one dollar toward the potential profitability of a project. Once sales dollars cover fixed costs, each additional sales dollar represents pure profit. A small change in sales volume can significantly affect profitability (Edmonds, Tsay, & Olds, 2011). So, therefore, if sales volume increases,
The retail stores of JC Penney and Sears have face headlines of “Which is Worst: JCP or Sears?” The end maybe near for both companies (Andersen2014). The customers look at the employees like their idiots. The public believes that poor management is the reason for the down fall of these companies. Eddie Lambert and Ron Johnson are the CEO’s of being credited to running these companies with wrong management strategies (Andersen 2014). Ron Johnson who is now the former CEO was highly qualified with his retail instincts tried to run the store like a retail boutique. He never took the time to consult a survey on what the consumer’s thought were and after two years he jeopardized the company (Andersen 2014). Whereas the CEO Eddie Lambert of Sears
Under what conditions might the parties to the alliance discussed in this case dissolve or end the relationship?
General Motors has made great progress towards diversity however, it took the lawsuit in order for the company to do so. Adding females and minority to the upper management. Had the HR department of General Motors followed the EEOC regulations, this lawsuit could have been avoided.
Case Study of The Home Depot Preface This Essentials of Strategic Management assignment has been made by three persons which have been working together and individually to finish the assignment properly and in time. Secondly, we would like to thank the company whose websites we were able to visit and use, to get additional information that we could use for leading the assignment of Home Depot to a successful ending. We can say, that it was a pleasure to work on this assignment and would, in the third place, like to thank each other. The persons who worked on this assignment, for the effort and time that is put in the assignment, that brought us to this finished version.
There is an emphasis on supplier diversity at GM. GM hopes having a diverse supply base will promote competition and good business practices that will allow many suppliers a chance to work together with GM to design and build parts for vehicles. The formal Supplier Diversity Program was established in 1968. Since then, the program has received numerous rewards. The program has created a Supplier Diversity Council which allows GM information and supplier concerns to be shared.
How should McDonald’s respond when ads promoting healthy lifestyles featuring Ronald McDonald are equated with Joe Camel and cigarette ads? Should McDonald’s eliminate Ronald McDonald in its ads?
Business growth general is assumed to be good; bigger is assumed to be better (Hess, 2011), but if the proper planning is not in place it can lead to a business failure. Beginning a business based on something she loved, and needed in her life Susan Feller made the brave decision to build a successful business by baking and selling gluten-free cakes and desserts. After her retirement she focused on her dream and solving her own issue, finding food safe and healthy to eat for those, like herself, with Celiac disease and gluten allergies, but they also had to be delicious. Feller had some tough decisions to make as a small business owner, would she be able to keep up with the demand, how can she grow her business and what if she decided she had had enough and wanted to close the business? These are all decisions any business owner have to face at one point or another.
Don Bradish was recently hired to fix scheduling issues with the new company in which he works, The Fitzgerald Machine Company. There are a few relevant facts that were given in this case study. The first and foremost fact is Mr. Bradish was hired because the company is having issue with their scheduling. This is important because he comes in with a relevant degree and years of experience with a reputable company. He is going to be looked for to find a solution to the issue outlined in the case study. The second relevant fact in the case study is that the company that The Fitzgerald Machine Company is working with is having labor issues. This is considerable because the $300,000 order is a considerably large
Hennes & Mauritz AB (H&M) is a well-known fashion retailing firm that sells fast-fashion clothing for women and youngsters. It is based in Stockholm, Sweden. As of 2013, H&M operates around 2,600 stores in over 55 countries and employed around 116,000 work forces.
Charles and Keith uses synthetic materials and polyurethane to ensure affordable prices of their products (Singapore Press Holding, 2009). However, the qualities of the products are not compromised despite its inexpensive prices. The managing director Charles Wong reassured the customers that although the ...