United Beverages Product Development Strategy Case Study
GangBusters Interactive Beverages, the flagship beverage product created and marketed by United Beverages, Inc., has enjoyed sustained success over the past 5 years as well as widespread brand recognition including a collectors' following on the level with Pez Candy dispensers. Recently, however, the sales of GangBuster product lines have slowed and in this study, the product development team at United Beverage evaluates new approaches for future growth based on three potential courses of action. The study examines the factors that the product development team must consider when developing future plans and provides a summary of the research and recommendations in the conclusion.
Managing Workplace Diversity: Challenges and Strategies
Managing Diversity
Diversity is a fact of American and International business and is a broader, more complex issue than one might initially believe. This paper will address the breadth and complexity of Diversity by reviewing: the nature of Diversity; legally protected classes within the United States; aspects of Diversity that fall outside the scope of U. S. legal protections; the benefits of Diversity for employers; the differences/challenges presented by Diversity for employers; general business adjustments/accommodations for Diversity; and suggested specific business adjustments/accommodations for Diversity. Though this paper cannot exhaustively address all aspects of Diversity, it is hoped that a review of all those aspects will give a good overview of modern businesses' Diversity issues and possible solutions. The nature of Diversity is shown to be much broader than the classes legally protected by U.S. Law; it also includes global issues created by international business and classes, such as our four generations of American workers, extending far beyond the narrow confines of U.S. law. As we have seen from our sources, there are many benefits for companies embracing Diversity, not only in "doing the right thing" but also in basic business advantages of greater employee skills, attraction for consumers and greater profitability.
Despite these advantages, Diversity exposes businesses to differences/challenges, such as the attitude of some businesspeople; societal prejudice; different attitudes of different cultures; the apparent tendency of business to inadequately honor international cultural differences; prejudice against Middle-Eastern workers in view of 09/11; challenges when women & minorities are not proportionately represented in upper management; and challenges presented by the different traits and expectations of our four generations of American workers. In order to meet those differences/challenges, most sources seem to agree on general business adjustments/accommodations for Diversity, such as: recognition of Diversity; recognizing the need for Diversity Training; establishing a "corporate culture" embracing Diversity and inclusion through communication, clear policy and insistence on Diversity; Diversity coaching; a clear plan for company-wide Diversity, with the company acting as a "moderator" of those values; training involving a "top-to-bottom" approach in which Diversity values start with the CEO and move down and throughout the company. Finally, some sources have offered propositions, simple plans and very complex plans for Diversity programs, all of which seem to agree with the general principles that the positive embrace of Diversity must come from the highest reaches of a company, move down through company channels and spread throughout the company for the greatest success.