Course: Foundation Course (content A) Max Marks: 50 Date: 24/03/22 Time: 60 minutes Answer all questions. Context specific answers are a must. There are 2 printed pages. Q1. Analyze case given below carefully and answer questions that follow by citing appropriate evidences from the case: Case 1: Gem's Inc.: Gem's Get Personal Gem's Inc. wants to get more personal with its customers. The world's largest department store is responding to declining sales by introducing a new organizational structure in which local districts and stores have more autonomy to personalize merchandize and marketing for customers in that area. This change is part of its "My Gem's strategy" developed a year earlier, which is aimed at getting customers to feel a personal connection to the Gem's outlets in their area by ensuring that those stores provide merchandise assortments, size ranges, marketing programmes, and shopping experiences that are more closely aligned to local needs. "Improving sales and earnings performance requires innovation in engaging our customers more effectively in every store, as well as reducing total costs", explains Gem's CEO Terry J. Lundgren. "We believe that right answer is to allocate our resources to place more emphasis and talent at the local market level to differentiate Gem's stores, serve customers, and drive business. In essence, we plan to drive sales growth by improving our knowledge at the local level and then acting quickly on that knowledge so that an edge could be created over the competitors. In addition, we believe our new strategies will speed up decision making, increase efficiency at the local level and simplify the process of working with our vendors". Gem's new organizational structure consists of 20 districts spread across three regions (East, South and West). District managers and their small staff of store merchandisers and planners will be responsible for an average of 10 stores rather than 16 to 18 stores in the previous etrusturs. This narrower span of control gives district staff and management the opportunity to work more closely with each store. The district managers, who report to regional heads, will also have more autonomy to take decisions regarding space allocation, service levels and merchandising within each store. The district store merchandisers will liaise with Gem's central buying executives to understand and act on the merchandize needs of local customers. The district planners will provide market specific intelligence to division planning offices. The company is introducing new systems technology to help the district and store management more accurately stock local stcres with items, brands, garment sizes and colors preferred by customers who shop at those specific locations. District offices will also receive resources to participate in local events. The new structure will result in about 250 people in district offices, which is double the previous number at that level. Mean while, Gem's is laying off more than 2000 employees, many of them from regional offices where many decisions were previously made. Questions: [4*5=20] a) Identify two specific aspects of organizational structure that have changed or are planned to be changed at Gem's. For each aspect, mention what the change is about (mention current aspect & new status). b) Which contingency or situational elements (identify atleast two) suggests that Gem's new Organizational structure is appropriate for its environment in 15-20 words for each. c) Identify any one instance of top-down & bottom-up communication from the given text giving stakeholders and context of communication for each case. d) For each point in answer c) above, identify one challenge and possible solution.

Answer arl questroms, Context specific answers are a mut, There are 2 printed pages: Q1. Analyze case given below carefully and answer questions that follow by citing appropriate evidences from the case; Case 1: Gemis Inc.: Gemis Get Personal Gem's Ine. wants to get more personal with is sustomers. The world's largest department store is responding to declining sales by introducing a new organizational structure in which local districts and stores have more autonomy to personalize merchandize and maketing for customers in that area. This change is part of its 'My Gem's strategy' developed a year earler, which is aimed at getting customers to feel a personal connection to the Gem's outiets in their area by ensuring that those stores provide merchandise assortments, size ranges, markoting programmes, and shopping experiences that are more closaly aligned to local needs. "Improving sales and earnings performance requires innovation in engaging our customers more effectively in every store, as well as reducing total costs", explains Gem's CEO Terry J. Lundpren. "We believe that right answer is to allocate our resources to place more emphasis and talent at the local market level to differentiate Gem's stores, serve customers, and drive business. In essence, we plan to drive sales growth by improving our knowledge at the local levei and then acting quickly on that knowledge so that an edge could be created over the competitors. In addition, we believe our new strategies will speed up decision making, increase efficiency at the local level and simplfy the process of working with our vendors". Gem's new organizational structure consists of 20 districts spread across three regions (East, South and West). District managers and their small staff of stove merchandivers tnd itanners will be responsible for an average of 10 stores rather than 16 to 18 stcres ie the previous thut This narrower span of control gives district staff and management the opportunity to work more closely with each store. The district managers, who report to regional heads, will also have more autonomy to take decisions regarding spoce allocation, service levels and merchandising within exch store The district store merchandisers will liaise wat Cemis central buying executives to understand and act on the merchandize needs of local customers. The ditrict planners will provide market specific intelligence to division planning offices. The company is introdusing new systems technology to help the district and store management more accurately stock local stcres with items, brands, garment sizes and colors preferred by customers who shop at those specific locatons. District offices will also receive resources to participate in local events. The new structure will resut in about 250 people in district olfices, which is double the previous number at that level. Mean while, Gem's is laying off more than 2000 employees, many of them from regional offices where many decisions were previously made Questions: [45=20] B) Identify two specific aspects of organizational structure that have changed or are planned to be changed at Gem's. For each aspect mention what the change is about (mention current aspect & new status). b) Which contingency or situational elements (idently atleast two) suggests that Gem's new Organizational structure is appropriate for its emvironment in 1520 words for esch c) Identify any one instance of top-down 8 botiom-up communication from the given text giving stakeholders and context of communication for each case. d) For each point in answer c) above, idertify one challenge and possible solution