Initial Post

During the past seven weeks, you have been on a journey to better understand the concept of management and how todays and tomorrows managers and leaders will need to navigate complexity. Among other topics, this course has focused on Planning, Leading, Organizing, and Controlling. This learning activity will help you pull together what you have learned so that you can use it in your career.

Your posting should answer the questions posed using the course materials to support the ideas presented. It is important to write concisely and to follow the detailed instructions provided below. Include in-text citations and references in a reference list. For citation examples, use the APA Resources on the Content page.

Case Discussion: Smithfield Custom Furniture (Part 4 Conclusion)

This case discussion continues with the Smithfield Furniture Company. (You may desire to briefly review the facts provided to you in Discussions 13 to address this weeks discussion.)

It is now April 1, 2020. The 2015 purchase of You Figure it Out was culminated and the planned integration of their manufacturing and sales, as described in Discussion 3, fully completed.

The company now has 411 stores and 24,000 employees. 344 of the 411 retail outlets all sell the upscale and moderately priced lines; 51 retail outlets (Texas (6), California (13), New York (15), Nevada (4), Florida (9), and North Carolina (4)) sell only the You Figure it Out brand. These 51 stores employ 2,000 of the 24,000 workers.

There are 16 stores overseas, Spain (4), France (4), Germany (4), and England (4), that sell all 3 product lines. These stores employ 1,000 workers. Half of these employees work in the retail stores and the other half work at various seaports in their countries receiving furniture and delivering the furniture produced in the US to various stores and customers.

In 2015, Margot Smithfield and the 12-member board of directors purchased You Figure it Out, a moderately profitable 51 store chain of ultra-modern furniture. The furniture and furniture-related accessories of You Figure it Out were all made in China, but with the 2015 acquisition, all furniture is manufactured at 1 of the 5 furniture manufacturing plants in the United States. Their retail stores are located in Texas (6), California (13), New York (15), Nevada (4), Florida (9), and North Carolina (4).

2019 Gross Sales (all product lines) $1.6 Billion US. 2019 Net Profit $440 Million April 30, 2020 (Cash Reserves) $2.8 Billion

60% of sales, gross revenues, and expenses are associated with the upscale product line. 25% of sales, gross revenues, and expenses are associated with the You Figure it Out product line. 15% of sales, gross revenues, and expenses are associated with overseas outlets. In other words, for the purpose of this case activity, all 3 product lines are proportional in terms of revenue and expenses.

The Management Issue: Presently, it is believed that as early as March 2020, the possibility exists for the company to be in the throes of a worldwide rapidly spreading, high contagious, debilitating, and often fatal viral pandemic. The company must plan for this eventuality to occur.

Your Task for Your Initial Post

Margot Smithfield has requested you, based on the course materials you have studied the past seven weeks related to Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling, to briefly discuss (supported by course materials. in-text citations, and references) the major impact this pandemic will have on Smithfield Custom Furniture's Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling functions. You can assume a vaccine will be available and distributed worldwide 18 months from the start of the pandemic.

After you have discussed the major impact the pandemic will have on the company's Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling functions, you must indicate for each of those functions the most significant action the company will need to take to ensure its survival, assuming the pandemic's effects will last 18 months.

Format for Your Initial Post

You must use the exact numbers and their corresponding headings for each of your initial post. You are required to use when appropriate in-text citations and a reference list.

1. Pandemic: Major Effects on Planning for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company

1A: Pandemic: Most Significant Planning Action for Company

2. Pandemic: Major Effects on Organizing for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company

2A: Pandemic: Most Significant Organizing Action for Company

3. Pandemic: Major Effects on Leading for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company

3 A: Pandemic: Most Significant Leading Action for Company

4. Pandemic: Major Effects on Controlling for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company

4A: Pandemic: Most Significant Controlling Action for Company

Two Options for Your Required Replies to Classmates

Option 1 is that you will find an issue of the classmate to whom you respond with which you disagree. You must state why you believe there is a better manner to address a particular issue that differs from your classmates response. You must state the major idea associated with your choice and why that idea applies to the issue more appropriately. Your reply must be supported with course materials, in-text citations, and references.

Option 2 occurs if you agree with all of a particular classmates initial posting responses. In that case, you must expand on one issue that your classmate presented. Your enhancement will provide more depth or other related factors that your classmate should consider. Your reply must be supported with course materials, in-text citations, and references.