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CASE FOR ANALYSIS TopDog Software 105 At the age of 39, after working for nearly 15 years at a leading Fast Data, has been talking up its global aspirations in the sofrware company on the West Coast, Ari Weiner and his press. "If we stay focused on the United States and they soon-to-be-wife, Mary Carpenter, had cashed in their stock start out as a global player, they'll kill us within months!" options, withdrawn all their savings, maxed out their credit Sam moaned. "We've got to come up with an international cards, and started their own business, naming it TopDog strategy to deal with this kind of competition." Software after their beloved Alaskan malamute. The two had in a series of group meetings, off-site retreats, and one- developed a new software package for root cause analysis on-one conversations, Weiner and Carpenter have gathered (RCA) applications that they were certain was far superior opinions and ideas from their partners, employees, advisors, to anything on the marker at that time. TopDog's software and friends. Now they have to make a decision-should was particularly effective for use in design engineering TopDog go global? And if so, what approach would be organizations because it provided a highly efficient way to most effective? There's a growing market for RCA software eliminate problems in new digital manufacturing processes, overseas, and new companies such as Fast Data will soon be including product development, software engineering, cutting into TopDog's U.S. market share as well. Samantha hardware design, manufacturing, and installation. The Jenkins isn't alone in her belief that TopDog has no software, which could be used as a standalone product or choice but to enter new international markets or get caten casily integrated with other software packages, dramatically alive. Others, however, are concerned that TopDog isn't expedited problem identification and corrective actions in ready for that step. The company's resources are already the work of design engineering firms. The use of TopDog's stretched to the limit, and some advisors have warned RCA software would find an average of 30 to 50 root cause that rapid global expansion could spell disaster. TopDog problems and provide 20 to 30 corrective actions that isn't even well established in the United States, they argue, lowered defect rates by 50 percent, saving tens and sometimes and expanding internationally could strain the company's hundreds of thousands of dollars with each application, capabilities and resources. Others have pointed out that The timing proved to be right on target. RCA was just none of the managers has any international experience, and getting hot, and TopDog was poised to take advantage of the company would have to hire someone with significant the trend as a niche player in a growing market. Weiner global exposure to even think about entering new markets. and Carpenter brought in two former colleagues as Although Mary tends to agree that TopDog for the time partners and were soon able to catch the attention of a being should stay focused on building its business in the venture capitalist firm to gain additional funding. Within United States, Ari has come to believe that global expansion a couple of years, TopDog had 28 employees and sales had of some type is a necessity. But if TopDog does eventually reached nearly S4 million. decide on global expansion, he wonders how on earth they Now, though, the partners are facing the company's should proceed in a huge, complex world environment. Sam, first major problem. TopDog's head of sales, Samantha the sales manager, is arguing that the company should set Jenkins, has learned of a new company based in Norway up its own small foreign offices from scratch and staff them that is beta testing a new RCA package that promises to primarily with local people. Building a U.K. office and an outpace TopDog's-and the Norway-based company, Asian office, she asserts, would give TopDog an ideal base for 3. Development of Alternatives to Address the Problem Statement: 4. Evaluation of Alternatives, and Recommend One: 5. Implementation Plan of Chosen Alternative: 6. Evaluation of Chosen Alternative For Effectiveness