Using the information from the case animation, create a project proposal for Jennifer based on the information from one of the managers.

Provide the client with enough information created in a project proposal to enable her to make a decision as to:

Why your department should be awarded the surplus while addressing the concerns of the other managers?

How the money will be used effectively?

Use the textbook information (Page 75-83) as well as the other resources you have been provided to determine what elements you will include in your formal project proposal.

Please cite your resources.

NARRATOR: Jennifer Childs is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of a midsize global pharmaceutical company with sales offices or manufacturing plants in eight countries. At an October staff meeting she tells her managers that company profits for the year are expected to be two million dollars more than anticipated. >> JENNIFER: So, you see, I would like to reinvest this additional profit by funding projects within the company that will either increase sales or reduce costs. I'd like you three to get together and develop a prioritized list of potential projects and then let's meet. I want you to sell your ideas to me. And don't assume the funds will be divided equally among the three of you. Keep in mind that I'll be willing to put all of the funds into just one project if it seems appropriate. >> NARRATOR: For sometime now, Julie Chen, manager of product development, has had a team of scientists working on a new prescription drug. This effort has been taking much longer than expected. She is worried that larger firms are working on a similar prescription drug and that these firms might get it to the marketplace first. >> JENNIFER: I'd like a detailed analysis and explanation from you on why we haven't had a major breakthrough yet. >> JULIE: Well, you are aware that some tests of our tests have have not been producing the expected results. >> JENNIFER: I'm aware of that, Julie. This is a risky project but you must realize we cannot stop now. The company's long-term growth depends on this new drug, which can be sold worldwide! Anyway, get me that analysis and let's see if we can zero in on the problems. >> NARRATOR: Julie has tried to be optimistic at staff meetings about progress on this development project, but she knows that Jennifer is growing impatient and that her peers believe she should have terminated the project after the initial tests were less than promising. Julie would like to use the additional funds to accelerate the development project. She would hire a highly respected scientist from a larger firm and buy more sophisticated laboratory equipment. >> NARRATOR: Tyler Ripken is manager of production at the firm's largest and oldest manufacturing facility. He has been with the company only six months. His early observation is that the production flow is very inefficient. He believes this is a result of poor planning when additions were made to the plant over the years as the company grew.

>> TYLER: You know, I've been thinking. I would like to form several employee teams to implement a better layout of the equipment in the plant. This will increase plant capacity and reduce costs. But what do you all think? >> JULIE: Well, a long time before you joined, when Jennifer's father was running the business, Jennifer was in charge of production, and she was the one responsible for the design of the current plant layout. >> JEFF: And Jennifer, we already know, is not a fan of using employee teams. She believes production employees are paid to do their jobs, and she expects her managers to be the ones to come up with and implement new ideas. >> NARRATOR: Jeff Matthews is manager of operations. He is responsible for the company's computers and information systems, as well as its accounting operations. Jeff believes that the company's computer systems are outdated, and as the business has grown with locations worldwide, the older computer equipment has been unable to handle the volume of transactions. >> JULIE: You know, we could auction this whole lot of at antique value. >> JEFF: Yeah, I know. A new computer system would do wonders. It'd keep better track of customer orders, reduce customer complaints, issue more timely invoices, and definitely improving the company's cash flow. >> TYLER: Well let's go for it then. I, for one, have to say, we really must buy newer equipment. This lot is going to fall apart on this one of these days and then what will we do? >> JEFF: Maybe then we'll do what Jennifer's been suggesting all along. >> TYLER: And what's that? >> JEFF: Look into hiring an outside service to do the accounting operations and reduce our own staff. >> NARRATOR: Jennifer has, in fact, told Jeff in the past that she is not interested in spending money on new computers just for the sake of having the latest equipment, especially if the current system is working all right. So now Jeff would like to use this year's excess profits to buy new computers and to hire a computer programmer to upgrade the software to run on the new computers. He feels that this would be cost-effective. Meanwhile Joe Sanchez, manager of marketing, stops by Jennifer's office. >> JOE: May I come in? >> JULIE: Of course. Please, have a seat.

>> JOE: I know I've not been asked to come up with project ideas for extra profit, but I'd like to share my thoughts with you on this. >> JULIE: Yes, why don't you? >> JOE: Well, if I may speak plainly, I think you should forget about new profitable projects and just give me a larger budget to hire more sales representatives in several additional countries. That would increase faster than anything else. >> JULIE: Hmm. Go on. >> JOE: That's what your father would have done. >> NARRATOR: Joe is counting on disagreements among the other three managers in establishing priorities. He hopes that if Jennifer sees a lack of consensus, she might give him funds to hire the additional sales representatives. >> NARRATOR: How should Jennifer go about making her decision? What kind of additional data or information should she collect? What exactly should Jennifer require the others to submit in the way of proposals? What do you think Jennifer should do with the two million? In explaining your answer, address the concerns and positions of Julie, Tyler, Jeff, and Joe.