Why do I agree with Chapter 9 - Discussion Questions What are some obstacles to creating a flexible workforce? What are the benefits? In reviewing the obstacles in creating a flexible workforce, the operations of the plant would not be ran up to full capacity as other plants. There would be times in which the plant would be idle and shifts would be limited to hours in which orders needed to be fulfilled. Additionally, the workforce would also work overtime as needed to ensure the demand for the product is fulfilled, which could be expensive for the organization. The use of a seasonal workforce could also be an issue as the demand fluctuation and the timing of having seasonal workers could conflict in trying to fulfill the needs. In looking at the flexible workforce and the benefits, the organization could potentially use part-time employees to only fulfill the needs of the orders. The organization could also operate the facility only when demand is needed instead of trying to keep the plant open and operational when demand is low. Overall, the reduction of cost capacity could work in favor or against the organization in either way for the workforce. Discuss why the use of subcontractors to handle peak demand can often allow a company to meet demand at lower cost even though the subcontractor price is higher than the average unit cost of the company. In the use of subcontractors, their focus is specific to the job in which they were hired to complete. In utilizing subcontr