ACUSCAN CASE STUDY

AcuScan Case Study



AcuScan Case Study

This case study will focus on "Operation Optimize" which plans to bring a new retail iScanner to the market. There are two parts to the case study; part one summarizes the case and provides assumptions, argument problems, and issues of the situation(Rick, Koeber, Kraft, 2001). The second part of the case study is an Executive Summary, which includes recommendations for a solution to the company's crisis. Kelly, Pat, Cliff, and Chris have all made assumptions following exchanges in conversation and email concerning the retail version of the iScanner.

Part One

Describe all assumptions seen in any of documents provided in the case study.

Assumptions: Kelly Thomas, Chief Engineer of Products Software

Marketing people don't seem to have any understanding of software

They are making it up as they go along and didn't pay attention during development

They are putting themselves on the line with this project and can't maintain the level of customer service expected by clients

Assumes conversing with Pat will only lead to arguments

Pat knows nothing about Quality Control

Pat went behind his back to the programmers

Assumptions: Pat Lambert, Director of Marketing

That certain employees don't see the path of the launch of the product

There is a conflict between the Marketing and Product Development departments

AcuScan programmers are the best

Kelly thinks he's ignorant based on the QC comment

Kelly undercut him with Chris

Contractors are needed because the problem cannot be solved internally

Analysis of the company will take too long and cost too much

Assumptions: Cliff O'Connor, CEO

The budget cannot be met within the deadline

Pat and Kelly can take care of the budget cuts

Assumptions: Chris Martinas, Vice President of Product Development

Extreme action is necessary

There may be a need to lay off employees to solve the budget issues

Based on conversations with Cliff that he is limited to around $400K

Explain the arguments made by each of these people.

Kelly Thomas

Kelly Thomas has made arguments based on frustrations that she has had with Pat. She is also very bothered by Pat's desire to clear up the issues without consulting her first. Pat Lambert, on the other hand, has general conflicts with the Marketing and Product Development departments. Pat assumes that all of the other departments are ignorant to what needs to be done to fix the issues and wants to bringing in outside contractors to do the job that is not being done internally.

Cliff O'Connor

Cliff O'Connor is kind of out of the loop as the CEO and defers to his staff to solve the budget issues. He relies on their professionalism to take the problem from his plate and come back with a solution. Kelly and Pat cannot seem to come together to solve the issues and end up butting heads over assumptions both have made about the other.

Chris Martinas

Chris Martinas is a person of extremes and is under the assumption that extreme action must be taken in order to alleviate the iScanner budget crunch. Chris even thinks that AcuScan is going to have to lay off employees in order to meet the ...