Peter Browning Case
1. What are Browning’s are the dilemmas at White Cap? Explain
Peter Browning’s job is to revitalize a mature business in the face of serious competitive threats, but without discouraging the loyalty and morale of a family style culture. Market share of plastic bottles was growing fast and White Cap is losing customers due to that, so a change is necessary. However, few managers or employees at White Cap acknowledged the need for change and were resistant to change. Employees have been accustomed to a culture of little change, and consisted of years of rituals, ceremonies and traditions set by the White family. They are extremely loyal due to their expectation of job security and generous benefits. Browning was asked by Continental to reduce salary and administrative costs, so rapid change by Peter Browning could run the risk of an employee uproar.
2. What should his broad change objectives be? What time frame is needed? In my opinion, to meet his appointment order, Browning should make three major changes. First of all, he should open communication with his subordinates and employees to let them realize the necessity of change in White Cap set new strategy for company to adapt the change in market conditions, which is the need for plastic cap closure. And he should implement this objective immediately after his appointment. Secondly, Browning should change White Cap’s culture. This is the most difficult problem and definitely very hard to achieve in the short run. It could take years, however, he should start changing it gradually. Thirdly, he should change the way of management to improve company’s performance without threatening White Cap’s image as soon as possible. For example, marketing and sales department should spend more time with existing customers and aggressively in developing new customers to maintain market share. HR department should motivate the employees with new surprises and incentives, not just maintain all the traditional and
Peter Browning’s job is to revitalize a mature business in the face of serious competitive threats, but without discouraging the loyalty and morale of a family style culture. Market share of plastic bottles was growing fast and White Cap is losing customers due to that, so a change is necessary. However, few managers or employees at White Cap acknowledged the need for change and were resistant to change. Employees have been accustomed to a culture of little change, and consisted of years of rituals, ceremonies and traditions set by the White family. They are extremely loyal due to their expectation of job security and generous benefits. Browning was asked by Continental to reduce salary and administrative costs, so rapid change by Peter Browning could run the risk of an employee uproar.
2. What should his broad change objectives be? What time frame is needed? In my opinion, to meet his appointment order, Browning should make three major changes. First of all, he should open communication with his subordinates and employees to let them realize the necessity of change in White Cap set new strategy for company to adapt the change in market conditions, which is the need for plastic cap closure. And he should implement this objective immediately after his appointment. Secondly, Browning should change White Cap’s culture. This is the most difficult problem and definitely very hard to achieve in the short run. It could take years, however, he should start changing it gradually. Thirdly, he should change the way of management to improve company’s performance without threatening White Cap’s image as soon as possible. For example, marketing and sales department should spend more time with existing customers and aggressively in developing new customers to maintain market share. HR department should motivate the employees with new surprises and incentives, not just maintain all the traditional and