Background to a new Program: Many motorcycle riders who are severely injured in

Question

Background to a new Program: Many motorcycle riders who are severely injured in motorcycle-related accidents desire to return to riding motorcycles. The Vice President of Marketing within your business is one such injured motorcycle enthusiast. Two years ago while riding his motorcycle, the marketing vice president suffered injuries from a hit-and-run accident that left him paralyzed below the waist. However, he desires to ride again. In his desire, he also sees a marketing opportunity for other injured motorcycle enthusiast. The VP envisions a motorcycle stabilization devise attached to a motorcycle that allows a paraplegic to safely operate a motorcycle again. A long-time rider, the VP understands that a paraplegic rider requires a means to stabilize a motorcycle at low-speeds and stopped conditions. At cursing speeds, a stabilization devise is not needed, however at cursing speeds, the devise must retract. Additionally, for this stabilization devise to reach a wider range of customers, the design of the stabilization devise would need to meet the design configurations for a variety of motorcycles. The VP of Marketing made a marketing presentation of the stabilization devise to corporate executives. The Corporate CEO approved building eight prototype devises and marketing these devises at the 2015 Progressive International Motorcycle Show, at Long Beach, California, November 20-22.   The stabilization devise program is name “Easy Rider”.

The primary objective of Program Easy Rider, research, design, and produce a universal motorcycle stabilization devise that modifies a motorcycle for a paraplegic rider. This program offers one solution that will be applicable to a variety of motorcycle designs and models. The VP will use one of the stabilization devises for a road trip from Dallas, Texas to Long Beach, California for the November 20-22, 2015 Progressive International Motorcycle Show. The program manager, in coordination with five project teams, oversees research, design, and testing of a stabilization devise for six major motorcycle companies: Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, Hero MotoCorp, Baja Auto, and Harvey Division.

The stabilization devise must simulate what a rider’s legs do to stabilize a motorcycle. The specifications for the stabilization devise include a manual extendable and retractable stabilization devise that stabilizes a motorcycle at low speeds and at a stop. The stabilization devise will fit on the top 10 on-road motorcycles produced. The program manager envisions five phases in creating and marketing a functional stabilization devise. Phase one begins with a research project team. This project team will research current designs, potential material, and mounting options for the top 10 on-road motorcycles. Phase two involves design project team. This team will construct various design options that meet the internal State of Work (SOW) specifications. Phase three will be the project test team. This team will test the various design options in a variety of motorcycle driving scenarios to design function and safety. Initial tests will analyze the various stabilization devise performance. Phase four will be the operations phase. In this phase the operations project team will produce eight functional, and aesthetically pleasing stabilization devises for the November 20-22, Progressive International Motorcycle Show. Phase five is the marketing phase of the stabilization device at the show.

In preparation for forming your new Design Team members, discuss what actions you will take to plan and control team members’ roles and responsibilities, build an effective team, and deal with intra team conflict.

Explanation / Answer

The debt or the strategy for reduction of outstanding should be realistic. If the Atlas wants to reduce the debt structure then it needs to implement or introduce some innovative strategies to overcome the debt. The dues can be divided equally between the four clerks and each of them needs to achieve their target. The direct and indirect credit collection plans would surely increase the profit of the company. While pursuing these strategies the employees should use proper decision-making concepts to foster growth and develop the work culture in the collections department. Using appropriate measures and realistic ideas can surely help Atlas to recover the dues. Some of these strategies are: shorten the lead time, improve customer satisfaction, reduce errors or defects, reduce costs, increase in the motivation for the employees, focus employee training and support and reduce customer complaints. The overall due is $286,000 this can be divided by 12 months(286,000/12= $23,834). Now, this $23,834 can be collected every month by four clerks and each clerk has to collect (23,834/4= $5958). So, on an average each clark should be given a target of $5958 per month.

Choosing the incentive structure is always a challenging for any organization or any business as it can solely be the most effective factor for motivating the employees. A good incentive structure would always foster the growth of the organization. Whether it's a team incentive, individual incentives or a combination of both, what important is how effectively it's able to drive the goal of the organization.

Well, Incentive structure should be mixed with individual incentive and a team-based incentive. Individual performance based incentive should help to achieve the target for the individuals and the team-based incentive would foster the overall target for the entire team. Team based incentive would drive the entire team to perform. There would be a good coordination among the team members. On the other hand, if an individaul clark achieves his or her targer he or she would be eligible for the individual incentive. This can be a win win sceanrio for both the employees and the firm.

Incentives should be given monthly. There would be a plan to determine the incentive structure and everybody should be well aware of it. It should be decided publicly. There is no need to play a hide and seek as it's completely a performance-based payout. It's not going to hurt anyone's morale. Moreover, if it's paid on a monthly basis the AR clerks would be motivated to work hard and even if they achieve more than 150% of their target they should be appreciated with monetary as well as an effiecient and productive employee of the organization. They can be given a certificate or a token gift for their determination. Continuous good performance for more than 6 months can lead to promotion and increase in the salary structure.

As discussed above, incentives or rewards can be anything. It can lead to promotion, an increase in the salary, monetary payouts, gifts, recognition by the CEO, certificate of honor etc. There should be a WOW factor behind all these. The reward programs should be decided by the senior managers and the CEO. They need to set reasonable and transparent performance standards for incentives. Recognition of small and large accomplishments can surely boost their energy level for performance. Distribution of rewards or incentives can be done in the team meetings or if it's a monetary payout it can be paid along with the salary.

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