Name: _____________________________________________________________
| IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEM(S) | The problem identified in the case study of Hobby Lobby International and Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is about brand confusion. The issue of brand confusion has created a major problem for Hobby Lobby International, which is making the company inconsistent in its service delivery to its customers. As Hobby Lobby International uses its brand to guide the customers on the purchase choice, the brand confusion issue is also making the customers make imperfect purchasing decisions. This situation is influencing Hobby Lobby International’s performance within the radio-controlled toys, tools, and accessories market. |
| DECISION CRITERIA | The Hobby Lobby International Company owner can use different models to make the decisions that will solve the brand confusion problem. For effectiveness on decision-making process, it is better for the company to use the criteria that will recognize and emphasize on assessing the entire problem. The decision criterial selected for the case of Hobby Lobby International and Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is the decision matrix criteria. Reflecting on the argument by Justice and David decision matrix criteria enable the decision makers to evaluate a given set of alternatives in which through the evaluation of the various alternatives the decision maker get in a better position to implement the most appropriate decisions (269). |
| ANALYSIS | The decision makers will analyze the problem relating to Hobby Lobby International and Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. according to their experience and knowledge on the matter. This will be enable the decision makers to generate and evaluate satisfactory alternatives. From the understanding of the pattern of the issue of Hobby Lobby International and Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., it is apparent that the brand confusion problem is affecting Mr. Cleveland business and not the Hobby Lobby stores. From the case study, one can note that the brand confusion problem has made some customers perceive the Hobby Lobby International differently with some women going to the store looking for craft. For an effective solution on the matter, the decision maker will need to consider the negative and positive characteristic of each alternative identified. Some of the factors that the decision maker will consider for this case include consequences of the alternative, time of the decision-making process, creativity, and experience needed for the process. |
| ALTERNATIVES | To create a workable solution and a solution that will not affect both companies in a negative way, the decision maker will consider different routines for choosing an alternative. For the case of Hobby Lobby International and Hobby Lobby Stores Inc., the two modes of selecting alternative are bargaining, and judgmental mode. Since the judgmental mode of choosing an alternative is perhaps fast, convenient, and less stressful, the decision maker in the case of Hobby Lobby International and Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. should consider using this technique for selecting an alternative (Vermeulen and Petru 37). |
| DECISION(S)/ RECOMMENDATIONS | Before the creation of the decisions that fit the problem of the two companies, Hobby Lobby International decision makers should know that some of the decisions that the company wants to implement might be resisted according to the way they are influencing the company’s performance. · For this case, Hobby Lobby International should continue serving its customers under its brand name and trademark; the company should consider carrying out a negotiated settlement with Hobby Lobby stores. · For Hobby Lobby International to continue having a bigger market share, Mr. Cleveland should consider using a different name for his business. |
| IMPLEMENTATION | The implementation of the actual choice is probably the step that will have the largest impact on the Hobby Lobby International Company. To implement the decision selected, the company will involve all the stakeholders so that all individuals who are involved in the operation of the company accept the decision made. Finally, for Mr. Cleveland to implement his decision, he should use persuasive argument so that people who will dramatize the decisions can see the benefit of the decisions that the owner of the company is intending to implement. |
Works Cited
Justice, Thomas, and David Jamieson. The Facilitator’s Fieldbook: Step-by-step Procedures Checklists and Guidelines Samples and Templates. New York: AMACOM, American Management Association, 2012. Print.
Vermeulen, Patrick A. M, and Petru L. Curșeu. Entrepreneurial Strategic Decision-Making: A Cognitive Perspective. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2008. Print.
