Introduction:
Supervisors do planning as an ongoing part of their jobs. The purpose of this assignment is for you to test your planning skills as a supervisor.
This assignment aligns with Course Objective 2: Explain the functions of planning, organizing, and controlling.
Instructions:
The general manager (GM) of the Marshall Biscuit Division of Lancaster Colony Corporation has just named you as chairperson of the first annual blood drive, to be conducted at the plant site. A strong believer in the company’s participation in community affairs and himself a member of the local Red Cross board of directors, the GM has committed the division’s employees to the blood drive. Your committee will set the exact dates for the drive, which is to be held in three or four months. As chairperson, you have been assigned a team of four other company employees to plan and implement the project. All members are highly respected, competent people, representing a true cross-section of the employees: One is a production worker who is responsible for operating the ovens; another, an engineer, represents the professional segment; the human resources manager represents the management group; and a payroll clerk represents the administrative office group. The GM was given your name by your boss, who expressed confidence in your ability to lead a successful donor campaign at the plant. At 27, you are the youngest person on the committee and anxious to do a good job. You have called the first committee meeting, which you have advertised as a “preliminary planning meeting,” to identify key factors that must be planned for if the committee is to meet its objective of having a successful blood drive at Marshall Biscuit.
Please number your answers (1, 2, 3, etc.) to make it obvious where/what exactly an answer to a question is!
1. Make a list of what you consider the key planning issues to be identified by the committee at this initial planning meeting.
2. Of the items on your list, which two or three do you believe are the most crucial? Why?
3. Identify major problems that could prevent accomplishment of your objective. What contingency planning could be done to avert them or minimize their impact?
4. To help in your preparation for the planning meeting, identify 6 to 10 steps that you feel will be needed to achieve a successful blood drive. These steps might be such things as:
- Determine a date.
- Identify a location.
- Secure commitment from Red Cross.
Perform a critical path analysis and draw a chart that shows the sequence and relationship of the activities identified. (You need not be concerned with the length of time needed for each activity.)
Resources:
- Chapter 2: Fundamentals of Planning
- Exhibit 2-7 Critical Path for Completing Machine Overhaul (Page 2)
Exhibit 2-7 Critical Path for Completing Machine Overhaul
Rubric
(Out of 100) 0-53 53-73 73-87 87-100
(Out of 75) 0-40 40-55 55-65 65-75
| Criteria | N/A | Below Expectations | Approaching Expectations | Meeting Expectations |
| Key Planning Issues | No document is submitted or is very incomplete. | Only one or two planning issues are listed and planning issues are not stated clearly. | Less than four planning issues are listed; planning issues are not stated clearly. | More than five planning issues are listed; planning issues are clearly stated. |
| Critical Analysis | No document is submitted or is very incomplete. | One or two crucial planning issues are listed, but no explanation is provided. | Two to three crucial planning issues are listed, but explanation is lacking substance. | Two to three crucial planning issues are identified and each are clearly stated and explained. |
| Contingency Plan | No document is submitted or is very incomplete. | Identified prospective problems, but did not provide a contingency plan. | Identified prospective problems, but contingency plan is unclear or lacks substance. | Identified several prospective problems and a well-developed, substantive contingency plan. |
| Critical Path Analysis | No document is submitted or is very incomplete. | Listed fewer than 6 steps and did not provide a critical path chart | Listed 6-8 steps; critical path chart was undeveloped | Listed more than 8 steps and critical path chart was fully developed |
