Case 2-1 Carson Container Company
Case 2-1 Carson Container Company
Case Questions
1. What problems does Carson Container Company have that will affect its communications?
Carson’s decentralized approach to procurement was indicative of its overall strategy toward dealing with its constituencies including employees, customers, shareholders, and communities. This decentralized strategy has affected the Carson’s communications.
2. What specific problems does Mr. Haskell have as a result of his communications to materials managers?
As a result of Mr. Haskell’s communications to materials managers, over the next few days, responses came in from all but a few plants. However, over the next several weeks, the headquarters heard nothing from the plants about contracts being negotiated with suppliers. Mr. Haskell’s initiative to centralize the company’s procurement procedures was not implemented successfully, and the usual procedures for that time of year continued.
3. How would you analyse this case in terms of the expanded corporate communication strategy framework (Figure 2.2)?
The expanded corporate communication strategy framework has four important elements such as messages, organization, constituencies, and constituency responses. I would analyse this case from the 4 perspectives as the following:
(a) Messages: The communication channel used by Mr. Haskell is memo and sent to 30 plant material managers. Carson as a large regional manufacturer in the United States, I think memo is not effective and strong enough to convey this important message to 30 plants. Furthermore, the decentralized and uncoordinated procurement procedures of the company has been carried for a long time, hence when Mr. Haskell intended to do a revolution, it will be more difficult. In this case, Mr. Haskell needs to put more effort on choosing the communication channel and structuring the messages’ contents.
(b) Organization: The Carson and Mr. Haskell wanted to centralize the company’s procurement procedures
Case Questions
1. What problems does Carson Container Company have that will affect its communications?
Carson’s decentralized approach to procurement was indicative of its overall strategy toward dealing with its constituencies including employees, customers, shareholders, and communities. This decentralized strategy has affected the Carson’s communications.
2. What specific problems does Mr. Haskell have as a result of his communications to materials managers?
As a result of Mr. Haskell’s communications to materials managers, over the next few days, responses came in from all but a few plants. However, over the next several weeks, the headquarters heard nothing from the plants about contracts being negotiated with suppliers. Mr. Haskell’s initiative to centralize the company’s procurement procedures was not implemented successfully, and the usual procedures for that time of year continued.
3. How would you analyse this case in terms of the expanded corporate communication strategy framework (Figure 2.2)?
The expanded corporate communication strategy framework has four important elements such as messages, organization, constituencies, and constituency responses. I would analyse this case from the 4 perspectives as the following:
(a) Messages: The communication channel used by Mr. Haskell is memo and sent to 30 plant material managers. Carson as a large regional manufacturer in the United States, I think memo is not effective and strong enough to convey this important message to 30 plants. Furthermore, the decentralized and uncoordinated procurement procedures of the company has been carried for a long time, hence when Mr. Haskell intended to do a revolution, it will be more difficult. In this case, Mr. Haskell needs to put more effort on choosing the communication channel and structuring the messages’ contents.
(b) Organization: The Carson and Mr. Haskell wanted to centralize the company’s procurement procedures