Milkshake Case Study
“Does this Milkshake Taste Funny?” Major Issues and Players
The major players in this case study are George Stein and Paul Burnham with regards to their employment at Eastern Dairy. The major issues at play relate to poor business planning, improper management, lack of ethics (decisions made by George and Paul) and social responsibility (the possible health issues of related to the contaminated products).
Analysis of the Issues and Players
In this case, there are several instances of poor management including but not limited to: lack of proper training, accountability and adherence to manufacturing industry standards, etc. A company as large as Eastern dairy should have a manager on site and more than 4 employees for the night shift, especially given how critical the night shift is in meeting production needs. The so‐called “leader” of the group, Paul is worried about going home early and the cost impact to the company if product needs are not met for one night. Paul’s decision to ignore the issue puts George in an extremely difficult situation. Another problem to note is the management in many corporations today. All too often, employees have self‐serving motives and conflicts of interest that essentially stems from culture of the organization and how it operates. When George initially brings the issue to Paul, we learn quickly from Paul’s demeanor that he had encountered the problem in the past and had seen the maggots several times. Paul is essentially immune to the ‘stomach in knots’ feeling that George experienced as he was headed home. The lack of ethical culture that was instilled by Eastern Dairy’s management is such that the employees just care about clocking in and out and do not take pride in their work. The fact that Paul is in a position to oversee the night shift in and of itself is a significant issue. Furthermore, the company culture did not instill
the ethical values that are
The major players in this case study are George Stein and Paul Burnham with regards to their employment at Eastern Dairy. The major issues at play relate to poor business planning, improper management, lack of ethics (decisions made by George and Paul) and social responsibility (the possible health issues of related to the contaminated products).
Analysis of the Issues and Players
In this case, there are several instances of poor management including but not limited to: lack of proper training, accountability and adherence to manufacturing industry standards, etc. A company as large as Eastern dairy should have a manager on site and more than 4 employees for the night shift, especially given how critical the night shift is in meeting production needs. The so‐called “leader” of the group, Paul is worried about going home early and the cost impact to the company if product needs are not met for one night. Paul’s decision to ignore the issue puts George in an extremely difficult situation. Another problem to note is the management in many corporations today. All too often, employees have self‐serving motives and conflicts of interest that essentially stems from culture of the organization and how it operates. When George initially brings the issue to Paul, we learn quickly from Paul’s demeanor that he had encountered the problem in the past and had seen the maggots several times. Paul is essentially immune to the ‘stomach in knots’ feeling that George experienced as he was headed home. The lack of ethical culture that was instilled by Eastern Dairy’s management is such that the employees just care about clocking in and out and do not take pride in their work. The fact that Paul is in a position to oversee the night shift in and of itself is a significant issue. Furthermore, the company culture did not instill
the ethical values that are