Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.
Brett Bartels
January 23, 2008
MBA 590
Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.
Harrison-Keys is an established publisher of scientific, technical and business books and journals, professional and consumer books, textbooks, and other educational materials. The company’s success has historically relied on the publishing of well-known authors. Over the years, however, the company’s focus has shifted to publishing business, scientific, and technical information. Recently, the publishing industry as a whole has suffered from the rise of low-cost retailers. Survival in the industry is challenging and Harrison-Keys (HK) has attempted to meet changing demands by formulating a plan to establish e-book offerings (Harrison Keyes Scenario, 2008). In the following paper, issues and opportunities facing Harrison-Keyes will be presented, a problem statement proposed, and end-state goals defined. Four alternatives for Harrison-Keyes will be proposed and narrowed. The risks associated with the narrowed list of alternatives will be explored and an optimal solution will be proposed. Finally, an implementation plan will be defined and the evaluation metrics presented.
Describe the Situation
Issue and Opportunity Identification
Five major issues and opportunities are present in the HK scenario. First, HK has hired a new CEO that does not support the e-book effort. Bill Guardo was hired in place of Meg McGill to deal with the reoccurring problems associated with HK. Bill has extensive experience in the industry but is not a supporter of the e-book project. Bill has given Jan one month to turn around the failing e-book project. Every project needs to be evaluated for its contribution to the organization’s strategic plan (G ...