Key Managerial Decision Making Issues at TULIP: Recommendations

This report discusses the key managerial decision making issues at TULIP, a clothing retailer in the UK, and provides recommendations to resolve them. The report includes a SWOT and STEEPLE analysis, approaches to problem-solving, and generating solution options. The identified TAME problems include unskilled employees in the call centre, warehouse operations, and website working. The report recommends installing and integrating information systems, developing standards of training and development, and establishing standards of employee engagement.

key managerial decision
making issues at TULIP
and provides evaluated
and justified
recommendations to
resolve them

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY ..................................................................................................................................1
Introduction of the company in brief .........................................................................................1
TAME problem ..........................................................................................................................2
Analyse the different approaches of problems ...........................................................................2
Generating solution options........................................................................................................4
Selecting the solutions .............................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
It is very essential for every organisation to consider the various strategic management in
the operations and various business activities. As the managerial decision making in an
enterprise if important and for the growth and development it is very important for the manager
to focus on the making of good and strategic decisions in order to gain competitive advantage.
This report is based on the case study of Tulip which is a clothing retailer based in United
Kingdom. The company was established on 1st July,, 2014. it is very important for the
organisation to manage the various operations and activities. It is been identified that from the
case study there were various problems which the company was facing. It is been identified that
the call centre area of the company is facing issues because of the unskilled employees which are
been hired for the company. (Martin, Keown and Titman, 2020). This report will include various
topic such as introduction of the company, identification of the problem, TAME problems,
various approaches, root cause and solutions to the problems.
MAIN BODY
Introduction of the company in brief
The business organisation named as Tulip which is a clothing brand retailer situation in
United Kingdom. The business enterprise was established in 2014, 1st July. The company sells
the variety of the products in clothing such as vintage, and second hand clothes of both men and
women. The company also has introduced a new cloth swap service in order to attract customers.
It is dealing in the fashion industry and has the good reputation over the market. The company
has its online presence. The company has 200 of the employees which are working over the
website of the business organisation. The owner of the business enterprise wants to expand its
business significantly and to further develop the fashion lines to cater to more. The Tulip
company has the various departments in its online services where the company focus on the
expansion by increasing the workforce and also manage ring the various issues of the
organisation in order to gain competitive advantage. It is very important for the owner to manage
the key issues which need to be managed. This report will include various topic such as
identification of the various problems, introduction to the company overview, analysing the
different approaches, understanding the problem with mind mapping, identification of the root
causes, and at last generating the solutions options for the business organisation.(Griffin, 2021).
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TAME problem
From the case study it is been identified that there are various problems which the
company is facing and it need to develop on the various strategies to overcome the problem, the
foremost step which is included in strategic and managerial decision making is to identify the
problem within the business organisation. The tame problems include the clear identification of
the issues and problems of the business organisation. In context of the case study which is been
studied on the company Tulip there are various problems which were identified such as the
company has the problem in its warehouse operations where the managers has not able to handle
the different task on a limited time period. As it is the online company where the operations of
the various platforms is important to be managed,. The another problem which is identified the
offers and the discounts for the regular customers is not appropriate. As it is been identified that
the people need to take membership and the policies of the company has different which is not
satisfying the customer. The another issues which is identified is the management within the
organisation is not organised and in an effective manager. The manager is facing several issues
related to the website services to the customers. In online platforms it is very important for the
organisation to be on top in order to attract customers. The tame problem which is been
discussed in this topic is related to the main cause of the problem in a clear manner which is the
main objective in order to build a strong base for the business enterprise.(Qin, Liu and Pedrycz,
2017).
Analyse the different approaches of problems
There is the discussion on the various approaches of the problems identified in context of
the business organisation. The approaches are discussed below:
 rational or bounded rationality approach
This is the model which is used by the business organisations where the consumers have
a limited rational decision making which is driven by the three main factors such as
cognitive ability, time constraint and imperfect information. It Is very important for the
business organisation to focus on the three factors on which the consumer can make their
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decision in order to be competitive in the market. The Tulip company need to focus on
this model in order to be competitive in market and analyse the different aspects which
can help the business organisation in managing the key managerial issues which the
company is facing.(Kache and Seuring, 2017).
 Bridge 6 steps of decision making
This is the model which is very effective for the problem solving issues faced by the business
organisation. This is consisting of bridging the gap between the issues and the solutions for the
business enterprise. There are various steps which are discussed below:
▪ Be clear about the decision- This is the first step which is taken into
consideration in order to manage the different task and the operations of the
business enterprise. The manager need to analyse the clear goals and be clear
about the decision which need to be changed in order to achive the growth and
success. In context of Tulip the company is facing problem with the operation
management which need to be controlled.
▪ Empowering others- The empowering others means that the manager is
responsible for managing and guiding their employees. This is the next step which
is important for the company in order to be an effective and productive and solve
the issues which the company is facing in its operations.
▪ Gather and organisation The useful information- The another step which is
important for the Tulip organisation is to gather the information which is relevant
for the development and success of the business enterprise. This is the most
important step for the Tulip according to the problems which is been identified. In
the case study.(Bryson, 2017).
▪ Play out few scenarios- This is the next step where the management is
responsible for evaluating the critical decision in order to be competitive in
market. The information which is gathered in the above step need to be analysed
by the manager and use that in the best decision making in different situations for
the managerial aspect for the Tulip organisation.
▪ Decide, commit and act- This is the next step where the management need to
focus on decision the best alternative to the problems and the solutions to it. In
context of Tulip organisation there were various aspect which need to be
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considered and then managers need to decide and then act upon the various
solutions which can be effective and productive for the development of the
company.
▪ Measure, learn and adapt- This is the last step of the model where the managers
need to measure upon the different solutions to the problems which is been
identified within the organisation. The improvement is required in very
organisation. In context of Tulip it is essential that the owner focus on the
measure the various concern which can be controlled.(Yoe, 2019.).
There are various differences on the approaches which is been discussed as the most
appropriate approach for the Tulip organisation can be the BRIDGE 6 step decision making
which is very much beneficial for the business organisation in order to identify the problem and
solution for the success and growth of the company. As this is the online retailer of clothing and
the company is facing issues related to operation, the re is the different between the approaches
as the 6 step will include the various managerial aspect which ned to be considered by the
manager in order to be productive and efficient for achieving the organisational goals and
objectives.
Generating solution options
When it comes to TULIP and it's problems which have been identified in critical areas
such as call centre operations, human resource training and website working along with offer
timing mismatch, there are plenty of solutions which can be used for remedying the TAME
problems and some of the most effective ones have been described below.
 Brainstorming – TAME problems are the type of dilemmas and the series of errors
which ave a definite solution and can be put to rest after due establishment of a proper
algorithm which corrects the operational mistakes. One such system is brainstorming
which is a popular method of problem solving used by any businesses which refers to the
mulling over a concept or solution by individual or teams and groups in order to judge it's
viability through generation of debate and discussion.
 Mind-Mapping – It is a creative problem solving mechanism used by businesses
globally which involves diagrammatic representation of a data, problem or a key concept
in the middle with off-shooting and branching thoughts and solutions sprouting out in all
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or one particular direction. Mind-Mapping is very useful as it facilitates creative problem
solving skills and helps improve the brainstorming sessions which take place during
company or employee meetings. This technique is also useful in identifying and
establishing proper channels of communication and coordination between departments
and personnel of a business which boosts organizational proactivity.(Schaltegger and
Burritt, 2017).
 Imaginary Mentor – Whenever business find themselves into trouble or the workforce
gets caught in tricky slowdowns and situations of conflict, this method is very useful in
acting as a guiding light for both the company and their workers to solve problems and
have effective systems in place to stop them from taking place again. Mentors exist in the
workforce to properly guide newcomers and act as direction givers in complex work floor
problems. Imaginary mentor is a technique used by individuals and groups within which
they take inspiration from people and institutions which they do not have constant or
regular interaction with and their working patterns are noticed from a distance.
 Green Hat – This is one of the six major strategic approachers to guide the way
decisions are made and problems are solved in a company which is called 'the six hats' in
which all the six different approaches are denoted as hats made up of different colours.
The green coloured hat denotes the focus on creative problem solving using means of
organizational capabilities and innovative technological and managerial systems. Green
hat problem solving approach is based on trying out new experiences and systems in
order to devise new means of solving old existing problems.(Fraser, Quail and Simkins,
2021).
Out of all the above proposed approaches which are used for remedying most of the errors and
mistakes which businesses find themselves in, the following solutions have been identified for
TULIP which can solve it's TAME problems in the best way possible.
 Instalment and integration of information systems in the entire infrastructural capabilities
of TULI -
 Developing standards of proper training and development for all the employees
 A more streamlined website design where discount schemes are available more
frequently – Green Hat
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 Establishing standards of employee engagement(Lovan, Murray and Shaffer, 2017).
SWOT Analysis
This is the too which is used by the business organisation in order to identify the internal
and external factors which can implements the various opportunities and threats for the business
organisation. The swot analysis in context of Tulip is been discussed below:
Strengths
 The company has its online presence which is the most powerful strength for the
organisation in today's scenario.
 The company has its presence internationally and can target the large audiences in order
to attract customers and increase the sales profit.
Weaknesses
 The management is not proper within the organisation as they need skilled labour to
handle their website.
 The company is facing the problem of warehouse operations.
Opportunities
 The Tulip organisation has the opportunity to expand its website over the world wide by
adopting the various strategies.
 The company can also increase its sales by developing its website in an effective way
which can attract customers.
Threats
 It is identified that the comp[any has a treats of tee external market where the company
need to take care of it.
 The organisation has a threat of the various other websites which are present online and
selling the products.
Steeple analysis
This is the tool which is used by the business organisation in order to identify the various
external factors which can influence the business organisation. The various factors are discussed
below:
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 Social- This is the factor which is related to the current trend in the market which need to
be followed by the organisation in order to attract customers. In context of the Tulip
organisation the company need to be aware of the various factors such as lifestyle,
change behaviour, attitude of the customers.
 Technological- This is the factor which is related to innovation and development which
is influencing the business activities. It is very essential for the Tulip organisation to
identify the various techniques which can influence in enhancing the website for the
benefit of the customers.
 Economic- This is the factor which is related to the performance within the economy
have influence over the business organisation. The rise in the prices of the raw material
and direct taxes can impact the business enterprises.
 Environment- This is the factor which is related to the surrounding which have a
influence over the business organisation. The various external factors and the various
activities such as sustainable development in order to be effective and save environment.
 Political- This is the factor which is related to the various policies which can impact the
organisation. The government interference within the organisation can impact in the
various ways.
 Legal- This is the factor which is related to the various laws which can impact the
business enterprise. The Tulip organisation need to take care of the certain laws such as
employment law in order to avoid any strict actions.
 Ethical- This is the factor which is related to the various ethical behaviour which need to
be adopted by the business organisation in order to be successful.
Balance scorecard
This is defined as the strategic management performance matrix which helps the
business organisation. This is the tool which can be used by the Tulip in order to identify the
various performance management. This is helpful for evaluating and improving the performance
and various functions which is beneficial for the company.
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Selecting the solutions
Out of all the above proposed solutions, TULIP can only afford one major solution to it's
problems because juggling too many solutions can lead to depletion of finances and resources
along with wastage of time and organizational capabilities. The above given solutions are
compared down below with the help of John Adair lobster pot framework which is a strategic
model which facilitates comparison between different creative possibilities and helps filter down
approaches based on set criteria to arrive at one best solution. The scores which will be given on
the basis of set criteria on the scale of 1 to 10.
Solutions Practicality Reliability Investment Organization Justification
Training and
development
9 9 7 9 This is a major
step which
must betake by
TULIP as the
workforce
which is
operating in
the call centre
need
specialised
training along
with the
personnel at
the warehouse.
Employee
Engagement
8 9 7 7 Since the
turnover costs
are unusually
high and the
number of
permanent
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employees
dwindling
Website
overhaul
8 8 9 6 This might not
be practical
solution as the
costs involved
in streamlining
digital assets is
very high and
the workforce
is not
specialized
enough to take
advantage
Information
system
integration
9 9 9 9 Another great
solution which
can solve most
of the TAME
problems
which have
been identified
as information
systems can
streamline
operations and
help develop
better
communicatio
n between
organizational
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facilities.
With the above analysis, the multiple solutions proposed are careful weighted and
analysed and after due consideration, the solution of making a website overhaul and provide
more customer friendly option was eliminated because it did not fulfil many criteria and it was a
heavy investment with no guaranteed pay-off and it did nothing to make the situation better for
the organisation's productivity problems at the Data centre and warehouse. Further analysis and
evaluation of remaining solutions are listed herein.(Press and Cooper, 2017).
Solutions Practicality Reliability Investment Organization Justification
Training and
development
9 9 7 9 Most major
Tame issues
that TULIP
faces involves
the workforce
related
problems in
it's data centre
and warehouse
which can be
massively
improved
using simple
system or
continuous
training and
development
Employee
Engagement
8 9 7 7 The workforce
which has
been
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employed at
data centre and
warehouses
are not
permanent
employees for
the most part
and they aren't
satisfied which
is why extra
measures to
make them
happy and
involved in the
business can
boos their
morale and
productivity.
Information
system
integration
9 9 9 9 It has been
noticed that
the
coordination
and
communicatio
n channels
which exist
between the
head office,
warehouses
and call
centres is
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disjointed and
the
productivity
has slumped
for that reason
which is why
such systems
can be of great
help.
With the above conducted analysis, the proposed solution of Employee engagement has
been decided to get eliminated as it was a method which did not deserve immediate investment
of time and money as most of the workforce which has been employed in the warehouses and
call centre are non-permanent employees and agency workers which do not stay for a long time
in either scenario.
Now, the two remaining solutions which are training and development sessions for the workforce
and establishment and integration of smart information systems in the organizational
infrastructures will be compared with each other using a variety of parameters given below.
Solution Cost and benefits Viability Ethical
Considerations
Information system
integration
The development of
such systems is indeed
very costly as
measurement of the
reorganizational
performance and
capability has to be
taken into account and
The method is viable
but depends heavily
upon the budget and IT
infrastructure of the
firm and TULIP's
efficiency in both the
departments is
questionable to say the
According to the case
study given on
TULIP, there was
error in customer
service and many
errors in customer
delivery and return
which can be avoided
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it takes a lot of
advanced IT solutions
to make systems of
control and HRMS
least with special systems
in place
Training and
development
The schedules and the
type of learning that
has to be imparted is
costly because there
are a lot of elements
involved as every
employee responds to
different types of
learning methods such
as visual presentations,
training manual readers
or practical learners
This is a very reliable
method which is used
by most firms like
TULIP and the
workforce development
has always helped in
boosting profitability
and organizational
productivity.
Taking care of
employees and
customers is the most
important part of
business ethics and
through proper
training, employees
get better pay and
career trajectory
while customers get
serviced better
With all the detailed analysis done on multiple solutions, the one that has been selected at
the end is employee training and development as it does not require much investment, can help
TULIP expand with the help of specialized and highly talented workforce and can also help in
eliminating the problems of workforce coordination occurring in call centres and warehousing.
(Whitley., 2019).
CONCLUSION
The above concluded report went into detail regarding the key managerial decision-
making issues that occur when companies try to expand their existing premises and aim to
increase their current capabilities to capture a larger market share. Various method and
approaches to solve TAME problems were identified and described such as brainstorming,
bridge model and green hat theories which were used for generation of multiple solutions. There
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was analysed in detail using the John Adair lobster pot framework which were sued for filtration
and choosing of one specific option which was identified as training and development and the
report was concluded with recommendations to prove that this option was the best choice for
companies to undertake.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The final selected solution of training and development is the correct course of action for
the business to focus on immediately for the following reasons.
 It is a one stop solution to satisfy multiple stakeholders and directors of the company will
be happy seeing a more productive workforce and employees will be satisfied as their
career trajectory and skills are being upgraded for free
 Since TULIP might undergo a serious business expansion soon, the necessity of a highly
skilled workforce is inevitable and developing it must happen sooner than later
 Properly trained employees can help minimize the error which is occurring in TULIP's
warehouses while packaging order and in the call centres where coordination and
communication skills are lacking.
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REFERENCES
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twenty-first century. Routledge.
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Suzuki, T., 2017. TPM in process industries. Routledge.
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Yoe, C., 2019. Principles of risk analysis: decision making under uncertainty. CRC press.
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