University of Maryland

BMGT 364 – Management and Organization Theory

Week 8 – Discussion

To respond to the Discussion, click on the blue hyperlink in the Topic area.

Discussion Instructions
Please refer to the Discussion Grading Rubric for details regarding how your performance will
be assessed. NOTE: Please be certain to read the entire discussion assignment since, in some
cases, there is more than one question to discuss, respond to, or address. Be sure that you have
answered the entire question!

Initial Post
During the past seven weeks, you have been on a journey to understand better the concept of
management and how today's and tomorrow's managers and leaders will need to navigate
complexity. Among other topics, this course has focused on Planning, Leading, Organizing, and
Controlling. This learning activity will help you pull together what you have learned to use it in
your career.
Your posting should answer the questions posed using the course materials to support the ideas
presented. It is important to write concisely and to follow the detailed instructions provided
below. Include in-text citations and references in a reference list.
Hello Professor and Class!

Pandemic: Major Effects on Planning for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company

The pandemic will significantly disrupt Smithfield Custom Furniture's planning function. The
company must reassess its strategic goals and objectives with the potential for a worldwide
pandemic causing widespread illness and economic turmoil. Planning for production schedules,
inventory management, and supply chain disruptions becomes paramount. According to
Schaveling et al. (2018), strategic planning involves assessing environmental factors and
adjusting strategies accordingly, which will be crucial during this uncertain time.
1A: Pandemic: Most Significant Planning Action for Company
The most significant planning action for Smithfield Custom Furniture is to develop contingency
plans to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on its operations. It includes establishing alternative
supply chains, implementing remote work policies, and diversifying product lines to adapt to
changing consumer preferences during the crisis (Schaveling et al., 2018).
Pandemic: Major Effects on Organizing for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company
The pandemic will necessitate significant changes in how Smithfield Custom Furniture organizes
its workforce and resources. With potential disruptions to supply chains and workforce
availability, the company must reassess its organizational structure and resource allocation
strategies. According to Juneja, P. (2015a), organizing involves arranging resources to achieve
organizational goals efficiently, which will be challenging during the pandemic.
2A: Pandemic: Most Significant Organizing Action for Company
The most significant organizing action for Smithfield Custom Furniture is to implement flexible
workforce arrangements and resource allocation strategies. This includes cross-training
employees, redistributing workloads, and establishing contingency plans for critical roles to
ensure business continuity (Juneja, 2015b).
1. Pandemic: Major Effects on Leading for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company
2. The pandemic will require strong leadership to navigate the company through uncertainty
and crisis. Leaders at Smithfield Custom Furniture must inspire confidence, communicate
effectively, and make decisive decisions to guide the organization through the challenges
ahead. Studies by Schaveling et al. (2018) show that effective leadership involves
influencing others to achieve common goals, which will be critical during the pandemic.
3A: Pandemic: Most Significant Leading Action for Company
The most significant leading action for Smithfield Custom Furniture is to establish clear
communication channels and provide regular updates to employees, customers, and stakeholders.
Transparent communication fosters trust and confidence during uncertainty and ensures
alignment towards common objectives (Schaveling et al., 2018).
 1. Pandemic: Major Effects on Controlling for Smithfield Custom Furniture Company
2. The pandemic will pose significant challenges to Smithfield Custom Furniture's
controlling function. With disruptions to operations and changes in consumer behavior,
the company must implement robust monitoring and evaluation systems to track
performance and adjust strategies accordingly. As per Schaveling et al. (2018),
controlling involves measuring performance and taking corrective actions, which will be
crucial during the pandemic.
4A: Pandemic: Most Significant Controlling Action for Company
The most significant controlling action for Smithfield Custom Furniture is to establish key
performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring mechanisms to track operational performance in
real time. It includes implementing dashboards, conducting regular performance reviews, and
identifying areas for improvement to ensure business resilience and adaptability (Juneja, 2015a).

References

Juneja, P. (2015a). An Introduction to Agile Business. Retrieved from:

https://www.managementstudyguide.com/introduction-to-agile-business.htm

Juneja, P. (2015b). Being Agile, Being Future-Proof. Retrieved from:

https://www.managementstudyguide.com/being-agile-and-future-proof.htm

Schaveling, Jaap & Bryan, Bill. (2018). Making better decisions using systems thinking: how to
stop firefighting, deal with root causes and deliver permanent solutions. [Books24x7 version]
Available from http://library.books24x7.com.ezproxy.umgc.edu/toc.aspx?bookid=138076.