Question

Strategic Case: Fresh Air Sports, Organizational Patterns

Consider the scenario below, and answer the questions that follow.

Fresh Air Sports Rentals began eight years ago in a southern California beachfront hut where Woody and Sandy Belmont rented out fat-tired cruiser bikes to tourists. Business was good, and within a year Fresh Air customers could also rent a variety of other outdoor gear including surfboards, mountain bikes, and paddleboats.

Over the years Fresh Air has grown into a network of 18 locations throughout the western United States and Canada. The company is big enough now that name recognition is feeding the business: Customers who have rented from Fresh Air in one location look for it in other vacation spots. Woody and Sandy are thinking seriously of expanding the business to resorts on the East Coast, in Mexico, and in Central America.

Next month, Fresh Air is having its first-ever associates’ meeting in San Diego. Woody and Sandy need to develop several presentations for that conference:

• A keynote speech, welcoming the employees and building enthusiasm for the company and for the upcoming meeting. During this speech, Sandy and Woody will also introduce Fresh Air’s new management team.

• An informative program on how to avoid sexual harassment claims. Fresh Air’s new human relations director will deliver this talk, but Sandy wants to play a close role in its development.

• A session introducing the company’s new incentive plan, in which employees will receive bonuses for increasing sales. While the potential for greater compensation is good, base salaries will decline under this arrangement. Woody knows that it’s important to sell the plan to employees for it to have a chance of succeeding.

• A series of awards presentations at the closing dinner. At this session, employees will be honored for their exceptional service. Woody and Sandy want to include enough employees to boost morale, without creating so many awards that they appear meaningless.

1. For the keynote speech, Sandy and Woody decide to tell the story of Fresh Air Sports—from its humble beginning
eight years ago in a Southern California beachfront hut, through many struggles and triumphs during those eight
years, to the present celebration of success. Which organizational pattern should they use?

(Multiple Choice)

• cause-effect

• chronological

• criteria satisfaction

• comparative advantages

2. Which organizational pattern would not be a good choice for the session introducing the company's new incentive plan?

(Multiple Choice)

• comparative advantages

• criteria satisfaction

• motivated sequence

• topical

3. Woody ends the presentation on the company's new incentive plan by saying, "Now let's see how fast you can increase
your income!" What type of closing statement is this?

(Multiple Choice)

• return to the opening theme

• add insight

• pose a challenge

• finish a story

4. Which of the following might not be a viable way to open the presentation on sexual harassment?

(Multiple Choice)

• "Every year, sexual harassment costs Fortune 500 companies over $3 billion in lost productivity alone."

• "I'd like to start with a little joke: a woman walks into a sexual harassment lawyer's office ..."

• "So what is sexual harassment? We've all heard the term, but how many of us know what it really means?"

• "Let me tell you about a young woman. We'll call her Caroline. Every day, Caroline dreaded going to work ..."

Answer 1

1) chronological

2) topical

3) add insight

4) ."I'd like to start with a little joke: a woman walks into a sexual harassment lawyer's office.