Based on the mini case description below, please recommend an implementation plan for Masbro, Inc.

Case Description

You have just gone to work for Masbro, Inc., a well known manufacturer of childrenÕs toys. Masbro markets a broad line of toys for fun and education, intended for children ages 2 through 10. Long known for innovative toy concepts, Masbro has lagged in the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies and processes.

At present, Masbro follows a sequential approach to new product development, with a clear separation between functional specialists responsible for market research, product conceptualization, industrial design, prototype mockup, engineering design and analysis, drafting, manufacturing engineering, and shop floor automation. The main technologies in place are out-of-date 2-D CAD systems, used by draftspeople (and some times by engineers), and a stand-alone CAM packages programmed by operators on the shop floor.

Over the last several years, it has become increasingly apparent that MasbroÕs new product introduction cycle time must be dramatically shortened. Toys have become increasingly faddish, with correspondingly short product introduction windows and shelf lives. Furthermore, the companyÕs high product design and manufacturing costs must be brought in line with major competitors.

The CEO of Masbro, Pat, recently attended a demonstration of Parametric TechnologyÕs Pro/Engineer line of CAD/CAE/CAM tools (see http://www.ptc.com/products/modules/index.htm for concise descriptions of the capabilities of various Pro/Engineer Modules). Pat was quite impressed, and is convinced that the solution to MasbroÕs problems lies in the application of these tools.

Pat has assigned you to be the project manager in charge of addressing MasbroÕs performance problems, using Pro/Engineer as a catalyst. Pat is patient, flexible, and behind you and this project 100%. If it takes years to complete the task, that is acceptable. But Pat is adamant that at the end of the project, new product development cycle times and costs be dramatically reduced. Pat is also adamant that Pro/Engineer products be incorporated at multiple points in the product development process.

Your degrees of freedom as project manager therefore lie in three areas: (1) deciding where to focus initial implementation of the technology, (2) designing corresponding changes to the organization in terms of processes, structure, roles, etc, and (3) selecting a process model for guiding the change itself.

Assignment

Please write a one page (350 word) memo outlining your implementation plan for Masbro. Your plan should consist of two parts.

In part one, explain what features of Pro/Engineer you expect to emphasize in the initial implementation, and identify and justify the organizational changes that you believe should accompany the implementation of those Pro/Engineer features. (If you wish to make some assumptions about Masbro beyond the case material provided above, feel free to do so.)

In the second part, recommend a process model to be the ÒbibleÓ of the implementation team, choosing from among the three models described in the assigned readings: (1) the improvisational model, as described by Orlikowski and Hofman, 1996, (2) the Matrix of Change, as described by Brynjolfsson et al, 1996, or (3) the organizational learning model, as described by Chew et al. 1991. Justify your choice in light of the case description and your recommendations from part one.