The Wake Sally worked as a project manager for a high-tech electronics firm in the late 1980s. The company was using "bubble ink" technology to develop affordable color printers. Sally was in charge of a team tasked with cutting the prohibitive cost of printers in half. If successful, significant bonuses would be earned and several team members would be given key positions when the product went into production. The team had overcome several difficult technical challenges and was well on its way to accomplishing their objective when the project was canceled. Top management discovered at a trade show that several competitors were about to introduce ink jet printers at a cost one-third the price of printers Sally's team was developing What could Sally say to her team? They had worked so hard, expected so much out of this project. She knew they would be devastated. Sally knew she had to do something to help them deal with this bitter disappointment. So she decided to hold a traditional Irish "wake" for the project. She persuaded management to hire a backhoe tokig a grave in the backyard of their office and purchase an actual coffin. After she and other members gave a brief eulogy about the project, each member dropped something from the project into the coffin. For some members it was a piece of a printer prototype;, for others it was a memo or a plan. One by one, each member put something personal in the coffin. After the coffin was buried, the team retreated to a local brew pub to imbibe, cry, and share fond memories of the work they had accomplished. The "wake" became part of the company's folklore and team members still laugh about the experience. Sometime it is more important to "kill" a project than finishing a failing one. Question - What was Sally able to achieve by holding a wake for the canceled project?
The Wake Sally worked as a project manager for a high-tech electronics firm in the late 1980s. The company was using "bubble ink" technology to develop affordable color printers. Sally was in charge of a team tasked with cutting the prohibitive cost of printers in half. If successful, significant bonuses would be earned and several team members would be given key positions when the product went into production. The team had overcome several difficult technical challenges and was well on its way to accomplishing their objective when the project was canceled. Top management discovered at a trade show that several competitors were about to introduce ink jet printers at a cost one-third the price of printers Sally's team was developing What could Sally say to her team? They had worked so hard, expected so much out of this project. She knew they would be devastated. Sally knew she had to do something to help them deal with this bitter disappointment. So she decided to hold a traditional Irish "wake" for the project. She persuaded management to hire a backhoe tokig a grave in the backyard of their office and purchase an actual coffin. After she and other members gave a brief eulogy about the project, each member dropped something from the project into the coffin. For some members it was a piece of a printer prototype;, for others it was a memo or a plan. One by one, each member put something personal in the coffin. After the coffin was buried, the team retreated to a local brew pub to imbibe, cry, and share fond memories of the work they had accomplished. The "wake" became part of the company's folklore and team members still laugh about the experience. Sometime it is more important to "kill" a project than finishing a failing one. Question - What was Sally able to achieve by holding a wake for the canceled project?
Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Series)
4th Edition
ISBN:9781305970663
Author:Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. Mowen
Publisher:Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. Mowen
Chapter11: Strategic Cost Management
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 4CE: Kagle design engineers are in the process of developing a new green product, one that will...
Related questions
Question
Expert Solution
This question has been solved!
Explore an expertly crafted, step-by-step solution for a thorough understanding of key concepts.
This is a popular solution!
Trending now
This is a popular solution!
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps
Knowledge Booster
Learn more about
Need a deep-dive on the concept behind this application? Look no further. Learn more about this topic, accounting and related others by exploring similar questions and additional content below.Recommended textbooks for you
Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Ser…
Accounting
ISBN:
9781305970663
Author:
Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. Mowen
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Survey of Accounting (Accounting I)
Accounting
ISBN:
9781305961883
Author:
Carl Warren
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Cornerstones of Cost Management (Cornerstones Ser…
Accounting
ISBN:
9781305970663
Author:
Don R. Hansen, Maryanne M. Mowen
Publisher:
Cengage Learning
Survey of Accounting (Accounting I)
Accounting
ISBN:
9781305961883
Author:
Carl Warren
Publisher:
Cengage Learning