Checkpoint_Short_Case_Organization

Week 6 Checkpoint XMGT 216 Memo To: From: Date: October 7, 2011 Subject: The tainted water problem and my solution to resolve the dilemma This memo is to inform you that there was an incident in one of our bottling plants. Unfortunately, it has been reported that a disgruntled employee sabotaged the equipment in the plant by introducing a chemical into the system tainting the product that was recently launched by our marketing department. According to our Quality Control manager, 120,000 bottles of spring water were contaminated by the foreign substance. His report indicates the chemical that was introduced is in a minute amount posing no public health concern to any consumers. However, it is our responsibility to our customers to provide safe, clean spring water and retain the company’s integrity. To our knowledge at this time, none of the tainted water was shipped to any stores. Our quality control department caught the problem before any of the water left the plant. However, it is our responsibility to alert our consumers of this incident. We should explain to our consumers that we have found a problem within our equipment, that we are taking the appropriate measures to fix the problem and that the company’s main concern is for the safety and health of the public. The announcement to our consumers, should also express that none of the tainted water has reached store shelves, and we have taken action by sterilizing the equipment as well as proper disposal of any contaminated bottles. Our company was hit hard financially during the recent union strike, and unfortunately the costs to shut down the plant to re-sterilize equipment further compounds the financial hardships of our company during the strike. The union needs to be informed of this incident explaining the added costs to union leaders. We should also ask for a short-term re-negotiation of the agreement until costs and market shares can be recaptured for the financial health of the company and union workers. We should also inform the union that the employee who tainted the water with chemicals should be released and disciplined accordingly. Our company competes for market shares with many other companies, and it is our mission to remain competitive as well as profitable. It is further noted that we will sustain further costs because of this incident, but the integrity of the company and the safety of our products is of utmost importance to our customers. If you have questions or need further information regarding this matter, please contact me.