Answer to Question #201933 in Management for Karabo

Question

(B) After determining the development process of the new product, you have decided to engage with the key stakeholders of your company to evaluate the category strategy objective of the new product. Therefore, you are expected to practically detail how the following category strategic objectives will be employed by your organisation (20 marks):

• Technology/new-product development objective (5 marks)

• Supply base reduction objective (5 marks)

• Supply assurance objective (5 marks)

• Quality objective (5 marks)

Answer 1

Technology objectives

These include finding a better way of performing different functions with ease and efficiency to maximize outputs. they include;

• automating production process
• Increasing experimentation and information systems
• improving on quality of materials
• using the right tools and setting a proper infrastructural background for production, supply and sales of the products.

Supply assurance objectives

This involves assuring all stakeholders of constant supply even when production stops for a while. This could be achieved by;

• Improving on the storage of the products to increase their shelf life.
• Designing the production line to have some overproduction capacities which will cater for such hitches.
• Having a taskforce to address production stops immediately.

Supply base reduction objectives

These include reducing the number of suppliers to increase value for the company in terms of revenues. This could be achieved by:

• Setting up retail and wholesale stores for the company to sell our products.
• Encouraging customers to buy directly from the factory to eliminate middle-men.
• Using preferred supplier arrangements.
• Grouping of suppliers in tiers.

Quality Objectives

This involves developing features that appeal most to the target customers of the products. They include;

• Reducing defects in the final products.
• improving on the performance of the production process to increase quality.
• ensuring safety from consumption of the products.
• improving of customer services such as delivery and after-sale services.