The Toronto Sun and Caribana: Case Study

Samantha Morrison has a problem but it is clearly not her ability or capability to deliver a good performance because of background experience on numerous earned work opportunities. Where she is a very passionately active from her youth and college days that she constantly promote herself involve in various activities, projects and gained job experience on elaborate skill tasks which qualifies her to the employee position in the Toronto Sun promoting department. She feels pressure on taking on a big project.

The problem does not rely on her qualifying skills as a project manager. It was never questionable but it relies on the preparation of a timeline and task schedule ahead on impending due date which require step by step procedure on the delicate situation to pursue and minimal mistakes on scheduling in order there will be no set back on the parade day. The project was not originally hers but her colleague who failed to make progress on the assigned task.

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Which Larissa Presso, the director of promotion for the Toronto Sun and Morrison's boss, made a decision that Morrison intervene and take over.

Key Issue of the Case Problem

So the first key issue in the case is the desired outcome of the project that is the parade float to be constructed in which it is to push through with the planning where Toronto Sun is a major sponsor in the Scotia bank Caribana Festival. As stated in the case that it was imperatively crucial for the Toronto Sun to have a float in the parade because of the already paid sponsorship and all the other major sponsors form other company would also have a parade.

So the float is an urgently important to Toronto Sun.

Also the second key issue is the impending time slot limit of 8 weeks challenge to get it the entire necessary requirement done on Aug 2. Her recently upgraded position as a senior promotion coordinator at the Toronto Sun which gives the new burdensome responsibility to pick up where it's left off by where her colleague failed to do so. Which she evaluate that it will be a lot of work which she is right because of the burden to assess the current progress and must determine the next interlude. To make a timeline and task schedule on the entire procedure that must be plan out executively proper.

Her challenge is to get the plan start with numerous tasks ahead to deal with. her task on executing and controlling the project task is very demandable on a concise and appeal plan that will get everything organize and will minimize the mistakes for once again there will be no setbacks of pulling out the plan intended. Thing must be needed to be properly executed and controlled handle.

The following are numerous tasks of the things must be done before or on August 2:

SPECIFIC KEY ISSUES

Contacting the FMC (Festival Management Committee) teams which are responsible for coordinating the various facets of the Caribana Festival. She planned to call their contact and review the details of the parade day and float requirements to confirm her discussion with Presso.

The problem: (1 week) Chances of reaching contact with them are slim on a late Friday afternoon and thus Morrison may not be able to pursue to move forward with the plan until Monday or Tuesday. Or worst case scenario, it could take up a week to reach someone since it had been months that Morrison's colleague spoken with anyone of them. The problem with this is that if there is no contact the project float cannot start unless Morrison and the FMC representative will schedule a meeting about the various requirements and details of the parade float needs to be discussed.

Hiring process of the driver and contractor of the float, choosing the truck in the parade and finalize arrangement.

The problem: (2 and half days) it is the budget of the driver that must not exceeds over $400, if it can be less than that then it will better like the suggestion of Morrison hired a driven on a contract basis for $26/hour for 8 requiring hours in the parade to drive the float in the parade route.

Getting the approved list of vendors from the advertising department and depending on them the. The problem: (4 hours) the decorative design element depends on them so it is crucial of the listing.

The recruitment of volunteers through office-wide email invitations, request the design department draft for the float that will need approval from Presso and the design of t-shirts for the volunteers which needs approval from Presso and Mark Print (Vice President of advertising) after receiving their RSVPs.

The problem: the volunteer's response will be 3 weeks approximately to be confirming as a participating volunteer during the parade. Thus, the time requirement, like of waiting the response of the volunteer of their preferred sizes on the shirts (2 to 3 days), getting the need approval of Presso and Mark Print will take up to (5 days), and if the design are approved it will be forwarded on order to the production firm of Custom Press when the design of the shirts are approved already (7 business days).

Shipping of t-shirts. The problem: the regular shipping service would be shipped and receive on (2-3 days) following the printing but using the method of an additional fee of $25 the process can be expedited and guaranteed shipment within (1 day). But the difficulty is the budget proposal available of Toronto Sun to support the plan of action necessary to undertake because of time limitations on the near around due date to be conquer. Also Morrison must be preparing herself to the possibility of assessing the day of undelivered and returned mail.

Requesting the appropriate letter of volunteer waiver forms in the Human Resources Department. HR department will forward them to the Legal Department for review but since the Legal Department always seems to tend to overworked, there will be significant delay in its response. The problem: it is about regarding the long process of waiting and delay that will occur in this stage so it is important to schedule this problem ahead of time that can also be simultaneously process parallel with the other tasks because of no time to waste.

To obtain budget for giving each volunteers various items during the parade through advertising partners, and entertainment. The problem: the need of progress attaining that will be required to attain for the purchasing the extra needed use of material during the parade and expect all the possible uncertainties that it may not be easy because of maybe the limit budget of the other partners will need or will not some.

SUMMARY:

In summary the key problems are the time budget management of organizing and execution and control of the parade float for Toronto Sun. And the assessment of a needed timeline and task schedule in the project float.

STEP 2:

PRIORITIZE THE PROBLEMS

1.) The challenge of the impending date time limit clock.

The necessary need of a timeline and tasks schedule is a must in order to organize everything in place so that the project will be fulfilled and will not cause any problem failure in the forthcoming event. The pressure is on in this case with only 8 weeks left for a major big project of the parade float of Toronto Sun. With time just around the corner, it is a top priority to sort things out.

2.) Contacting the FMC teams.

3.) Speaking with the FMC representative, the design stage of the float can begin.

4.) Ready to meet the Toronto Sun's Design Department for the design of the parade float. Schedule a meeting with the design department. (1 day)

5.) Hire a contractor to build the float in the preliminary stage of hiring process, to do the selection of idea criteria for Toronto Sun's contractor needs (4 hours), next is to obtain the list of approved vendors from the advertising department (4 hours) in receiving the names and contact information, and after the meeting with the design department, she could call the various contractors to obtain information on their services (3 hours). Rate them according to her selection criteria and choose criteria (2 hours). Total of 21 hours which requires 2 working days to finish the task.

6.) After the selection of contractual, can proceed to rent a flatbed truck and hire driver for the parade day. Requirement of the driver at least 8 hours on the parade day. She could hire a driver on contract basis for $26/hours. Total of $208, able to save more with the budget Presso indicated of $400. (Half a day) to choose the truck and driver and finalize the arrangements.

7.) After the meeting at the design department, she will expect to receive draft design within (3 to 5 days).

8.) She would review and return the draft with feedback and comments as soon as possible. (1 day)

9.) Then the design department returns the final design to her again. (1 day)

10.) If she was pleased by the department's design with the revision then she can move on obtaining the approval for the design. But if she is not satisfied then it takes to four rounds time. (1 week) this is just the design alone.

11.) If she is satisfied with the float design then she would need to forward Presso for approval. But given this certain month, Presso is very busy with the out of office meetings and conferences. (5 days) Presso to review and approve the draft.

12.) The first phase of the parade float can be accomplished when the final draft is approved then the construction of the parade float can begin by the float contractor. They can then start purchase the needed materials required for building (Half a day). If done effectively, by doing the preparation of the major pieces of cutting the wood to the required dimensions and assembly selections of the float it will be done in short time soon. (2 days)

13.) Recruitment of volunteer sending via office-wide email to invite staff, their family and friends. (3 weeks) in receiving the RSVPs.

14.) Reviewing on the design of the t-shirts under the design department which needs the consultation of Presso and Mark Print in the design shirt for (4 days). Obtaining the t-shirt by the preferred sizes from the volunteer's response to her. (2 to 3 days).

15.) Printing the t-shirt with the confirm sizes and design approval. (7 business days)

16.) shipped and receiving t-shirt on using regular shipping service will take up to (2 to 3 days) but with the use of an additional shipping fee $25 Morrison guaranteed it will be only be (1 day).

17.) Requesting to the Human Resource Department the appropriate volunteer waiver form where in the past it takes up to (2 days), usually requesting full names of all the volunteers.

18.) After receiving the forms and forwards them to the legal department for review (1 day) but it seems the department is overworked and must expect uncertainty on significant delay in its response.

19.) HR will then send the forms to her since they are hard copy which goes through inter-office mail usually (1 day).

20.) Getting approval of Presso to charge the mailing fees to the department that can be within the day of mailing.

21.) Following the final approval of the float design can immediately begin on the hiring process of entertainment of the parade (3 to 7 days).

22.) After contracting the potential entertainers, (2 to 4 days) she can discuss her top choice with Presso.

23.) The meeting will take up to (2 hours) but Presso would likely need (1 to 2 days) before being able to meet.

24.) After selecting the entertainer, she has to confirm the availability for the parade day and have them sign a contract (Half a day).

25.) Also following the final approval of the design float, she could obtain the crowd giveaways it will take a (few weeks) to parallel with the other task.

26.) Requesting parade banner from the Marketing Department to dress the outside of the float. (10 days)

27.) All these task must be done at Aug 1 at 5:00pm which are the flatbed rental, hiring driver, prepping major pieces used float assembly, receiving banners and t-shirts form Custom Press, mailing waiver forms, obtaining parade day giveaways and hiring entertainers. After that time then the vendors and Toronto Sun department will be closed for the weekend thus Morrison needs everything to be in place by then.

STEP 3:

CONSIDER WHETHER IT IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE THE "CAUSE" OF THE PROBLEM

Is it necessary to identify the cause of the problem?

Yes, it is important to know what the cause is of the problem is a milestone of big help to this problem because of the requisites that are requiring managing the case situation. It is important to have clarity around where the problem/issue to be address. The definite cause of the problem here is the not yet plan out on where the timeline and task schedule is not yet present but still on progress with the idea to come out a solution to it in order to be able to get the desiring outcome of the project parade float and the ever battle of time limit of 8 weeks with a gigantic task to carry on in order to meet up in short notice is definitely a hard task ahead to compete with. With the time and task not in agreement with each then there must be a multi-tasking process in order to be done by the time before or on August 2. The task must be simultaneously combine to get work faster or to parallel some task to each other to get better results.

STEP 4:

BRAINSTORM THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE LEADER

Brainstorm the options available

After talking to the FMC representative about the details and requirement of the float with her research references from the Research Centre and Internet she want to review and brainstorm ideas can be critical before the meeting with the Design Department.

Morrison wants the float to be more creative this year's parade, because in the information she got in the previous float of Toronto Sun are very simple with few representatives riding it.

Must use all the resources available and be resourceful in finding extra budget income from other sources to get the desirable output.

Hiring driver of the float in the minimal budget of $26/hours totals to $208 that can save some left of the $400 that can be extra on the parade items for the volunteer, contractor, and entertainers in which there are 3 options to choose like Radio DJ, Band singers and pre-recorded music to scope out potential talent which the Caribbean culture is rich on music, on contrary basis for the parade float.

The idea of combine handling one task and another task to parallel each other in order increase progress to production and time consumption to meet ends with. By executing and controlling the task in a way a project can execute properly to control time budget and financial budgeting.

Examples like in the week of the process in approval of the design float from the design department can be the same time as the sending of office-wide email to all the employees, their friends and family because of time budget of scheduling of t-shirts and waiver volunteers letter are definitely time consuming so it better to be early in this stage.

The idea of 1 day shipping is guaranteed instead of regular shipping is much faster but an additional fee of $25.

STEP 5:

EVALUATE THE OPTIONS

Evaluate the options

Advantages

Disadvantages

Morrison wants the float to be more creative

It will make good appearance showcasing the company in a better light to outshine this year from the other company so it Toronto Sun float can catch the crowd's attention and a big improvement contrary to the company's previous floats.

The difficulty with this is working with minimal budget.

With this no extra budget

Hiring driver of the float in the minimal budget of $26/hours totals to $208 that can save some left of the $400.

It is most favorable when this task been fulfilled because then the extra money left can go to the parade items for the volunteer in addition.

If this task did not meet then there will be no additional budget. If worst case scenario happen like if the hired driver did contact he was unable to come on the day because of a fortuitous event then at the last minute $400 will be paid for compensation in hiring a new driver in the last minute.

Combine handling one task and another task to parallel each other in order increase progress to production and time consumption to meet the time.

It is most favorable considering the time length at hand with only 8 weeks. It helps budget time and be able to meet up with it of its progress in the short run.

In this stage it is very tiring of multi-tasking 2 big performances in 1 time frame or jump to another time frame. In this stage, flexibility is a must in order to corporate more to the demands.

The idea of 1 day shipping is guaranteed instead of regular shipping is much faster but an additional fee of $25.

The idea is guaranteed as long as the payment is made with it in order to budget the time.

The question is that if there is a budget on the forthcoming and if there is, can the budget be sustainable the hopefully 45 volunteers will be participating on it to receive their shirts.