Crispin Chocolate Case

1) Where there any evidences for the need of change?

There were no evidences for the need of change, at least, not the urgent ones.

Crispin Chocolates was voted number one Swiss branded chocolate in the market recently, throughout the company morale was high and staff turnover low; performancei indicators were positive. Everything was just all right, but Pierre Crispin was about to retire, and he needed someone new to be CEO of the company. He felt that since the business was in good shape, it was the right time to bring someone with new ideas.

Seems like P. Crispin had been thinking about making changes in the company for some time, but he never found the right moment. And when his health was getting worse AND the company was in good shape – he thought „Why not now”? It would be bad reasoning if the company would be in a bad shape or something, because it could get even worse.

2) Describe the team F.Stein had to lead.

The team and the whole company as itself were like a big family. In the team each of the 4 persons was a specialist in his own sphere and in everyday job they were responsible for their side of the work.

Klaus Busch was a bit hurt I would say, so he could have negative feelings for F.Stein from the very beginning. This was because of the fact that he (and other people in the team) thought that he would be chosen for the job of CEO. This could affect other people’s thoughts as well, because P. Crispin in a way disappointed his workers. They thought that the business will still be in the “family’s” hands, but no…CEO became someone from outside.

3) What and why F.Stein wished to introduce into company?

He wanted to automate the whole manufacturing process, to run the factory 24/7. He wanted to eliminate waste and make the production more effective. This innovative approach would allow them to concentrate on product design and expansion. Of course automatization of the factory would mean eliminating people as well.

He wanted to...