Odwalla Case Study

Odwalla Case Study

Communication Issues

The key communication issues at Odwalla are that different Managers of departments are not communicating efficiently about what is going on in each department. For example if there was a know outbreak that E-coli was going around then the department heads should have been notified in order to take countermeasures. First and Foremost Odwalla had a very strong business base however their lack of communication is what got them in the situation of E-coli simply because nobody bothered to take charge and notify the correct departments of an E-coli breakout. Next the managers are obviously not communicating and checking up on their employees. Especially when the company has no idea how E-coli just suddenly go into their supply. I believe that if the managers had been on their game watching their employees closely, because somebody did not follow correct procedures. As stated in the case study “Production is more important that safety” which I believe to be correct because Odwalla expanded to fast, and they managers did not have the proper time and training to handle a company that became so large. So in my opinion Communication needs to start from the bottom up, meaning that lower level managers need to better communicate with their people and so on when going up the ladder of Chain of command and different departments.

Communication Strategy

The Odwalla communication strategy can focus on retaining its customers confiedence first by identifying if it was their product really did give those people E-coli. Next after the investigation has been conducted and if Odwalla did have the E-coli break out is to explain to their consumers how it happened and what they are going to do to assure it will never happen again. However if Odwalla products is not to blame \then investigate who’s product is, and educate their consumers why their product would not be subject to E-coli.

Damage Control

Odwalla does not seem to...