J.

Shivalkar Case Analysis of Becton Dickinson: Designing the New Strategic, Operational, and Financial Planning Process

(a)Role Of SOF Process Strategy: In existence, the strategy of the company will be reviewed sector wise and there should be development in that process which will help managers identify best strategic options. The strategy should work on the goals, issues and tactics of the company and the environment should be open communication between corporate and business units. Operation: The bureaucratic process in a matrix organisation structure like Beckton Dickinson should be decreased so that planning cycle will take less time. Operational control and implementation should be managed at lowest possible level. Finance: Currently estimation of profit and loss from each business unit has to be submitted. The financial trends of these will be reviewed and informal feedback will be provided by sector presidents to the each business unit. Here business units are more accountable than the worldwide teams. Both business units as well as world-wide teams should be accountable in a matrix organisation structure of Beckton Dickinson. Planning should include nonfinancial goals also. (b) Element to retain Communication from corporate to business managers specifying performance expectations for the upcoming planning period because this process had been evolving for over twenty years and it has been deeply attached to the culture of the employees working in Beckton Dickinson.

Element to eliminate Command and control environment should be eliminated as this would lead to bureaucracy process. Accountability should be equal for business units as well as worldwide teams because business units were more accountable for profit and loss estimation, financial results forecasting whereas worldwide teams are not that much accountable. (c) Suggestion to Jack Fuchs Changes should be made gradually so that it can be assimilated by the team. Communication can be another point that should be paid attention, although there was a tight formalism when communicating between business units and the corporate. It will be necessary to bring corporate executives and business units work together, for months or years, until it reaches a trusted conducive to good communication and efficient for both entities. So acceptance of organisational change of the company personnel should be kept in mind by Jack Fuchs to implement the new SOF process.