Ritik Maheshwari

PGP/23/413

HR Strategies for SME/ Start-up

1) Who would be part of your founding team? Where from would they be? What roles would
they be performing initially?

Role Description
CEO Being one of the founding members and the person with the idea, I would
like to be the CEO managing the overall functioning and working towards
strategic planning and strategic decisions regarding product diversification,
product development, pricing and market expansion opportunities.

Chief Marketing/ Sales Responsible for developing ties and relationships with various institutions,
Officer IT campuses etc. Work closely with the me (CEO) as I have already
discussed the idea with various top managers of firms. Also responsible for
managing the sales force and distribution.
Chief Procurement Ensuring timely procurement of produce and tying up with farmers to have
Officer fresh and quality produce from appropriate location.
Chief Production Responsible for handling the overall production process from the time the
Officer raw materials get in, to clean and sort them, to make the deliverables and
also make sure for proper packaging.
Chief Quality Officer / Ensuring proper quality check of raw materials, finished products and
Chief Compliance packaging of the products. The food industry has to abide to various laws
Officer and regulation; thus he/she will also be responsible for compliance to the
applicable laws.
CFO Responsible for handling all the finances of the company, with an interest
to help raise and maintain working capital in the near future.

The most important criteria in selection would be the culture fit and the same drive, spirit and initiative.
Also the founding members will have a share in business by investing their own capital.

2) How many hierarchical levels would be there initially? When would additional hierarchies be
added? Would that require a change in role specifications?

Initially there will be a 3-level hierarchy with CEO at the top position to take strategic decision
in consultation with the CXO’s on level 2 of hierarchy. All these CXO’s will have their own team
below them at the 3rd level of hierarchy.
When the company grows above a significant level with reaching multiple locations, the
hierarchy levels will need to be increased to meet the requirements. A new hierarchy of
geographical head may come in.
Ritik Maheshwari
PGP/23/413

CEO

Team of
CXO's

Team of
CXO's

3) How would you source your workers and managers? What would be the basis for their
selection? Would you adopt different basis for your workers and supervisors/managers in
selection? Why or why not.

Workers and Managers will be sourced differently as the skills requirement in both the roles are
different.
For a worker, I would hire them directly with a traditional advertisement in newspaper and if
required will contact to a agency. The 1st level of screening will be based on a test which will
test their knowledge and skill required for the particular role. The one who clears the test will
have a interview with the department head.
For managers, CXO’s and I would personally be involved in hiring them. We may rely on campus
hiring and hiring via professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn. The main criteria for
managers selection will be same that of culture fit and their people management skills. We
might rely on psychometric tests, CV shortlisting and then 2-3 levels of interview which might
include interview by CEO himself.

4) Why would people want to work in your firm (In other words, what is the basis for attachment
and retention)?

 Greater than industry Pay

Ritik Maheshwari
PGP/23/413

 Incentives such as bonus, stock options, insurance and pension schemes

 Small team, thus huge learning opportunities
 Opportunity to work with CEO and CXO’s
 Free, open and fun culture of the organization
 Huge growth and career advancement opportunities

5) How would you monitor operations? What would be the means of control & co‐ordination
For operations to run smoothly there will be a need for a proper communication and
coordination among different departments and CXO’s. The process would start from the CMO
about the demand forecast going to Chief Procurement officer who will make sure the
availability of the required food and vegetables, this going to CPO for production and packaging
which in turns goes to the CMO for distribution. In this process the CQO will make sure that
there is no compromise on the specified quality.
There will be bi-weekly meeting of CXO’s and CEO to discuss on the ongoing process and output
levels. By this regular meeting CEO can keep a check on the activities of operations.

6) What compensation strategy would you follow?

Workers: Fixed pay + bonuses according to industry standards + insurance

Managers: Fixed pay + Variable Pay based on standards; Variable pay would include ESOPs etc
depending on bimonthly appraisals and peer feedback + Insurance and Pension
CXO, i.e. founding team: Profit Sharing + Stock options + Insurance and Pension