WORKLAB

Cast of Characters

Stakeholder profiles (known to all participants)

Chief Retail Officer (CRO)

Job Description: Directs and manages the company's retail sales operations, including its current bricks and mortar (B&M) distribution network of retail stores and the central warehouse.

Personal Background: Joined Acme Jewelry as a retail store salesperson15 years ago, rose through the ranks, and has held the CRO position for the last ten years. Credited for leading Acme's successful geographic expansion into several new cities five years ago, increasing sales and profits; however, sales growth has stalled recently despite several new initiatives. A long-time personal friend and confidante of the President/CEO, and widely viewed as very influential within the company.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Job Description: Manages all accounting and financial activities, including bookkeeping, payroll, credit and collections, budgeting, and internal and external financial reporting.

Personal Background: Has over thirty years' experience in corporate finance in luxury goods retailing. Hired by Acme as company Controller eight years ago and promoted to CFO four years ago based on a track record of solid but not spectacular performance. Known as a skeptical "bottom-line," "by the numbers" manager who insists on seeing how any new initiative will affect sales and profits.

Chief Merchandising Officer (CMO)

Job Description: Manages the company's product line and marketing efforts, including jewelry design, vendor selection, purchasing, pricing, and advertising, and the company's catalog sales operation.

Personal Background: Joined Acme six months ago, recruited from a position as Director of Merchandising from a leading national jewelry store chain. Led a number of innovative and successful projects at previous company, but still trying to adapt to the somewhat more conservative culture at Acme.

Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Job Description: Directs all Information Technology activities for Acme, including programming, operation and support for the corporate LAN and accounting, inventory management, purchasing, and order entry and fulfillment systems running on an IBM mainframe.

Personal Background: An experienced mainframe COBOL programmer who was hired by Acme as an IT Manager ten years ago, and gained additional responsibilities when promoted to the newly created position of CIO two years ago. Has a primarily technical background but went to school nights to earn an MBA mid-career. Proposed and directed a major project to network all company locations and standardize the software applications in use throughout the company, which was controversial at the time but in retrospect is acknowledged to have improved efficiency and streamlined operations.

President/CEO

Job Description: Top executive of the company, ultimately responsible for major policy decisions, strategic planning, and overall company performance.

Personal Background: Founded Acme as a single jewelry store twenty years ago, and has grown the company steadily but cautiously over the years. Places a high value on the company's brand name and reputation for quality and good service to loyal customers. Has acknowledged frustration with the company's slowed growth in recent years, and has been pushing the senior management team to investigate new opportunities including e-commerce.

Senior Business Systems Analyst

Job Description: Work with business stakeholders and technology specialists to analyze business opportunities and problems, define business requirements, and plan, implement, test, deploy and support information systems to meet those requirements.

Personal Background: Graduated from DeVry University's Business Information Systems Program, and has five years experience in systems analysis in the retail industry, the last two with Acme. Viewed as professional, knowledgeable and easy to work with.