BOH Case Study Resources Peters Landscaping Ethics Although

BOH- Case Study Resources Peter’s Landscaping

Ethics • Although it may be legal to cut corners it is not ethical. Peter’s landscaping has a very ethical approach when dealing with customers. Customers concerns are a top priority. • Peter’s landscaping has a set standard of universal values that ensure the work environment is 100% ethical. Peter keeps the workplace safe by providing his employees with safe products and tools to perform the job] • Peter is very ethical when it comes to his employees. Peter would not deny an employee of something because of their race or gender or make an employ feel uncomfortable regarding sexual comments. Peter performed all his tasks ethically. Therefore, there was no worry for whistleblowers.

Management history • Peter’s landscaping has an old school management approach. Work was divided evenly between workers with each worker taking the task that is best fitted for them. • Peter was a theory y manager. He allowed his employees to participate in decision making and delegated authority to each of them. • The Maslow’s hierarchy of needs refers to the physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization needs. To operate a business you must tend to these needs. I know Peter tended to these because he provided water for his crew and the required lunch breaks, he ensured employees felt confident in their work (would not ask employees to perform task if they felt uncomfortable), made his employees feel appreciated by socializing to an extent; and motivated them by getting more jobs instead of offering more money for their everyday tasks as satisfied needs do not motivate.

Corporate Culture • At Peter’s landscaping they take pride in having the best quality products and services in the area. • There was not a lot of diversity at Peter’s, there were only 5 employees (when we were there) and we were all caucasian. The reason being when landscaping it’s not a necessity to have other cultural perspectives (unless you were a worldwide corporation) so Peter hired who was available to him. • There is quite a few external customers that Peter’s had, most jobs being done were patios, pools, gardens, and other landscaping tasks so external customers were easy to find. On the other hand there was one internal customer we had was Aqua Blue Pools, they relied on us to dig the hole so they could put the pool in. • Peter was definitely a symbolic leader, he used to tell us stories about how good of a landscaper he was in order to motivate us instead of actually landscaping himself. This being said I can’t recall having any real leaders, the only other guys we worked with took there time so there wasn’t much of a leadership role being played. • There were no glass ceilings for anybody we knew while we worked for the company

International Business • At Peter’s Landscaping there were 5 employees. Peter, Rob, Jake, Austin, and Cody. There was not a lot of diversity in the business because there were so few employees but there was a wide range of customers that came from different cultures. We worked for every different person out there; young, old, male, female, black, white you name it. There is no prejudice when it comes to needing work done people just look for the cheapest and most reliable businesses. • Globalization and free trade had a very limited effect on Peter’s landscaping, most work was done close to the niagara region and all materials were purchased locally. I suppose the North American Free Trade Agreement allows Canada to import most of these goods but there was no international business done directly.

Entrepreneurship • There is entrepreneurship within Peter’s landscaping. Pete is independent, he is own boss and works for himself. Pete was sometimes laid back but he was motivated in accomplishing the goals of getting work done properly, quickly and not wasting valuable time. • Peters landscaping solves the same problems as other business’ and its own unique problems. However, when everything functioned accordingly it was an ideal business. Therefore Peter’s landscaping is classified as a family business.

Information and Decision Making • Peter’s landscaping has been a successful company for the last 40 years and has surpassed the break even point. Therefore the numbers tell us that Peter’s landscaping is making profit. • The amount of hours worked, completion of duties, and use of materials is tracked. • Sales are increased in the summer and spring because the landscaping work can only be done in the spring and summer. However, the company makes minimal sales throughout the winter by using its heavy equipment for snow removal. • Peter’s landscaping does not have an up to date information system. The only information that peter tracks is hours worked, and completion of duties and use of materials. The amount of hours worked and tasks completed are recorded by the workers in a log book. Peter tracks the use of materials by recording what is used in a log book. • Peter is the only manager. However he uses his logs very efficiently to distribute wages calculate inventory and tasks that have been completed.

Planning and Controlling • The goal at Peter’s landscaping is to have absolute customer satisfaction. Peter would do this by ensuring him and his crew performed the best quality landscaping at a very efficient rate all at a low price to top off the deal. By being consistent with his work this allowed Peter to achieve his goals. • These goals break down to all levels. Peter reminds all of his employees that if a customer that his name relies on the crews service, and since the small business had such little staff the less jobs Peter had the less money employees made. • There was no need for good management because the system worked as self discipline since Peter structured his business as a team. This gives employees more motivation than if they were to work for a multi-billion dollar corporation with a CEO they’ve never even met. • Break even prices ranged depending on the types of work being done each day, however Peter was sure not to fall into debt. • The inventory at Peter’s landscaping was fairly well maintained. The machinery was usually in working conditions but on occasion problems occurred. There was only a shop for machinery/tools because inventory such as bricks, wood, sod, etc. would be ordered once a job had been confirmed.

Strategic Management • The goal of Peter’s landscaping is superior profitability. The strategy to achieve this goal is to have a competitive advantage over other landscaping companies by having the equipment to do all landscaping jobs. This competitive advantage is hard for other landscaping companies to imitate because not many landscaping companies are able to afford the quality and quantity of equipment that Peter’s landscaping has. The result of having the right equipment to do the job is that we achieve maximum customer satisfaction. • Peter’s Landscaping does not have any major competitors. Peter’s landscaping actually works with other companies such as Aqua Blue Pools to ensure a steady work flow. • Strengths that Peter’s landscaping have include superior profitability, having the right equipment for the job, customer satisfaction, quality and efficient work, teamwork. • Weaknesses that Peter’s landscaping have include not having up to date information systems and poor advertisement. • Opportunities that Peter’s Landscaping had are emerging technologies. Pete would always be updating his equipment. Pete’s most recent equipment update new saw that had the capability to cut wet to eliminate dust. • A threat that Peter’s Landscaping has is every winter Pete only works when there is snow because he relies on snow plowing in the winter as his main sale. Therefore, if it does not snow Pete and his employees cannot work. • Compared to other landscaping companies Peter’s landscaping has excellent customer satisfaction. Pete and his crew produce quality work at any efficient rate for a fair price. If a customer does not like something, Pete will work with the customer until they are 100% satisfied. • The landscaping industry is always thriving. However, Niagara is saturated with landscaping companies which make it hard for one company to thrive. Peter’s landscaping’s competitive advantage is what allows them to thrive in Niagara

Organizational Structure • Peter’s landscaping has only one boss Peter Nieuwesteeg. In the order of an organizational structure following Peter would be the crew members. There are no managers at this business so in a way we we’re external customers because he relied his workers to do the jobs correctly. • Peter’s approach to management is that of a theory y manager. Therefore you can’t quite consider him a leader. He operates the business professionally in the sense that employees listen to what he says but you could not consider him a motivator. Peter’s landscaping is still successful with the laid-back management style but if there were a few manager’s/more experienced landscapers than the corporation would strive.

Leading/Leaders • Peter, the only boss at peters landscaping, had a democratic leadership style. Peter had a high concern for task and people. • Peter’s leaderships style influenced workers to participate in making decisions because he believes that the only way workers improve their skills is by participating in the task at hand. • Although this is an effective leadership style, it would be better if Peter had a foreman on the job that could help make decisions when Peter is not there. That way workers would always know what to do and can be working the most efficiently.

Motivational Theory As previously stated before Peter’s landscaping is a family business that operates as a team. If employees are performing tasks slowly and ineffectively then the jobs won’t be done on time ruining the work schedule. Customers would not be happy resulting in a loss of business and the less business there is, the less money to be made. When employees missed work their tasks we’re accommodated for and your co-workers would not be happy which was another motivator to come to work everyday.