Introduction
In pursuit of attracting new customers and entering new markets, companies often create new divisions and introduce new products. For example, Tasty Products is among the multi-billion-dollar businesses that sell organic food products and strive to gain a larger share of the market. At the moment, the company is seeking an Executive Vice President for a newly established division.
Now, Tasty Products hopes that the new Executive Vice President of the Energy Bars Division will have the essential management and leadership qualities to run the new division. In this case, to determine the individual who best fits the position, it is crucial to focus not only on their experience but also on their personal qualities. Out of the three candidates, T. J. Max is the ideal option for Tasty Products, given her comprehensive experience in the organic food industry, her ability to delegate tasks, and her proven success in increasing market share.
Management Skills
Starting with management skills, T. J. Max’s ability to delegate tasks and foster a collaborative work environment has led to significant gains in market share. The candidate has worked for the last 13 years at Star Lite Foods, a medium-sized vegetarian food delivery business with a yearly turnover of $220 million, based in Arizona and operating its main plant there. T.J. also worked as a Regional Manager in Idaho for 7 years, overseeing the expansion of vegetable output on farms that Star Lite used to acquire vegetables for its production. As a result, extensive experience indicates dedication and expertise in the individual’s field (Lumen, n.d.).
Moreover, T.J. attributes her success in that capacity to her ability to persuade local farmers to work together rather than alone. She developed a program called Community Communications to keep farmers informed about agriculture events in the region and to build collaborative ties. The candidate stated that she prefers to delegate because she believes her team needs the flexibility to make decisions. Thus, she takes the initiative and contributes to the company’s growth and its projects.
As for L. L. Bean, he is the founder of Bean’s Frozen Health, who demonstrated his managerial skills by starting a profitable firm from scratch and guiding its rapid expansion. He founded Bean’s Frozen Health over a decade ago in his basement. The firm sells its products across the United States and Canada. L.L.’s innovation transitioned from his conventional distribution of freshly produced vegetarian foods to local supermarkets and specialized grocery stores to frozen and packaged products. This demonstrates the strategic agility of L. L. Bean, which enabled it to adapt to the company’s expansion (Doz, 2020). Consequently, he expanded throughout North America, resulting in rapid growth in both revenue and staff.
As for J.C. Penney, he has excelled in technical areas of manufacturing and quality control at Tasty Products, demonstrating his ability to oversee complex operations. The candidate has shown outstanding managerial abilities during his time at Tasty Products. His meticulous efficiency became well-known across Tasty Products. He has spent the last four years as Tasty Goods’ Deputy Director of Quality Control for all goods in the United States and Canada.
His ideas and proposals have weight inside the management team, demonstrating their trust in his judgment. In this case, the senior management demonstrates behaviors and skills that could be applied to new initiatives (Alikaj et al., 2021). J.C. sees himself as both a manager and a coach, actively involved in staff development. He provides hands-on supervision in technical areas such as manufacturing and quality management, ensuring expectations are clearly defined.
Leadership Skills
Moving on, it is crucial to consider candidates’ leadership skills as well. T.J. Max believes that without stringent guidelines, individuals generate more and enjoy their work more. T.J. claimed that the team played a key role in helping Star Lite boost its market share by a double-digit percentage. This leadership approach prioritizes empowering the staff and encouraging collaboration (Civera et al., 2019).
Furthermore, L.L. Bean is a dynamic leader who promotes hands-on learning and is not afraid to take risks. He was recognized for his innovative leadership style and hands-on management. Despite his popularity among employees and supervisors, he was recognized for his focus and determination. His main areas of interest were strategic planning, marketing, and product development. Employees described L.L.’s organization as an appealing workplace where they received fair treatment.
Finally, J.C. Penney, as a fair manager, has earned respect within Tasty Products by demonstrating the ability to tackle challenging technological challenges. Employees of J.C. note that he gathers many facts before forming an opinion or recommending a course of action. He never reacts directly to what is stated and prefers to explore most topics before responding.
Leadership Style
The final area of consideration concerns leadership styles. T.J. Max conveys crucial information and has a strong sense of timing. They occasionally characterize her as remote, but when they seek her advice or she expresses an opinion, they appreciate it. T.J. is highly open to interactions with people and is recognized for being honest and delicate. She frequently says that she would want to think about a problem or question before responding, but she always follows up, even if it is a day or two later.
T.J. will not accept employees who fail to interact well with others, and she is pleased to collaborate with everyone. Collectivists value collaboration over competition and thrive in group settings, making them better team members (Lumen, n.d.). Therefore, it can be viewed as a delegative leadership style that emphasizes her team’s autonomy in decision-making (Ogunode, 2023). As a result, T.J. Max demonstrates a democratic style and set of values by being a rational team player.
Moving forward, L.L. Bean demonstrates a style that focuses on inspiration and risk-taking. In his opinion, taking risks is essential for staying ahead of the competition. He sees himself as a motivator of others and an individual who acts. L.L. routinely hosted town hall meetings to garner support and promote his goals. He is direct and frank in his one-on-one conversations.
L.L. acknowledged that while he relies on the people who make up Bean’s Frozen Health, he enjoys being involved in the business and staying up to date on developments in each area. The candidate enjoys walking around and talking to people, but he dislikes wasting his or others’ time. In this case, transformational style is evident, as seen by a person’s charm and emphasis on strategic planning and marketing (Ogunode, 2023). Such a style can be applied to product creation.
Finally, J.C. Penney is well-regarded among employees as a fair manager who consistently applies policies and procedures. J.C. might be perceived as being distracted by production and quality minutiae at times, and he often becomes heavily interested in other parts of line operations. He has chaired several groups to plan the creation and distribution of novel products, but he has not yet been assigned these duties as part of his current work. Here, a transactional leadership style is evident, enforcing policies and procedures consistently while focusing on production and quality control issues (Lumen, n.d.). With this style, it is possible to contribute to product creation, with an emphasis on knowledge and skills.
Candidate Recommendation
In terms of candidate recommendation, T.J. Max is the most suitable for the position. Tasty Products expects that the Executive Vice President will represent the company’s new brand to current and future customers. The capacity to connect with existing and future clients about what distinguishes Tasty Products’ organically flavored protein snacks from its competitors will be critical to success. A leader must be seen as an individual of integrity and an inventive problem solver (Tan et al., 2021).
As a result, the first reason why the candidate is ideal is the appropriate experience. The woman worked in the organic food industry for over a decade, demonstrating expertise and knowledge. Moreover, her skill in delegating responsibilities, along with her proven track record of boosting market share, highlights the candidate’s dedication and leadership qualities essential to the company. Finally, her leadership style is ideally suited to the new division’s needs, which demand creativity, efficient marketing, and the establishment of strong systems and procedures.
Rejected Candidates Explanation
At the same time, there are two rejected candidates, such as L.L. Bean and T.J. Max. J.C. Penney, the second choice, is highly regarded inside Tasty Products and has demonstrated exceptional managerial abilities. However, his lack of marketing and sales expertise, along with his attention to detail, may hinder the division’s growth. L.L. Bean, the third option, has exhibited entrepreneurial ability, but his hands-on style may not be appropriate for a big division such as Tasty Products’ new endeavor. Therefore, while both candidates demonstrate exceptional expertise and skills, their weaknesses might hinder the company’s and division’s progress and expansion.
Conclusion
In summary, T. J. Max is the best candidate for Tasty Products because of her extensive expertise in the organic food sector, ability to delegate responsibilities, and demonstrated track record of expanding market share. Tasty Products expects that the newly appointed Executive Vice President of the Energy Bars Division has the necessary management and leadership skills to operate the newly formed division. T.J. Max is the best candidate for the role, according to the recommendations.
Her leadership style is perfectly aligned with the objectives of the new division, which require innovation, effective marketing, and robust processes and procedures. At the same time, two applicants, including L.L. Bean and T.J. Max, have been rejected. While both candidates display great experience and talents, their shortcomings may impede the company’s and division’s success and expansion.
References
Alikaj, A., Ning, W., & Wu, B. (2021). Proactive personality and creative behavior: Examining the role of thriving at work and high-involvement HR practices. Journal of Business and Psychology, 36, 857-869.
Civera, C., De Colle, S., & Casalegno, C. (2019). Stakeholder engagement through empowerment: The case of coffee farmers. Business Ethics: A European Review, 28(2), 156-174.
Doz, Y. (2020). Fostering strategic agility: How individual executives and human resource practices contribute. Human Resource Management Review, 30(1).
Ogunode, N. J. (2023). Leadership styles and school effectiveness. Excellencia: International Multi-disciplinary Journal of Education (2994-9521), 1(4), 102-114.
Lumen. (n.d.). Module 8: Groups, teams, and teamwork.
Tan, A. B., Van Dun, D. H., & Wilderom, C. P. (2021). Innovative work behavior in Singapore evoked by transformational leaders through innovation support and readiness. Creativity and Innovation Management, 30(4), 697-712.