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Clearwater Fine Foods Inc. Clearwater Fine Foods Inc. (CFFI)(CFFI)World’s largest integrated shellfish
harvester and processor. ◦ Leading seafood producers◦ Largest buyer, producer, and exporter of
live lobster◦ Largest producer of sea scallops◦ Major exporter of shrimp, surf clams,
ground fish tuna and shark
Organization Structure as of Organization Structure as of 19971997CFFI had parted company with
Hillsdown in 1989◦ Maintaining 100% of its Canadian seafood
businesses◦ Owns Grand Banks seafood for Icelandic
scallops, surf clams◦ Argentina joint venture producing Antarctic
scallops◦ Controlling interest in Ocean Nutrition
Canada Fish oil encapsulated products
Organization Structure as of Organization Structure as of 19971997International Sales Offices:
◦ Santa Ynez, California◦ Orlando, Florida◦ Windsor , UK◦ Shanghai, China
OrganizationOrganizationOwnership- 100% managmentSales - $200M CADBoard of Directors -InternalOperations
12 Divisions 10 Processing Plants 30 Vessels 4 Sales Offices
Clearwater Fine Foods Inc.
Divisions:Blue Ribbon Seafoods
Clearwater Arctic Surf Clam Co.Clearwater Lobsters
Clearwater Lobster Shops (Retail Stores)Continental Seafoods
Deep Sea TrawlersGrand Bank Seafoods
Highland FisheriesOcean Prawns Partnership
Pierce FisheriesChina Sales Office
Toronto Sales Office
CFF (Europe)
Ltd. Windsor,
U.K.
Glacier Pesquera
S.A.
CFF (U.S.A)Inc..
Santa Ynez, CA
Orlando, FL
Clearwater Limited
Partnership
Eastern Quebec
Seafoods Ltd.
Ocean Nutrition Canada
OrganizationOrganizationEmploys
90 head office (Bedford, Nova Scotia) 30 in 3 retail outlets 650 in vessels 1875 regular + 600 seasonal in
processing plants 5 sales staff
Corporate StrategyCorporate Strategy1. Focused on growing distribution
channels2. Diversified products through
strategic partnering and market growth
3. Primarily decentralized yet vertically integrated, dominating or leading each product line
Organizational ProblemOrganizational Problem
Change in Corporate Strategy in1995◦Growth oriented to “CFFI Vision 2000”◦Five and Three Year Corporate Goals◦Targets
Financial Product Market Operations Performance
Organizational ProblemOrganizational Problem
Development of Strategic Plans Each Line and support function creates their
own plan Outlining the objectives in Vision 2000 List of implications to operations/ actions for Vision 2000 success
Information Aspect of the Information Aspect of the ProblemProblem1996 Yearly Update Meetings
◦Noted Problems with Communication and Collaboration within the company.
Contributing Factors◦Size◦Diversification◦Decentralized◦Vertically integration
Head Office
3 Retail Stores
Clam ProcessingGroundfish Processing
Dryland Lobster
Saltfish Plant
Fleet HeadquartersOffshore Lobster
Saltfish, ScallopsDryland Lobster
Scallops, Clam Processing
Shrimp Processing
Diversified and Diversified and DecentralizedDecentralized
Plus: 3 Vessels off coast of Argentina and Sales Offices in Toronto, US, UK and China
IT/IS Aspect of the IT/IS Aspect of the ProblemProblemPre 1996
◦Basic Email◦Internet site but no intranet
Define Solution in CaseDefine Solution in CaseMIS Manager , Leonard Landry
◦Developed a Corporate Intranet Secure, common area to post company
interests
◦Upgraded to Microsoft Exchange for e-mail Shared Calendars, Corporate Address Book Ease of contacting colleagues
** Search for Brainstorming and Consensus-building Software to aid in decision making
Group Decision Support Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS)Systems (GDSS)Combines Communication Computer and Decision Technologies
◦Support formulation and solution on unstructured problems in group meetings
◦Used when problems are not optimal, evident or possible
◦Used in real time
Group Decision Support Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS)Systems (GDSS)Decision Rooms
◦U Shaped Configuration◦Network Micro Computer Stations◦Color monitors sunk into desktops◦Wide screen protector at front of
room◦Central desk, server◦Independent Facilitator
Group Decision Support Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) Systems (GDSS) A Member of MIS Steering
Committee suggested:Queens University Executive Decision
Room◦Uses Group Systems Software◦DeSantis-Gallupe matrix in text
Brent Gallupe is a professor at Queens University
Founder of the first group-decision support lab.
Group Decision Support Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) Systems (GDSS) Committee decided to send a
group to evaluate the QEDC usefulness◦Group selected was the Finance and
Admin Department◦Two Goals of the meeting
Develop an initial draft of a strategic agenda for the department
Familiarize Managers with the tools of GDSS
Bob WightVP Finance
Rein Liiva
Controller
CFFI
Emerson FiskeInternal Auditor
Leonard Landry
MIS Manager
Linda Fowler
Accounting
Supervisor
John Miller
Controller
Clearwater
Lobsters
Bill Stafford
Controller Ocean
Nutrition Canada
Accounting Staff
13 people
Accounting Staff3 people
Sandy RudolphLAN/WAN Administrator
Andrew BowerProgrammer/Analyst
Debbie KoreckiProgrammer/Analyst
Lori MacCaullInformation Manager
Clint SlaunwhiteEnd User Support
Bedford Accounting and Finance Group : Organization Chart
The MeetingThe MeetingBob Wight and his 6 direct reportsMeeting lasted 8 hrs in duration
◦Began with a electronic brainstorming exercises to familiarize team with the technology
◦Completed a SWOT Analysis Topic Commentator Through Discussion they decreased the
volume of ideas then ranked their strengths and weaknesses from the SWOT analysis using a vote tool
The MeetingThe Meeting◦Goal Generation
Idea Organizer Tool Discussion reduced to 10 items Reduced again to 5 main goals with the
Vote Tool
◦Creation of Objections for each Goal Electronic brainstorming created 90 goals Ended with 4 main objectives per goal
◦Team mapped out a list of actions items and assigned responsibility through discussion
The MeetingThe Meeting◦Meeting Ending:
Had 5 main goals, 4 objectives per goal Assigned action items to responsible
parties in the meeting All agreed to a follow-up session after
discussion with other senior managers in the org.
◦Last activity Discuss suggestions and ideas for the
groups long term vision for which they used the Topic Commenter
The Meeting EvaluationThe Meeting EvaluationMeeting evaluation using the
questionnaire tool ◦PROS
All members felt satisfied Felt they had equally contributed Felt unthreatened Like the lack of interruption
◦CONS Felt Rushed Isolated from Group Ideas Overlooked Felt ideas were left out
The Follow Up:The Follow Up:◦Meeting took place on November 6th
◦All agreed to collect feedback and have a follow up session at the end of November
◦March 1997 at case end Feedback had been solicited No follow session took place
How well did CFFI Implement GDSS How well did CFFI Implement GDSS Software as a solution?Software as a solution?Pros
◦Solicited an outside facilitator for first meeting
◦Used a test group that included the MIS manager Buy in would be important in full scale
implementation
◦Mixed technology use with old fashion face to face discussion Help to improve consensus
What Went Wrong in the What Went Wrong in the Implementation of the GDSS Implementation of the GDSS Software as a Solution?Software as a Solution?Cons
◦Test group only included managers Nice to have all levels of opinions Lower level staff may seen more benefit from
anonymity
◦Due to the facilitator, a main leader did not emerge from the group Follow up meeting was never planned and
implemented Progress stalled on strategic plan and full use of
GDSS
◦Team seemed to lose interest Take more time to pre plan to use GDSS Booking time to travel etc.
What Other Alternatives Were What Other Alternatives Were Available?Available?
Non Technology Tools for Strategic PlanningBrainstormingNominal group techniquesExplain/ defend opinionsFinal decisionOrganizing and Prioritizing
Fishbone DiagramVenn DiagramEtc
AlternativeAlternativePROS
◦Cheaper◦Promotes relationship building
CONS◦Difficult to document all suggestions and
ideas, challenge for group to focus◦Slower and inefficient◦Productivity is also low◦Smaller ideas get lost due to difficultly to
capture◦No anonymity to idea generation
Solution and AdvantagesSolution and AdvantagesGDSS Software:Saves time, increases efficiency/
productivity◦Avoid Group Think◦Equal participation by providing
anonymity◦Users work simultaneously and
independently◦Eliminates time restraints of debate◦Ideas are quickly edited, sorted, saved,
discarded, and copied
Messages for a Modern Messages for a Modern LeaderLeaderCreating the need for change
◦ Study found on average spend 800 hrs in meetings and executives consider 240 of those hours as wasted time.
◦ Fewer and/or more productive meetings means more time for other activities
◦ However, people are less likely to use this tool as it requires more motivation and effort than paper based tools.
◦ Team must be open to developing new skills and consider innovation and efficiency a priority
Messages for a Modern Messages for a Modern LeaderLeaderSystems need to be managed
◦There should be a centralized leader to follow thru after the meeting and encourage continued participation and buy-in.
◦Silos created between organizational structure can not be removed with the addition of technology alone.
◦Different time and place tools could be used to help improve collaboration and communication between all department lines
Define Alternatives: Define Alternatives: Zing Technologies
AnyZing ◦ Requires a single computer, a data projector and several
keyboards. ◦ It had 3 components called Create, Meet and Learn
ZingThing ◦ Requires a server and client computers, one for the
facilitator. ◦ Additional participants use extra keyboards attached to
the client machines.
Define Alternatives: Define Alternatives: Zing TechnologiesPros over Groupsystems
◦Link 12 people through single computer
◦Can rent system to determine needs◦Server software and intra or internet
based◦Consultant Kit $3,000 vs $20 – 40,000◦Networking allows laptops to be
linked using wireless LAN◦No Limit to Users
New DevelopmentsNew DevelopmentsClearwater Fine Foods (USA) Inc.
◦Public Offering in Trust, 2002◦Bob Wright CFO
“The way to manage the company’s costs was to invest. We have invested in the latest and best technology to reduce costs and improve quality. That has given us a competitive edge in this industry.” John Risley, Co-Founder CFFI