Great Plans - Little Planning: A Corporate Case Study

Abstract

This case describes the near disintegration of a company due to uncontrolled growth, inadequate information systems and ineffective (or perhaps incompetent) decision making. Selesian Manufacturing Company, Inc., grew from a small, privately held operation doing business only in the United States, to a publicly held company with operations in several foreign countries. As the company’s business expanded, the inadequacies of the founder/president’s management competencies, and the lack of effective corporate information systems, resulted in serious organizational and operational problems. The case illustrates the problems that can develop quickly when an organization does not have defined goals, effective management and supporting information systems.