Wednesday, September 24, 2020
Case Study #1
Project Leadership Management (SEC.001)
Instructor
Professor Joan Rempel
Group Members
Ali, Zarghami Tehran…….. 0799 /azargham@my.centennialcollege.ca
Anita, Ifeadi………………. 7132/ aifeadi@my.centennialcollege.ca
Elnaz, Mahboubi Nabiyi…………4523/emahbou1@my.centennialcollege.ca
Pooja Avan, Rai………… ……....9641/prai@my.centennialcollege.ca
Venessa, Bandiera…………. ……9112 / vbandier@my.centennialcollege.ca
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1) How do Thornton’s experiences in professional sports and in restaurant management assist
him in running GPI? Does the fact that he is a minority help or hinder him personally in
business?
The story of Thornton’s career illustrates how his previous professions gave him the knowledge
and experience that he required to run GPI successfully. Running multiple restaurant branches
allowed Thornton to realize the difference between wealth and money. Furthermore, he began to
use his businesses as tools to grow wealth, along with understanding the nature of a successful
entrepreneur. Moreover, his understanding of teamwork from his time playing for the Cleveland
Indians gave him the ability to collaborate with others in order to reach a common goal.
Thornton states, “whenever you are dealing with people who are trying to accomplish a single
thing, that is the definition of a team.” (Thornton, 2006). Thornton also learned the importance of
keeping one’s objective in mind and persevering, no matter how successful or unsuccessful one’s
business is.
It is Andre’s responsibility to ensure that the myths which are perceived against GPI, such that it
is a second- rate company and that they have a lack of funding, are contrasted. Thornton will
discredit those myths by creating presentations for future clients to ensure them that GPI can
cater to large client accounts. The advantage that Thornton obtains being a minority in the
corporate business world is his network from his baseball career. Having played for a National
organized sports team there are many opportunities may present themselves should Thornton
seek additional funding or product sourcing for GPI.
Although not all minority-owned businesses may have the ability to look to their networks
should require additional business resources, they can look to their outside resources; their
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customers to help influence the influx of their business. In Canadian businesses present day, we
have seen huge changes in our market. Consumers can not be so easily swayed by large
corporations to buy products that have been mass-produced and made unethically. Today, our
consumers would rather spend the extra amount and purchase a product sourced from an ethical
environment that gives them the opportunity to be a part of a niche customer community.
Minority- owned, women-owned or small owned businesses are the preferred choice of today’s
consumer because we have reached a point in business where company culture outweighs cost
and convenience.
2) What does GPI have to offer its clients? Does the fact that it is a minority vendor help or
hinder the company?
Basically, GPI is a procurement management Company. They are offering various products to
their clients, such as:
1)
Hospital Apparel & Linens
2)
Corporate Uniforms
3)
Corporate Stores
4)
Promotional Merchandise
5)
IT & Creative Development
Serving three major sectors:
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1)
Financial
2)
Health Care
3)
Business & Industries
It provides a variety of products and services, including an incentive program for small and large
co-operation. It designs programs around the area and provides products and services to these
areas.
As a minority business GPI, faces stereotypes and myths foreshadowed in its business. The current
market shares in the assumption that because GPI is a minority business, the quality will be bad;
the market is sceptic and mistrusts the integrity of the company. The market automatically assumes
that because it is a minority business, they would lack financing and will be unable to perform.
Although the systems set up in the market are set for GPI to fail, the company constantly works to
debunk those myths. For example, when preparing for a presentation, one strategy that they use is
to prepare presentations to discredit myths in the minds of potential clients right from the very
beginning. The company constantly has to prove to potential clients that they are capable of
handling global and international clients and services. What drives business is the demographics;
this is identified as a business pressure, and because we live in a global world with a diverse
demographic, GPI caters to the business pressures of the fastest growing demographic who are the
minorities in America. This is what drives the minority business to be successful and to want to
make an impact.
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References
McGraw-Hill. (2006). Andre Thornton [video file]. Retrieved from
https://www.viddler.com/embed/543cc3df/?f=1&autoplay=0&player=full&disablebranding=0
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