BreadTalk has Stopped Selling Its “Freshly Prepared” Soya Bean Milk after a Photograph: Organizations in Global Context Assignment, KU, Singapore

Answer the following questions:

1. Organization Purpose

Describe briefly the Organization, its purpose, and it’s business. (Note: Some research may be necessary.)

2. Organization Structure

Based on BreadTalk’s organization structure in the figure in Appendix B:

• What form of organization structure has BreadTalk adopted?
• Explain 2 advantages and 2 disadvantages of this structure for BreadTalk.
• BreadTalk has recently set up a Special Projects Group to explore new and innovative F&B concepts for all its business areas. Using the organization chart, show where this Group should be placed in the organizational structure. Give 2 reasons for your answers.

3. Discuss 1 threat and 1 opportunity that BreadTalk faces in the current business environment in

4. Is BreadTalk facing a structured or unstructured problem? Give 2 reasons for your

5. Give another example of an unstructured problem in BreadTalk’s workplace.

6. What kind of decision-making style do you think would be MOST APPROPRIATE for the situation in the Straits Times Article? (i.e. Directive, Analytical, Behavioural, or Conceptual?). Give reason(s) for your answer (at least 2 references).

7. Identify 2 important leadership qualities of a CEO that is necessary for him to re-establish consumer confidence in BreadTalk.

8. Apply the first 5 Steps in the Rational Decision Process with elaboration for each step in the context of BreadTalk’s problem.

APPENDIX A

Confectionery chain admits to it after netizen posts photo of staff repackaging the drink

BreadTalk has stopped selling its “freshly prepared” soya bean milk after a photograph showing a staff member filling up plastic bottles with Yeo’s brand soya bean milk made its rounds on the Internet.

When contacted by The Straits Times yesterday, the confectionery chain admitted it buys the drink in one-liter packets from beverage giant Yeo Hiap Seng in bulk, repackages it into bottles with the words “freshly prepared” on them, seals the bottles, and then sells them.

The photograph was posted on the online site Redwire Times on Monday evening.   The netizen, who posted it under the handle Kev, called the discovery “shocking”.

“This ‘freshly prepared’ soya bean milk from BreadTalk always tasted very familiar, but somehow I couldn’t figure out why until now. You see for yourself why. This BreadTalk staff is just pouring Yeo’s soya bean milk into bottles of ‘freshly prepared’ soya bean sold by BreadTalk,” he said.

Ms. Joyce Koh, the 46-outlet BreadTalk Group’s senior vice-president of brand development, admitted the soya bean milk was “completely Yeo’s”. The problem, she said, arose after the chain used the same type of bottles it used to package fresh juice for sale for the soya bean milk. These bottles had the words “freshly prepared” on them.

“Yeo’s is a third-party vendor. They supply to a lot of commercial eateries, including us,” said Ms. Koh, adding that BreadTalk stopped selling the drink on Monday when the post started to circulate.

APPENDIX B

BreadTalk Organization Structure