Margot Smithfield is asking for your input to help her understand and ensure she does not overlook anything
important to introducing a new furniture product line to the current Smithfield product line. She has requested that you
send her a single-spaced summary, using only course readings and proper citations, that addresses (in the order
they are listed) the issues she believes she needs to be aware of related to communications and decision making.
1. Explaining to her, using not more than 4 sentences, why employees need to understand the need for
Smithfield to continue to be innovative.
2. Selecting the 3 “noise” factors that are most likely to interfere with the successful launch of the new product
line. Using not more than 4 sentences for each of your 3 noise factors, you will explain to Margot why you
selected each of the 3 noise factors you selected, including their potential negative impact on a new product
launch if it is not eliminated or reduced.
3. Identifying for Margot Smithfield the 3 most significant obstacles to change that you believe will make the
acceptance of the new product line difficult for employees to support. Using not more than 4 sentences for
each obstacle to change you identified, you will explain to Margot why you selected each of the 3 obstacles
to change, including each obstacle’s potential negative impact on a new product launch if it is not eliminated
or reduced.
4. Selecting for her and explaining, using not more than 4 sentences, the one specific change management
technique or tool you think is most likely to pave the way for a successful launch of the new product line.
5. Explaining to her, using course readings on decision making and in no more than 4 sentences, the most
likely decision-making oversight the board could make in the launch of a new product line.
Note: You are expected to use in-text citations and create a reference list in answering the above 5