The Salter sisters, CEO and COO of Salter Sisters Sweets, have asked t

QUESTION

The Salter sisters, CEO and COO of Salter Sisters Sweets, have asked their operations director for his reaction to their latest idea: a marshmallow snowman with a chocolate center that melts into a gooey,

messy puddle to be scooped up by animal-shaped cookies. The operations director thinks that when melted too long, marshmallow hardens and sticks to the plate. He also thinks that parents won’t like the cleanup involved with the product. What should the Smith sisters do next?
A) market only the animal-shaped cookies
B) market the product without the marshmallow
C) manufacture the product and see how it sells
D) do more product research and survey their customers
E) defer to the Operations Director and pass on the idea

ANSWER

Answer: D
Explanation: D) This is a time when the company would be wise to follow the steps of practical decision making, starting with identifying what the problem really is. That is, does the marshmallow harden when melted and will parents not like the product? Product research and surveying potential customers is the wisest choice of action.