Page 94 - UPthEM_Program_Final_December 2020

UPthEM – Upskilling Pathways for Employability
№ 2019-1-BG01-KA204-062299

Final assessment- quizzes; cases
Business case study

A micro-enterprise employing 7 workers, which produces and sells pottery products for the
local tourism market, is encountering competition from companies that are importing similar
products from low cost producers in Asia.

If the company continues to compete on a production cost basis it is liable to encounter serious
financial problems. The company has been trying to lower costs for the past months but it has
now reached a point where it cannot lower costs any further. The owner of the business feels
that his customers do not appreciate the authenticity of his products and only look at the price.

After some research on the Internet he found a report from an association of tourism operators
regarding the aspirations and characteristics of tourists. He found out that tourists today are not
only looking at prices but also want to have an authentic experience of the place they are
visiting.

He decided to conduct a Creative Thinking session with his employees focusing on the
challenge and making the following provocation – What if?

Lead the session and report the results.

Possible scenario/outcome of the creative thinking session

“What if we turn part of the workshop into an experience?” During the Creative Thinking
session the group looked at how they could make an experience involving pottery. How will
they convert part of their workshop? Is there enough space? Will this change have an effect on
productivity whilst it is being undertaken and what will be the amount of investment they would
need to undertake? They analysed the benefits of this change.

The micro-enterprise expanded its workshop and created a section where visitors can see pottery
being made, learn the basics of making pottery and make their own pottery whilst having the
possibility to buy from the company’s shop. This has given the company a unique selling point
that their competitors importing from Asia cannot provide. It has also given their clients an
authentic experience enhancing their sales and solidifying their position in the market.

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