Question

the production department at a small appliance manufacturing firm schedules long production runs because they are focused on achieving cost efficiency and long production runs cost less than short runs. the sales department in the firm is focused on customer satisfaction. they want to get products to the customer as soon as possible and thus, often put pressure on the production department to schedule short production runs in order to meet the demands of a specific customer more quickly. this illustrates which source of conflict?

Answer 1

The situation illustrates an interdepartmental conflict between the production department's focus on cost-efficient long production runs and the sales department's focus on customer satisfaction via short production runs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The conflict described in the question is an example of a classic interdepartmental conflict within a business setting. The production department is focused on achieving cost efficiency through long production runs, as these are generally less expensive and improve economies of scale in the long term, aligning well with the nature of supply side production optimizations. On the other hand, the sales department prioritizes customer satisfaction, pushing for short production runs to quickly meet specific customer demands. This tension reflects distinct departmental objectives that can lead to conflict, with production seeking cost minimization and scalability over time, while sales demand agility and responsiveness to customer needs.