PRECISION BICYCLE COMPONENTS INFORMATION SHEET
Precision Bicycle Components (PBC) is a corporation headquartered in the U.S. in
Indianapolis, Indiana. In addition to the headquarters facility, the corporation consists of two plants that manufacture bicycle components and a smaller plant called Crew
Equipment that makes athletic supplies. All three plants are in the U.S. The bicycle plants are in Indianapolis and in Sacramento, California; the Crew Equipment plant is in
Houston, Texas.
The company was started thirty years ago in Indianapolis. The California plant began operation five years after that, and the Crew Equipment plant was bought two years ago. The company has experienced steady growth since its inception. It has the reputation of being an excellent employer. Employees are well paid, quality is emphasized, and self-managed work teams are gradually being introduced in production departments. The company employs 3,051 people and did approximately 360 million dollars in sales last year. It is the only manufacturer of bicycle components in the U.S.; its competitors are located in Europe and Japan. By December of last year, PBC was the third major producer of bicycle components in the world.
Further growth requires opening markets in other countries. PBC plans to open a plant overseas in ten years, probably in Taiwan or Singapore.
The person currently occupying the position of vice president of operations at PBC will retire at the end of next month. Frank Flaherty, the chief executive officer (CEO), believes that this position is critical to the future success of the company. This vice president will oversee production at both the California and Indianapolis plants and will also play a major role in planning the introduction of the overseas plant–including locating the site, determining staff and other resources needed, and so on.
This vice president is expected to be active in the community and willing to work long hours. The CEO is looking for someone who is “visionary and energetic, with strong strategic planning and negotiation skills.” He is also looking for someone he can groom for his own position once he retires.
You are a member of PBC’s board of directors. The board’s task is to choose the next vice president of operations from three candidates recommended by PBC’s human resources (HR) department. To help you in your task, you will be given a set of materials for each candidate consisting of a resume; an assessment sheet completed by personnel at the Cliffhouse Developmental Assessment Center, where each candidate underwent a two-day executive-assessment process; and a candidate statement, written by the candidate as an advocate for himself or herself.
Note that the board’s choice must be unanimous.
_______________________________________
The 1995 Annual: Volume 2, Consulting.
Copyright © 1995 by Pfeiffer & Company, San Diego, CA.
The 1995 Annual: Volume 2, Consulting

101

PRECISION BICYCLE COMPONENTS RESUME 1
ROBERT LELAND CARSON
27226 Lochinvar Court
Carmel, Indiana 46010
317-335-3370
Professional Experience
Plant Manager, Precision Bicycle Components, Indianapolis Plant:
1992–present. Responsible for all functions at PBC’s Indianapolis plant, the larger of
PBC’s two bicycle-components divisions and the largest PBC facility. Guide the vision, mission, and strategic goals for the Indianapolis plant and its 1,820 employees. Supervise six direct reports.
Vice President of Plant Operations, Precision Bicycle Components, Indianapolis
Plant: 1990–1992. Responsible for directing operations at PBC’s Indianapolis plant.
Managed all manufacturing functions, including interface with engineering under the newly implemented integrated-systems process. Supervised six direct reports.
Director of Systems Design, Precision Bicycle Components, Indianapolis Plant: 1985–
1990. Responsible for company-wide systems design functions. Supervised three managers as direct reports, located in two facilities and representing five