Herman Miller Case Study

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- Change in management:

As explained in the case study Herman Miller has been recruiting people in the top management section (CEO, President) from within the organization than looking outside for possible better candidates that could bring in more value which an insider may not see. This happens with most organizations where a person from outside the organization most likely brings more innovative ideas that cannot be seen from an internal employee. For example, when HM roped in consultants from Toyota which later helped them reduce a lot of costs.

- Hire the Best and Innovative:

As could be seen from the case where Herman Millers big revolutions happened when D.J. De Pree scouted for the best designers that changed the face value of the company. The talent acquisition team should hire more talented and innovative minds from various areas that could help Herman Millers investment in R&D worth. HMs reputation as a best employer with best benefits to its employees could help attract the best brains with little effort. For example, HM could sponsor some talent shows like Sharktank to expose some of the innovative minds and pull them into research by providing all the necessary benefits.

- Acquisitions and expansions:

HM which already has presence in some of the big countries like Brazil, Europe and India could focus on smaller countries with rich resources to expand their global presence. Herman Miller should also look at acquiring up and coming startups with great ideas or provide them financial support to share ideas and innovations. This will help HM stay on top of the changes that happen time to time with design and opportunities

- Using Technology wisely:

The internet is one of the biggest factors that differentiate two competitors. It is how you market a product that gives you an edge. HM may have the best designed chair in the world and won awards for the same but if its does not use technology in the right to communicate and reach out to consumers, the product would not sell. As we understand Herman Miller uses its subsidiaries and distributors to sell products in many countries. By using the web and internet marketing strategies right, HM could well see a huge increase in its sales across the globe and also reap huge profits.

Conclusion:

Herman Miller being one of the oldest office furniture company and one implementing some of the most sensitive ideas related to environment recycling is showing strong presence among its competitors. The Analysis and recommendations if considered and discussed could help Herman Miller strengthen its root even more and be ready to survive any economic hits in the long run. If Herman Miller focuses on some of the improvement areas discussed above like Use of technology, hiring best minds and using research budget wisely, It could go on to become an unbeatable company in its segment.