Hyland Company Manufactures Generic Products for Several Major Discount Chain

question 63

Essay

Hyland Company manufactures generic products for several major discount chain stores. Robert Hyland, founder and CEO, has always followed a strategy of producing low-cost standardized products. Hyland now is facing foreign competitors who offer similar products with higher quality and more features (options) than is the case with Hyland's products. Although Hyland still offers the lower prices than its competitors, Hyland's net income has been steadily decreasing over the last three quarters.
Required:
What should Hyland do?

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Definitions:

Bureaucratic

Pertaining to a system of administration characterized by strict policies, procedures, and hierarchy.

Short-run Average Total Cost

The total cost of production (fixed and variable costs combined) divided by the quantity of output produced, calculated when some factors of production are fixed.

Factory

A manufacturing facility where goods are produced or assembled.

Efficient Scale

The level of production at which a company can produce its products at the lowest average cost per unit, maximizing efficiency.