Running head: CAPSIM 1 CAPSIM 7 Capsim Case Study Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Capsim Case Study Optimizing Limited Resources to Meet Demand The first step towards optimization of limited resources to meet the growing customer demand is to employ a cost-leadership strategy. Cost leadership strategies seek to gain a competitive edge over rivals by minimizing production costs through effective resource utilization to a level below the costs of rivals. In doing so the company is able to sell its products at low prices and still maximize profit (Griffin, 2013). The task of optimizing resources to meet growing demands can also be attained by developing operational excellence. Improving operational efficiency makes it possible to execute tasks in a more effective and resource-sensitive way. This can be done through de-layering of the organization, and increasing management spans of control (Hobbs, 2011). Other strategies include deriving benefits form strategic sourcing and using technology to support business processes. Process excellence seeks to optimize the production processes to attain greater efficiency and effectiveness through the utilization of strategies such as lean and six sigma models. Spans and layers increase direct reporting and minimize management layers in order to reduce management overhead and flatten the organization. Further, the effective supply chain models enhance the efficiency of the company’s direct and indirect material spending (Hobbs, 2011). Using digital technology helps to evaluate the current processes, consumer channels, and partner interactions for opportunities to utilize technology in order to automate manual work and replace manual interactions with digital ones. Maximum resource utilization requires efficient production processes. For instance, the processes should be balanced to ensure that all tasks are completed in a timely and speedy fashion (Hobbs, 2011). There is also the need to physically locate machines and processes adjacent to each other in order to encourage efficient flow of products from one labor machine or employee to another with minimal motion so time is not wasted by moving products from one process to the next. The physical linking of resources is an important feature of producing products and the result can be superior organizational performance (Hobbs, 2011). By optimizing resources that have been balanced, even different processes can generate products at the same rate. Special-order products can also be manufactured in the customer-quoted lead time even with extra value-added time needed for completing any specialized work content. Furthermore, timely marketing is important. Therefore, production prototypes should be placed in the hands of customers at the earliest possible timeframe (Hobbs, 2011). The formal feedback loop practices can also be embraced to gather information from the field. Why Hiring More Employees is not Advisable The company shou ...