Posted: April 22nd, 2016

What is the flexibility reflected in Tootsie Roll’s ??

TRI complements its top-down structure by encouraging accessibility and teamwork as keys to successful communication. Employees are invited to learn more about how other departments work by sitting in on their meetings, offering their viewpoints, or simply observing. Employees initiate frequent, impromptu meetings in the workplace, a function of TRI’s “open-door policy.”
Employees from different departments work in cross-functional teams to solve problems and to come up with business ideas. For example, employees from research and development, finance, marketing, manufacturing, and purchasing team up to analyze the feasibility of introducing a new product.
By cross-training, TRI workers learn different aspects of the business, broaden the range of creative solutions to business problems, and increase team members’ sensitivity to the implications a proposed action might have on other business functions. The go/no-go decisions made on proposed new products or business ventures at TRI are thoroughly informed and well thought out.
Building Negotiating Skill
The flexibility reflected in Tootsie Roll’s internal communication is equally important—but more strategic—in its negotiations with suppliers. The company requests bids from suppliers, indicating exact specifications for ingredients and for quality. TRI negotiates with potential suppliers to obtain the best balance between high quality and low price within these specifications. Even after suppliers are chosen,