Timberjack Packaged Software Selection Case

Timberjack Packaged Software Selection Case

Timberjack faced a daunting task to establish cohesive packaging software that would benefit Sweden and Atlanta’s plants. Providing cohesion would help establish interpersonal relations from both sides of the industry and allow for an ever needed upgrade from the current software that was causing system failures. These system failures were not only problematic to their parts operations, but the users could not rely on the data that was presented to them. Unfortunately, the main problem discussed in this case is that regardless of the implementation of new cohesive software, both plants in Sweden and Atlanta were unable to break away from the implemented software that had been used prior.

Timberjack’s main risk was that they wanted to overhaul the current packaging software and establish a global product in a limited time frame. Timberjack initiated there endeavor by creating a list of potential vendors that could build the universal software program. 13 companies were invited to present proposals for the overhaul, and in one month’s time they had gotten six bids. The bids were ranked in order of preference as no one bid had met the full expectations of Timberjack’s requirements. Two bids had been eliminated right of the bat due to not meeting the minimal requirements (UNIX coding and functionality).

The remaining four bids had visits from Timberjack’s upper management to understand the underlining functionality that was proposed. The main goal of these visits were to narrow down the competition to the two top bidders. After meeting with and further questioning the four companies, the Swedish group preferred QAD while the Atlanta group preferred Oracle. The main preferences where based on two separate principles. The Sweden plant primarily focused on a quick turnaround to the implementation of the software and the limited cost that was needed overall.