Question: Canadian bioMedical Instruments Ltd. Canadian Bio-Medical Instruments Ltd., founded 10 years ago, manufactures a variety of medical instruments used by physicians and surgeons both in their clinics and in hospitals. The high quality of products led to quick market success, especially for products such as artificial heart values, operating-room pumps, and respiratory modules. The company, which had than $900,000 in the first year, today enjoys sales the industry an annual turnover of $150 million. How is competitive and the development and promotional budgets of some key players in the industry are several times that of the firm.
Given the successful track record for its existing products and the competitiveness of the North American market, the management of the firm believed that gaining new market in Euro would be easier shares market than expanding against well entrenched domestic producers. Preliminary studies supported management's thinking.
A decision was made to open a small sales office in Europe, probably in Frankfurt, Germany given the nonstop flight facilities that currently exist from Toronto, where the firm's head office is Three employees were sent to Germany to identify possible office sites and to about European testing procedures and what documentation would be legally required to prove the safety and effectiveness of the company's instruments. All three employee were fluent German. If the reports on Germany are favourable, the firm expects to have about 20 employees working in Europe within the next year.
1. Assume you are the vice-president in charge of human resources What additional information would you want these three employees to find out?
2. What human resource issues or policies are you likely to confront in the foreseeable future?