Continental White Cap Case Study

In 1926, William P. White and his two brothers started the White Cap Company in an old box factory on Goose Island, located in the Chicago River. The White Cap Company was the market leader in the production and distribution of vacuum-sealed metal closures for glass jars. In 1954 White Cap forged the twist-off style closure. In 1956, the Continental Can Company bought White Cap, and in 1984, the Continental Group, Inc., went from a public entity to private one, as it merged into KMI Continental, Inc. The White Cap Company became Continental White Cap, the most profitable of the parent firm’s nine divisions—each of which produced different types of containers and packaging (Jick & Peiperl, 2011). Peter Browning’s career had begun with White Cap and Continental Can in 1964 when he took a sales position in Detroit. He continued with the company in various roles until 1979 when he took over as vice president and general manager of a failing Continental Bondware Division. In 1984, Peter begun a new challenge at White Cap; he was taking over the most successful of the divisions after a effective turn around of the Bondware division (Jick & Peiperl, 2011).
Macro
Browning’s predicaments are one of urgency to change White cap’s organizational operations and to become more competitive with actual markets and customer necessities. Browning …show more content…
Browning knew that changing these traditions would not be easy or welcome (Jick & Peiperl, 2011). Having worked for a family style business in the past, and being the outsider, attitudes of some tend to be that of untouchable, and that they do not have to work as hard or answer to the same authority as others. These behaviors are frustrating and non conducive to allowing change to happen and allowing companies to stay competitive and