CASE STUDY: STRYKER

CHAPTER 9 CASE STUDY: STRYKER

Dr. Stryker is the creator of Stryker Corporation, a world leader in medical technology most known for his innovations in orthopedics. Dr. Homer Stryker creates his first innovations the turning frame and walking heel while completing a degree in orthopedic surgery at the University of Michigan. In January, 1941 he begins selling his inventions and creating the company with a great demand after World War II1.

Strikers Company has more than 75 years leading and innovating in the market with a deep portfolio holding more than 59,000 products. It accounts with a variety of products which satisfy different medical areas like Reconstructive, Medical, Surgical, Neurotechnology and Spine. Their mission is to “Make a difference by caring for the caregivers, helping them maintain order in their organizations and restore health to their patients”2.

Strikers Corporation has 8.7 billion dollars in annual sales globally; in 2013 it jump from the Fortune list largest revenue companies from #493 to #305 place; with around 31 manufacturing locations around the globe, mostly situated along United States and Europe. Stryker employees more than 22,000 employees worldwide; it has being recognized by Fortune as one of the best companies to work for in U.S3.

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Anonymous, “Stryker History,” Stryker Corporation Web site, http://www.stryker.com/en-us/corporate/AboutUs/History/index.htm (accessed February 18, 2014).

2 Anonymous, “At a Glance,” Stryker Corporation Web site, http://www.stryker.com/companyoverview/ (accessed February 18, 2014).

3 Anonymous, “Committed to Innovation,” Stryker Corporation Web site, http://www.stryker.com/companyoverview/ (accessed February 18, 2014).

Stryker came out with one of the grates innovations which put us a step forward in technology; Navigation System was design to help surgeons during a hip replacement surgery observe via screen the precise position of the new prosthesis (Artificial joint) . Positioning the artificial joint into the right spot gives a patient a better range of movement; compare to conditional surgery we might have the risk of not being well align and occasionally the hip will dislocate. 4

After field testing in 2004, Stryker’s hip navigation system was being returned to the company with complaints from orthopedic surgeons, the project managers at Stryker couldn’t believe that their equipment came back. Examination of the returned units revealed that the precision electronics of the system frequently failed and pieces were broken or damage.

The responsibility of fixing the problem fell to Klaus Welte, vice president and plant manager in Freiburg, Germany. He will have to assemble his team in the same way as the product.5 Each of the potential candidates to form part of the group will have to achieve a great expectation. Welte assembled a team of the best people at Freiburg specialized in operations, computer-aided design, engineering, and research.6 The challenge for Welte was assembling and directing a team with the right people who could put the hip replacement system back on track. He will have to deeply understand each team member abilities.

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4 R. Wagner and J.K. Harter, “Assembling the Right Talents at Stryker,” Gallup Management Journal (September 14, 2006), http://gmj.gallup.com (accessed February, 2014): 1-2.

5 Ibid., 4

6 Michael K. McCuddy,” Teamwork Challenges at Stryker Corporation”

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