Category: Management

The source of power and authority within an organization depends on certain structural conditions. A form of dependency always exists in every company or organization. After taking the recommended test, I have observed that I am constantly gaining power and information at my workplace. I have always worked hard in order to be proficient.

It is also my responsibility to take new initiatives and express my views to my workmates. This explains why it is my duty to support my organization. It is also my obligation to generate new activities and ideas in order to make the organization successful. I am always ready to upgrade my knowledge and skills.

It is appropriate for every company to ensure its employees focus on the targeted goals. As an employee, I always work hard to achieve such organizational. Every employee in an organization should work smart. This strategy is critical because it ensures every employee focuses on the organizations mission and goals. I rarely reward my friends and workmates even after agreeing with me.

I consider it appropriate to encourage my workmates and friends. This initiative encourages my friends to work harder in order to achieve their targeted objectives. I always use a straightforward approach to address any issue or problem at the workplace.

It is unethical to use demands or threats to impose ones expectations or will on the other employees. However, I find it hard to bargain with any individual who puts unnecessary pressure or demands on me.

The other important thing is about my roles in the organization. I always encourage my superiors to make the best decisions. My duty is to inform them about my decisions and expectations for the company.

However, I rarely convince my superiors about the compatibility of the importance of my goals. The best thing is to be part of the decision-making and problem-solving processes. It is also my duty as an employee to ensure the organization realizes its goals and objectives.

From the above discussion, it is quite clear that my power and influence at the workplace arises from my personal and organizational rewards. French and Ravens model presents six key sources or bases of power. The second source of influence is reward power. This source explains how an organization gives desirable things to its employees.

As well, the power describes the ability to decrease the things that are not needed by the employees. According to French and Ravens model, rewards make it easier for human beings to accomplish their goals. Another model is known as Power-Dependence Theory focuses on how leaders and managers can use the concept of reward power to mentor and encourage their employees.

It is necessary for every person to focus on his or her personal goals. This practice is what gives me the opportunity to realize my personal and career goals. I always address every issue that might affect my workplace. My personal goal is to realize my potentials and make my workplace successful. The important thing is to have an intrinsic force or personal drive.

My personal inspiration has always encouraged me to work in order in order to emerge successfully. There are different sources of power that might affect a persons position in an organization. In conclusion, I strongly believe that my mindset has always encouraged me to realize my goals.

Recommendations

There is urgent need for Wolf Motors to restructure its supplier relationship process. To begin with, the management at Wolf Motors should strive to offer a large selection of automobile parts to customers. This implies that the automobile company should seek additional supplier sources for vehicle parts that are in high demand throughout the year. The company should make sure that all the necessary vehicle parts are fully in stock and availed to customers whenever required.

Second, the required vehicle parts should only be sourced from manufacturers and dealers who sell high quality and certified products. Customers cherish quality services and as such, it is highly recommended for the company to relate with high-quality suppliers only. In addition, the suppliers department of the company should consider sourcing its suppliers from cheap sources so that customers can also benefit from reduced prices.

This does not rule out the fact that quality should be prioritized all the time. Better still, purchasing parts in bulk in order to reap the benefits of both trade and cash discounts can also assist in lowering the prices down for customers. The dealership network of Wolf Motors should indeed develop a long lasting and formidable relationship with reliable suppliers who can provide the right parts whenever needed.

Differences in purchasing policies and procedures

Each of the dealership networks at Wolf Motors has a unique sales inventory record to keep. Besides, the flow of customers and purchasing needs for service parts vary across the networks. The automobile shops are also different in the nature of their operations owing to the fact they cover different geographical regions with diverse needs of customers. These reasons attempt to explain why the purchasing polices and procedures should equally differ.

For example, the purchasing departments in each dealership network can only procure based on demand at any given time. Moreover, the available storage space for purchased parts should also be another factor to consider before ordering suppliers. Better still, financial resources available for making additional purchases is a crucial consideration in the purchasing policies and procedures.

Going against policy guidelines, systems and procedures of a company when it comes to purchases can be a major setback in the operations of the dealership networks. It is also vital to mention that the purchasing policies and guidelines should differ in each store depending on the update plan for companys system.

Supply chain design

Efficient management of operations at Wolf Motors can be easily attained through the supply chain design. In particular, such a design can be instrumental for the company in monitoring and controlling demand for service parts alongside supporting procurement and other logistic operations in all the dealership networks of the company. Needless to say, corporate strategy can be swiftly aligned with supply chain design using a number of techniques and tools at the disposal of the management teams.

Through the attributes of the supply chain design, Wolf Motors can be in a vantage position to compete effectively with other market rivals dealing with the same automobile products. For example, the ability to different the services and other products of the company with those offered by competitors is a major contribution of supply chain design.

Finally, consistency in regards to design outcomes, the management of quality for both parts and after-sales services, and the overall corporate strategy can be effectively streamlined through supply chain design. In any case, Wolf Motors can secure new product opportunities through a robust supply chain design.

STEEPCOIL is an important model used to categorize and identify risks. As shown in the table below, it separates risks based on social, technological, economic, environmental, political, commercial, organizational, information technology, and legal aspect (Steyn, 2018). In addition, the method is preferred because it categorizes risks in specific sections, which is integral during analysis. For example, some of the social risks to the project are the absence of skilled labor to effectively perform project operations. To achieve the intended goal, personnel who understand recycling Li-ion EV batteries need to be trained. Therefore, the STEEPCOIL framework helps in the classification of project risks for identification, analysis, and easy mitigation.

Technical and economic risks are some of the threats the project team should handle to achieve the anticipated goal. The technical component represents risks where the chosen technologies may not meet the projects objectives (Steyn, 2018). It includes aspects like un-automated sorting of the EV batteries and inadequate innovation in the field of recycling. Economic and financial risks cover how well the venture will make money. For example, it looks at the equipment cost and the effect of schedule slippage (Masár et al., 2019). In this project, this category includes the perception that recycled Li-ion EV batteries are low quality compared to the new ones and high cost of materials used in the process. As a result, technical and economic risks can adversely affect the projects productivity.

Environmental, political, and commercial risks should be addressed in this project. Political risks are risks that the project could suffer due to political decisions and instability (Steyn, 2018). It includes government decisions such as restriction of movement and increase in tax for products used to recycle Li-ion EV batteries. Environmental risks are the likelihood and consequence of an unwanted accident during the execution of this project. Some of these risks are bad weather, air pollution emanating from the process, and a threat to human health (Masár et al., 2019). Commercial risks include threats that could come up with contracts and lead to delays, higher costs, or lawsuits.

Organizational, information technology (IT), and legal risks are potential threats the project may experience. IT risks may adversely impact a projects data, critical systems, and operations (Steyn, 2018). In this project, these risks include the failure of the IT infrastructure, such as a communication system to support the processes, and inadequate IT personnel. Organizational risks are aspects such as resources and culture which could impact the implementation of the project. It consists of poor communication, lack of teamwork, and inadequate funds to support the operations (Masár et al., 2019). Finally, legal risks are threats linked with the specific legal framework where the project must operate. Some of these risks include failure to adhere to existing policies and regulations.

STEEPCOIL Table

Risk Register

The risk register is the most important document in project management. As shown in the risk register below, the document contains information about identified risks outcome of risk analysis, such as likelihood, impact, and risk response plans (Masár et al., 2019). The first risk in the register is the lack of skilled personnel to effectively perform the assigned tasks. This risk is likely to occur and has a high impact on the project because it can lead to low productivity. However, the risk can be mitigated by outsourcing HR services and employing skilled personnel. The second risk on the register is the negative perception of recycled products. This can reduce the morale of the project team in performing their tasks. However, it can be mitigated by ensuring that the products meet the needs of stakeholders.

Additionally, some of the risks that have a high impact on the project are poor communication, inadequate funds, and delay in project delivery. Ineffective communication can lead to misunderstanding, conflict, and low productivity (Masár et al., 2019). This risk can be handled by developing effective communication plans and methodologies. For example, the project manager can come up with a plan documenting when and what communication tools to use. Lack of funds is a threat to the effective performance of the project. This risk may result in delays in the completion of the tasks. To mitigate this risk, top management should promote social acceptability to increase project funding. The other potential risk is the possibility of a delay in project delivery. The project manager can solve this by effective scheduling of tasks.

However, some of the risks with moderate impact on the project are non-sustainability and an unending increase in the price of materials used in recycling. Firstly, the projects operations may be affected by non-sustainable project operations (Masár et al., 2019). For example, operations that do not support sustainability may lead to bad reputation or image. However, this can be mitigated by developing coping strategies for bad weather. Secondly, the constant rise in the price of supplies used in the project is a potential threat but has a moderate impact. It can be solved by conducting several surveys to understand the trend and develop an effective plan.

Table 1: Risk Register

Risk Heat Map: Pre-Mitigation Heat Map

A risk heat map is an important tool in managing risks, and is normally used to visually present the outcome of risk assessment in a meaningful and concise manner. Prior to mitigation, the map is likely to have risks that have high severity and likelihood of happening. For instance, as demonstrated in figure two, high severity risks are 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 11. The project team should mitigate these risks because they can lead to low performance (Masár et al., 2019). For example, a lack of skilled personnel to effectively handle project activities is highly likely to occur. On the other hand, the risk which has the potential to occur are 2, 6, and 7. Although these risks have low severity, they can hinder the progress of the project. Therefore, the project team should prioritize risks with high severity and then move to others.

Post-Mitigation Heat Map

Risk mitigation is a strategy used to reduce the effects of threats faced in a project. The approach involves developing preventive and reactive action plans for lowering the likelihood and severity of risks (Masár et al., 2019). After implementing mitigation strategies identified in the risk register, the impact of the risks is reduced, as shown in figure 3. For example, the risks that were severe and likely to occur changed to less severe and less likely to happen. Based on this, the project team should monitor the risks and adopt mitigation approaches. As a result, post-mitigation heat map outlines the result after the adoption of risk reduction strategies.

Ishikawa Diagram

Ishikawa diagram, commonly known as the fishbone diagram, is a visualization tool for categorizing the potential cause of a problem. As shown in figure 4, the main issue is the execution and budget risks that could have a detrimental impact on the project. Firstly, if there is poor communication between stakeholders, there is likely to be misunderstanding, which can reduce productivity. Secondly, the absence of skilled personnel may adversely impact the achievement of the projects anticipated goal.

Proposed Strategies Needed to Deal with Execution and Budget Risks Identified

There are different approaches that can be used to handle the risks. Firstly, create a risk management team and task them with the responsibility of managing the identified threats to the project. The strategy was chosen because the team will be able to monitor the risks closely and make sure that they are addressed effectively (Masár et al., 2019). Secondly, educating stakeholders about the impact of risks and different mitigation strategies. This will develop a risk management culture and make sure that everyone participates. Therefore, forming an active risk management team is the most appropriate approach to dealing with threats.

References

Masár, M., Hudáková, M., `imák, L., & Brezina, D. (2019). The current state of project risk management in the transport sector. Transportation Research Procedia, 40, 1119-1126. Web.

Steyn, J. (2018). Introduction to project risk management: Part 1  Planning for project risk management. Owner Team Consultation (Pty) Ltd. Web.

Employers across the U.S. have several feasible systems that they can use to manage the personnel side of their organizations.

These systems, according to Kaiser (2005), denote the diverse types of employment relationships that may subsist between the employer and the organization on the one hand and the employee on the other.

Of importance is the fact that the type of relationship that the employer may develop with the employee is fundamentally important when it comes to issues of employment termination or, even worse, the likelihood of being sued in a court of law for wrongful dismissal.

It is the purpose of this paper to discuss one such type of employment relationship commonly referred to as At-Will employment, to offer a working definition of the term in addition to evaluating the various exceptions to At-Will employment.

Various scholars have come up with differing definitions of At-Will employment, although all are guided by the same basic principle which resonates around the fact that &an at-will employee can be terminated at any time and for any reason, or no reason at all, with or without notice (Kaiser, 2005, p. 33).

Simply stated, At-Will employment signifies a type of employment relationship in which the worker may terminate his or her services at any given time, and the employer has a right to fire or sack the worker for any reason that is largely viewed as legal (Cornell University Law, 2010).

For instance, an employee may quit his job to attend further studies, while an employer may terminate the services of an at-will employee due to poor performance, or to streamline operations in a difficult economic environment.

However, the regulations governing this employment relationship are clear that no employee should be fired due to either discriminatory or retaliatory reasons, or because the worker exercised a legal right as entrenched in the Constitution and other labor laws governing employment relationships (Kaiser, 2005).

Currently, there exist several exceptions to At-Will employment, largely brought about by the various legislative, judicial, and constitutional modifications made on the doctrine over the years.

According to Kaiser (2005), &one exception is the whistleblowers legislation, which recognizes that an employee should not be terminated because [he] refused to act in an unlawful manner, attempted to perform a duty prescribed by statute, exercised a legal right, or reported unlawful or improper employer conduct (p. 33).

In the case study, Dan attempted to report improper conduct in the form of illegal billings to Medicare and, as such, his termination can be deemed as unlawful.

In equal measure, it can be argued that Dan was exercising a legal right when he reported the numerous irregularities to the supervisor and, therefore, the employer did not go by the provisions and regulations of At-Will rule in terminating Dans employment.

This exception, categorized under the public policy exceptions, underlines the fact that an employer must not fire an employee on the reasons that the employee refused to violate a state or federal law, the Constitution, or other professional guidelines and codes of ethics (Holzschu, 2000).

As such, it can be safely argued that Dan was wrongly discharged for refusing to bend the rules of professional practice and the Constitution.

These exceptions protect employees from wrongful dismissal for filing a valid complaint against an employer, requesting for leave, refusal of unwarranted sexual advances from employers, and exposing illegal acts, among others.

The second type of exceptions, known as the implied employment contracts, rotates around the fact that implied verbal contracts and probationary periods can indeed be upheld by the courts of law if the employee wants to sue for wrongful dismissal (Holzschu, 2000).

For instance, some managers are fond of implying upon their employees that they will stay with the company for years if they become more productive and efficient.

As such, the company is deemed to have committed itself to an implied verbal contract with the employee and, in effect, the employee can argue his or her case in a court of law if the contract with the employer is terminated.

The third category of exceptions is called the covenant of good faith and fair dealings.

This category of exceptions originates from a legal theory of contracts, with its basic premise being the fact that &parties will not treat each other unfairly or act in a manner of malice or bad faith toward each other (Holzschu, 2000, para. 13).

This legal premise, when brought over to the field of human resource management, is principally utilized by dismissed employees to file suits when no employee handbook, written guidelines or verbal obligations have been made by the employer.

In this perspective, Dan has every right to file legal proceedings against Briahill Memorial Hospital for wrongful dismissal since no employee handbook or any other communication was made to him upon his hiring.

Indeed, the management referred Dan to the staff handbook when they had already terminated his employment, which is wrong according to this particular category of exceptions.

As the director of Briahill Memorial hospital, my first concern would be to ensure that the HR department implements all the rules about At-Will employment as enshrined in state and federal labor laws.

Suits for wrongful dismissal can be costly for the organization (Kaiser, 2005), and the hospital is bound to pay huge amounts of money to Dan since it is clear that he was wrongfully dismissed for refusing to play ball.

Another concern would be to take effective remedial measures in the claims/billing department since Dans dismissal demonstrates that something is amiss in the department.

Third, the HR department should be requested to be availing all the needed information, including staff handbooks and company policies, immediately upon the hiring of new employees.

Reference List

Cornell University Law School, Legal Information Institute. (2010). At-Will Employment. Web.

Holzschu, M.A. (2000). Just Cause vs. Employment-At-Will. 

Kaiser, D.M. (2005). The implications of At-Will versus Just-Cause Employment. Proceedings of the Academy of Organizational Culture, Communications, and Conflict, Las Vegas.

Introduction

Over the past few decades, the business arena has experienced an increment in the number of organizations with a high rate of diversity. Diversity in an organization involves appreciating differences amongst employees based on various variables such as socio-demographics, and human capital (Paludi, 2012).

This aspect highlights the importance of firms management teams possessing sufficient expertise to guide the organization in adapting to the varying needs of its stakeholders who include the employees, clients, and the general society.

When executing their managerial roles, human resource managers should not perceive diversity as a hindrance to organizational success but as a potential source of competitive advantage. However, this goal can only be achieved if the prevailing diversity is effectively managed. Managing diversity in organizations is a major component in firms strategic management efforts.

Groschl (2012) asserts that managing diversity constitutes a corporate strategy that enables organizations to develop an internal organizational environment that promotes the inclusion of employees with diverse profiles. Therefore, an organization is in a position to optimize its efficiency.

The United States has become a cosmopolitan society over the past few decades due to the high rate of immigration. During the 1980s and 1990s, the United States was one of the major promoters of inclusion of diversity management in organizations operating to assist them in responding to the increasingly diverse workforce (Groschl, 2012).

In a bid to develop a broad understanding of diversity management, this paper details some of the issues, best practices and principles associated with diversity management. Additionally, personal experience has also been evaluated.

Reasons for increased diversity in organizations

As an employee, the need for managing diversity in the workplace especially for US firms has arisen from several factors, which have stimulated a high rate of diversity in organizations Firstly; various countries are increasingly formulating legislation that is creating an opportunity for a large number of individuals to become employable.

Such legislation relates to employment equity (affirmative action), and the creation of basic conditions for employment. Additionally, society is also undergoing a high rate of demographic transformation. The high rate of immigration has led to the US labor market becoming very divergent (Ferreira, Erasmus & Groenewald, 2009).

Additionally, the intensity of competition in the business environment has stimulated organizations to consider developing competitiveness by diversifying their workforce to meet their desired goals. The need to attain a high rate of growth by venturing into the international market has presented organizations with a major challenge due to diversity experienced in the international market (Ferreira, Erasmus & Groenewald, 2009).

Best practices in managing diversity

Shakhray (2009) asserts, Diversity is an invaluable source of experience, talent and creativity amongst individuals (p. 5). Therefore, managing diversity should not only be limited to the elimination of discrimination amongst employees. However, it also focuses on ensuring that the prevailing diversities amongst employees are utilized for organizational development.

Best practices include the most appropriate practices about the prevailing environment. Some of the best practices that organizations should consider taking into account in their quest to undertake diversity management are evaluated herein.

Top leadership commitment

Top organizational management should ensure that meaningful organizational goals and objectives are formulated. The organizational goals set to play a fundamental role in nurturing a strong sense of belonging amongst the employees. Considering the diversity in workplaces, it is paramount for top organizational leadership to ensure that they develop organizational goals that reflect the diversity in the workforce.

According to Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009), a firms management team should oversee the development of a good working environment. One of the ways through which firms should achieve this goal is by providing all employees with an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process. Firms top management teams should appreciate the divergent views and opinion of their workforce.

Additionally, top management teams should value diverse job needs and their contribution to organizational success. Task delegation presents another avenue through which organizations can portray their leadership commitment. Through their commitment, top management teams can be in a position to develop an environment whereby employees feel free to contribute towards the organization hence stimulating attainment of high levels of performance.

Diversity training

Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009) assert that it is fundamental for organizations to develop a diversity-training program whose objective is assisting employees in operating with a high degree of efficacy in a workplace characterized by a high degree of diversity. The diversity training programs should be designed in such a manner that they enhance identification of various forms of bias in addition to developing skills that will improve their ability to function in a diversified workforce.

The training program should also emphasize on ensuring that employees appreciate the differences amongst their colleagues. Consequently, a high level of cross-cultural understanding will be developed hence improving the effectiveness and efficiency of dealing with stereotypes. According to Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009), diversity training program should emphasize on two main areas, which include skill and awareness building.

The objective of awareness building is to increase the level of individual comprehension about prevailing myths, stereotypes, and organizational barriers. Awareness building is significant in ensuring that employees make a full contribution to organizational success.

On the other hand, skills building is intended to ensure that managers and lower level employees have sufficient skills to deal with varying viewpoints from their workmates. Some of the skills that are emphasized include interpersonal skills such as ensuring sufficient feedback, listening and coaching.

Team building

Diversity in organizations can hinder the effectiveness with which individuals collaborate in the process of executing their duties. In a bid to manage this challenge, it is important for organizations top leadership to consider incorporating the concept of team building. The core objective of team building is to ensure that individual employees work together.

Team building should not only focus on work-environment, but also in a non-work environment. The non-work environment should focus on developing a high level of interaction between employees, which culminates in the creation of a strong working environment (Ferreira, Erasmus & Groenewald, 2009). Through team building, a high level of organizational coherence will be developed.

Consequently, the probability of organization attaining a high level of performance will be improved. The cohesion and collaboration amongst the employees will culminate in the creation of a sense of belonging. As a result, knowledge and idea sharing amongst team members will be increased, which is vital in improving the level of job satisfaction.

Nurturing a strong organizational culture

In addition to the aforementioned best practices, it is important for organizational management teams to consider developing a strong organizational culture. According to Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009), organizational culture is the ultimate determinant for organizations commitment to diversity management in their respective workplace.

Therefore, to deal with the diversity in the workplace, it is paramount for organizations management teams to ensure that they nurture an organizational culture that is appreciative of the divergent cultural differences. One of the ways through which this goal can be attained is by maintaining constant communication to employees on the value of diversity to organizational success.

The message communicated to employees is vital in ensuring that a strong organizational culture is nurtured. Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009) think that communication is an essential component in nurturing organizational culture. This aspect arises from the fact that it culminates in ensuring that a high level of understanding about organizational goals and processes amongst employees is created.

Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009) further assert that communicating organizational goals is an important aspect of diversity management, which must be undertaken to reinforce and consolidate best practices. To improve the development of a strong organizational culture, it is important for firms management teams to ensure that the prevailing cultural differences and conflicts are acknowledged.

Firms top management teams should ensure that their workforces understand that conflict is a natural part of organization life (Ferreira, Erasmus & Groenewald, 2009). Additionally, it is essential for firms top management to appreciate the distinctiveness of every employee.

Recruitment policy

Barak (2011) asserts that the recruitment of a diverse workforce is one of the strategies for managing diversity in the workplace. In situations where an organization is not characterized by a sufficient level of diversity, it is important for its management team to incorporate recruitment policies that enhance the development of the same.

Barak (2011) further asserts that diversity in the workplace can also be managed by adopting effective employee hiring and recruitment practices. It is essential for firms management team to review their human resource management policies. One of the ways through which this goal can be achieved is by making the recruitment policy broader.

The objective of such a broader recruitment policy is to ensure that the workforce is as diverse as possible. Implementing such a policy will culminate in an organization providing an opportunity for diverse candidates to be a part of the firms workforce. HR managers should be proactive in ensuring that a large number of potential applicants receive the message.

Consequently, effective channels of communication should be incorporated. The recruitment policy should provide an opportunity for both internal and external candidates to apply for job positions. The second aspect of recruitment policy that should be taken into account includes ensuring that the selection process is not discriminative.

The qualified candidates should not be discriminated based on gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or culture (Barak, 2011). The recruitment policy developed should be appreciative of individual differences. Elimination of discrimination will create a working environment whereby every candidate has an equal chance of being a member of a particular entity.

However, this goal can only be achieved if optimal employee selection techniques are incorporated to eliminate any form of bias. Incorporating a strong employee recruitment policy is, therefore, an important step towards an organizations effort to manage diversity in the workplace.

Formulation of strong organizational policies

The organizational policies formulated by an organization determine how its workforce is treated. In a bid to promote diversity in the workforce, it is paramount for a firms management team to ensure that the organizational policy formulated promote equal treatment of all employees irrespective of their cultural differences such as age, religion, sexual orientation and race.

In the course of executing their duties, firms management teams cannot shield themselves from people management challenges such as employee conflicts, sexual harassment and employee discrimination amongst others. Consequently, it is paramount for a firms management teams to incorporate effective policies to address such situations.

According to Ferreira, Erasmus, and Groenewald (2009), effective formulation of organizational policies to address such issues will culminate in the development of an environment conducive for working. The organizational policy formulated should be balanced to send a clear message to other employees on the need to respect and be accommodative of the cultural differences.

Succession planning

In addition to the proposed best practices for diversity management, it is vital for firms management teams to integrate the concept of succession planning. Succession planning will go a long way in ensuring that organizations develop a strong talent pool.

Additionally, succession planning is an important strategic management practice that firms management teams should consider incorporating in managing diversity.  By incorporating succession planning, organizations are in a position to recognize the importance of some jobs in their firms long-term survival, which emanates from the fact that succession planning provides the firm with an opportunity to sustain a low rate of employee turnover.

In the process of undertaking succession planning, it is important for the organizations management team to ensure that talent development is not discriminatory. All the firms employees should be allowed to develop their skills through leadership development.

Conclusion

Organizations are experiencing an increment in the degree of diversity within the workplace. Diversity can be beneficial to organizational success hence stimulating attainment of competitive advantage. However, this goal can only be achieved through effective diversity management. Therefore, organizations management teams should appreciate the importance of incorporating best practices about diversity management.

Some of the strategies that managers should take into account include ensuring that the top management is committed to creating a common vision irrespective of the prevailing diversity in the organization, which can be achieved through effective communication. Instituting the concept of teamwork in organizations strategic management practices will also play an important role in nurturing cohesion amongst employees.

Developing a strong organizational culture by ensuring that employees understand and respect individual differences is also vital in managing diversity. Diversity training also plays an important role in nurturing a strong level of understanding and appreciation of individual differences. Such training is critical in enhancing cross-cultural interaction.

The need to formulate strong organizational policies as one of the best practices for managing diversity cannot be underestimated. The policies formulated should form the basis for resolving differences and conflicts emanating from the existence of diversity in the workplace.

Succession planning should also be considered as a fundamental component of managing diversity. Succession planning should not be discriminatory but should provide all employees with an opportunity to develop their leadership skills. Integration of effective recruitment policy should also be considered as one of the best practices for managing diversity.

Reference List

Barak, M. (2011). Managing diversity: towards a globally inclusive workplace. Los Angeles, LA: Sage.

Ferreira, E., Erasmus, A., & Groenewald, D. (2009). Administrative management. Lansdowne, ON: Juta Academic.

Groschl, S. (2012). Diversity in the workplace: multi-disciplinary and international perspective. London, UK: Gower Publishers.

Paludi, M. (2012). Managing diversity in todays workplace: strategies for employees and employers. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.

Shakhray, I. (2009). Managing diversity in the workplace. Munchen, Germany: GRIN Verlag.

Businesses exist to serve specific clientele depending on the offerings of the company. Strategies are formulated by businesses to reach their target clientele depending on their dispersion or concentration in a region or countries. It is this classification that gives rise to either a local or a global strategy for enterprises.

Local strategy refers to the plan of actions adopted by organizations in their bid to reach out to their local markets (Donaldson & OToole 2007). The policies adopted by an organization are usually meant to position it competitively in the market, relative to its competitors. Local strategy for enterprises has been discussed in the light of the three generic strategies as suggested by Michael Porter.

The first strategy is cost leadership, where operational costs are kept low. This gives the organizations an advantage over their competitors in that they are capable of competing on price without having to operate at losses. The strategy is implemented through the application of technology in business, which eliminates costs such as labor costs and streamlines the production process.

Another strategy is that of differentiation; where enterprises set aside their products and services from those of their competitors through such aspects as unique product features, unique performance or exceptional skills (Dirisu & Ibidunni 2013). The third strategy is focus strategy, where firms concentrate their efforts towards an identified customer segment. (Dirisu & Ibidunni 2013).

Advantages of a local strategy

The local strategy has several advantages. To begin with, it leads to increased corporate profits. Making profits is the primary reason for doing business.

Profits are maximized when the expenses of the business are kept low. The local strategy ensures that the business avoids costs such as expatriate costs, import, and export duties as well as higher corporate tax rates charged by most countries to non-resident companies. In the process, business profits are maximized.

Secondly, local business strategy leads to customer retention. It involves trying to satisfy the needs of customers in a limited location as opposed to concentrating the marketing efforts on a vast customer base. This leads to a better understanding of the needs of customers and meeting them, which results to increase in sales and more profits for the company.

Thirdly, the local strategy creates a positive image in the minds of the companys customers. An organization operating only in the local market can concentrate its efforts towards the creation of satisfied customers.

The fact that the organization is not eyeing on international customers makes it use its revenue reserves in ways such as corporate social responsibility activities towards its stakeholders as opposed to funding expansion programs. This creates a positive image of the enterprise in the minds of its stakeholders, thus breeding their loyalty to the company.

Finally, the local strategy is instrumental in better understanding the wants of the customers and how to convert them into needs. The marketing concept requires that enterprises recognize the needs of customers first and then set out to satisfy them, as opposed to making products and then look for markets to sell the goods (Schmitt 2011).

Disadvantages of a local strategy

Despite the many cases for a local strategy, it has several disadvantages. First, the local strategy is risky compared to the global strategy.

The essence of going into global markets is to diversify the risk of the investment to different geographical segments so that in case the prevailing market conditions in the domestic country are not favorable, the favorable conditions in the foreign markets can compensate for those shortcomings. The local strategy thus raises the risk of the business that could force them into liquidation faster than those companies that employ a global strategy.

Secondly, sometimes there are business opportunities in the foreign markets, which are potentially profitable investments for the enterprise.

Adopting a local strategy for a business means that it cannot seize opportunities that come as a result of globalization. If competitor companies take advantage of these opportunities, it leaves the local companies vulnerable to adverse competitive strategies by the competitors which can drive the local company out of the market.

Thirdly, the local strategy could hinder innovation in businesses. This is because the business is limited to local expertise, hence no exposure to other ways of doing business from experts outside the country. Technology application by the business is in most cases done after other businesses adopt the technology, which makes the enterprise a market follower as opposed to being a market leader.

Conclusion

Enterprises adopt local strategies in order to seize opportunities in the domestic markets. This takes the form of strategies such as being the cost leaders, differentiating their products and focusing on particular customer segments.

This has the advantages of increasing profits, retaining customers, creating a positive corporate image as well as enabling the company to turn customer wants into needs that can trigger a purchase. Disadvantages are that it increases the business risks, inability to take up opportunities in the foreign markets and hindering the innovativeness of the business.

References

Dirisu, J & Ibidunni, O 2013, Product Differentiation: A Tool of Competitive Advantage and Optimal Organizational Performance -A Study of Unilever Nigeria Plc, European Scientific Journal, vol. 34, no. 9, pp. 1857-7881.

Donaldson, B & OToole, T 2007, Strategic market relationships : from strategy to implementation, 2nd edn. Wiley, Hoboken.

Schmitt, B 2011, Experience marketing : concepts, frameworks and consumer insights, Now, Hanover.

Customers often pay much attention to the discussion of the package for the purchased or ordered products and goods because the quality of package influences the quality of the product that is finally received by the customer. Therefore, manufacturers from all over the world use the services of UPS Package Design & Test Lab in order to check the packages they use and to guarantee the safe transportation of products to their customers (UPS Package Design & Test Lab).

From this point, the role of package testing in the design and planning process is significant because only tests can demonstrate how the package can protect products from the influence of extreme conditions; package testing can guarantee the customers satisfaction; and recommendations received after the test of packages can be effectively used to improve the quality of packages in order to save the money and meet the customers expectations.

The problem is in the fact that transportation can become a challenge for the package used by the producer, and to understand whether the used package is appropriate, it is necessary to conduct a range of tests. UPS Package Design & Test Lab works to tests a variety of packages for different types of products. The main focus is on simulation of extreme conditions that can ruin the package or affect its quality negatively.

Specialists of the lab test the package with the focus on the bursting strength of the package; they use simulation of the vibration typical for the transportation process; and they also use the compression and shock tests in order to check the fragility of the product and package (UPS Package Design & Test Lab). The results of these tests are important to demonstrate how effective the package is and what problems with the package should be fixed.

The special package testing conducted in the lab can be discussed as necessary and advantageous for manufacturers because only lab tests can simulate the situations when products and packages are actively vibrated and even damaged. Furthermore, various products transported to different places of the world need different types of the package (UPS Package Design & Test Lab).

As a result, numerous tests are used to examine the ability of the package to resist forces, to protect the product, and to resist changes in the temperature and humidity (UPS Package Design & Test Lab). Having understood what package is perfect for the concrete type of a product, the specialists of UPS Package Design & Test Lab can provide the efficient recommendations to manufacturers who can avoid transportation problems and mitigate the damage associated with transits of different lengths.

Package testing is an important stage in the design and planning process because it is the effective way to predict not only real-life situations during the process of transportation but also to simulate extreme conditions and events that are not forecasted by the manufacturer.

As a result, the producer becomes aware of the quality of the package, avoids the customers dissatisfaction, and focuses on saving resources to compensate the customers disappointment and the product price. While integrating new strategies and approaches recommended by the specialists of UPS Package Design & Test Lab into the design and planning process, producers avoid increases in the product costs associated with damages of the goods during the process of transportation.

Works Cited

UPS Package Design & Test Lab. 2010. Web.

One of the key elements of supply chain management (SCM), the design of the agility strategy remains a major challenge for a range of companies due to the need to embrace a huge number of factors prior to responding to a specific issue properly.

Hewlett-Packard is one of the organizations that manage to handle the agility issue properly owing to the Agility program, which HP has developed for addressing the issues concerning [postponement in transactions with overseas partners. Although HP has several delays in delivering the end product and retrieving supplies from its partners, the agility program that Hewlett-Packard has designed creates the premises for the organization to manage its supply chains quite successfully.

It is quite remarkable that the above-mentioned Agility Alliance features Microsoft as HPs key partner. In other words, the organization is determined to involve other firms into the alliance to work on the search for the agility improvement tools.

As the recent report shows, the dynamic SCM (Enterprise Services Alliances, 2015), which HP and Microsoft have formed over the years of their cooperation, can be viewed as a solid platform for further evolution of the very concept of agility: This alliance provides development, management and modernization for your mission-critical applications and infrastructure (Microsoft  HP Agility Alliance Partnership, 2015).

Therefore, HP faces a significant challenge at the moment. The current SCM strategy adopted by Hewlett-Packard could use major improvements, primarily due to the wrong choice of the suppliers and the inconsistencies in defining the firms priorities. As a means of addressing the problem, HP has created the program that allows for being supported by a partner; however, the above-mentioned measure also triggers mild distortions on the companys SCM.

Particularly, the approach undertaken by HP does not presuppose an immediate change to the design of Hewlett-Packards SCM design; instead, the development of the program mentioned above requires an impressive amount of time and cannot be viewed as the tool for an immediate resolution of the situation (HP drives business agility with new systems and innovations in infrastructure management, 2014).

It would be wrong to claim that HPs competitors have designed an impeccable approach towards the SCM related processes. Acer, for instance, employs the approach known as vertical disintegration (Vertical disintegration in supply chain management (SCM), 2014), which means that the company retrieves certain components from several manufacturers instead of one.

Consequently, Acers cost management strategy cannot be deemed as reasonable. Dell, on the other hand, is a perfect example of supply chain management done right. The built-to-order model created by Dell helps increase customer satisfaction rates several times by improving the companys quality standards (Dell modifies its supply chain strategy, 2015).

Despite the fact that HP cannot be deemed as the organization that delivers its products and retrieves the required supplies from its vendors on time, the strategy that the organization adopts in designing a better approach towards procurement clearly deserves appreciation.

As a result, what might seem as a careless attitude towards an essential element of the corporate strategy becomes a minor dent in the overall strong design of the firms SCM approach. Despite the fact that HP may have certain problems in the choice of its suppliers, as well as with the compliance with deadlines, the consistent effort of Hewlett-Packards leader and managers shows that the firm has an elaborate strategy that will help it stay afloat in the global economy.

Reference List

Dell modifies its supply chain strategy. (2015).

Enterprise Services Alliances. (2015). Web.

HP drives business agility with new systems and innovations in infrastructure management. (2014). Web.

Microsoft  HP Agility Alliance Partnership. (2015). Web.

Vertical disintegration in supply chain management (SCM). (2014).

Stakeholder engagement in company change processes alleviates concerns that could arise about future performance. Stakeholder assessment is a critically significant precedent to the actual management, where change movers must identify all parties to be affected and provide adequate briefings and preparations for the new ideas. This paper analyzes Starbucks change process, highlighting the key stakeholders involved and the possible concerns the company must have had to address. The primary argument is that an organizations strategic leadership must manage stakeholders with the same energy as the change process to ensure operational success.

Starbuckss Starbucks Pickup was a change process so drastic that possible stakeholder concern was about the future of store retail. According to Bariso (2020), Starbucks announced the closure of 400 retail stores in the next eighteen months from June 2020. The most affected stakeholders were brand franchisers and regular customers of the 400 stores. Although Starbucks announced an alternative to in-store purchases for the company products, not all customers could manage a smooth transition to the pickup services without adequate briefing on the new platform. Bariso (2020) detailed that most customers used the Starbucks store to meet friends, work online, or hang out. Starbucks announced a change process destined to destroy several years of emotional connection between store operators and their regular customers.

Both customers and store owners might have been concerned about the regular meetings and physical connections that promoted loyalty to the brand. Store owners must have been worried about the future of their employees, whereas customers about the inconvenience of finding new places for hangouts, meetings, or work now that Starbucks stores provided free Wi-Fi (Bariso, 2020). Communication is the most effective tool for promoting buy-ins during the change process. The Starbucks case needed a value proposition to alleviate stakeholder concerns about lifestyle changes. Therefore, the company was supposed to provide clear communications early enough, pairing the affected areas with compensated value to avoid losing customers.

In summary, stakeholder engagement in the company change process requires thorough mapping to identify the most affected group and address their concerns accordingly. One possible challenge Starbucks could have faced customer shifts to other brands with physical stores for meeting convenience and hangouts. Although the company could gain stay-at-home clients who prefer pickups, adequate stakeholder briefing with other value propositions could provide alternatives that promote customer loyalty.

References

Bariso, J. (2020). Starbucks just announced a drastic change. What every company can learn from it. Inc. Africa. Web.

Introduction

It is imperative to note that the understanding of the concepts related to small groups is vital for every professional in this area. Such knowledge can be utilized to improve team dynamics and the efficiency of operations. It is important to note that a broad range of theories and techniques have been introduced over the years, and ability to apply them in practice is essential in most cases. Moreover, such topics as diversity, creativity, and leadership are especially interesting and should be studied because they are critical in the workplace, and the knowledge that is received may be utilized in the future.

Discussion

Creativity

It is imperative to understand that numerous barriers that would limit an ability of a small group to think creatively are frequently present. For instance, the ones that are related to emotions are especially problematic. The issue is that many individuals are used to traditional approached and are afraid of trying something different because they are worried about the possibility of a failure (Harris and Sherblom 169). Moreover, it is entirely possible that their productivity will be reduced, and a broad range of other complications may also be listed. It is necessary to note that I have learned it from my personal experience. For instance, I am frequently worried about changes in the processes and how my performance will be affected. However, it is important to understand that every individual should be capable of adapting to any situation, and this ability is especially valuable in the workplace. Moreover, it is important to note that the performance of the small group is incredibly dependent on all the members, and any doubt or indecisiveness may be quite problematic most of the time. Furthermore, I think that this concept has many benefits and needs to be considered in the workplace because group members should be much more open to new ideas and unique approaches because their central objective is to improve the process.

Another concept that needs to be discussed is sharing. Every single group member should voice his or her opinions and deliver the latest information that is available. Such data needs to be shared because it helps to establish long-term relationships and individuals may feel safe in a particular environment (Harris and Sherblom 174). It is important to say that I have noticed from my experience when working in groups that it is vital in most cases, and helps to avoid possible conflicts and disagreements. Moreover, many companies should focus on this aspect much more because it can be used to establish a high level of trust. The ability to present information in a particular way is critical, and it affects the way an individual is perceived by others. Moreover, I think that such approach is practical, and this concept needs to be applied in the workplace and must be promoted to ensure that every single group member understands why it is important.

Also, it is important to mention that the focus on equality is vital in most cases, but it is frequently disregarded. The issue is that many groups are focused on such aspects as status and knowledge during discussions, but the input from every single individual should be regarded valuable and needs to be reviewed (Harris and Sherblom 177). I have learned from my personal experience that every person in the group should consider themselves as equal to avoid possible complications. For instance, individuals may be afraid of voicing their opinions because they are afraid of the reaction or are worried that it may hurt their reputation in a particular group. Moreover, equality should be promoted in small groups because it reduces the level of tension and every individual is presented with equal opportunities. It is necessary to understand that every single idea should be valued if it is reasonable, and it could help to get solutions that were not expected. Furthermore, I think that this concept can be used to increase the level of creativity in the team, and it also has a broad range of other benefits.

It is important to understand that many techniques may be utilized to promote creativity in a small group, and associations and metaphors are worthy of a discussion. This approach helps to look at particular situations from different perspectives because words and phrases may have various meanings that are frequently overlooked (Harris and Sherblom 172). I have noticed in the past that such approach can be used to come up with solutions that were not expected, and it has helped to resolve issues promptly. I think that such approaches are critical and may lead to positive outcomes. Moreover, I plan to use this approach in the workplace, and I think that it is important to explain its benefits to other group members to ensure that they have a better understanding of its unique aspects and how it may be utilized to its full potential.

Diversity

It is necessary to mention that the role of nonverbal communication is frequently overlooked, and individuals do not pay enough attention to this concept. However, it should be viewed as an efficient method to express thoughts and ideas, and it may help to address some of the barriers that are present. Moreover, the issue is that the perception of different phrases varies from one cultural group to another, and it may be regarded problematic (Harris and Sherblom 79). I have learned from my personal experience that the dissimilarity between communication styles is enormous most of the time. Furthermore, every individual in a group should have an understanding of this fact, and ability to identify which communication style is the most efficient in a particular situation is vital. I think that this concept is positive needs to be considered in my future practice, and it may be necessary to develop a set of symbols that would be understood by every single member of the group, and it would help to address communication barriers that may be present.

Another concept that needs to be discussed is the strength of diversity. It is important to understand that a variety of insights and opinions is critical in some situations, and a diverse team would be able to come up with solutions much faster than others. Moreover, the value of different perspectives on a particular situation should not be disregarded because they are influenced by various factors (Harris and Sherblom 80). It is paramount to note that I have noticed this aspect in the past, and it is evident that the diverse group has a broad range of advantages. Moreover, the interactions between individuals are much more complicated, and it is possible to get valuable knowledge and skills that would be useful in the future. It is necessary to mention that I will consider this concept in the future because I view it as beneficial, and hope that I will get an opportunity to work with diverse groups. Also, this approach may lead to a significant competitive advantage, and this aspect needs to be taken in to account.

Pressure for conformity also needs to be discussed because it is present in most organizations because it helps to make sure that tasks are performed promptly, and no complications occur (Harris and Sherblom 84). Moreover, many individuals think that it is necessary to change their behavior to be accepted by others. I have learned from my person experience that the group does not like when a particular individual always disagrees with decisions and always raises topics that are viewed as unnecessary by others, and it is especially problematic when there are differences in cultures. However, it is important to understand that such group members are vital most of the time because they can draw attention to issues that may be overlooked. Individuals are much more likely to trust each other if their opinions are taken into account, and it helps to reach organizational objectives (Ferguson and Peterson 1012). In my opinion, there are many downsides to this approach, but it is important to understand that it is necessary in some cases, and it is critical to ensure that consensus on what issues should be prioritized is reached. Furthermore, this concept needs to be considered in the workplace, and every single member of the group should be provided with necessary information on how to deal with pressure for conformity and how such problems may be addressed.

Leadership and Social Influence

It is important to note that the need to recognize leaders is vital for most organizations. The role of such professionals is to provide guidance and support to other individuals when it is necessary. Moreover, it is necessary to understand which qualities are preferred. One of the aspects that should not be overlooked is that leadership needs of a particular group may change over the time (Bergman et al. 124). Furthermore, one should be capable of using resources that are available as efficient is possible to minimize possible unnecessary expenses. Another core aspect that needs to be mentioned is that a leader must be able to motivate members of a small group with a use of techniques. I have noticed from my past experiences that leadership is critical most of the time because a group needs an individual that would assign tasks and keep track of the progress. Furthermore, it is necessary to mention that I will apply this concept in the workplace because I think that it has many benefits, and it would help to explore the potential of individuals that is not fully utilized.

One of the most important aspects that need to be discussed is the function of leadership. It is important to understand that leaders have a broad range of responsibilities, and one of their primary objectives is to deliver external information to group members (Harris and Sherblom 226). Moreover, and ability to analyze a particular situation and eliminate possible complications is highly valued. I have noticed that the best leaders are capable of gathering information from their surroundings with the use of knowledge and their experience in the industry, and they can utilize the data if it may improve one of the processes. In my opinion, this concept needs to be applied in practice, and I view it as positive because it will help to ensure that possible risks are avoided, and objectives are achieved.

Theories of leadership also should be mentioned because an understanding of which approaches are the most effective in a particular situation is critical. It is important to note that numerous approaches have been suggested over the years, and they have led to numerous discussions and disagreements. Leadership styles are mostly picked based on unique characteristics and personal traits of an individual (Harris and Sherblom 226). Moreover, it is imperative to mention that I have learned that an outstanding leader will have a set of qualities that will differentiate him from many others. It is necessary to understand that there are many leadership styles, and they vary in their effectiveness depending on the situation or organizational objective. Moreover, numerous internal and external factors should be considered to increase the level of efficiency of operations. One should have an understanding of his or her strengths and weaknesses, and it will help to identify areas that need to be improved. Moreover, this concept will be applied in my future work because it has many benefits, and it would be important to conduct a survey to understand leadership qualities of each member and how they may be utilized.

The role of transactional leaders also should not be overlooked because this approach can be used to ensure that tasks are performed efficiently, and the focus on goals and objectives is also vital (Harris and Sherblom 230). Moreover, it is important to understand that their job is to ensure that everything is going according to the schedule and no complications occur. The level of involvement is relatively small in this case, but the control over the whole process is critical. It is important to mention that such leaders utilize a broad range of techniques to ensure that the level of motivation is sufficient and do not rely on the authority most of the time. On the other hand, transformational leadership also needs to be discussed because it allows an individual to establish a following of employees that would be incredibly committed to the task at hand and will be motivated. Moreover, I have noticed from my past experiences that both these approaches can be useful, and they should be selected depending on the organizational goals. Furthermore, it is necessary to mention that I will utilize this concept in the future, and I think that it is important to practice both styles of leadership. This approach would be beneficial because their effectiveness varies, and it is important to select the one that is the most appropriate in a particular situation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the importance of these concepts should not be overlooked because they are essential in almost all the areas and would help to increase the efficiency of operations. Moreover, it is important to mention that many new approaches and techniques are frequently introduced. Furthermore, it is necessary to keep track of latest trends in the industry to get a better understanding of what technologies may be used in practice and what latest approach are recommended. It is important to understand that the role of creativity and diversity has been increasing over the last few years, and group members should acknowledge this fact. One should understand that such knowledge is necessary to stay competent and develop as an individual and professional.

Works Cited

Bergman, Shawn M., et al. Leadership Emergence and Group Development: A Longitudinal Examination of Project Teams. Journal of Organizational Psychology 14.1 (2014): 111-126. ProQuest. Web.

Ferguson, Amanda J., and Randall S. Peterson. Sinking Slowly: Diversity in Propensity to Trust Predicts Downward Trust Spirals in Small Groups. Journal of Applied Psychology 100.4 (2015): 1012-1024. ProQuest. Web.

Harris, Thomas E., and John C. Sherblom. Small Group and Team Communication. 5th ed. London, UK: Pearson Education, 2010. Print.