Menu

Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs Case Study Analysis

CASE SOLUTION

Home >> Harvard >> Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs >>

Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs Case Study Solution

Background and Facts

Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs an office products seller for little and moderate sized services has actually lately been involved in planning for a merger with its competitor Home Deport, which has affected effectiveness degrees in departmentswith the senior manager associated with legal complications presented by the government Trade Compensation. With the Advertising and marketing Head putting forward the news of his separation from the company in one year, Jeannie Lewis, the existing head of procedures has been asked to take the function in the near future. With obstacles in the type of a possible social modification and low staff member morale, the organization is in need of a full reengineering initiative at the advertising division.

Trouble Declaration
Porter's 5 Forces Analysis
The prospective social modification at the marketing division of Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs is raising unpredictability in the working environment causing various difficulties for the Jeannie Lewis that would be changing the head of the division in one year. nalysis

PEST analysis

Political Factors: Political factors play a significant role in affecting calculated decisions because Stapes Inc. needed to abandon its plans of merging with Workplace Deport after the Federal Profession Commission's treatment while doing so. Provided the truth that the shop has an international existence with branches in UK, USA, Canada and also Germany, political consider each of these nations may have the ability to impact performance or critical objectives. Federal Profession Commission's antitrust suit versus the merging used up valuable time of the company's senior management suggesting that 'political' factors can have major ramifications for a worldwide company.

Economic Factors: Economic factors such as the introduction of small companies in the international circumstance recommend that Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs is prospering in a setting where there is possible growth of services. Along with this, fact that shop customers are mostly trying to find workplace materials for office recommends that the market has an increasing trend of business owners as well as home services.

Social factors: Social fads in the economic situation reveal that clients are seeking comfort as well as eye-catching rates. Market research demonstrates how the consumer for Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs lacks awareness regarding finding remedies which can offer a mix of ease and inexpensive.

Technological factors: Innovation plays a vital role in Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs's company technique especially as the organization is piloting Modern technology facilities which would supply innovation sales and assistance in the kind of memory upgrades, peripheral setups. (Summary of PEST in appendix 2).

OB Issues as well as Symptoms.

A number of underlying Organizational Behavior concerns can be seen in Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs's case as highlighted in this section.

Uneasiness regarding social modification: There is worry about a social modification that would certainly take place as soon as Todd Krasnow leaves from his placement as the Exec Vice President of Advertising And Marketing with most of the staff members already revealing unhappiness over this potential step. This anticipated change has actually developed stress and anxiety in the office which has been paired with the previous stress of preparing the firm for a potential merger with Residence Deport.
Pest Analysis
Stressful Work Setting for Newcomers: There is shortage of personnel that can match the difficult atmosphere of a busy organization. Not only does this result in problem in discovering the appropriate individuals, it places stress on brand-new hires as can not hold up against the rate as well as stress that the organization expects them to bear.

Double Reporting Lines: Novices locate this business culture cumbersome and also difficult to deal with especially as populated line partnerships are meant to be weaker generally and also unbiased setting as well as efficiency evaluation is still done by the strong line manager. This implies that newbies can lose clearness regarding their respective duties as well as objectives especially as dotted line coverage does not keep them in direct communication with the solid line supervisors.

Resentment From Cross Departmental Hiring: Krasnow's decision to make Lewis his successor as opposed to Bridget Coles even though it had been hypothesized that the latter would take Krasnow's placement came as an impact to her morale. Lewis may have been capable and appropriate for the job yet the truth that Kransnow's separation would make Coles a straight report to Lewis might have been the factor for Coles' resignation from services.

Concern & Task Instability: Anxiety and instability can be determined as 2 major problems that Lewis would be taking care of especially as the merging has now be cancelled and also 2 elderly execs of the marketing department would certainly be leaving. The entire obligation of the department would certainly be falling on Lewis's shoulders that would certainly not simply supervise of brining about a cultural adjustment however would certainly additionally need to verify herself in her new duty.

Inappropriate Administration Style of Leader: Lewis's monitoring style as well as its incompatibility with the advertising division's function can likewise be viewed as an OB challenge particularly as she has been made use of to managing issues in the operations division where workers are taught to concentrate on processes and also obtain them right. The marketing division on the other hand can be seen as a group of people who are made use of to being supported by Krasnow who concentrated much more on output than processes.

Interdepartmental Disputes: Interdepartmental disputes between three divisions, advertising and marketing, merchandizing and procedures respectively over the allocation of the advertising and marketing mix can be identified as another OB problem. The advertising and marketing department does not share the very same vision as the various other two divisions regarding the aloocation of the marketing mix twoards promos and advertsing, the merchandizing and also procedures divisions do not concur over the advertising and marketing mix allotment amongst one an additional either.

Fragmentation in Marketing Department: Fragmentation in between the advertising and marketing divisions can be determined as one more OB issue which can require more interest. The reality that the marketing and advertising sections in the advertising department are disconnected is protecting against both departments from getting from each various other's experience as well as experience. Integration of advertising and marketing with merchandising and also procedures would become harder if the advertising division itself is broken down which can be one more potential OB issue.

Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs Analysis

Various concepts have been made use of to explain the scenarios to get more clarity concerning the circumstance available.
Swot Analysis
McGregor's Theory X & Y: According to Douglas McGregor's Theory X, most managers think that juniors are passive and lazy, have little passion as well as withstand change. The situation at Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs is not entirely following Theory X, it can be seen that new hires are locating this atmosphere rather stressful which might ultimately lead to a higher inclination of the administration in the direction of Theory X. Also while evaluating Lewis's administration design, concept X may have been appropriate in the operations department to some level however the Advertising and marketing department would certainly need dependence on Theory Y in order to get the creativity and originality from the groups.

Tuckman's Synergy Theory: As for Lewis's problem concerning bringing consistency in between the advertising and marketing department is concerned, this would at first cause conflict as talked about by Bruce Tuckman in his 'Synergy Concept'. (Tuckman, 1965). Based on Tuckman's theory displayed in appendix 3, during the preliminary phase of group development, individuals might not bond, as they are active discovering their place in the group. By incorporating the marketing and advertising department's job, there may coincide first separate which could result in the second phase of 'storming' where the teams test one another. It is just throughout the third phase or 'norming' when they would come with each other to share suggestions prior to the team can bring around synergy in the fourth stage 'executing'.

Bridges' Shift Model: Based On William Bridge's concept (appendix 4), people are quite unpleasant with change, which is obvious by the scenario at Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs The circumstance can be viewed as a typical training course of life if is studied as per Bridge's theory where he explains that individuals go through three phases of transition when they experience modification. 'End, shedding and Letting go', The Neutral Area and also 'The New Beginning' (Bridges, 2004). When people are presented with change, they enter phase one therefore there may be feelings like sadness, uncertainty, disappointment, anger, fear, denial as well as disorientation.The scenario at the marketing department of Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs is similar so Lewis can get comfy with the suggestion that it is not remarkable behavior. In the 2nd stage, there might be a demand to connect the space in between the brand-new and old culture so Lewis might have to encounter this challenge as soon as Krasnow leaves. There may be reduced morale and also low performance at this stage which should not be taken as a problem. It is throughout this phase that Lewis will certainly need to offer support to the department so that they can discover a sense of direction. It can be seen just how Krasnow has currently made this shift much easier by making Lewis obtain involved in the department a year before his real separation. As per Bridges' Design, phase three will produce openness to understanding, High power and also commitment as individuals will embrace the adjustment (Bridges, 2004).
Vrio Analysis
Maslow's Requirement hierarchy: The OB concern related to instability at the workplace has actually been set off firstly by the change in management as well as second of all by the fact that the merging will certainly no more be started. Abraham Maslow in his Concept of 'Demands Hierarchy' (appendix 5) has discusses the value of 'safety and security needs as being a reduced level requirement of a human for activating inspiration. As seen in the pyramid shared in appendix 3, we can see exactly how 'the demand to really feel secure as well as out of danger' is at the 2nd degree of needs. Prior to a worker can be made to establish emotionally, he needs to have his 'Physical 'and also 'Safety and security' needs satisfied. This shows that unless the employees are made to really feel protected regarding their existing employment status in Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs they may not reach 'Self-Fulfillment'. (King, 2009).

SWOT Analysis for Hedging Currency Risks At Aifs Case Study



Implication of Analysis.

The OB analysis has actually looked at various theories to understand exactly how to deal with the present scenario handy. The adhering to three alternatives have actually been recommended to aid Lewis deal with the business obstacles in the marketing division. Each of these options has been proposed for easing the transition required to bring the marketing division according to the demands of the marketplace and also for making the social adjustment that would follow as soon as the current leader leaves.

Assimilation of marketing and advertising functions. Dividing Adverting and also Production functions. Assimilation of Marketing with Operations.

Assessment of Alternatives.

Judith Shapiro that has earlier been talked to by Lewis throughout the earlier merger days has competence in business-to-business advertising and marketing along with company as well as retail advertising and marketing experience. Once Krasnow leaves, Lewis can employ Shapiro as an EVP for marketing to take care of both advertising and also marketing functions.

The advantage of this technique is that it will integrate both functions while lowering the demand for hiring an additional source for marketing. In addition to this, Lewis would certainly be heading the marketing department as well as regardless her substitute would certainly be required for the present role that she is carrying out. The downside of this alternative is that exterior hiring may bring about animosity from internal personnel that might be considering the position of EVP after Lewis takes over Krasnow's position.

Separating Adverting and Production: Given the competitive stress as well as excellent quality job needed from the ad agency, it is recommended that Lewis must allow the production unit to be a different feature from the advertising system. Given that the majority of ad agency had these 2 functions as separate units, it makes even more feeling to adhere to the norm. Both features might be able to concentrate on their core activates extra effectively. Nevertheless, the downside of this technique would certainly be that added costs would have to be birthed for establishing separate production functions. A manufacturing head might have to be worked with which can boost expenses for the organization.

Integration of Advertising with Workflows: Considering that Lewis is currently taking care of the advertising and also operations divisions simultaneously; it makes sense to integrate the two functions given that she has been effectively dealing with both ends. The reality that both divisions currently have major differences over allowance of sources recommends that this integration may be able to produce harmony specifically as Lewis would be heading both ends.However there are different disadvantages of this action especially as it would put too much worry over Lewis's shoulders. The truth that Lewis has to adapt her management design for the advertising division recommends that these two departments would be culturally varied. In addition to this, Lewis may not be able to use one kind of leadership design to both divisions which can lead to ineffectiveness in either among the two functions.

Recommendation.



An assessment of the three alternatives shows that assimilation of marketing and procedures would not be a viable move as a result of the large differences in between the two departments although that currently Lewis is managing both. While splitting up of the manufacturing feature might have been a desirable action for the advertising division, the truth that it would indicate positioning a third feature under Lewis's wing suggests this should be avoided. The integration of the advertising and marketing division is the best alternative in terms of getting the ideal arise from the division. An activity prepare for this choice is gone over listed below.

Activity Plan.
Recommendation
Lewis will take over the function of EVP Advertising and marketing after Krasnow leaves.

Marketing and advertising features would certainly be combined.

Judith Shapiro will certainly be hired to take Lewis's area as SVP of marketing and advertising.

Manufacturing feature will stay component of advertising under advertising and marketing function.

Lewis will separate herself from procedures.

A democratic leadership style with worker empowerment will certainly be made use of in advertising department.

Open door plan as well as emphasis on cross department interaction will certainly be targeted at getting rid of disharmony.

Contingency strategy.

If the combination does not work out as intended, a contingency plan would follow which would certainly divide the production function from the advertising and marketing feature to decrease the lots on the SVP of advertising and marketing. In case Judith Shapiro does not get hired, Lewis will certainly be heading the advertising and marketing division without an SVP. In that case the production feature will most definitely be separated by positioning it under an SVP production.