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The Cs Robinson Ford Merger Case Study Analysis

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The Cs Robinson Ford Merger Case Study Solution

Background and Facts

The Cs Robinson Ford Merger a workplace materials store for small and average sized services has actually recently been involved in preparing for a merging with its rival House Deport, which has actually influenced performance degrees in departmentswith the senior supervisor involved in lawful complications presented by the government Trade Compensation. With the Advertising Head putting forward the news of his separation from the firm in one year, Jeannie Lewis, the present head of procedures has been asked to take the function in the near future. With obstacles in the type of a potential cultural adjustment and reduced worker spirits, the company needs a complete reengineering initiative at the advertising and marketing department.

Issue Statement
Porter's 5 Forces Analysis
The prospective social change at the advertising department of The Cs Robinson Ford Merger is boosting uncertainty in the workplace leading to different challenges for the Jeannie Lewis who would certainly be replacing the head of the department in one year. nalysis

PEST analysis

Political Factors: Political factors play a major duty in impacting calculated choices given that Stapes Inc. needed to abandon its plans of merging with Office Deport after the Federal Profession Commission's treatment in the process. Offered the fact that the store has a global presence with branches in UK, UNITED STATES, Canada and also Germany, political consider each of these nations might be able to influence efficiency or calculated goals. Federal Trade Payment's antitrust match versus the merging used up important time of the company's elderly administration recommending that 'political' factors can have serious implications for an international business.

Economic Factors: Financial factors such as the introduction of small businesses in the global situation recommend that The Cs Robinson Ford Merger is flourishing in an environment where there is possible growth of businesses. In addition to this, reality that store customers are primarily searching for workplace supplies for home offices recommends that the market has a climbing fad of entrepreneurs as well as home services.

Social factors: Social fads in the economic climate reveal that consumers are searching for convenience as well as eye-catching prices. Marketing research shows how the customer for The Cs Robinson Ford Merger lacks awareness concerning locating options which can use a combination of comfort and inexpensive.

Technical factors: Modern technology plays an important duty in The Cs Robinson Ford Merger's service method specifically as the company is piloting Innovation facilities which would certainly provide modern technology sales as well as assistance in the type of memory upgrades, peripheral installments. (Summary of PARASITE in appendix 2).

OB Issues and also Symptoms.

A number of underlying Organizational Actions issues can be seen in The Cs Robinson Ford Merger's case as highlighted in this area.

Uneasiness regarding cultural modification: There is uneasiness concerning a cultural modification that would certainly take place when Todd Krasnow leaves from his position as the Executive Vice Head Of State of Marketing with the majority of the personnel already showing discontent over this potential move. This anticipated adjustment has actually created anxiety in the office which has been combined with the previous stress and anxiety of preparing the company for a potential merger with Residence Deport.
Pest Analysis
Difficult Task Environment for Newcomers: There is scarcity of workers that can match the demanding atmosphere of a busy organization. Not just does this lead to difficulty in discovering the best individuals, it places anxiety on brand-new hires as can not endure the speed as well as stress that the company expects them to bear.

Double Coverage Lines: Newcomers discover this business culture troublesome and hard to handle particularly as populated line partnerships are implied to be weak generally and unbiased setting and efficiency evaluation is still done by the strong line supervisor. This indicates that novices can shed quality regarding their corresponding duties as well as objectives especially as populated line coverage does not keep them in direct communication with the solid line managers.

Resentment From Cross Departmental Hiring: Krasnow's choice to make Lewis his follower rather than Bridget Coles even though it had actually been hypothesized that the last would certainly take Krasnow's setting came as an impact to her spirits. Lewis might have been capable and also proper for the work however the truth that Kransnow's separation would make Coles a direct record to Lewis may have been the factor for Coles' resignation from solutions.

Concern & Job Instability: Worry and instability can be recognized as two significant concerns that Lewis would be taking care of especially as the merging has currently be cancelled and two elderly executives of the advertising division would be leaving. The whole duty of the department would certainly be dropping on Lewis's shoulders who would not just supervise of brining about a social change however would additionally need to verify herself in her new role.

Inappropriate Management Design of Leader: Lewis's monitoring style and its conflict with the advertising and marketing division's role can likewise be seen as an OB difficulty especially as she has actually been utilized to handling concerns in the procedures department where employees are taught to focus on processes as well as obtain them. The advertising and marketing department on the other hand can be viewed as a team of people that are utilized to being supported by Krasnow who focused more on output than procedures.

Interdepartmental Arguments: Interdepartmental disputes between three departments, advertising, merchandizing and operations specifically over the appropriation of the advertising mix can be recognized as another OB concern. The marketing division does not share the exact same vision as the other 2 divisions concerning the aloocation of the marketing mix twoards promos as well as advertsing, the merchandizing as well as operations departments do not agree over the advertising mix allotment amongst one another either.

Fragmentation in Advertising Division: Disintegration in between the advertising and marketing departments can be recognized as one more OB concern which can require more focus. The reality that the advertising and marketing sections in the advertising division are detached is preventing both divisions from getting from each various other's experience and competence. Assimilation of advertising with retailing and procedures would certainly come to be more difficult if the advertising division itself is disintegrated which can be another possible OB concern.

The Cs Robinson Ford Merger Analysis

Numerous theories have been utilized to discuss the conditions to obtain further clarity concerning the circumstance handy.
Swot Analysis
McGregor's Concept X & Y: According to Douglas McGregor's Concept X, most managers think that staffs are passive and careless, have little ambition and resist modification. The situation at The Cs Robinson Ford Merger is not entirely adhering to Theory X, it can be seen that brand-new hires are discovering this atmosphere instead difficult which may ultimately lead to a better disposition of the administration towards Theory X. Even while examining Lewis's administration style, concept X might have been ideal in the operations department to some extent but the Marketing division would need dependence on Theory Y in order to get the creative thinking as well as creativity from the groups.

Tuckman's Synergy Concept: Regarding Lewis's issue regarding bringing consistency in between the marketing and advertising division is worried, this would initially result in clash as talked about by Bruce Tuckman in his 'Teamwork Concept'. (Tuckman, 1965). According to Tuckman's theory shown in appendix 3, during the first stage of group growth, individuals may not bond, as they are busy locating their area in the group. By incorporating the advertising and marketing department's job, there might coincide preliminary separate which might lead to the second phase of 'storming' where the teams test one another. However, it is only throughout the 3rd stage or 'norming' when they would certainly integrate to share ideas prior to the group can bring about harmony in the 4th phase 'executing'.

Bridges' Transition Model: According To William Bridge's concept (appendix 4), people are quite uncomfortable with adjustment, which is obvious by the circumstance at The Cs Robinson Ford Merger The scenario can be seen as a normal course of life if is studied as per Bridge's theory where he clarifies that individuals experience 3 phases of shift when they experience adjustment. 'End, losing and also Letting go', The Neutral Area and 'The New Starting' (Bridges, 2004). When people are presented with modification, they get in phase one and so there might be emotions like unhappiness, uncertainty, stress, anger, concern, denial and also disorientation.The scenario at the marketing division of The Cs Robinson Ford Merger is similar so Lewis can obtain comfy with the suggestion that it is not amazing habits. In the second stage, there might be a demand to link the void between the brand-new and old culture so Lewis might need to encounter this ordeal when Krasnow leaves. There might be low spirits and also reduced efficiency at this phase which must not be taken as a setback. It is during this stage that Lewis will have to offer guidance to the department to make sure that they can locate a sense of direction. It can be seen just how Krasnow has already made this shift simpler by making Lewis obtain involved in the department a year before his real separation. According to Bridges' Model, stage 3 will certainly produce openness to discovering, High power as well as commitment as people will embrace the modification (Bridges, 2004).
Vrio Analysis
Abraham Maslow in his Theory of 'Requirements Hierarchy' (appendix 5) has goes over the relevance of 'safety and security requires as being a reduced degree need of a human for triggering motivation. As seen in the pyramid shared in appendix 3, we can see exactly how 'the requirement to really feel protected and out of risk' is at the 2nd degree of needs. Prior to a staff member can be made to establish psychologically, he needs to have his 'Physical 'and 'Safety' requires satisfied.

SWOT Analysis for The Cs Robinson Ford Merger Case Study



Ramification of Analysis.

The OB analysis has checked out numerous concepts to comprehend how to deal with the present scenario available. The following three choices have actually been proposed to assist Lewis take care of the organizational obstacles in the marketing division. Each of these alternatives has actually been recommended for easing the transition required to bring the advertising division in line with the demands of the marketplace and also for making the social change that would certainly adhere to when the current leader leaves.

Combination of advertising and marketing features. Dividing Adverting and also Manufacturing functions. Assimilation of Marketing with Operations.

Examination of Alternatives.

Assimilation of Marketing & Advertising And Marketing Functions: The in-house marketing agency of The Cs Robinson Ford Merger is currently toughness for the organization in regards to saving up on expenses related to advertising as well as promo. Considering that no new employment has actually been done after Bridget Cole's separation with the reporting line being straight assigned to Krasnow for the marketing feature, this is a desirable possibility for incorporating the advertising and marketing features. Judith Shapiro who has earlier been interviewed by Lewis during the earlier merging days has expertise in business-to-business marketing together with firm and retail advertising and marketing experience. Once Krasnow leaves, Lewis can employ Shapiro as an EVP for marketing to handle both advertising and marketing functions.

The benefit of this method is that it will certainly integrate both functions while minimizing the demand for working with an added resource for advertising and marketing. Lewis would be heading the marketing department as well as in any kind of case her substitute would be required for the existing duty that she is performing. The drawback of this choice is that exterior hiring may produce resentment from interior workers that might be considering the position of EVP after Lewis takes over Krasnow's setting.

Separating Adverting and also Production: Given the competitive pressures and high quality job required from the advertising company, it is recommended that Lewis ought to enable the production system to be a separate feature from the advertising unit. Since a lot of marketing agencies had these 2 features as different units, it makes more sense to adhere to the standard.

Integration of Advertising And Marketing with Operations: Because Lewis is currently taking treatment of the advertising and marketing and also operations departments simultaneously; it makes sense to incorporate the two functions because she has actually been efficiently taking treatment of both ends. The fact that Lewis has to adapt her management design for the marketing department recommends that these 2 departments would certainly be culturally diverse.

Suggestion.



An analysis of the three choices shows that integration of marketing and procedures would certainly not be a feasible relocation due to the large distinctions between both departments although that currently Lewis is managing both. While splitting up of the production function might have been a favorable action for the marketing division, the truth that it would certainly suggest positioning a 3rd function under Lewis's wing suggests this need to be prevented too. The assimilation of the marketing department is the most effective alternative in terms of obtaining the optimal results from the department. An activity plan for this choice is discussed below.

Action Plan.
Recommendation
Lewis will certainly take control of the duty of EVP Advertising and marketing after Krasnow leaves.

Advertising and Marketing functions would be combined.

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

Production function will stay part of advertising and marketing under advertising feature.

Lewis will divide herself from procedures.

An autonomous leadership style with employee empowerment will certainly be utilized in marketing division.

Open door policy and also emphasis on cross departmental communication will certainly be targeted at getting rid of discord.

Backup strategy.

If the integration does not work out as prepared, a contingency strategy would comply with which would certainly separate the production function from the marketing function to reduce the tons on the SVP of marketing and advertising. In case Judith Shapiro does not get employed, Lewis will certainly be heading the advertising division without an SVP. Because case the manufacturing function will most definitely be separated by putting it under an SVP manufacturing.