Menu

The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A Case Study Solution

CASE ANALYSIS

Home >> Harvard >> The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A >>

The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A Case Study Solution

Background and Facts

The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A a workplace materials retailer for small and also moderate sized organisations has recently been associated with planning for a merging with its competitor House Deport, which has affected efficiency levels in departmentswith the elderly manager associated with lawful issues put forth by the federal Trade Payment. With the Advertising and marketing Head putting forward the news of his departure from the company in one year, Jeannie Lewis, the present head of operations has been asked to take the function in the near future. With difficulties in the kind of a potential social modification as well as low employee morale, the organization wants a complete reengineering initiative at the marketing division.

Problem Declaration
Porter's 5 Forces Analysis
The possible social change at the advertising department of The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A is raising uncertainty in the working environment leading to various obstacles for the Jeannie Lewis that would certainly be changing the head of the department in one year. nalysis

PEST analysis

Political Factors: Political factors play a significant duty in affecting tactical choices given that Stapes Inc. had to desert its plans of merging with Workplace Deport after the Federal Trade Compensation's intervention in the process. Provided the truth that the shop has an international presence with branches in UK, USA, Canada and Germany, political factors in each of these nations might have the ability to affect performance or calculated goals. Federal Profession Payment's antitrust suit against the merger used up important time of the company's senior monitoring recommending that 'political' factors can have serious ramifications for a worldwide company.

Economic Factors: Financial factors such as the emergence of small businesses in the international situation suggest that The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A is prospering in an atmosphere where there is prospective growth of services. In addition to this, truth that store customers are mainly searching for office supplies for home offices suggests that the market has a climbing trend of entrepreneurs and also home companies.

Social factors: Social patterns in the economic situation show that clients are trying to find comfort as well as eye-catching costs. Market research demonstrates how the customer for The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A does not have understanding about discovering options which can supply a mix of benefit and also inexpensive.

Technological factors: Innovation plays a vital role in The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A's company method especially as the organization is piloting Innovation centers which would certainly offer technology sales and also assistance in the form of memory upgrades, peripheral setups. (Summary of BUG in appendix 2).

OB Issues and Manifestations.

A number of underlying Organizational Habits concerns can be seen in The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A's case as highlighted in this area.

Uneasiness regarding cultural change: There is concern regarding a social adjustment that would happen when Todd Krasnow leaves from his setting as the Exec Vice Head Of State of Advertising And Marketing with the majority of the employee already revealing unhappiness over this prospective action. This expected change has actually created stress and anxiety in the workplace which has actually been coupled with the previous stress of preparing the firm for a prospective merger with Residence Deport.
Pest Analysis
Difficult Job Environment for Newcomers: There is scarcity of employees that can match the demanding atmosphere of a busy organization. Not just does this result in difficulty in discovering the right people, it puts stress on new hires as can not hold up against the rate as well as stress that the organization expects them to bear.

Dual Reporting Lines: Newcomers locate this organizational culture difficult as well as tough to cope with specifically as dotted line connections are implied to be weaker as a whole and unbiased setting and also efficiency evaluation is still done by the solid line supervisor. This suggests that novices might shed quality concerning their particular roles and also purposes especially as dotted line reporting does not maintain them in straight communication with the strong line managers.

Animosity From Cross Departmental Hiring: Krasnow's decision to make Lewis his follower instead of Bridget Coles despite the fact that it had actually been guessed that the latter would take Krasnow's position came as a strike to her morale. Lewis might have been capable and suitable for the task but the truth that Kransnow's departure would make Coles a direct record to Lewis may have been the reason for Coles' resignation from services.

Concern & Work Insecurity: Fear as well as insecurity can be identified as two significant issues that Lewis would be handling especially as the merger has now be cancelled as well as 2 senior executives of the advertising and marketing department would certainly be leaving. The entire obligation of the division would certainly be falling on Lewis's shoulders who would certainly not just supervise of brining concerning a cultural modification but would also have to confirm herself in her brand-new role.

Inappropriate Administration Design of Leader: Lewis's management style and its conflict with the advertising and marketing department's function can also be seen as an OB obstacle particularly as she has actually been made use of to taking care of problems in the operations division where workers are taught to focus on procedures and obtain them right. The advertising department on the various other hand can be seen as a group of individuals that are used to being supported by Krasnow that focused a lot more on outcome than processes.

Interdepartmental Disputes: Interdepartmental arguments in between three divisions, marketing, merchandizing and operations specifically over the allowance of the marketing mix can be identified as another OB problem. The marketing department does not share the same vision as the other two departments regarding the aloocation of the advertising mix twoards promotions as well as advertsing, the merchandizing and operations divisions do not agree over the advertising mix allocation among one another either.

Fragmentation in Advertising Division: Fragmentation between the marketing and advertising departments can be determined as one more OB concern which can require more interest. The reality that the marketing and advertising sections in the marketing division are detached is preventing both divisions from obtaining from each other's experience and also know-how. Integration of advertising and marketing with retailing as well as operations would certainly become more difficult if the marketing division itself is disintegrated which can be another potential OB issue.

The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A Analysis

Numerous concepts have been used to explain the scenarios to get more quality regarding the scenario handy.
Swot Analysis
McGregor's Theory X & Y: According to Douglas McGregor's Theory X, many managers believe that staffs are easy as well as careless, have little ambition and withstand adjustment. The difficult variation of this theory stressed coercion, tight controls, dangers and also penalties. With time it produces low efficiency, refined sabotage and competition (Offer, 2003). Although the scenario at The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A is not entirely following Theory X, it can be seen that brand-new hires are finding this environment instead difficult which might at some point result in a greater inclination of the administration in the direction of Theory X. As per McGregor's promoted sight, which he called Theory Y, the crucial job of the management is to arrange business problems to make sure that individuals can attain their own goals best by routing their initiatives in the direction of organizational incentives. If individuals discover no satisfaction in their work, the management would have little selection however to depend on concept X and also external control (Offer, 2003). Even while examining Lewis's administration style, theory X may have appropriated in the procedures division somewhat however the Advertising and marketing department would certainly call for dependence on Theory Y so as to get the creative thinking and originality from the groups.

Tuckman's Synergy Concept: As far as Lewis's issue regarding bringing harmony between the marketing and marketing department is concerned, this would at first lead to clash as discussed by Bruce Tuckman in his 'Team effort Theory'. By incorporating the advertising and marketing as well as advertising and marketing department's work, there may be the exact same initial disconnect which can lead to the second phase of 'storming' where the teams challenge one an additional.

When people are offered with adjustment, they get in phase one and so there might be emotions like despair, unpredictability, stress, rage, anxiety, denial and also disorientation.The circumstance at the advertising division of The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A is similar so Lewis can obtain comfortable with the idea that it is not extraordinary habits. It is during this phase that Lewis will certainly have to offer assistance to the division so that they can find a sense of instructions. It can be seen exactly how Krasnow has currently made this shift much easier by making Lewis obtain included in the division a year before his actual departure.
Vrio Analysis
Abraham Maslow in his Concept of 'Requirements Pecking order' (appendix 5) has discusses the significance of 'protection needs as being a lower level requirement of a human for causing motivation. As seen in the pyramid shared in appendix 3, we can see exactly how 'the demand to really feel protected as well as out of danger' is at the 2nd level of requirements. Before an employee can be made to establish psychologically, he requires to have his 'Physical 'as well as 'Safety' needs satisfied.

SWOT Analysis for The Ombudsman Examining Portfolio Risk In Troubled Times A Case Study



Implication of Analysis.

The OB analysis has actually taken a look at various concepts to understand exactly how to cope with the current circumstance available. The complying with three alternatives have actually been recommended to aid Lewis deal with the organizational obstacles in the advertising and marketing department. Each of these options has been suggested for alleviating the shift needed to bring the advertising division in line with the requirements of the marketplace and for making the cultural modification that would comply with once the current leader leaves.

Integration of marketing and advertising features. Separating Adverting and also Manufacturing functions. Assimilation of Marketing with Procedures.

Evaluation of Alternatives.

Judith Shapiro who has earlier been interviewed by Lewis during the earlier merging days has experience in business-to-business advertising along with agency as well as retail marketing experience. As soon as Krasnow leaves, Lewis can employ Shapiro as an EVP for marketing to deal with both advertising and marketing and also advertising features.

The benefit of this method is that it will certainly integrate both functions while reducing the need for hiring an extra source for marketing. Along with this, Lewis would be heading the advertising and marketing division and also regardless her replacement would certainly be needed for the current role that she is executing. The drawback of this choice is that outside hiring may bring about resentment from inner employees that may be looking at the setting of EVP after Lewis takes over Krasnow's placement.

Dividing Adverting and also Production: Given the affordable pressures and also high top quality job needed from the advertising company, it is advised that Lewis should allow the manufacturing system to be a different feature from the marketing device. Considering that most marketing agencies had these two features as separate units, it makes even more feeling to adhere to the norm.

Integration of Advertising And Marketing with Operations: Considering that Lewis is currently caring for the advertising and marketing and also procedures divisions simultaneously; it makes good sense to incorporate the two functions since she has actually been effectively taking care of both ends. The fact that the two departments already have significant distinctions over allotment of resources recommends that this assimilation might have the ability to bring about harmony particularly as Lewis would be heading both ends.However there are various negative aspects of this step specifically as it would certainly put excessive burden over Lewis's shoulders. The reality that Lewis needs to adapt her administration design for the advertising department suggests that these two departments would certainly be culturally diverse. Along with this, Lewis might not be able to apply one kind of leadership design to both departments which can result in inadequacy in either among the two features.

Suggestion.



An examination of the three alternatives shows that integration of advertising and also operations would certainly not be a feasible relocation because of the large distinctions between both divisions although that presently Lewis is taking care of both. While splitting up of the production feature might have been a beneficial move for the advertising department, the truth that it would suggest putting a 3rd feature under Lewis's wing means this must be prevented too. The integration of the advertising department is the very best alternative in regards to obtaining the optimum arise from the division. An action plan for this alternative is gone over listed below.

Activity Plan.
Recommendation
Lewis will certainly take control of the duty of EVP Marketing after Krasnow leaves.

Advertising and Marketing features would be combined.

Judith Shapiro will be worked with to take Lewis's location as SVP of advertising and marketing.

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

Lewis will divide herself from operations.

A democratic management design with employee empowerment will certainly be made use of in advertising and marketing department.

Open up door policy and also emphasis on cross departmental interaction will be focused on eliminating discord.

Contingency plan.

If the combination does not exercise as prepared, a backup strategy would certainly follow which would certainly divide the production function from the advertising and marketing feature to reduce the lots on the SVP of advertising and marketing. In case Judith Shapiro does not obtain worked with, Lewis will be heading the marketing department without an SVP. Because case the production feature will certainly be divided by placing it under an SVP production.