Background and Facts
Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen an office supplies retailer for small as well as medium sized businesses has recently been involved in planning for a merger with its competitor House Deport, which has affected performance degrees in departmentswith the elderly supervisor involved in legal problems presented by the federal Profession Compensation. With the Advertising and marketing Head putting forward the information of his departure from the business in one year, Jeannie Lewis, the current head of operations has actually been asked to take the duty in the near future. With difficulties in the type of a potential social modification and low staff member morale, the company requires a total reengineering initiative at the advertising and marketing division.Issue Declaration
The potential cultural change at the advertising division of Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen is boosting unpredictability in the working environment bring about various obstacles for the Jeannie Lewis that would be replacing the head of the department in one year. nalysis
PEST analysis
Political Factors: Political factors play a major function in influencing tactical decisions since Stapes Inc. needed to abandon its strategies of combining with Office Deport after the Federal Profession Commission's intervention in the process. Given the truth that the store has an international presence with branches in UK, U.S.A., Canada and also Germany, political factors in each of these countries might have the ability to impact performance or critical goals. Federal Profession Commission's antitrust suit versus the merger used up valuable time of the organization's elderly management suggesting that 'political' factors can have severe effects for an international business.
Economic Factors: Economic factors such as the introduction of local business in the international situation suggest that Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen is flourishing in an environment where there is potential development of organisations. In addition to this, reality that store customers are mostly looking for workplace materials for office recommends that the marketplace has a rising trend of business owners and also home based businesses.
Social factors: Social patterns in the economic climate reveal that clients are looking for convenience as well as attractive prices. Marketing research shows how the client for Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen lacks recognition about finding remedies which can provide a mix of comfort as well as inexpensive.
Technical factors: Innovation plays a vital role in Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen's business approach specifically as the company is piloting Technology centers which would use innovation sales and assistance in the form of memory upgrades, outer installments. (Recap of INSECT in appendix 2).
OB Issues and also Effects.
Numerous underlying Organizational Behavior issues can be seen in Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen's case as highlighted in this section.
Uneasiness about cultural modification: There is concern concerning a cultural adjustment that would certainly take place once Todd Krasnow leaves from his placement as the Executive Vice President of Advertising with most of the team member already showing discontent over this prospective relocation. This expected modification has actually produced anxiety in the workplace which has actually been combined with the previous tension of preparing the company for a possible merging with House Deport.
Demanding Job Atmosphere for Newcomers: There is lack of personnel that can match the stressful atmosphere of a busy organization. Not only does this cause trouble in discovering the appropriate individuals, it places anxiety on brand-new hires as can not withstand the pace and pressure that the organization expects them to birth.
Twin Coverage Lines: Beginners find this business society troublesome and also hard to handle specifically as populated line connections are meant to be weaker generally and objective setting and also efficiency evaluation is still done by the solid line supervisor. This means that newcomers could shed clearness concerning their corresponding roles as well as goals particularly as dotted line coverage does not keep them in straight interaction with the solid line managers.
Bitterness From Cross Departmental Hiring: Krasnow's decision to make Lewis his follower rather than Bridget Coles even though it had been hypothesized that the last would certainly take Krasnow's placement came as an impact to her morale. Lewis might have been qualified and appropriate for the task however the fact that Kransnow's separation would certainly make Coles a direct report to Lewis may have been the reason for Coles' resignation from solutions.
Fear & Work Instability: Anxiety as well as insecurity can be recognized as two significant issues that Lewis would certainly be handling particularly as the merger has actually now be terminated and also two elderly execs of the marketing department would certainly be leaving. The whole duty of the department would be falling on Lewis's shoulders who would certainly not simply supervise of brining concerning a social change but would certainly likewise have to verify herself in her brand-new function.
Inappropriate Administration Style of Leader: Lewis's monitoring design and also its incompatibility with the marketing division's role can additionally be seen as an OB challenge especially as she has actually been utilized to handling concerns in the procedures department where personnel are shown to focus on procedures as well as get them. The marketing division on the various other hand can be seen as a group of individuals that are used to being nurtured by Krasnow who focused a lot more on result than procedures.
Interdepartmental Arguments: Interdepartmental disputes in between three departments, advertising and marketing, merchandizing and operations respectively over the appropriation of the advertising and marketing mix can be determined as another OB concern. The marketing department does not share the exact same vision as the various other two divisions relating to the aloocation of the advertising and marketing mix twoards promotions and advertsing, the merchandizing as well as operations divisions do not agree over the advertising mix allowance among one another either.
Disintegration in Marketing Division: Disintegration in between the advertising and marketing departments can be determined as another OB problem which might need additional focus. The truth that the marketing and advertising sections in the marketing division are detached is preventing both departments from acquiring from each various other's experience and also proficiency. Combination of advertising and marketing with merchandising as well as procedures would certainly end up being more difficult if the advertising division itself is broken down which can be an additional prospective OB problem.
Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen Analysis
Various concepts have been made use of to explain the scenarios to get additional clarity about the situation handy.
McGregor's Theory X & Y: According to Douglas McGregor's Theory X, a lot of managers believe that subordinates are easy as well as careless, have little ambition and withstand adjustment. The tough variation of this theory emphasized threat, limited controls, dangers as well as punishments. With time it creates reduced productivity, refined sabotage and also competition (Offer, 2003). Although the situation at Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen is not entirely complying with Concept X, it can be seen that brand-new hires are discovering this atmosphere rather stressful which might eventually lead to a better inclination of the management towards Theory X. Based on McGregor's supported sight, which he called Concept Y, the essential job of the administration is to arrange business conditions to ensure that individuals can attain their very own goals best by guiding their initiatives towards business rewards. If individuals locate no fulfillment in their job, the monitoring would certainly have little choice yet to count on theory X and also outside control (Deal, 2003). Also while evaluating Lewis's management style, concept X might have been suitable in the operations division somewhat but the Advertising and marketing department would require dependence on Theory Y so as to get the creative thinking and also creativity from the groups.
Tuckman's Synergy Concept: As for Lewis's worry regarding bringing harmony between the advertising and marketing division is concerned, this would at first cause contrast as talked about by Bruce Tuckman in his 'Team effort Theory'. (Tuckman, 1965). As per Tuckman's concept received appendix 3, during the initial stage of team advancement, people may not bond, as they are hectic finding their place in the group. By combining the advertising and marketing division's job, there might coincide preliminary separate which might bring about the second stage of 'storming' where the teams test one another. However, it is only during the 3rd stage or 'norming' when they would come together to share concepts prior to the group can bring about harmony in the 4th stage 'carrying out'.
When individuals are presented with modification, they enter stage one and also so there may be feelings like sadness, uncertainty, irritation, anger, anxiety, rejection as well as disorientation.The scenario at the marketing division of Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen is similar so Lewis can get comfortable with the concept that it is not amazing habits. It is throughout this phase that Lewis will certainly have to give assistance to the division so that they can discover a feeling of direction. It can be seen how Krasnow has actually already made this change much easier by making Lewis obtain included in the division a year before his actual separation.
Abraham Maslow in his Concept of 'Requirements Power structure' (appendix 5) has goes over the importance of 'security needs as being a reduced level demand of a human for triggering motivation. As seen in the pyramid shared in appendix 3, we can see just how 'the requirement to really feel secure and out of risk' is at the 2nd degree of demands. Prior to a worker can be made to create mentally, he requires to have his 'Physical 'as well as 'Safety' needs satisfied.
SWOT Analysis for Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen Case Study
Ramification of Analysis.
The OB analysis has actually considered numerous concepts to understand just how to cope with the current scenario available. The complying with 3 alternatives have actually been recommended to aid Lewis deal with the organizational obstacles in the advertising department. Each of these choices has actually been proposed for relieving the transition needed to bring the advertising division in accordance with the requirements of the market and for making the social change that would certainly comply with as soon as the present leader leaves.
Combination of marketing and advertising features. Separating Adverting as well as Manufacturing functions. Assimilation of Advertising And Marketing with Workflow.
Examination of Alternatives.
Combination of Advertising & Advertising Functions: The internal advertising and marketing company of Managing A Public Image Sophie Chen is already strength for the company in terms of conserving up on overheads associated with advertising and marketing and promotion. Since no brand-new employment has actually been done after Bridget Cole's departure with the coverage line being directly designated to Krasnow for the advertising and marketing function, this is a favorable chance for integrating the advertising and marketing functions. Judith Shapiro who has earlier been interviewed by Lewis throughout the earlier merger days has knowledge in business-to-business marketing in addition to agency and retail advertising and marketing experience. Once Krasnow leaves, Lewis can work with Shapiro as an EVP for marketing to handle both advertising and marketing functions.
The advantage of this technique is that it will incorporate both features while lowering the need for hiring an additional source for advertising. Lewis would certainly be heading the advertising and marketing department as well as in any kind of case her substitute would be needed for the present function that she is doing. The drawback of this choice is that outside hiring may cause animosity from interior workers who might be considering the placement of EVP after Lewis takes control of Krasnow's placement.
Dividing Adverting and Production: Given the competitive stress and also top quality work needed from the advertising agency, it is suggested that Lewis needs to allow the manufacturing unit to be a different feature from the advertising and marketing device. Considering that many advertising agencies had these 2 functions as separate devices, it makes more feeling to follow the standard. Along with this, both functions might be able to concentrate on their core turns on a lot more successfully. The drawback of this method would certainly be that added costs would certainly have to be birthed for setting up different production functions. In addition to this, a production head might have to be worked with which might increase overheads for the organization.
Combination of Marketing with Operations: Since Lewis is currently taking care of the advertising and marketing as well as operations divisions at the same time; it makes good sense to incorporate the two features considering that she has been successfully caring for both ends. The reality that the two departments already have major distinctions over appropriation of resources recommends that this assimilation may be able to bring about consistency specifically as Lewis would certainly be heading both ends.However there are different negative aspects of this action especially as it would put way too much worry over Lewis's shoulders. The fact that Lewis has to adapt her administration design for the advertising division suggests that these 2 departments would certainly be culturally diverse. Lewis might not be able to use one kind of leadership style to both divisions which could result in ineffectiveness in either one of the two functions.
Referral.
An examination of the three choices shows that combination of marketing as well as procedures would not be a possible step because of the substantial differences in between both departments although that currently Lewis is dealing with both. While splitting up of the manufacturing feature may have been a desirable action for the marketing division, the fact that it would certainly mean putting a 3rd feature under Lewis's wing means this ought to be stayed clear of. The integration of the advertising and marketing department is the very best alternative in terms of obtaining the optimal arise from the department. An action plan for this alternative is gone over below.
Action Strategy.
Lewis will certainly take over the role of EVP Advertising after Krasnow leaves.
Advertising and Marketing functions would certainly be combined.
Judith Shapiro will certainly be employed to take Lewis's place as SVP of advertising and marketing.
Manufacturing feature will certainly continue to be component of advertising and marketing under advertising feature.
Lewis will separate herself from operations.
A democratic management style with employee empowerment will certainly be made use of in marketing division.
Open door policy as well as emphasis on cross department interaction will certainly be aimed at getting rid of discord.
Contingency strategy.
If the combination does not work out as planned, a contingency strategy would follow which would divide the production feature from the marketing function to reduce the tons on the SVP of marketing and advertising. In case Judith Shapiro does not obtain employed, Lewis will be heading the advertising and marketing department without an SVP. Because case the production function will absolutely be divided by putting it under an SVP production.