#1Betty————————————

A global conference call with web-enabled visual presentation is to be arranged with each global region (5 regions total) to discuss two key topics on the current status of the AgileHoya.

The two agenda topics for the call are :

1) Redundancy measures which will affect the viability of the global project

2) Potential rollout of a timeline for decisions and actionable steps within the next three months. It is decided that the call will last 60minutes.

As a global project manager, I would focus my abilities on the five strategies below to ensure this very important call is a success. There are three conference programs which I am very comfortable with. They are Skype, Webex and Zoom Conferencing. As this call will require the participation of all attendees, my goal is to have 100% attendance on the call. Therefore, I would choose Zoom Conferencing as anyone can join from any location as long as they have internet connection. They don’t need to have their company laptop or a VPN connection. If attendees are traveling, on vacation, in transit and various other spaces, Zoom allows employees to connect via video and audio (both options) and also allow the host to share presentations for all to see. I believe this will be very effective. I would plan for the meeting as noted below.

1. Preparation: The global PMO’s office, on an excel spreadsheet, consolidates the names of all team members’ complete contact information (office and home address, building, business and personal email, office phone, assistant(s) info, and mobile) is collected, including their HR business partner’s contact information, and technology contact. The actual email outlining the purpose of the conference call is drafted and verified by the global project manager to ensure the message is appropriate and comprehensive as intended for the audience. The email will include:

• Impetus for the global conference call
• Request for availability to suggested dates and time zones (5 regions = 5 time zones)
• Option for audio and video
• Ample time for everyone to check and manage their availability (to make adjustments if needed) to confirm the call within 2-3 days
• Information on when response and information will be required

1. Confirmation: Once availability is received, request regional administration to book conference rooms with technical capabilities at the regions, and cross-reference against the excel spreadsheet to send a calendar invitation detailing the specifics of the call by labeling the call with a formal title, ensuring team distribution list emails, and all are included in the invite email as per the spreadsheet per region along with regional HR business partner, technology contact and administrative coordinator. The invite should have an agenda, audio dial-in information and webex links with detailed instructions for each region with meeting ID and pin # and technical contact. Once invite sent, track responses to calendar invite for confirmation of tentative and declines. Begin communications with the regional technology contact on technical limitations and requirements in preparation for the call.

1. Facilitate the Call: The global PMO office should prepare in advance to be aligned with the agenda and confirm a PMO team member to take minutes. Email the country project manager to ensure technical set up for audio and visual presentation is confirmed. Ahead of the call, an email should go to the specific region (since time of call is different for each region) reminding the team of the call and that a roll call will be conducted 5mins after the call commences. Open the call 5min early, and at the start time, make an announcement to attendees that team members have 5 minutes to join the call before roll call. A good opportunity to have a chat amongst team members.

1. Introduce Team Protocol: As the roll call is completed, PM’s should introduce the team if more than one region is present. Also include new team members and their new role. The global PM should announce the protocol to minimize background noise, appropriately mute, confirm team visibility on video, speak clearly into microphone, avoid unnecessary interruptions and seek if any constraints for attendees. Check on visual clarity and access. Introduce the agenda and begin to discuss the details of the topic, request further feedback, questions, and recommendations on process improvements related to the topic as well as what has worked well, and what needs to be improved. Stay on agenda by discussing impact of decisions. Ensure minutes are being captured accordingly and distributed within 24-48 hours. Extend the call if possible and if anyone is interested in having a one-on-one call.

1. Minutes/Follow up: The global PMO office should review the contents of each minutes for each call and provide approval to be sent and follow up accordingly. As the minutes are sent out, explain the process of follow up and what is required from each region and build a relationship to expand on communications with the HR business partner.

Please advise if you have a preference for Skype, Webex or Zoom and why you would consider it to be effective?

LIST the five best practices that you will incorporate for an effective audio and visual conference. What is the conference program that you will use, and why? Ask for classmates’ opinion on whether you’ve made the best choice.

Within my line of work at the Department of Treasury, we are constantly having audio and visual conferences throughout the month. Many of my team members either work off-site or in a completely separate state. With that said, often times we are met with various technological failures, due to poor planning and preparation for upcoming audio and visual conferences. Nonetheless, I have identified my 5 most critical functions required prior to establishing a visual conference. These 5 best practices when establishing a video conference are as follows:

1. Ensure technology equipment is functioning properly.
2. Test the system(s) 15 to 30 minutes ahead of the meeting.
3. Always plan for backup communication. This could be either telephone or the use of a computer based product (IE: Labtop, Tablet, Etc.).
4. Check to make sure participates can hear and acknowledge each other.
5. Confirm that visibility is clear and that participants can see each other appropriately.

These are some of the most important factors when considering to host an audio and visual conference. As stated by Stanford University IT best practices for Effective Video Conferencing, “Make sure all participants have equal access to content by sharing all content within the video conferencing connection and using online tools (e.g., Google docs) whenever possible” (Stanford, 2019). Once again, it is imperative that the host take all necessary steps to ensure a successful network connection as well as visual presentation prior to establishing a video conferencing meeting.

Classmates please advise if my 5 most critical points are missing any other more relevant topics.

Reference:

Nd, 2019. Best Practices for Effective Video Conferencing. Stanford University IT. Sourced from: https://uit.stanford.edu/videoconferencing/best-pr…

#2 Brian–————————————————

LIST the five best practices that you will incorporate for an effective audio and visual conference. What is the conference program that you will use, and why? Ask for classmates’ opinion on whether you’ve made the best choice.

Within my line of work at the Department of Treasury, we are constantly having audio and visual conferences throughout the month. Many of my team members either work off-site or in a completely separate state. With that said, often times we are met with various technological failures, due to poor planning and preparation for upcoming audio and visual conferences. Nonetheless, I have identified my 5 most critical functions required prior to establishing a visual conference. These 5 best practices when establishing a video conference are as follows:

1. Ensure technology equipment is functioning properly.
2. Test the system(s) 15 to 30 minutes ahead of the meeting.
3. Always plan for backup communication. This could be either telephone or the use of a computer based product (IE: Labtop, Tablet, Etc.).
4. Check to make sure participates can hear and acknowledge each other.
5. Confirm that visibility is clear and that participants can see each other appropriately.

These are some of the most important factors when considering to host an audio and visual conference. As stated by Stanford University IT best practices for Effective Video Conferencing, “Make sure all participants have equal access to content by sharing all content within the video conferencing connection and using online tools (e.g., Google docs) whenever possible” (Stanford, 2019). Once again, it is imperative that the host take all necessary steps to ensure a successful network connection as well as visual presentation prior to establishing a video conferencing meeting.

Classmates please advise if my 5 most critical points are missing any other more relevant topics.

#3 Idris—————————————————————-

Any good meeting starts with excellent preparation (Binder, 2007) A recent study by Gartner, Inc., a research and advisory firm, by 2024, remote work and changing workforce demographics will impact enterprise meetings so that only 25% will take place in person, down from 60% today. This trend will most likely result in more solutions to help organize and facilitate all virtual meetings, and also likely result in an uptick in poor meeting experiences. Establishing best practices is a good way to alleviate the issue along with having a reliable meeting software solution.

Zoom is a cloud-based platform that provides audio, video, chat and collaboration solutions to businesses across the globe. Zoom has an App Marketplace providing integrations with various software applications that helps provide a frictionless experience. The product also has a free version for personal use. I would recommend using Zoom since it easy to use and understand, it integrates with apps such as google calendar making it more efficient to schedule meetings.

Below are the best practices I would establish for more effective global conference calls:

1. Create an agenda – Creating an agenda allows for meeting participants to understand the purpose of the meeting and prep beforehand. Agenda also helps the meeting leader organize their thoughts and can, in turn, lead to a more productive meeting. It’s also beneficial to designate some as a note take to take meeting minutes and distribute no later than 48 hours after the meeting is over.
2. Reliable Network – With a global team there more chances for a disparity in network strength. Steps can be taken to mitigate this such as using audio conference only, which uses less bandwidth or calling in from a mobile device where there is a higher chance of having a better network service.
3. Screenshare – Most meetings contain some kind of artifact (reports, diagrams, slide decks, etc.) it’s important to establish early on that best practice should be to make sure the person referencing the artifact is sharing their screen so meeting participants can understand what is being discussed. A lot of confusion and misunderstanding can be alleviated by using visuals when discussing a topic.
4. Product training – Understanding how to use the tool helps lead to more efficient meetings. It can be very disruptive to have to pause a meeting to help someone log on or find their access code because they don’t know how the tool works. Thankfully many video conference products including Zoom provide support sites that include articles and videos to train users on how to use their product. Training can also lead to more adoption but It big part of the responsibility will be on leadership to enforce the training.
5. Have a backup – Create a backup communication plan in case you have trouble connecting with remote participants. A backup plan can include asking onsite participants to connect to the meeting through their laptops, using a mobile or speakerphone, and/or collaborating through an online collaboration tool (e.g., Google docs).

I would love to read some thoughts/insights on which of these steps someone would replace with another best practice and why?

References:

Binder, J. (2007). Global project management: Communication, Collaboration, and Management Across Borders. Surrey, England: Gower Publishing Company.

Fasciani, M., Et all, (2019, September 5). Zoom: A leader in 2019 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Meeting Solutions (ID G00354093). Retrieved from Gartner database.

Video conferencing, web conferencing, webinars, screen sharing. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2019, from Zoom Video website: https://zoom.us/

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS PROJECT GUIDELINES

1.The Task:You are to play the role of a financial analyst working for a leading investment management company.Your boss, who also happens to be your instructor, has asked you to evaluate a company for possible inclusion in your firm’s portfolio.Specifically, your boss wants you to choose a company and describe its current financial status.You are to prepare a formal report of your efforts for your boss.

2. Information sources:Use this handout, the company’s latest annual and quarterly reports, and business publications on the Internet and at the library as the basis for your analysis.

Good information sources on the Internet include:

‑ The company’s own website (good for overview information, annual and quarterly reports).

‑ www.sec.gov(search EDGAR for 10K and 10Q reports)

(see separate handout for specific instructions on using the SEC website)

‑ http://finance.yahoo.com/(Yahoo Financial Research)

‑ http://www.annualreports.com/ (annual reports here)

‑ Hoovers online (http://www.hoovers.com/free/) (company data, stats)

‑ Reuters (http://www.investor.reuters.com/StockEntry.aspx?target=/stocks)

‑ MSN Money Central (http://moneycentral.msn.com/investor/research/welcome.asp) (these last two have industry averages – important for your ratio analysis)

‑ Many others (“Google” search for your company’s name, for example)

Note: Wikipedia.com is NOT an acceptable information source for your report.Since anybody can edit its information and the owners of the site do not attempt to verify the accuracy of what is posted, it does not meet minimum academic standards.

3.Format:The paper must be prepared in Microsoft Word and using APA style formatting.Use the outline that begins on the next page (recommend you copy and paste the outline into a new Word document and use it as the basis for your report).

4.Schedule:The final paper is due at the beginning of class on the LAST class meeting. (Monday class).Do not be late!LATE DOCUMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.The course ends at 11:55 pm that night and I must submit grades within a few days.You must submit your entire project in TWO locations.The first is within the assignment module on the class website.The second is at turnitin.com.I’ll discuss more about this site as the semester progresses.Your paper will not be scored and you will receive a zero if your paper is not submitted to turnitin.com.

You will have a schedule for turning in portions of your project for review.You MUST submit these portions within the assignment module and also within turnitin.com by the stated deadlines.These staggered deadlines are to prevent students from waiting until the last moment to complete their work and to give the instructor an opportunity to review progress.Your instructor will do this review only once for each section requested.

Important Note on Using Information Obtained from the Internet

Caution:Most of the words in your report should be your own.Remember that the rule is that you should only quote when what has been stated is so unique that it would lose its impact or value if it were not kept together as a quote.(THIS IS RARELY THE CASE.)You may paraphrase and use quotes for emphasis when you need to, but when you do you must use quotes and identify the source of the information.APA style requires that you block indent long quotations.Given that requirement, I do not expect to see long quotes in your paper.Remember that you MUST provide a source for anything that is not your original words or thoughts.Failure to do so is a breach of the Webster University honor policy and will negatively impact your grade.Simply stated, it is plagiarism.

So to summarize, when you extract information from sources on the Internet for use in reports, there will be a strong temptation to copy and paste the information into your financial statement analysis.You should not do this.

Citing sources on a reference page is not enough. Remember that words shown in your paper are presented as if they are your own unless you provide a citation so your readers know where the information came from.The identification of a source must be sufficient to allow the reader to go DIRECTLY to the source…including the page!

There are multiple style sheets available to show you how to cite outside work in your document. APA style is what has been adopted by Webster University so that is how the paper should appear.This approach enables the reader (me) to go directly to the source to confirm its veracity.

Be sure to ask me if you have any questions about the report in general or using quoted information in particular.

Good luck!

Dr. Snyder

Graded Project Report Outline

(Your report MUST follow this outline)

APA Style is required!

COVER SHEET:

Your cover sheet should have the following:

• Title: “Financial Analysis of the _______________ Company”
• Stock ticker symbol
• Exchange where traded
• Address of company headquarters
• Company phone number
• Your name, etc.
• Date of your analysis

Remember that APA format requires a running header and page number.It also requires double spacing.

PART I, COMPANY OVERVIEW:(be sure to include the headings below in your report!)

a.Brief description of the company (one paragraph, briefly summarizing the company’s business)

b.Company history (origin, major developments, etc.)

c.Organization (describe how the company is structured)

Note – Do NOT include a description or a lengthy list of the company’s board of directors.Your readers do not care how the board is organized or who the board members are.They want to know how the whole company is structured.

d.Main products and services (describe what the company sells; how it makes money)

e.Geographic area of operations (describe where the company sells its products)

f.Recent developments (list recent major news stories, if any)

– and so on (you may modify or add to this list depending on the nature of your company)

PART II, FINANCIAL OVERVIEW:

a. Sales and Income Record:Note that six years are required here.

—————– Fiscal Years ——————

201320142015201620172018

‑‑ Sales________________________

‑‑ Percent change in

sales each year____________________

‑‑ Net Income________________________

‑‑ Percent change in

net income each year____________________

GRAPH OF SALES & NET INCOME, FY 2013 ‑ 2018

‑|

‑|

‑|

‑|

‑|(Plot Sales and Net Income for the

‑| last six fiscal years on the graph.)

‑|

‑|(Recommend preparing the graph in Excel,

‑|then copying and pasting into the report)

‑|

‑|

‑|

‑|‑‑‑‑‑‑|‑‑‑‑‑‑‑|‑‑‑‑‑‑‑|‑‑‑‑‑‑‑|‑‑‑‑‑‑‑|

2013 2014 2015 2016 20172018

This should be a two-line, trend-line graph, NOT a bar chart.

COMMENTS: Comment on the trends you see in your numbers and on the graph.

Be sure to include comments!The numbers and the chart are meaningless by themselves. Comment on what you see.

b.Expense distribution:

FY 2018

Major Expenses Example:

________

(list the major expense categories ________

from the latest income statement. ________

Be sure to include COGS!)________

CHART OF EXPENSES, FY 2018

Note – Do not “explode”

the pie slices

(insert a pie chart of major expenses here)

COMMENTS: Comment on the company’s expense distribution.

c.Assets and Capital Structure:

Year-end FY 2018

Assets:

Cash________

Accounts receivable ________

Inventory________

Fixed Assets________

Other Assets________

CHART OF ASSETS, Year-end FY 2018

(insert a pie chart of major assets here)

COMMENTS: Comment on the company’s asset distribution.

Year-end FY 2018

Capital Structure:

Current Liabilities________

Long-term & Other Liabilities________

Preferred Stock (if any) ________Note – Call your instructor

Common Equity________for instructions if common

equity is negative

CAPITAL STRUCTURE, Year-end FY 2018

(insert a pie chart showing capital structure here)

COMMENTS: Comment on the company’s capital structure.

PART III, RATIO ANALYSIS:

Include the following ratios in the following format:

Note:It is extremely difficult to obtain industry averages.Such information is available, but, with rare exceptions, you have to pay for it (which you are not required to do for this report).Sometimes you can find some industry average ratios at various websites (example:You can get some industry profitability ratios from Yahoo.com).Sometimes you can calculate the ratios yourself by averaging the ratios of several different competitor companies.An alternative is to just compare the company to its most significant competitor.Be certain to confirm with me that you are going to do this.Only as a LAST resort, when you can’t find any of the information or do the calculations, insert “not available.”It is highly unlikely that you will use this LAST option.Do everything that you can to avoid taking this final option.

THE SECONDARY COMPANY CAN BE USED IN LIEU OF THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE.

(1) LIQUIDITY:

FY 2018FY 2017

Current Ratio:

Company________

Industry Avg________

Quick Ratio:

Company________

Industry Avg________

COMMENTS ON THE COMPANY’S LIQUIDITY:

Be sure to include comments!The numbers are meaningless by themselves.Comment

on what you see.What story do the numbers tell?

(2) ASSET MANAGEMENT

FY 2018FY 2017

Total Asset Turnover:

Company________

Industry Avg ________

Average Collection Period:

Company________

Industry Avg ________

COMMENTS ON THE COMPANY’S ASSET MANAGEMENT:

(3) DEBT MANAGEMENT:

FY 2018FY 2017

Total Debt to Total Assets:

Company ________

Industry Avg________

Times Interest Earned:

Company________

Industry Avg________

COMMENTS ON THE COMPANY’S DEBT MANAGEMENT:

(4) PROFITABILITY:

FY 2018FY 2017

Net profit Margin:

Company________

Industry Avg________

Return on Assets:

Company________

Industry Avg________

Return on Equity:

Company________

Industry Avg________

Equity Multiplier:

Company________

Industry Avg________

COMMENTS ON THE COMPANY’S PROFITABILITY:

(5) MARKET VALUE RATIOS:

FY 2018FY 2017

PE Ratio:

Company________

Industry Avg________

Market to Book Ratio:

Company________

Industry Avg________

COMMENTS ON THE COMPANY’S MARKET VALUE RATIOS:

You must begin this comment section by stating the prices used in your calculations and how you arrived at these.

PART IV, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

‑ Summarize your analysis.Review your comments in the financial analysis section and provide your assessment of the overall status of the firm.Include any recommendations you think are appropriate.

‑ List any other recommendations you have for the firm in view of your analysis.Remember to finish with a recommendation on whether we should or should not include your primary company in our corporate portfolio.

* End of report Outline *

See additional instructions on the following pages!

Obtaining Company Information

from the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Website

1.With your computer online, go to www.sec.gov.This is the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website.

2.At the website, click on Search for Company Filings (its in the Filings and Forms section).That will take you to the “Search the Next-Generation EDGAR System” page.

4.At the Search the EDGAR System page, click on Company or fund name, ticker symbol, CIK (Central Index Key), file number, state, country, or SIC (Standard Industrial Classification).This will take you to the “Company Search” page.

5.At the Company Search page, enter the name of your company in the box.Select “Starts with” or “Contains” as needed.Leave the other boxes blank.When you are done, click the Find Companies button at the bottom.

6.A list of companies matching the name you typed in will appear.The list may be short or long, depending on how many companies share the same words in their company names.Scroll down the list and locate the specific company you are interested in (you may have to go through several pages if the list is really long.)When you find your company, click the long red number in the left hand column next to the company name.This will bring up a “Search Results” page with a list of forms on it.Note – if there is only one company matching the name you typed in, the system will take you directly to the forms page.See the next paragraph.

7.On the forms page, scroll down the left hand column until you find an entry marked 10-K.These forms are the company’s annual report.

Note – you will normally find more than one 10-K Form listed, because the companies file one for each year.The one you want is the one with the latest date.Check the date of the form in the Filing Date column on the right.

Note – you can shorten the forms search process by entering 10-K in the Filing Type: window.Then scroll over to the right and click the Search button.The list of forms at the bottom of the page will then adjust to contain only 10-K forms.

8.When you have located the 10-K form that you want, click the Documents button for that form.This will take you to a Filing Detail page that contains a list of things that are in the 10-K report.You will normally want the first entry, which, in the Document column, will be identified with something like form10k.htm.Click the red entry in the Document column to take you to the form.

9.At this point you can print the entire report (100+ pages!) or you can scroll down through the document to locate the part you are interested in.When you find it, simply highlight it with your mouse, and copy and paste it into a Word document for your review later on.Be careful here!Do not just paste information from the form into your report unless you enclose the text in quotes and insert a footnote saying where you obtained it.

Module 4 – SLP

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AND STRATEGIC CONTROLS

Simulation

In Module 4, you will continue with the CVP analysis you completed in the Module 3 SLP.

Scenario Continuation:

It is still January 2, 2013. You have just completed your revised SLP3 strategy using CVP analysis, and you are eager to implement your decisions for 2013 through 2016.

Using the CVP analysis from SLP3, run the simulation for a final time. Again, be sure to take notes about your analysis and document the reasoning behind your decisions.

Finalize your report showing the strategy you have used.

Assignment Overview

Using the strategy that you developed in SLP3, run the simulation. Document your results as you did previously. Review and analyze these results, and develop a final strategy.

Please turn in a 6- to 8-page paper, not including cover and reference pages.

Keys to the Assignment

The key aspects of this assignment that should be covered and taken into account in preparing your paper include:

The revised strategy consists of the Prices, R&D Allocation %, and any product discontinuations for the W1, W2, and W3 tablets for each of the four years: 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.

You must present a rational justification for this strategy. In other words, you must provide support for your proposed strategy using financial analysis and relevant theories.

Use the CVP Calculator and review the PowerPoint that explains CVP and provides some examples.

You will need to crunch some numbers (CVP Analysis) to help you determine your prices and R&D allocations.

Make sure your proposed changes in strategy are firmly based in this analysis of financial and market data and sound business principles. Your goal is to practice using CVP and get better at it.

Present your analysis professionally, making strategic use of tables, charts, and graphs.

Time Line Summary:

SLP1

2016: Hired on December 31, 2016.

Turned in first report to CEO Smothers.

SLP2

You are returned – via Time Warp – to January 1, 2013.

You make decisions for 2013 – 2016.

December 31, 2016 – You have revised all four years, and you write up your summary report.

SLP3

Apparently, your SLP2 decisions were not “good enough,” as you have again been returned to January 1, 2013.

It is once again January 1, 2013: You decide to use CVP analysis to develop a revised four-year plan for your strategy. You analyze the results of your first decisions from SLP2, taking notes, and documenting your decision-making process. You use the CVP Calculator to help you develop your strategy. Your notes explaining the logic behind your decisions.

SLP4

It is still January 1, 2013. Using your CVP analysis from SLP3, you run the simulation, implementing your revised four-year plan. You keep track of your financial and marketing results year over year.

You submit your final 6- to 8-page report, which includes your Final Total Score.

You compare – and report – your results with previous results.

SLP Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated using the grading rubric.

Tips and Suggestions

Note the following tips and suggestions:

You might find these downloads useful:

Decision Matrix Table – Download this Word doc with a blank table you can use to show your proposed strategy decisions.

PowerPoint discussing CVP – Provides a good overview of Cost Volume Profit analysis, the various equations that you can use, and how to use it. Some examples are provided showing how to use the CVP Calculator.

CVP Calculator – This an Excel-based calculator that you can use to determine prices, volumes, and profits. Keep in mind that it will tell you what need, but the market determines what you actually get.

Include a cover page and a reference page, in addition to the 6-8 pages of analysis described above.

Include appropriate section headings.

Use charts and graphics strategically, but do not use these as “space fillers.” Include lengthy tables, etc., in an Appendix instead.

Cite and reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes, and citations for that information which you have “borrowed” or paraphrased from other sources.

Follow Trident Guidelines for Well-Written Papers.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Module 4 – Background

STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION AND STRATEGIC CONTROLS

Strategy is implemented using organizational design (structure), people, culture, and control systems. Strategy must successfully work through these elements in order to produce performance. No matter how well a strategy is conceived, if an organization’s people cannot implement it, if the culture cannot support it, if the structure cannot coordinate it, and if the systems cannot measure and control it—the strategy will fail.

We will start by considering how of each of these components individually link to strategy. By way of the Case analysis, we will examine the integration or “fit” between the various components and strategy.

Structure

Organizational structure refers to the manner in which the lines of communication of authority are established, the manner in which work is divided up among organizational members, and the way that communication and work are coordinated. Different types of structures support different types of strategies. The key elements of structure that have the greatest effect on the success or failure of strategy implementation are centralization, boundaries, networks, and virtual organization.

Centralization

Centralization refers to the level of concentration of decision making. In a highly centralized organization, decisions are made by a relatively small number of people, usually concentrated at the highest levels of the organization. Standardization is common in centralized organizations, thus favoring economies of scale and efficient value chains.

Decentralized organizations are characterized by flexible and autonomous decision-making groups at operational levels in the organization. Such groups have the ability to rapidly adjust to changes in the marketplace and are well-suited to strategies that require innovation. However, because of duplication, economies of scale are difficult to achieve.

Emerging Structures

Borderless Organizations: Taking cross-functional teams to a new level, the borderless organization does not just assemble teams with members from different organizational levels and functions. Instead, the borderless organization removes barriers both vertically (between levels) and horizontally (between functions or departments). The implications for strategy implementation include increased information, transparency, and flexibility.

Alliance Networks: These are collections of suppliers, distributors, customers, and even competitors who have the ability to bring needed assets to bear on an urgent problem where there is insufficient time to develop the needed resources and capacities in-house. Organized and coordinated online, these networks can be mobilized and put to work instantaneously.

Virtual Corporations: An extension of Alliance Networks, the virtual corporation is an extra-organizational coalition of people and organizations brought together expressly to work on a specific problem or project. They can be assembled rapidly and dispersed as soon as the project is over, representing the ultimate in flexibility and speed in strategy implementation.

The following reading is an exposition on how various types of teams can be useful in strategy implementation:

Pryor, M.G., Singleton, L.P., Taneja, S., and Toobs, L.A. (2009). Teaming as a strategic and tactical tool: An analysis with recommendations. International Journal of Management, 26 (2), 320-334. Retrieved on November 6, 2012, from ProQuest.

Review this presentation on Organizational Design by Professor Anastasia M. Luca, Ph.D. MBA.

Strategic Controls (Systems)

Three organizational systems are essential to controlling strategy implementation:

Accounting and budgeting systems: These systems can be complex and not easily adapted. If a new strategy requires data that is not easily accessible through existing accounting systems, implementation can be slowed, and a potentially successful implementation can be jeopardized. If a new proposed strategy does not fit a familiar pattern, decision making can be become risky and unpredictable.

Information Systems: Information technology is playing an ever greater role in strategy implementation. IT provides point-of-sale information between retailers and manufacturers, streamlines logistics and distribution, and controls inventories. IT systems must be capable of providing the right information in the right format to the right people at the right time.

Measurement and Reward Systems: Rewards can be used to shape behavior in the direction of meeting strategic objectives. Rewards must be connected to measures of goal attainment (e.g., specific increases in market share), and proper time horizons (future rewards for future goals).

Review this presentation on Strategic Controls by Professor Anastasia M. Luca, PhD MBA.

People

Strategies that are based on distinctive competencies or unique capabilities are often dependent on people and their skills to carry them out. Thus, for successful implementation, sufficient numbers of people with the right skill sets are essential.

In-house or Import? Hiring raw talent and growing employees with the needed qualifications maximizes fit, but it can take years. Retraining existing workers with new skills can be problematic when old employees resist “learning new tricks.” Hiring employees with needed skills external to the organization is faster, but there is no guarantee that even they will fit well within the organization’s culture.

Motivation: It is not enough to have the right number of people with the right skills; people must also be motivated to work toward successful strategy implementation. Much is known about motivation, and many tools are available; these include tangible rewards (e.g., bonuses) and intangible rewards such as self-fulfillment. Perhaps the motivator with the most potential for eliciting long-term commitment to fulfilling the firm’s strategic goals is that of empowerment, which gives employees the discretion and autonomy to use their initiative.

The following article highlights the importance of having the right people in place to achieve strategic goals:

Garrow, V. and Hirsh, W. (2008). Talent management: Issues of focus and fit. Public Personnel Management, 37(4), 389-403. Retrieved on August 29, 2014 from ProQuest.

Culture

The fit between an organization’s culture and its strategy is critical. If a firm is depending on innovation to achieve differentiation, but the culture is risk averse or has a tendency to punish mistakes, the strategy will in all likelihood fail. Culture can support the strategy when three elements are in alignment:

Shared values that are aligned with the corporate vision and strategic focus along with a management style that fosters behavior that will support the competencies that confer competitive advantage.

Norms can act as strong controls for strategic implementation. They encourage behavior that is in alignment with shared values. People can circumvent rules, and they cannot be watched all of the time, but norms can promote the desired behavior even when nobody is watching.

Symbols model for employees what values and norms are important. Some important symbols include the vision and style of the founder of the company and folklore or stories that embody company values, rituals, and routines, and which reinforce the types of events and behaviors that are most desired and celebrated.

The following reading ties together the importance of systems, strategy, structure, and culture. It is highly readable and will help you see how all of these elements are interdependent and must align to achieve successful implementation:

Heneman, R. L., Fisher, M. M., and Dixon, K. E. (2001). Reward and organizational systems alignment: An expert system. Compensation & Benefits Review, 33(6), 18-29. Retrieved on November 6, 2012, from ProQuest.

Optional Reading

Aligning organizational culture with business strategy. (2013, November). Towers Watson. Retrieved on August 29, 2014 from http://www.towerswatson.com/en-US/Insights/Newslet…

Durden, C. (2012). The linkages between management control systems and strategy: An organic approach. Proceedings from The International Conference on Accounting and Finance. Singapore: Global Science and Technology Forum. Retrieved on August 29, 2014 from ProQuest.

Klosowski, S. (2012). The application of organizational restructuring in enterprise strategic management process. Management, 16(2), 54-62. Retrieved on August 29, 2014 from ProQuest.

WI Chapter 7 Negative Message Email Rubric

The assignment is at the bottom. Almost everything covered to date is incorporated into this rubric. Page numbers are included to help you refer back to things you need to review. Most mistakes are worth a half point or less. However, there are some mistakes that are more serious than others; mistakes worth a full point deduction are noted on the rubric.

Writing Techniques– worth three points

(-3 points for 6 or more mistakes) _ (-2 points for 4-5 mistakes) _(-1 point for 2-3 mistakes) _(full credit for 0-1 mistakes)

__1___ Cultivate “You” view and stress audience benefits WHEN APPROPRIATE (pgs. 44-45).

__2___ Be conversational but professional (pgs. 45 – 46). *Business writing should be conversational. Ask yourself, “Would I phrase it in this way if I were speaking to someone face to face?”

__3___ State things positively whenever possible and avoid unnecessary negative words (pgs. 47 – 48). Be courteous (pg.48 – 49), and use a proper tone overall

__4___ Use bias-free language (pgs. 49 – 50).

__5___ Use plain but precise language (pgs. 50 – 51). *For example one should use “honesty” instead of “candor.”

__6___ Develop parallelism in writing as well as in bulleted/numbered points (pgs. 72 – 73).

__7___ Keep paragraphs short (pg. 75). Our text recommended that paragraphs be eight or fewer lines.

__8___ You are not required to use an emphasis technique. Generally one should de-emphasize negative information.

__9___ Be concise: avoid flabby expressions, long lead-ins, filler words (there is/are & it is/was), redundancy, and empty words (pgs 88 – 91). *Remember that audience writing should be concise and audience oriented. Not everything in the writing prompt is useful information for the reader of your letter.

_10___ Be clear. Avoid trite business phrases, slang, buzzwords, clichés. Don’t bury verbs or use unclear words (pgs. 92 – 95).

Grammar/Mechanics – worth three points (grammar/mechanics rules in Appendix D are referenced)

(-3 points for 6 or more mistakes) _ (-2 points for 4-5 mistakes) _(-1 point for 2-3 mistakes) _(full credit for 0-1 mistakes)

_20____ Avoid: fragments and run-ons (pgs. 68 – 69). *These are major issues and will result in one full point deduction for every occurrence not to exceed – 3 points.

_21____ Avoid comma splices (p. 69).

_22____ Check noun-verb agreement (G/M 1.10 a. – j.) and pronoun case (G/M 1.07 -1.09).

_23____ Use colons properly. A list should always be preceded by a complete thought punctuated with a colon (G/M 2.17a).

_24____ Avoid comma mistakes:

• Use a comma before the conjunction for items in a series to ensure separation of the last two elements (G/M 2.01).
• Use a comma(s) to set off the names of individuals being addressed (G/M 2.02).
• Use a comma(s) to set off parenthetical expressions IF they interrupt the flow of a sentence AND are unnecessary for grammatical completeness (G/M 2.03).
• Use a comma(s) to set off the second and succeeding elements of dates, address, and geographical items (G/M 2.04 a).
• Use a comma before and, or, nor, or but if the conjunction joins independent clauses (a group of words that has a subject and a verb AND could stand as a complete sentence) (G/M 2.05).
• Use a comma after an introductory dependent clause (G/M 2.06 a).
• Use a comma after an introductory phrase if it has four or more words OR if it contains a verb form (G/M 2.07).
• Do not use commas needlessly (G/M 2.15).

_25___ Apply capitalization rules correctly:

• Do not capitalize titles common titles in a sentence that follow names or appear alone (G/M 3.06 c and d).
• Capitalize the names of departments within your own organization (G/M 3.09).

_26___ Apply dates rules properly. Numbers appearing after month should be written as cardinal figures (1, 2, 3, etc.). (G/M 4.03).

_27___ Avoid spelling/typo/omitted or doubled word issues by carefully proofreading your work.

Email Formatting – worth 2 points – See page 118

(-2 points for 4 or more mistakes)________ (-1 point for 2-3 mistakes) ________(full credit for 0 – 1 mistakes) __

_30____ Use left alignment with ragged right margins.

_31____ Use single-spacing within paragraphs and signature block. Leave one blank line between paragraphs.

_32____ The only guide word I will be assessing is Subject. Make sure to capitalize all major words in the subject line.

_33____ Do NOT use end punctuation with the subject line.

_34____ Do NOT refer to the negative situation, the bad news, or anything negative in the subject line

_ 35___ Do NOT use a complete thought for the subject line.

_ 36____ Use proper salutation, complimentary close, and FULL signature block (no letterhead so include full contact information)

_37____ Use a 12 – point font size for easier grading even though a 10-point or 11-point are acceptable.

_38_____ Use either a sans serif font (Arial, Calibri, Tahoma, or Verdana) for a clean look or a serif font (Times New Roman) for a traditional look.

Important – This assignment should not exceed one page. Business writing should be concise and audience oriented.

Organization for Indirect Request – worth 2 points – See Figure 7.3 and 7.4 and review pages 190 – the top of 197

(-2 points for 4 or more mistakes)________ (-1 point for 2-3 mistakes) ________(full credit for 0 – 1 mistakes) __

_40____ Start with an appropriate buffer – one full point deduction.

_41____Follow buffer with well-developed reasons.

_42____Convey bad news tactfully in one of the following ways:

• Use passive voice AND place bad news between neutral or positive sentences (Do NOT begin or end a paragraph with bad news)
• Imply the bad news with well-developed reason(s).

_43____Mention the bad news ONLY ONCE in the document. Do not refer to the bad news more than once in the document.

_44____Closewith a personalized,forward-looking statement. Do not bring up the situation or bad news in the closing by apologizing. Only include positive and forward-looking statements.

Important – The writing plan in Figures 7.3 and 7.4 does NOT mean you should have three paragraphs. Some students will be able to write this very concisely in less than three paragraphs; others students, in more than three paragraphs. Consider the opening, body, and closing more of an indication of the order of information.

Other possible point overall point deductions

_50___ Use your own words. Not everything included in the writing prompt needs to included in your email. Including information that isn’t important for the customer to read will result in up to one half point deduction.

_51___ Check for comprehension. Read the prompt several times as you write your paper. Ask questions if you aren’t sure about the content. Read the prompt one more time before you submit your assignment to make sure you have all the details correct. Misunderstood content results in one full point deduction.

_52___ Students that submit the wrong file type will have one full point deducted from their grade if it won’t open within Blackboard.

WI Chapter 7 Negative Message Email Assignment

BuyCostumes, the world’s largest online costume and accessories retailer, is proud of its extensive stock of costumes, its liberal return policy, and its many satisfied customers. However, one day an e-mail arrived with a request that went beyond the company’s ability to deliver.

The customer said that he had ordered the Men’s Batman Grand Heritage Costume. This costume comes with a jumpsuit with a molded logo, removable cape, molded gauntlets, 3D boot tops, belt, and a full vinyl mask. http://www.buycostumes.com/p/33020/batman-dark-knight-batman-grand-heritage-collection-adult-costume (Links to an external site.)

The customer complained that the costume did not arrive until the day after his super-hero themed Halloween party (October 31, 2018). He planned an elaborate party with a super hero theme, and he was extremely unhappy that he did not have his costume. He wants BuyCostumes to reimburse $250 that he spent on theme-related decorations(The Joker Ground Breaker, The Joker Candy Bowl Holder, cups, plates, streamers, etc.) which he says were useless when he failed to receive his costume in time for his Halloween party.

As a customer service representative, you checked his order and found that it was received Saturday, October 27, during the busiest time of the year for your company. It’s so busy that your staff grows from 60 core employees to over 300 during this season. His order was filled quickly – the very next day, but the customer chose economy shipping requires five to nine business days for delivery. The customer did not order premium, express, or standard shipping; he marked “Economy” as his shipping method which takes five to nine business days. You want to retain the customer’s goodwill. Obviously, BuyCostumes is not going to shell out $250 because the costume arrived after his party, but the company can allow the customer to return the unopened decorations for a refund. You are also able to provide any disgruntled customer with a digital coupon for $20 off their next costume purchase.

*You cannot reimburse the customer for party supplies (look up reimburse vs return).

Write an e-mail (in Word) that retains the goodwill of this customer. The only guide word I will assess is the very-important subject line. Chapter five gives guidelines for typical e-mail subject lines, but in this case consider that no negative information belongs in the subject line. Additionally, the subject line should not give false hope that his request has been granted. Some students choose to create an original subject line. Others choose to “reply” to the subject line the customer used (assuming the customer used an appropriate, non-negative subject line).

Rubric

WI Chapter 7 Assignment

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