Benchmarking: Global Communication

Running head BENCHMARKING: GLOBAL COMMUNICATION

Benchmarking: Global Communications

TEAM A-MBA 500

University of Phoenix

JANUARY 2007

Benchmarking: Global Communications

Introduction

For the MBA - 500 Foundations of Problem- Based Learning at the University of Phoenix, the class was divided into two teams. The following students represent Team A: Jeff Rentfrow, Karen Buck, Greg Davis, Wayne Hepburn, Casey Hensley, and Gui Gasser. This assignment required each team member to research two companies that have faced similarities issues as Global Communications’ scenario. We also determined how they are connected with the course concept.

Global Communications company is a telecommunication company that were facing dilemmas and crisis due to the fact that the telecommunication field was very competitive. They company saw more than at 50% decrease in their stocks. It’s important that Global Communications take difference approaches to help the company so that it can stay competitive in the telecommunication field.

In the past, Global Communications has had a reputation of taken care of their employees, but with the new approaches and directions they will be “going against the grain”. Prior to these directions, they cut health and education benefits 20%. Now, employees will lose their jobs and be laid off while others will take a 10% pay cut. Ultimately, Global Communications do not have any choice and it need to act quickly to stop the downward spiral, which could lead the company into bankruptcy.

As a group, Team A was identify issues that both the researched companies and Global Communications were similarly faced with, discuss how the companies responded to the issues, and report the outcomes of their implemented solution.

The twelve companies that we researched were: Wal-Mart; Time-Warner Cable; Boeing; IBM; United States Army; Bay State Gas; Liberty Children’s Clothing; Ogihara America Corporation; Telefonica; The United Postal Services; Exxon; and BP Amoco.

Identifying Course Concepts Between other Companies and Global Communications

After conducting our research, as a team, we identified several courses concepts and correlated between the information we gathered from using the benchmarking technique and that of Global Communications.

One of the course concepts we discussed was the Contingency Model for Selecting Communication Media. Global Communications took a very ineffective method of communication media by announcing the decision to downsize via e-mail. This issue should have been done personally, either through town hall style meeting or small group settings. Kinicki and Krieter stated, “there are three zones of communication effectiveness. Effective communication occurs when the richness of the medium is matched appropriately with the complexity of the problem or situation. Media low in richness-impersonal static and personal static-are better suited for simple problems; media high in richness-interactive media face-to-face-are appropriate for complex problems or situations” (Kinicki & Kreitner, 2003, p. 539).

Hewlett Packard chose an acceptable medium-based on their unique circumstance. This was an excellent medium to use because it was anonymous and gave the employees a sense of security with voicing their true opinions. Alro Steel’s management style was to go directly to the line operators and discuss face-to-face possible process enhancements. As a team, we agreed that choosing the correct media to deploy a message is crucial in keeping employees engaged.

Another simulate Global Communications can learn from Telefonica by analyzing potential competition in their own market. Careful consideration must be made with business alliances for sector biddings and competitive market challenges. Telefonica pitted two bidding companies against each other to ensure a better bargain for the company. Global Communications can learn from this endeavor by establishing an evaluation process when shopping for a suitable partner. This can reduce company risks when considering forming a company partnership.

INDIVIDUAL COMPANY SYNOPSES

Benchmarking Company: IBM Topic: Change Management / Transformational Leadership

By: Gui

In the 1990s, IBM nearly collapsed, as consumer needs and