Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Running head: PROBLEM SOLUTION: HARRISON-KEYES INC.

Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Strategic implementation requires more than setting short-term and long-term objectives. Strategic implementation requires that everyone involved with the project are leaders within their own expertise. The plan is to bring competent individuals with analytical skills together in order to achieve a commitment of meeting the corporate vision.

The project manager is ultimately responsible for establishing all priorities that require immediate attention, and assigning responsibilities to all of the people involved with the project. The end-result is geared towards aligning the company’s goals, mission, and overall vision with total success, and little risk. The goal of this paper is to provide a strategic plan so Harrison-Keyes can move into the e-publishing market through best practices in order to minimize any risks involved.

Issue and Opportunity Identification

The competition from other retailers who provide large discounts on already reduced items, and non-existing return policy is affecting Harrison-Keyes ability to raise profits, and compete with larger retailers.

Harrison-Keyes project team is facing a lack of cultural diversity understanding in, and out of the organization. The project teams consist of many individuals who possess impressive backgrounds, but have no real understanding of each others backgrounds, strengths, or weaknesses, which can provide the project manager a better understanding on where to place, and delete the talent.

The professional relationship between Harrison-Keyes and Asia Digital Publishing is beginning to escalate into a real cultural understanding problem. Harrison-Keyes failed to conduct any type of risk assessment, or establish a cultural diversity crash course that would of helped the already non-experience project members. The project team members need to have a better understanding that working with Asia Digital will require an ability to work through different time zones, work culture, and language barriers.

You can lead nations to the global marketplace, but you can’t make them think globally or behave globally (Iacocca, 2007). Before Harrison-Keyes implemented e-book strategy all of the project team members should have been very well educated, or at the very lease informed of Asian culture. As successful as Harrison-Keyes has become the smart strategic move would have been to purchase an already existing publishing company that has an e-publishing business in motion.

The plan to complete the project in a short time span is securing the fact that Harrison-Keyes will fail. Harrison-Keyes has been unsuccessful in meeting company metrics, and the prompt delivery of deadlines. There does not seem to be a well establish streamline to properly conduct the project, and it shows with the lack of priorities set, or sense of responsibility taken by any team member. The lack of properly setting any short-term and long-term goals provides nothing in terms of direction, and company vision. The end result will be failure.

The project team members are also having a problem working together in order to achieve the company’s goal. There is a lack of agreements among each other, and pure negative responses to each others work initiatives. To make matters worst, there are one or more individuals leaking sensitive information to the press about the company, which is adding to all of their existing problems.

The birth of a company project requires more than a group of degreed professionals gathered around a table brainstorming. Before any action is implemented, the organizations senior management should designate a project manager who is a highly qualified, experienced individual. It is important for the project manager to understand the company’s mission, or objective prior to starting the project not only to meet company, and shareholders expectations, but also to recruit a team that will deliver noting short of excellence. Having a clear understanding of the company’s mission will enable the project manager to deliver clear expectations of what is expected from each member, but instead Harrison-Keyes management team failed to implement a well thought out strategy. The lack of planning resulted in large gaps that include market research, publish issues, legal, and financial issues.

Two main reasons why project managers need to understand their organization’s mission and strategy. The first reason is so they can make appropriate decisions and adjustments. The