Gap Analysis: Global Communications

Gap Analysis: Global Communications

This paper will discuss the results of the research in association with the scenario of Global Communications. The paper will identify the issues and opportunities, stakeholder perspectives and ethical dilemmas, create an end state vision, and perform a gap analysis.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

This section will identify the issues, opportunities, and concepts relating to Global Communications. Issues facing Global Communications include declining stock prices, technology, union relations, and implementation of the global strategic plan through proper communication with internal and external customers. According to the information provided in the scenario GC stock has decreased from $28 per to $11 per share with a depreciation of over 50 percent. The cause of this issue is increased competition in the communications market with regard to local and long-distance and international providers. In order for GC to survive and stay competitive within the communications industry the senior leadership team has devised a plan that will improve technology and decrease overhead cost by strategic partnerships locally and internationally. (University of Phoenix electronic resource [UP], 2004)

The opportunity is that GC can increase profits by downsizing costly labor and increase technology through providing small business owners with new and improved methods of business communications. The next encountered issues are union relations, layoffs, and salary cuts for employees. The leadership team faces the difficulty of communicating the plans to take the company global through major layoffs, relocation of employees who choose to stay during the transition of the company and maintaining beneficial relationships with the union. The opportunity is to develop and improve communication in all stages of the planning process in implementing current and future growth plans for the company.

Following are concepts that will help GC to improve the processes of implementing the strategic plan. The first concept is Generic Benchmarking: For Solving Problems and for Life. The first step in finding solutions for the issues that GC is encountering is to find the best practices of other competitors that have faced and overcome similar problems such as globalization, downsizing, and public criticism. The leadership team could model a solution on the best practices of competition that has experienced similar situations or look at companies outside of their industry to find solutions and creative problem solving. (Maul, EdD, 2004)

The next concept the leadership team could implement is the problem solving technique of brainstorming to overcome the problems and find solutions to the issues at hand. The leadership team could set up a meeting dedicated exclusively to the sole purpose of brainstorming each issue. The steps in brainstorming include articulate the question for example the question could entail the union issue. The brainstorming process has a time limit of 5 to 10 minutes in which the team would throw out ideas on the topic with no restrictions or limitation. The ideas would be recorded using a flip chart or whiteboard the goal of the brainstorming session is quantity not quality so all members are encouraged to participate. The leadership team could then go on to the next steps which include analyzing the data then evaluating and selecting potential solutions to the problem. (De Janasz, Dowd, & Schneider, 2002, 19)

The next concept that would greatly benefit the leadership team of GC would be the concept of reflective versus expedient decision making. In reflective versus expedient decision making managers are encouraged to take time in the decision making process as opposed to immediate decisions. The steps to this process include looking for disconfirming evidence which involves the decision makers to admit their weaknesses, seek second and third opinion not just relying on their own views of the situation. The second step involves installing multiple systems, where decision makers seek out other managers, departments, and executives to help in solving the issues. The third step is direct energy and focus where managers are encouraged to monitor their own behavior and overcome negative emotions maintaining a calm state of mind. (Hoch, Kunreuther, & Guenther, 2001, 6)

The final concept involves improving communication methods. One of the main issues that GC is encountering is the disclosure of confidential information to stakeholders outside of the leadership team and board members. In order to prevent future communication discrepancies the company must reevaluate the methods by which they communicate. (McShane & Von Glinow, 2005, 11)

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical