Gap Analysis: Intersect Investments

Running head: GAP ANALYSIS: INTERSECT INVESTMENTS

Gap Analysis: Intersect Investments

University of Phoenix

Gap Analysis: Intersect Investments

“The Financial Services Industry is a dynamic and fast moving environment that is highly demanding and is continually pushing the boundaries to increase productivity and improve workflow to make better and faster decisions” (Microsoft, 2008, para 1). Since September 11, 2001, the financial service industry has been in a state of turmoil and has been trying to stay afloat. “The volatile climate has left many financial firms struggling to keep both their clients’ trust and Wall Street’s credibility” (University of Phoenix Scenario, 2008, para 1). Firms have to be one-step ahead of its competitors when it comes to the service and the products offered if they want to be successful. To accomplish this and maintain credibility on Wall Street, the CEO of Intersect Investment Services recognized the need to create a vision: “Provide a broad set of products and services to consumer and small business customers using a model of customer intimacy that will build long-term relationships based on trust and value to the customer” (University of Phoenix Scenario, 2008, para 1). An organizational change is necessary for Intersect Investment to reach its goals and implement its vision. This vision will not only improve Intersect Investment’s brand image and begin establishing long-term customer relationships, it will also re-establish trust within Wall Street.

In this analysis I will focus on identifying the problems and opportunities facing Intersect Investment, I will also discuss the stakeholders’ ethical dilemmas that have surfaced in response to the new plan and Intersect Investment end state vision. This analysis will also include a detailed gap analysis regarding the company’s current and future position in the financial services industry.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Businesses are always looking for new opportunities to make and save money. In today’s world, these opportunities increasingly mean adopting more efficient ways of completing the day to day tasks related to a company’s mission. Intersect Investments Services offers a service that has an especially important role in enabling businesses to become stronger by increasing business creditability. Frank Jeffers, CEO, has decided to take a deliberate and planned approach to provide a broad set of products and services to build multiple long-term relationships with current and future potential customers referred to as the “customer intimacy” model. This customer intimacy model will provide the company with an opportunity to increase significantly in sales goals and ultimately improve performance which in turn will help improve Intersect Investment’s brand image. To achieve these goals and implement this vision, revolutionary organizational change will need to take place.

It is without a doubt that changes within any organization are inevitable and necessary for the survival of the company, especially in the financial services market. External and internal forces may influence the method of approach on the transformation. According to Kinicki and Kreitner (2004), “External forces for change originate outside the organization. Because these forces have global effects, they may cause an organization to question the essence of what business it is in and the process by which products and services are produced” (p. 674). “Internal forces for change come from inside the organization. These forces may be subtle, such as low job satisfaction, or can manifest in outward signs, such as low productivity and conflict” (Kinicki and Kreitner, 2004, p. 675).

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

The great Peter Drucker said for decades that “the only reason for a company’s existence is to create and serve customers. And logically, without customers there’s no need for employees, investors, suppliers, regulators, or any other stakeholders” (Harari, 2008, para 4). Although all stakeholders are important, there are some stakeholders that are more critical than others. As George Orwell puts it “All stakeholders are equal, but some stakeholders are more equal than others” (Harari, 2008, para 1). In the case of Intersect Investment Services the customers are the number one stakeholders of the company. As Fran Jeffers, CEO, stated on his CEO perspective on