Global Communications Problem Solution

Running head: PROBLEM SOLUTION: GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Problem Solution: Global Communications

Vanessa Keltner

University of Phoenix

Problem Solution: Global Communications

The telecommunications industry is under pressure to compete with cable companies providing "bundled" services for telephone, Internet, and cable to consumers and small business owners. To compete, organizations must step up their technology and globalization.

Global Communications is a telecommunications company facing financial downfall. They have lacked the innovative strategy and creativity to compete actively in the telecommunications industry by not possessing the ability to keep up with trends and new products. To get back in the game a new CEO has been brought in to turn Global Communications around in a quick time frame.

Global Communications has a vision of becoming a global communications company that will emerge to become the industry leader. The senior leadership team has announced a new strategic plan that is a two-pronged aggressive approach to realize growth by outsourcing to overseas markets and closing two call centers. In their excitement of implementation, the board of directors approved this plan without much assessment or risk analysis from the management team.

The Union leader is upset because she was not involved with the strategic planning or the decision-making process. The Union is now trying to roadblock this move by involving government entities. Global Communications is now in a position in which they must rebuild their organizational communication, regain their competitive advantage in the industry, and rebuild employee relationships throughout the organization. A collaborative environment must be created and maintained and a strategic plan developed that will minimize risk and maximize profits to help them in their expansion into the global market.

This analysis will look at the position of Global Communications is in now, what problems have arisen, what opportunities they have to solve those problems, and some other alternative solutions to solving problems. The conclusion will analyze what the best alternatives for Global Communication are and what their end state goals are for the future and how they will move forward into becoming an industry leader.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Satisficing is, "choosing the first option that is minimally acceptable or adequate; the choice appears to meet a targeted goal or criterion," (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 9). Had Global Communications used the nine-step decision-making model from the beginning and analyze decisions accurately and effectively with all outcomes, they may not have had to make such a hasty decision and could have eliminated layoffs. Instead, Global Communications focused solely on the targeted goal of maximizing profitability in an effort to keep their Board and Stockholders happy, therefore eliminating any chance to "optimize their decisions to achieve the best possible balance among several goals" (Bateman & Snell, 2004, p. 9).

Global Communications could move into new areas in the communications industry and could become a leader as they planned in their original strategic plan submitted and approved to the board of directors. To accomplish this goal, the senior management team needs to go back and get rid of the approved plan and start over and involve key players such as the stakeholders and the Union to further their vision of expansion. When senior management was working together to implement their plan, the staff involved fell into what is known as "Groupthink," and the board of directors bought into the plan as well without involving the stakeholders before implementation. "Groupthink occurs when people choose not to disagree or raise objections because they don't want to break up a positive team spirit" (Bateman & Snell, 2003, p. 79). Groupthink is evident in this situation because senior staff bought into the plan until they speak to the Union representative and realize that not all staff will accept this plan with a positive frame of mind. The Union vice president is even more upset because they just negotiated a contract with the company that returned 20% of the Union employees' health and education benefits for the sake of expansion;