MBA 755 – Reflections on Module 3 Concepts.
How could you use a Renewal Options diagram to better support the mission of your present organization?
Based on doing my 3-1 paper on my organization, there are several renewal options that AMP does not explore. They do use several renewal strategies, but most or simplistic - but effective. The most important renewal strategy was going into global markets with strategic positioning and the last one being the most profitable - China. If AMP had not approached this strategy in different market years before - I wonder if the planning, implementation, and execution, which has lead to record profits and growth, would have occurred in this incident???
When thinking about your own organization, which renewal choices seem to the most relevant?
I have been at AMP for 10 years. When I started the main mode of renewal was through using the enhancement strategy and somewhat the Invigorating strategy. They had just started embracing the Reframing Strategy and this has been the predominate strategy that has been used in the past 5 years. Taking the products of mature and declining markets and positioning them into new markets which are in need of the quality and service (customer are needy for these services and being unmet) - using these core competencies as a differentiation and competitive advantage against the current market suppliers.
Note to our market - This strategy can also be used against AMP by new entrants in their current markets.
What factors define a realistic renewal choice for you?
This largely depends on your current market and companies size and presence in the global market. If the management style is open - exploring the workforces ideas, etc, and great at execution - then the factors that define renewal can be more believable.
To explain - the most simplistic approach is the enhancement strategy. This is basically about developing the customer-sales-R&T-operations-shipment channels. As simple and critical (yes all about accountability and execution) many managers, departments, and companies struggle to make this simple. If they can not make this happen with ease - how can they ever enter into more complex strategies that require better communication, accountability, implementation, and execution of what needs to happen. All of the silos need to work together and become horizontally integrated into one execution machine.
So factors that define renewal in most companies are defined by the few people and departments that can execute - serving as the anchor for the strategy. Most manager - including upper management - discount that success comes from the few - many of the ones taking credit for success usually had little to do with it and may have been the road blocks that the strong overcame. The people who execute are typically busy doing such and not bragging to top management - so maybe they should!!
What could be the best way or ways to communicate renewal options to organizational leaders so that they are really heard? The best way is to have a top management structure that is not in denial and regularly interacts with all levels of leadership - bottom up - and not just their VPs. Being allowed to be sheltered and not fully involved allowed them to enter into deep denial and also not recognize emerging issues. Renewal options may also occur at lower ranks that will be discounted by controlling and autocratic immediate supervisors. All levels of management and supervision need to be accountable and responsible for mentoring and coaching renewal options and strategies within their groups. Additionally, they need to fully accountable for corresponding and developing interdepartmental teams.
The most risky and the most rewarding strategy, transformational, will always avoid most companies due to ignoring the talent right below their noses due to egos and prejudices of education levels and company title/stature. Top managers that stop avoiding the confrontation of open communication among all titles and ranks will be rewarded above those that hide behind the denial of delegation.
What practical uses do you see for situational analysis in your life?
I guess the best thing to do is to not be in denial and listen to many different perspectives as well as approaches. Once all sides and "market" knowledge has been accessed - sculpt a strategies or strategies that attack your needs. It basically comes down to stop talking and start doing. Only way to make it happen is to act and that is execution. Nothing happens if you only talk and plan about how to - must know how and do it.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
MBA 755 Reflections on Module 2 Concepts.
Reflections on Module 2 Concepts.
What long term trends are likely to significantly impact the industry your organization is in over the next three years?
The major and significant trends are the increasing metal melting in China and India (to a lessor degree Brazil). This is a negative trend for the US domestic market for refractory products.
Steel mill and foundry consolidations are another trend. This is somewhat of a positive trend, because consolidations are also incorporating efficiencies and new technologies. Consolidations are eliminating many redundancies throughout the industry and allowing the US domestic players to compete globally or at least against new entrants from abroad.
How could you use the force field analysis tool in your own work life?
This tool would help me map out and reflect what forces of resistance are against and if they were external (management resistance, skill sets, peer resistance, etc) or internal (myself, my attitude, my focus, etc.) It would also help me identify positive forces that are out there waiting to be energized for change and transformational change.
There is a saying that change is only doing the same things, but differently and in effect not really a change. To really make something different it must be transformed or a metamorphosis to really have true change.
How would you go about making a business case for renewal in your own organization?
Allied does do a few renewal strategies or innovation strategies. But these are all marketing/sales based renewal/innovation strategies. True renewal needs to occur from the very bottom to the very top. Making a case for an evolutionary cultural change has already begun and mainly will occur through older employees retiring and establishment of new metrics and reward system. Allied is a loyalty/years of service based culture and not overly competence based. There are no rewards for people who do the work and get things done or merit raises - everyone just gets the same raise.
Training and a swift change in top managements outlook is needed and the ending of secrecy and denial among the management ranks.
The way I am addressing this is to change myself, my department, and everyone who works for me into using a problem solving, root cause identification and strong implementation approach. Execution and doing the right thing are high on my list - make everyone think and act like leaders. Success and "changes" in my department will force people to reflect and acknowledge these approaches, hopefully following and leading me their support and energy. So pretty much a bottom up approach to gain attention while building trust and respect of the floor level employees and supervisors.
What items would show up as being both urgent and important if you constructed an urgency versus importance matrix related to organizational renewal for yourself?
Urgent and important for me is to complete my MBA in December 2007 and focus on finance. I have my BS and MS in Ceramic Engineering and worked in manufacturing for 17 years. I feel it is urgent and important to complete my MBA for further advancement within my own company or to have the ability to enter into a new career path.
For my Company
To me an urgent and important renewal need is the updating of the cultural aspects of Allied. The management styles are of the Industrial wave, old and autocratic. These are the styles of managing by fear and intimidation and not the coaching/mentoring of leadership. As more and more baby boomers retire, supervisor and managers will be from the knowledge and wisdom waves. This talent will be scare and will not put up with the autocratic style of management, causing difficulty in retaining the best and brightest still left in the workforce. Experienced, technically inclined/educated workers will be in tight supply and highly recruited by companies. Need to establish a culture that facilitates all of these positive to remain competitive in the future.
Important but not urgent?
Important is to focus on finance and complete the capstone in Financial Leadership. Finance and its understand will be extremely important in developing strategies and recognizing emerging trends (good or bad). It will also give me important skills to analysis and evaluate complex projects. Additionally, a full understanding of financial measurements allow me to set up balance scoreboards from the bottom up, so the floor worker understands how to positively impact the company's profitability.
What long term trends are likely to significantly impact the industry your organization is in over the next three years?
The major and significant trends are the increasing metal melting in China and India (to a lessor degree Brazil). This is a negative trend for the US domestic market for refractory products.
Steel mill and foundry consolidations are another trend. This is somewhat of a positive trend, because consolidations are also incorporating efficiencies and new technologies. Consolidations are eliminating many redundancies throughout the industry and allowing the US domestic players to compete globally or at least against new entrants from abroad.
How could you use the force field analysis tool in your own work life?
This tool would help me map out and reflect what forces of resistance are against and if they were external (management resistance, skill sets, peer resistance, etc) or internal (myself, my attitude, my focus, etc.) It would also help me identify positive forces that are out there waiting to be energized for change and transformational change.
There is a saying that change is only doing the same things, but differently and in effect not really a change. To really make something different it must be transformed or a metamorphosis to really have true change.
How would you go about making a business case for renewal in your own organization?
Allied does do a few renewal strategies or innovation strategies. But these are all marketing/sales based renewal/innovation strategies. True renewal needs to occur from the very bottom to the very top. Making a case for an evolutionary cultural change has already begun and mainly will occur through older employees retiring and establishment of new metrics and reward system. Allied is a loyalty/years of service based culture and not overly competence based. There are no rewards for people who do the work and get things done or merit raises - everyone just gets the same raise.
Training and a swift change in top managements outlook is needed and the ending of secrecy and denial among the management ranks.
The way I am addressing this is to change myself, my department, and everyone who works for me into using a problem solving, root cause identification and strong implementation approach. Execution and doing the right thing are high on my list - make everyone think and act like leaders. Success and "changes" in my department will force people to reflect and acknowledge these approaches, hopefully following and leading me their support and energy. So pretty much a bottom up approach to gain attention while building trust and respect of the floor level employees and supervisors.
What items would show up as being both urgent and important if you constructed an urgency versus importance matrix related to organizational renewal for yourself?
Urgent and important for me is to complete my MBA in December 2007 and focus on finance. I have my BS and MS in Ceramic Engineering and worked in manufacturing for 17 years. I feel it is urgent and important to complete my MBA for further advancement within my own company or to have the ability to enter into a new career path.
For my Company
To me an urgent and important renewal need is the updating of the cultural aspects of Allied. The management styles are of the Industrial wave, old and autocratic. These are the styles of managing by fear and intimidation and not the coaching/mentoring of leadership. As more and more baby boomers retire, supervisor and managers will be from the knowledge and wisdom waves. This talent will be scare and will not put up with the autocratic style of management, causing difficulty in retaining the best and brightest still left in the workforce. Experienced, technically inclined/educated workers will be in tight supply and highly recruited by companies. Need to establish a culture that facilitates all of these positive to remain competitive in the future.
Important but not urgent?
Important is to focus on finance and complete the capstone in Financial Leadership. Finance and its understand will be extremely important in developing strategies and recognizing emerging trends (good or bad). It will also give me important skills to analysis and evaluate complex projects. Additionally, a full understanding of financial measurements allow me to set up balance scoreboards from the bottom up, so the floor worker understands how to positively impact the company's profitability.
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