Integrated Marketing Communications (ICM) systems are typically designed for external audiences. As an effective leader, why would it be important for you to establish an IMC internally within your organization?
Effective and concise internal communication in very important for the leader to understand and for the long-term, consistent success of the company. John Hamm states that there are 5 messages or forms of internal communication a leader must manage and probably master (Hamm, May 2006 - Harvard Business Review, p114-123). An ICM allows the leader to utilize the media outlets to ensure the proper and compelling message gets out to the workforce. Hamm states that the messages important to effectively relay is Organizational Structure and Hierarchy, Finanical results, the leader's role and their sense of their job, Time Management, and Corporate Culture. These messages and effective use of ICM is esstential the more global and decentralized the company departments.
ICM would also acknowledge that different "people" require different means to get the message across. Also engaging the workforce with these compelling messages empower and align the employees toward clear and concise strategic objectives.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Reflections on Module 4 Concepts, 4-4b
How is technology impacting marketing channel operations? How does a leader keep well-informed of what is happening in the marketing channels that may have a direct impact on the business activities?
Marketing channels have changes over the last few decades. For example, Amazon has really changes the available marketing channels and streamlined some of the steps. A leader must be well read and well informed of the transformations of the environments in which they "play in" to risk being left behind. Middle men or intermediate functional companies are probably the biggest at risk. The proactive approach would be for the leader to recognize the trend of emerging technologies impacting their businesses and embracing the technology head on. This allows the leader and the company to control the impact of the technology (the timing, etc.) as well as the industry. This approach would allow the leader to develop this into a core competence, instead of running scared and ignoring the inevitable. Leaders not embracing emerging technology will end up spending monies to fight something that eventually consume them. This is true of marketing channels.
Market channels are becoming more technical and virtual. Advances in communication and relationship will again become important. "What goes around comes around". What built marketing channels of the agricultrual age, relationships and communication, will again become important and a necessity in the judgment age. Advanced technologies will require leaders to form alliances, outsources, etc - requiring superior communication channels.
Marketing channels have changes over the last few decades. For example, Amazon has really changes the available marketing channels and streamlined some of the steps. A leader must be well read and well informed of the transformations of the environments in which they "play in" to risk being left behind. Middle men or intermediate functional companies are probably the biggest at risk. The proactive approach would be for the leader to recognize the trend of emerging technologies impacting their businesses and embracing the technology head on. This allows the leader and the company to control the impact of the technology (the timing, etc.) as well as the industry. This approach would allow the leader to develop this into a core competence, instead of running scared and ignoring the inevitable. Leaders not embracing emerging technology will end up spending monies to fight something that eventually consume them. This is true of marketing channels.
Market channels are becoming more technical and virtual. Advances in communication and relationship will again become important. "What goes around comes around". What built marketing channels of the agricultrual age, relationships and communication, will again become important and a necessity in the judgment age. Advanced technologies will require leaders to form alliances, outsources, etc - requiring superior communication channels.
Reflections on Module 4 Concpets, 4-4a
How would you go about communicating your desire for a strategic alliance to another organization? What would you have to do to persuade them to strategically align with your organization?
Obviously you must first do your homework. After doing a four lenses perceptive on the pros and cons and then a cost/benefit analysis, you probably have some information to move forward. Next you would want to research their reputation in the market and how well they align with your company's strategic goals. This will allows you to make an introduction and the ability to submit your researched background analysis.
Persuading them would be through forming a team or committee between the companies. This way both sides can review, research, analyze, and make final recommendations. This exercise will not only build strong and respectful relationships, but ensure each partner shares each the same values/beliefs. Finally, the committee should be able to construct an outline of the strategic objectives/goals for the future alliance. Setting or recommending these objectives/goals allow each company to ensure that they align to their individual company's vision, mission, and goals.
Persuasion will probably go better if approached through an analytical structure and process. The more structure and process that exist up front the more accurate the expectations of each partner will be. This will facilitate trust and friendship in the alliance, leading to a successful, long-term partnership.
Obviously you must first do your homework. After doing a four lenses perceptive on the pros and cons and then a cost/benefit analysis, you probably have some information to move forward. Next you would want to research their reputation in the market and how well they align with your company's strategic goals. This will allows you to make an introduction and the ability to submit your researched background analysis.
Persuading them would be through forming a team or committee between the companies. This way both sides can review, research, analyze, and make final recommendations. This exercise will not only build strong and respectful relationships, but ensure each partner shares each the same values/beliefs. Finally, the committee should be able to construct an outline of the strategic objectives/goals for the future alliance. Setting or recommending these objectives/goals allow each company to ensure that they align to their individual company's vision, mission, and goals.
Persuasion will probably go better if approached through an analytical structure and process. The more structure and process that exist up front the more accurate the expectations of each partner will be. This will facilitate trust and friendship in the alliance, leading to a successful, long-term partnership.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Reflections on Module 3 concepts, 3-3d
Historically speaking, culture has been considered a longtime process. Yet in a society that is characterized by more frequent change and greater levels of uncertainty, how do the more rapidly changing effects impact the culture of organizations? Is it necessary for culture of an organization to keep pace with the rapid changes?
This is sort of a yes and no answer. The culture of the organization has its foundation in the values and beliefs of the company. It is who and what the company is and how outsiders view the company. Uncertainty and rapid changing effects need to be addressed, but not through cultural change. Change needs to occur for the proper reasons and not just for the sake of change. The real danger is the rapid changing environment and growth that occurs can lead to a lose of the company's culture. People are hired that do not have the same values and beliefs of the company. Agendas develop into distractions and misalignment starts as well as a drifting away from the vision. A strong culture can actually aid and help a company survive drastic changes and allow the company to navigate through the perils of uncertainty.
The organization must not attempt to keep pace with the rapid changes. The organization must realize and believe in itself - staying grounded in its developed culture instead of following the pack of changing with every whim of societal changes. This will allow the company to set strategies with clarity and vision and not with clouded emotions of the present distractions of change.
This is sort of a yes and no answer. The culture of the organization has its foundation in the values and beliefs of the company. It is who and what the company is and how outsiders view the company. Uncertainty and rapid changing effects need to be addressed, but not through cultural change. Change needs to occur for the proper reasons and not just for the sake of change. The real danger is the rapid changing environment and growth that occurs can lead to a lose of the company's culture. People are hired that do not have the same values and beliefs of the company. Agendas develop into distractions and misalignment starts as well as a drifting away from the vision. A strong culture can actually aid and help a company survive drastic changes and allow the company to navigate through the perils of uncertainty.
The organization must not attempt to keep pace with the rapid changes. The organization must realize and believe in itself - staying grounded in its developed culture instead of following the pack of changing with every whim of societal changes. This will allow the company to set strategies with clarity and vision and not with clouded emotions of the present distractions of change.
Reflections on Module 3 concepts, 3-3c
Why is cultural understanding essential in establishing knowledge management within an organization?
This is a tough one, but also a relevant one. It bet it is all too common that we think we really know and understand the culture through casual interactions. My guess, as one dives deeper into the true culture, when setting up - establishing a knowledge management system - the true culture comes out or the managers hiding behind it become transparent to the .....
It appears the first step is obvious and assessing knowing and understanding "What you know you know". This will help you harness what is known to be known. it helps, but is only the tip of the iceberg and the tip that most people and companies only want to "play with"
I digress, but the real knowledge is searching to understand and realize all that one and the company does not even know that they do not know. This bounty of knowledge is typically many folds larger than that what is claimed to be known. Innovativeness, creativeness, and initiative to learn is all guided to understanding and learning all that we do not even know that we do not know. Approaching knowledge this way will lead to an open mind and a search for a creative way to capture the greatness that resides in every employee of the company.
It seems that one must understand the gaps that reside in each division, each department, and each team. This leads to an understanding that a certain percentage of personnel do not even understand or know how misaligned they really are to the company and their objectives. This really starts at the top. Understanding that knowledge management has its roots and foundation at the bottom of ranks. Communication that is proper and thorough through the rank, then capture of raw knowledge can start and be refined through the rank to the top to real competitive advantages - my guess is that a very small percentage of companies have this mind set and commitment to the lower ranks and to really actively listening to their subordinates.
This is a tough one, but also a relevant one. It bet it is all too common that we think we really know and understand the culture through casual interactions. My guess, as one dives deeper into the true culture, when setting up - establishing a knowledge management system - the true culture comes out or the managers hiding behind it become transparent to the .....
It appears the first step is obvious and assessing knowing and understanding "What you know you know". This will help you harness what is known to be known. it helps, but is only the tip of the iceberg and the tip that most people and companies only want to "play with"
I digress, but the real knowledge is searching to understand and realize all that one and the company does not even know that they do not know. This bounty of knowledge is typically many folds larger than that what is claimed to be known. Innovativeness, creativeness, and initiative to learn is all guided to understanding and learning all that we do not even know that we do not know. Approaching knowledge this way will lead to an open mind and a search for a creative way to capture the greatness that resides in every employee of the company.
It seems that one must understand the gaps that reside in each division, each department, and each team. This leads to an understanding that a certain percentage of personnel do not even understand or know how misaligned they really are to the company and their objectives. This really starts at the top. Understanding that knowledge management has its roots and foundation at the bottom of ranks. Communication that is proper and thorough through the rank, then capture of raw knowledge can start and be refined through the rank to the top to real competitive advantages - my guess is that a very small percentage of companies have this mind set and commitment to the lower ranks and to really actively listening to their subordinates.
Reflections on Module 3 concpets - 3-3b
Are policies and procedures viewed in different capacities by leaders of different waves of change?
Short answer is yes. Agricultural/Industrial wave leaders will have a tendency to over use procedures and policies. They are viewed as mechanisms of control and dominance over employees. Informational or knowledge wave leaders will start to see the limitations of procedures and policies. Their overuse stifles communication and leads to a culture that always stays within the boundaries. Knowledge wave leaders start to see the power of imagination and how it fosters creativity and innovation. Education and training of employees, facilitating team building and knowledge sharing increase the intellectual property of the company, thus leading to higher net profits. the boundaries are now viewed as being only in your mind, self inflicted and not physical boundaries of policies and procedures. The judgment ave leader uses policies and procedures minimal. They are used to establish intent and to re-enforce the values and beliefs of the culture. Too many policies and procedures only end up hand cuffing the company.
Short answer is yes. Agricultural/Industrial wave leaders will have a tendency to over use procedures and policies. They are viewed as mechanisms of control and dominance over employees. Informational or knowledge wave leaders will start to see the limitations of procedures and policies. Their overuse stifles communication and leads to a culture that always stays within the boundaries. Knowledge wave leaders start to see the power of imagination and how it fosters creativity and innovation. Education and training of employees, facilitating team building and knowledge sharing increase the intellectual property of the company, thus leading to higher net profits. the boundaries are now viewed as being only in your mind, self inflicted and not physical boundaries of policies and procedures. The judgment ave leader uses policies and procedures minimal. They are used to establish intent and to re-enforce the values and beliefs of the culture. Too many policies and procedures only end up hand cuffing the company.
Reflections on Module 3 concepts, 3-3a
Do policies limit the creative tendencies of leaders? How can an organization establish policies yet still foster creativity and innovation?
It depends on the intent of establishing policies. If policies are enacted to control the workforces, then creativity could be limited. If policies are put in place to establish expected behavior and sets boundaries for expected performance, then creativity can function. The point is to establish policies that allow the company to function without distractions and gaps in performance, deadlines, etc. Certain day-to-day activities need to occur for the company to achieve its goals, pay its bills, and meet customer's expectations.
Establishing policies that foster creativity and innovation should be policies that revolve around team formation, team building, and information sharing. Policies need to address a thorough communication strategy and ensure that knowledge and information is shared throughout the organization. Policies need to open door and clear blocked paths, so people from cross functional departments can interact freely.
It depends on the intent of establishing policies. If policies are enacted to control the workforces, then creativity could be limited. If policies are put in place to establish expected behavior and sets boundaries for expected performance, then creativity can function. The point is to establish policies that allow the company to function without distractions and gaps in performance, deadlines, etc. Certain day-to-day activities need to occur for the company to achieve its goals, pay its bills, and meet customer's expectations.
Establishing policies that foster creativity and innovation should be policies that revolve around team formation, team building, and information sharing. Policies need to address a thorough communication strategy and ensure that knowledge and information is shared throughout the organization. Policies need to open door and clear blocked paths, so people from cross functional departments can interact freely.
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