MBA 745 – Reflections on Module 2 Concepts.

MBA 745 – Reflections on Module 2 Concepts.
An integrated communication program is a good tool for promoting a plan, program, or product. Promotional tools, of which there are traditionally four, can be used within a integrated communicational program. What are these tools and how effective are any of them separately or collectively in strengthening marketing communications?

The four tools are advertisements, personal or direct selling, public relations, and sales promotions. An effective IMC acknowledges all four of the promotional tools into a comprehensive and unified plan. But not all companies or industries will use all four tools at the same level. Each industry or market will probably have one to two tools that effectively communicate their company and the others will be used as minor support features.

Separately, each one of the tools may be very effective in a specific market. Allied Mineral Products almost exclusively uses direct sales force to promote, communicate the product, and meet the needs of customers. This is typical of B2B type markets - especially the industrial or where training and education of the customer must take place before using the product or service. Businesses that use the Internet to market or non-profit type organizations typically have no direct sales force and rely on advertisements and PR. Consumer markets use Ads and PR as well as promotions such as infomercials.

All of these are effective, but it depends on the industry, where that industry is in the wave of changes, and how much knowledge of the "need" is and the complexity of the application.

Should one of the intended objectives of a marketing communication program be effective word of mouth promotion? If so, how? If not, why?

Word of mouth promotion always will be there, so the company must be aware of this effect. So it is worth the company's time to ensure that customer will spread positive messages about the company. Additionally the company can facilitate this type of promotion by encouraging this type of promotion through the use of technology. This can be in the form of chat room and bulletin boards on the company's website.

Is there a danger in a mature organization such as Hopkins Printing in using one type of system for its knowledge management needs? Why or why not?

Knowledge management is probably the most difficult challenge facing US companies in all industries. The quick answer is yes, a company can rely on just one system for their needs and the systems will have to evolve as the company "learns more" about themselves and their needs. As these systems are implemented by the workforce, fiefdoms will start to breakdown and more cross-functional interactions will occur through the company. This will create new challenge to knowledge management. The objective is to create an environment void of agendas and critical information is transferred instantly to all employees that need the information.

What significant use would knowledge management provide during the Mature stage of the lifecycle of an organization?

The first order of business would be to converge all of the various databases and software packages so that they all communicate and interact with each other. Most companies in the maturity stage consist of each department having their own "information/data" tracking systems, which foster fiefdoms and silo departments. You must first "bit the bullet" and force everyone and every department to use the same system. This will foster the concept that the company and top management is behind everyone working together toward common goals. This is very difficult for these companies to consider due to all of the "sunk costs" of these legacy systems. These are not "sunk costs" to the, but real costs that were spent and came out of the bottom line of thin margins. This is somewhat confounded by the lack of technological knowledge due to weak and underpaid IT departments. The emphasis is placed on direct sales forces and operational gains in productivity - not in means to capture knowledge and experience of the workforce. The realization that their core competencies and competitive advantage reside in the minds of this workforce will hopefully come sooner than later.

MBA 745 – Reflections on Module 1 Concepts.

MBA 745 – Reflections on Module 1 Concepts.
Consider your own leadership traits. Do you more closely fit with the creative nature from MBA 715, the organizational nature of MBA 725, the growth nature of MBA 735, or the mature nature of MBA 745? Explain your response.

Based on my experience and nature I probably exhibit the mature nature. I am good at strengthening and supporting the structures of launch and growth stages of a business. I also have experience in supply chain management and cost reductions. It is vital to companies to survive to invest in "smart" cost reductions and eliminating the waste in the processes. It is important to reduce expenses and keep them under control. Being in quality assurance and process engineering, I fully believe in investing in technology and relationships to improve the effectiveness of information (transformed into knowledge) and cutting the wasteful activities out of processes.

Reflecting on your personal past experiences, discuss an idea you developed, only to have it fail after the implementation. Why could you not sustain it after the implementation?

This is a difficult one. Probably the one I remember as a lesson is my experience in Mexico. I developed more ideas than I even remember today. The basics were the foundation and identifying the root causes were the objectives. Most after implementation due to top management not fully supporting or buying into the ideas. They wanted the results, but did not approve of the investments required to achieve the benefits. It was more of a power struggle, which occurs in the manufacturing world - ego above cause.

Think of the products/services of your current organization. How can the products/services be enhanced to appeal to larger segments of the current markets?

The company I work for currently competes in a very mature market. Globally the market is increasing slightly, but in the USA it is shrinking every year. The only way the company can enhance itself into larger markets is to grow successfully globally. Service and focused differentiation is where Allied succeeds above the competitors. Being able to implement and execute globally better than any other competitor is the enhancement that will sustain the success for years to come.

MBA 735 - Module 6 Concepts

What are the key leadership characteristics needed to lead an organization during growth?

Some of the characteristics a leader must have include being organized and a planner, so growth can be controlled. The ability to understand and critically evaluate the systems instituted in the launch stage, because they will be put to the test of durability and feasibility. Must recognize that need to lead by example, because their actions will formalization of the company’s culture. The leader must be honest and have integrity, because the leader creates and forms the code of conduct of the firm, which establishes the ethics of the corporation. Understand the financial aspects of the company, so cash flow does not become negative. Have "soft skills" and listen to their employees and customers, because it is important to maintain focus on the customer and quality of service. Leader must understand the vision and where the company is going long-term. This is facilitated by developing and following growth strategies and plans, because they become important when navigating the uncertainty of the market.

During the growth stage the strength and multi-tasking ability of the leader will be critical. The leader must maintain control of themselves and the company. This stage will reveal the weaknesses in systems and gaps in departments. The leader must be able to address all of these issue quickly and with poise.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 5 Concepts.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 5 Concepts.
Even if you are not the top decision maker of an organization, why is it important to understand your organization's competitors?
Because you need you know how you help align to your company's objectives. Many companies achieve success through the little things key personnel do every day that secure the company's competitive advantage. Innovative managers can direct their groups through change, even though the company as a whole does not see the need for change. Effective and innovative management at the top is critical for fast moving industries, but other industries are still cemented in the industrial wave and move slowly. It is not as critical for management to recognize the need for change, but if they do not have visionary manager - they will have a difficult surviving in the long run. The refractory, foundry and steel industries of the USA are examples of this comment. Managements with the inability to adapt and change went into bankruptcy, losing billions of dollars for their stakeholder, with the employees being the biggest losers.

What are your personal competitive advantages?

I have a strong sense of accomplishment. I am detailed oriented enough to outline what is necessary without over doing it. My major goals when undertaking a project is to outline the details, plan for action, implement and execute without worrying what can go wrong, just take it on the chin and shoot from the hip - get it done. I have been involved with too many people who complain and debate what can go wrong, why it will not work, and why something else should be done. If they would have just jumped in with two feet and had faith in themselves, their abilities, and the situation - they would have had the project conquered and completed on time. You can not be afraid of failure or success. Ability to execute and your eye on the ball is critical to maintaining your competitive advantage.

What do you do better than your counterparts in your current job?

Not being distracted by why something can not be done or following the little "yellow brick road" that is not part of the project - no matter how interesting it may be. You must be able to critically focus on the bulls eye - the center of the target. Without that focus, the project will not achieve its full potential. As a manager of a department I also strive to delegate all of my job and the responsibilities down as far as I can. This is based on my philosophy to teach and train those reporting to me to do my job. The only way I can grow and expand my job is through the people with whom I empower to do my job and greater deeds beyond. It does work and I am in the process of a pilot program to show what is possible through believing in the right people.

In your industry? Compared to workers in general (in and out of your field of expertise)?
My industry is much smaller in the USA than it was 20 years ago. Much of the industry has gone overseas, but not to competition in foreign countries in my assessment, but mainly to incompetent management through complacency. This industry began exactly like the steel industry - large salaries, bonuses, and perks to salary and top executives and exploitation of the laborers - no communication from bottom to top. Unions really facilitated this problem that lead to the destruction of wealth for the shareholder - which included the workers themselves. There really was no communications, only confrontations between the "white collared" and the "blue collared" employees, which were fostered by the short-termed gains in profits. This all lead to their destruction, as the manufacturing jobs moved quickly out if the USA. This trend was evident many years before the management of these companies chose to acknowledged the trend. The bottom line is to flatten the structure to ensure that the "bottom" is aligned with the "top" and I may add that the top being aligned with the bottom is more important than the top "being aligned with the top" . Management is what directs the strategy and the profits, but never forget it is the "bottoms" that make it all happen.

As a company grows, will its competitive advantages change?

Allied as a company, I see their competitive advantage growing and changing in an advantageous way. The advantage is the ability to maintain strong R&D expenses, global growth, and resistance against competition. The main problem is gathering enough information that is in turn formed into knowledge. There are so many opportunities and many of them are not a good fit. All of these opportunities take substantial resources to pursue. Pursuing the wrong ones can be damaging to the company.
Have you seen this happen in your place of business?
I have my Master of Science in Ceramic Engineering and I have worked in three different sectors of this industry. Currently, being in the refectory industry, as reclining industry in the USA for metal containment, I have seen Allied take a proactive approach to the market - above the curve when compared to my previous jobs and especially to the market.
Is this good or bad? Explain your responses.
This is good, but resources still need to be better allocated. Competition globally is growing every day. The only competitive advantage that we have and the USA has is the immense knowledge base that a majority of the companies take for granted (in some ways). I do not know of many companies that take full advantage and fully exploit their knowledge base that resides in their workforce.

I will say this is good. Allied is global and the management is globally "committed" to being there first to service and commit to the customer. Being proactive and being first to market is very important to the market. Most customer do not remember who is trying to break in, but who was the first to meet their needs!!

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 4 Concepts.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 4 Concepts.
How will your knowledge of information management help you in your future projects and proposals?

Information knowledge will lead to knowledge management. This will allow you design, develop, and implement a data warehouse. Having accurate and timely information in the form of knowledge reports will make you more efficient. You will have the time to analyze information and knowledge (80 to 90 %) instead of taking that amount time gathering and assembling the data into useful information. This will direct you to strategically aligned projects and proposals quickly. Also based on models and criteria you set up, it may highlight projects and proposals that in the past would have gone under the radar. It is my opinion that there are a certain percentage of opportunities that pass companies by because they do not recognize them and urgency of seizing them now instead of later. Timing is everything and missing a golden opportunity due to distractions (such as gathering data to assembly information so it can be analyzed into knowledge) is probably a cost that never gets assigned on a income statement.

How can you work to improve the internal marketing activities at your organization?

This is a difficult one. The best way currently is to improve my human capital at work and enrich my current relationships. This will increase my awareness through the departments. Additionally, this will increase my knowledge of the inter workings of each department and their processes. The more I understand and engage in some of these processes the better I can facilitate interdepartmental communications. In simpler terms, make myself a valuable company wide source of knowledge - a knowledge resource for department to access.

How will your preference of the four-lens approach impact your ability or desire to assist new employees in becoming acclimated to the culture of your organization?

Using the four lens approach would have a positive impact on these aspects. It will also help you analyze you knowledge and assessment of the organization. There are numerous mistakes that can be made during the orientation of a new hire. Orientation programs are very important and these first impressions that are established during the orientation will have lastly effects on the new hires attitude and commitment to the company.

Companies that take the quadrant A/B perceptive and just have a detailed checklist to "crunch" through generally give the impression of going through the motions is important. This does not instill motivation or initiative in the new hire. There is also a chance of having an impersonal program and leaves the employee overwhelmed and feeling of not being welcomed.

Companies that take the quadrant C/D perceptive will generally instill enthusiasm and excitement. The employee will feel engaged and welcomed into the company's culture. The employee will understand the mission and vision of the company and probably what are its long-term goals. The weakness is that the employee will have no clue to how they fit into the company's strategic objectives and how they contribute to the success of the company. They do not know the expectations, responsibilities, and what they are accountable for when performing their job.

So using the four lens perceptive is critical in developing and implementing an orientation program that positively impact the bottom line instead of being a drain on the company's resources.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 3 Concepts.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 3 Concepts.
How will your knowledge of the financial concepts help you in your future projects and proposals?

Knowledge is power and powerful. So it may not do anything to your decisions, but with them - at least you would be making an informed decision instead of one with your head potentially in the sand or in a vacuum. So to answer the question, yes knowledge would effect the potential projects and proposals. You will start to access PVA, NPVA and various other capital aspects and use these to shape your decisions as well as how you approach them. Additionally,it will challenge you to develop metrics for "things" not normally "accounted for" and develop more "realistic" metrics for "cost of quality" and skill level/intellectual property of workers.

Conceptually understanding the financial aspects and their interactions coupled with common sense will help make sound decisions. NPV takes in account the true value of money, which PBP or ROI does not. But depending on a company's perspective and time frame, the PBP may be more important than the highest NPV, due to cash flow issue and cash reserve requirements.

Does the risk level of a leader come into play when making such financial decisions? How so?

Yes it comes very much into play. Betting on the company's cash reserves and confidence in the Sales force to exceed the forecast is needed to meet the competitive pressures. Also it allows you to look past the strict restraints of PBP that are prevalent (Industrial age mentality) and more into the NPA aspect of projects. Risk may take 5 years or so to pay off big and these projects would be pursued if PBP was used in combination of NPV of only 3 to 4 years. It is very easy to miss big profits from not choosing a project, because its payoff took too long.

Will the decision-makers’ preference of the four lens impact his or her decision making based on the financial models reviewed in this module? Why?

Yes, the preference for one aspect of the four lens and not all of them will impact a decisions-maker's perspective significantly. This was evident in the HBR articles about budgeting. Typical industrial age and type A perspective dominate the budgeting perspective of a company. This causes many companies to forget what their true vision and mission is when addressing the strategic initiatives. The leader must guide the decision-maker's to embrace the four lens approach or have the budgeting and planning processes embrace each other instead of competing against each other. Strategic objectives through implementation of initiatives can only be achieved through human, capital, and financial resources. These resources are typically heavily relied on for planning, but usually not budgeted for in the budget process. Allocating and committing these resource in the budgetary process facilitates motivation to achieve the strategic directives put forth by the company's vision.

It is important for the leader to ensure that strategy, short-term planning, and budgets interact for the betterment of the company's wealth. The four lens approach allows the executive management to not only quantify initiatives, but also prioritize them and identify any gaps in objectives that may exist. This fosters communication among the workers and leads to greater innovation, enhanced performance, and competitive advantages, which all contribute to the long-term growth and wealth generation for a company.

Strict type A perceptive of focused only on the budgetary results ignores the the long-term growth plans and SHV that includes

R&D investments, Process Improvements, New markets and customer, management of intellectual property, and increase in asset base (property, plant, and new equipment).

These are all drivers for value creation and cash flow. A budgetary perspective focuses only on short-term earning and metrics, which result in corresponding responses and being short-sighted.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 2 Concepts.

MBA 735 – Reflections on Module 2 Concepts.
Look at your own organization. How has supply and/or demand changed at your organization within the past year?

My company, being in a very mature market, refractories, is not only competitive but ever changing. The customers are changing from the old "kick-back" and "handshake" environment to the modern age of lowest price with all the service. The integrated steel industry has dramatically changed the market. It always has - due to large volume of refractories it takes to make iron. The old time USA mills are bankrupt and/or being bought out by foreigners - Mittal, India - is a the biggest aggressor at the moment. All of this also effects the supply/demand of raw materials, which in turn effect the direction of product lines and their effectiveness in the market. Additionally, as the refractory industry as a whole is staying the same (only due to China and India building their infrastructure) - the monolithic market continues to grow. It is growing at the expense of bricks. This has been going on for decades and will continue. Skilled brick layers are getting more difficult to find and less people are wanting to learn this skill.

What factors impacted or instigated the change?

To continue.... The global market in my company's industry has more of an effect than anything else. As Aluminum engines become more and more popular, coupled with rising energy costs - the cost of aluminium units increases. This creates a competition of alumina for refractories vs the aluminium for metal. A supply/demand that effects every single consumer - even if they do not even know about it of even acknowledge it.

This is further fueled by the growing/developing infrastructures of China, India, and Russia. China has more integrated steel mills than the USA and is producing more tonnes as a result. This has lead China to import scrap metal and iron ore from the USA. This has created issues for mini mills, i.e. Nucor, that only uses scrap metal.

Raw material costs have gone up more than customers will pay for the refractories. The supply is high enough and the competitor are willing enough to lower margins and continue supplying the metal melting manufacturers. My company is branching out into heat containment applications, where demand is growing and competition is waning.

The growing infrastructure of China and India will continually compete for these resources.

Reflecting on your past professional life, briefly describe one mistake you have made in your professional career. What have you learned from that mistake?

Probably the most consistent mistake is my inability to play the office politics and brown nose the "bosses." Never been great at playing this game, sucking up to people just because they can advance me never has been my strong suit. I have learned that working hard and being loyal really only get you so far, but I also sleep well at night.

Time will tell, but all I can be is honest, loyal, be a Christan and practise this every day at work. Having integrity and having people follow me for what I do and how I do it, instead of my title and position of power is enough me. I hope that in the long run operating without hidden agendas, sharing the glory and the failures will result in a challenging position that includes stewardship.

Other mistakes include being overly aggressive and impatient when completing tasks and projects. My sense of urgency is usually greater than most. Through this, I learned to listen actively more and let others do the task with my guidance and mentoring. It is a little more rewarding to guide and teach others how to successfully navigate a project, then just doing it myself.

If factors are changing rapidly, which is common in growth organizations, when do leaders find the time to “reflect” on the mistakes to make corrective action?

Dean your comment is right on, the best time is to reflect the moment you have acknowledged the mistakes. I guess my key point is "when the leader acknowledges the mistake". This reflection needs to diagram exactly how the mistake happened and not just "blame" someone or something. Blame only results in a "band-aid" being placed on the issue, labelling it a "corrective action", which will lead to the mistake occurring over and over. Reflection is to dig deep and acknowledge exactly why the mistake happened and aggressively address it. This is called instituting an immediate corrective action and then follow up with an in depth fix or a preventative action. Preventive actions get to the real root of the problem and best done through immediate reflection of the mistake - not months later.