Gap Analysis: Global Communications

Running head: GAP ANALYSIS: GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Gap Analysis: Global Communications

Hope Bradley

University of Phoenix

Gap Analysis: Global Communications

In this paper, one will find a gap analysis between Global Communications (GC) senior management and other key stakeholders in the organization. The current situation is that of Global Communications, a telecommunications company that is in the need of changing its strategies of competition in the growing market in order to maintain its presence in the industry. If changes are not made, Global Communications will no longer exist in the ever growing telecommunications market. This change consists of outsourcing and forming new call centers that will increase technical sophistication and improve profits along with increasing the company's growth. The decision to do this has caused an issue within the organization due to the lack of communications between senior management and key stakeholders (Union/employees) as to where this strategy leads to downsizing and the loss of jobs, loss of benefits, and pay cuts for those who will be relocated. This decision clearly shows that the stakeholders involved have different interests and values than that of senior management's. Because of the differences in point of views within the company, an analysis is needed to form a solution to the problem that Global Communications has in the organization. The problem solution to GC's issues lie in the implementation of effective communication and involving all key stakeholders in the decision making processes that relate to company's wellbeing and changes. GC should use the Nine-Step Problem-Solving model as an aid in resolving their current issues that lie within the organization. Once this process goes into effect, the organization could use this model as an aid in any other systematic problems associated with the company.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

At Global Communications (GC), the senior management was ineffective in their responsibility to communicate with key stakeholders within the organization before major decisions were made in trying to set company goals. The goals GC envisioned were to increase growth and profits so the company would still exist and survive in the industry. GC wants to outsource and set up new call centers rather than use the current employees. With the plan, the strategy would encompass a major downsizing and many employees would be let go. In addition to the many let go, those remaining would be relocated and expected to take a 10% pay cut.

The opportunities for GC lie from this current situation and experience; skills can be developed by management to better handle communication, the planning of unexpected events, also the management of risk and conflict within the organization. With the current plans to outsource, GC will increase technical sophistication and reduce unit cost for handling calls nearly 40%.

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

There are two main stakeholders that play major roles in this scenario. They are the Union (employees) and senior management. The underlying issues began with the differences in both parties' interests. The Union, which is an organization of the employees, has a different interest and value that do not coincide with management's vision. Although they are for company growth in the long term, their interests lie in their continuous benefits provided by the company for their livelihoods and their value of being treated with fairness and respect. They feel being involved in company decisions is their right to be heard and they should be given the opportunity to have a voice in the decision of the company's future, especially if their job stability depends on it. If they are looked at as a partner, then their voices should have been heard at a time like this.

Senior management, although they feel like their edge is their people, are concerned with the company's growth and improvement of profitability in order to survive the current industry. Their value in this situation is the company's accountability and integrity. Senior management has the right to decide what will be best for the company's future, regardless of the current barriers caused between them and the Union. The communication strategies between them and the union can be handled later, but the current issue needs focus. Their main concern is getting the company to a place of stability within the growing industry and if not, Global Communications will no longer exist. The conflict lies here is the Union being displeased with the company's latest negotiations which resulted in benefit reductions in both health and education. The ethical dilemma lies in the fact that although GC states that they value their employees, but the latest decisions made seem as though the union and employees are looked at as no more than commodities and not as valued assets or partners when the fact lies that with the plans for outsourcing will result in both jobs and benefits being taken away.

End-State Vision

Global Communications will involve all major stakeholders in the future decision making processes while it transforms into a global corporation. Global Communications will transform into a global corporation enabling the company to increase in profits and growth in order to remain in existence in this fast moving telecommunications industry.

Gap Analysis

Global Communications (GC) is a company that is in a highly competitive marketplace; therefore, there is a need for constant exploration in new ways to add value to the company at lower costs in order to keep up with the fast growing telecommunications industry. There lies an obvious gap within the organization communications between the stakeholders, management and Union. GC's belief is that their edge is their employees and that the competitive advantage comes from them. This does not seem to be the case with the current strategy