Gap Analysis: Harrison-Keyes

Running head: GAP ANALYSIS: HARRISON-KEYES

Gap Analysis: Harrison-Keyes

University of Phoenix

MBA/590

February 16th, 2007

Gap Analysis: Harrison-Keyes

Harrison-Keyes is a major publisher with a long history of success with its 22,000 plus publications. Management has seen a fall in sales due to changes in distribution and new media. They have identified a new media that will help them to stay competitive in the industry. Executives believe that starting a new electronic book or e-book initiative will help solve the problem and will offer large profits. However, there have been many problems in getting this idea to fruition. This analysis will show how the lack of consistent leadership, attention to detail and the lack of reporting processes led to the failing of the project. It will finally offer some solutions to the dilemma in order to put their project back on track.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Several issues contributed to where Harrison-Keyes' e-book project is today. Though problematic, these issues have lead to additional opportunities that may help the situation. When one door closes, often another one will open (Parachin, 2005).

There were four key issues identified in the scenario that were problematic to Harrison-Keyes. The first issue to be identified is the lack of a clearly defined project plan which causes confusion throughout the project. This issue could provide the company with an opportunity for a fresh, more organized start that is tracked and charted.

The second issue identified was the lack of an adherence to a project baseline. Harrison-Keyes cut the project budget by 20%. This became an opportunity for executives to kill the project or at least re-evaluate it.

The next issue was identified when Asia Digital failed to deliver due to a natural disaster. The need for a contingency reserve became apparent. This development gave Harrison-Keyes the chance to look for another qualified company that may have a better track record of being on time with their deliverables.

The final issue identified was related to the time it would take the new company to get up to speed and deliver the product. It is clear that scope creep can cause problems that'll delay the completion of the project (Gray & Larson, 2005, p. 437). If the project is allowed to continue from this point, then it is an opportunity for Harrison-Keyes to put the project back on track to a successful completion.

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

The stakeholders have taken an active role in the forming and the running of Harrison-Keyes' e-book initiative. They consist of the Project Team which consists of the various employees that work at different levels of the project. They would like the project to be a success. Some of their jobs depend on it. While they may have the right to speak up when it comes to problems and challenges related to the project, they may decide not to.

The CEO is primarily interested in seeing the project succeed. It is a bad thing for him to get further involved than that. Typically, they are not concerned with the details. They will be critical and harsh when necessary in order to motivate or get the point across. Priority one for the CEO is to increase the wealth of the shareholders.

The Board of Directors are interested in any project that will increase their wealth. They can suggest directions for the company to move in. They can also support or deny company initiatives.

The bread and butter of Harrison-Keyes exist in their Authors and their ability to create marketable properties. They have a vested interest in their work and the protection of their intellectual property. If they disagree with the new direction of their publisher, they may begin to shop around for a new publisher.

The primary conflict that may have been an issue throughout the project was the lack of communication and the sharing of information. The project fell vastly behind and there was not a reporting structure setup to catch and report problems and delays. Also, employees may not feel that they are able to speak up and communicate with each other.

End-State Vision

Harrison-Keyes will continue the project to completion by finding a trusted partner to complete the digital conversion that will adhere to the clearly defined project plan while utilizing a system of reports and notifications to track project progress and once concluded will be a continued source of profit for the company.

Gap Analysis

Harrison-Keyes is faced with the dilemma of successfully completing a project that has been stripped of a large part of its budget and with poor planning and reporting. The new e-book venture has been a challenging undertaking and has lacked dedicated leadership and direction. This project was initially identified as being worthwhile and a source of profit. The team must use the premise of project management to put the project back on track.

In order for Harrison-Keyes to bridge the gap between the present and the future and fall in-line with the stated end-state goals, they must make changes in the processes and the direction in which the project has historically taken. The project plan must be re-evaluated with a more detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and a Scope of Work (SOW). This will require more time but is an important step towards restarting the project. Next, the new budget must be aligned with the new scope of work. This would involve creating a new project baseline that is set in stone. Any changes to the project baseline will set off a red flag and notify the stakeholders to take action. Continuing the project will require continued support from the CEO and the Board of Directors. They may at some point decide it best to kill the project instead of spending any more time and money on it. Last, they'll need to have a contingency plan in place. This plan will need to include backup strategies and funding for issues related to contingency reserves and management reserve funds if and when it is needed.

Conclusion

Harrison-Keyes in an effort to stay competitive embarked on a project to convert all of its current properties into an electronic book or e-book format. This initiative was met with some opposition and challenges. However,