Intersect Investments

Running head: PROBLEM SOLUTION: INTERSECT INVESTMENTS

Problem Solution: Intersect Investments

University of Phoenix

Problem Solution: Intersect Investments

Intersect Investments has been resisting organizational change that is preventing it from winning customer loyalty and increasing customer base. Intersect’s CEO Frank Jeffers identified a new vision: "Provide a broad set of products and services to consumer and small business customers using a model of customer intimacy that will build long-term relationships based on trust and value to the customer.”

This research paper will discuss the issues being faced by Intersect Investments and identify opportunities based on various Organizational Behavior concepts.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Intersect Investment Services lacked a transformational leader for a strategic change management practices. Intersect Investment Services should employ Adam’s equity theory of motivation to execute strategic change. These include: The Individual-Organization Exchange Relationship, Negative and Positive Inequity, Dynamics of Perceived Inequity, Thresholds of Equity and Inequity, and Reducing Inequity. Frank Jeffers, Intersect’s CEO had to let go one of the EVPs. After firing the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the lack of meeting his expectations, Frank Jeffers brings a new entrant to lead the strategic change. for the organization. Frank should leverage industry. Benchmarks and the related metrics to lead the innovation activities related to strategic change.

Previous sales EVP strongly resisted the strategic change and failed to understand the underpinnings of customer intimacy philosophy and the associated growth opportunities.Frank Jeffers, the CEO should execute strategic change by leveraging theories of motivation and leadership and keep the momentum towards the new “customer intimacy” model. Frank could use various strategies including conditioning model, reinforcement and behavior shaping.

New EVP of sales, Janet Angelo, should evangelize the new “customer intimacy” model by using both legitimate and political powers. This will enable Intersection of its brand image with the establishment of long-term customer relationships. Janet Angelo should exhibit the skills and competencies of an effective leader by using feedback process to assess employees. The new sales EVP, Janet was flooded with challenges to improve employee satisfaction while executing the strategic change. Janet should leverage motivation theories to evangelize the strategic change.

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

Frank Jeffers, the CEO of Intersect Investment is Aggressive, profit focused, and assertive. Janet Angelo, the Executive Vice President of Marketing and Sales is focused, result driven, fairness, and builds relationships. Thomas Hardy, the Senior Vice President of Human Resources is noted for his integrity and is well respected. Lyn Chen, the Vice President of Sales is known for his honesty. Joel Contino, the Vice President of Marketing is socially responsible. Annie Sorrento, the Director of Sales Operations is assertive. Customers are a key stakeholder and expect Customer delight. Employees are benefit and motivation driven and expect reward, and recognition for good work.

Problem Statement

Intersect Investments was losing both clients’ trust and Wall Street’s credibility. Applying porters five forces model and utilizing customer intimacy model, Intersect Investments would like to provide a broad set of products and services to consumer and small business customers. As part of the end state Intersect Investments would like to execute change management practices by utilizing “trust and value” framework and benchmarking techniques.

End-State Vision

Intersect Investment Services would like to build long term relationship with customers. Intersect Investment Services believes that ethics should never be compromised. Intersect Investment Services would also like to improve brand image and provide a diversified suite of products and services. This will help gain investor confidence and flawlessly execute change.

Alternative Solutions

Issue

Intersect Investment Services fails to execute new operating vision and strategic model.

Opportunity

Frank Jeffers, the CEO of Intersect Investment Services would like to utilize his transformational leadership capabilities to bring the strategic change from the chaotic environment.

Alternate Solution

Intersect Investment Services can implement Adam’s equity theory of motivation to achieve the end state via team goals. Adam’s equity theory assumes that people want a fair return compared to other people for the jobs they do. It also assumes that people expect certain outcomes. When a situation isn’t considered fair it’s called inequity. These outcomes vary widely, depending on one’s organization and rank.

Expectancy theory predicts that employees in an organization will be motivated when they believe that (1) putting in more effort will yield better job performance and (2) better job performance will lead to organizational rewards, such as an increase in salary or benefits.

Expectancy theory is about choice. It explains the processes that an individual undergoes to make choices. Motivation through Goal Setting is promoted through a widely used management technique called management by objectives (MBO). Management by objectives is a management system that incorporates participation in decision making, goal setting, and objective feedback (Kinicki, Kreitner, 2004).

Issue

Frank Jeffers, Intersect’s CEO, is in search of revamping the Sales & Marketing department due to the sacking of the Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing as he failed to meet Frank’s objectives.

Opportunity

Frank would like to diversify the firm’s portfolio of products and services and enable the customer