Think of problems you have experienced in your professional career or personal life. Perhaps you have worked for an organization with an exceptionally high turnover rate or that had a difficult time acquiring new clients. Maybe you have had to contend with questions about where you wanted to live, such as whether you should rent or own, live downtown or on the outskirts, be close to or far away from family, or be located in this school district or the other one. Problems can range from simple to complex, and occasionally a strategy (or lack of strategy) is to blame. By changing the strategy, the odds of addressing a problem successfully can be increased. In this Discussion, you will explore a company that experienced a problem due to their strategy (or lack thereof) and provide a recommendation for addressing the problem using a strategic approach.
To prepare for this Discussion:
- Using a reputable news source, research a company that is currently experiencing an external problem (e.g., shipping, delivery, support, process, finding customers). Consider ways in which the company’s strategy (or lack of strategy) contributed to the problem.
Post your summary of a strategy to address an organizational performance issue, to include the following:(200 words or more)
- Briefly describe the company you located and its external problem. Be sure to include a citation to reference your findings.
- Propose a strategy you would recommend to the company so its leadership could address the external problem.
Refer to the Week 6 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.
References
Developing a Strategy
Think of some organizations where you have worked or with which you are familiar and consider how the engagement levels compared among them. Did any of them have extremely high or low levels of engagement from either the employees, customers, or other stakeholders? Most organizations would aim for high levels of engagement, and they will be better equipped to accomplish this through an engagement strategy, which is the concept you will explore through these resources.
- Adobor, H. (2019). Opening up strategy formulation: Benefits, risks, and some suggestions Links to an external site.. Business Horizons, 62(3), 383–393. https://doi.org /10.1016/j.bushor.2019.01.005
Internal and External Stakeholder Influence
Have you ever been disappointed by a product you bought or service you used? Maybe you asked yourself, “Have the people making this ever tried it?” Supposing the company behind the product or service wanted to succeed in business, it would benefit them to hear that feedback and use it to update their strategy to make the necessary improvements. By listening and being more responsive to stakeholders—whether they are external (customers, community) or internal (employees)—organizations can incorporate more diverse perspectives into their strategy. Using these resources, you will examine the influence of internal and external stakeholders.
- CECP. (2010, August 10). Michael Porter: Creating shared value Links to an external site.[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2oS3zk8VA4
****The companies that I will not approve are Walmart, Amazon, or Apple since these companies have been used so often in previous classes that Academic Integrity issues arise.
Please Note DO NOT USE: Be sure to select an organization other than Walmart, Amazon, or Apple, Pepsico, UPS, Starbucks, or CVS. Do not useany of these if another organization is called for.
