What Is The Mckinseys 7s Model Commerce Essay

What Is The Mckinseys 7s Model Commerce Essay The McKinseys 7S Model was created by the consulting company McKinsey and Company in the early 1980s and subsequently has become the de facto standard used by practitioners and academics alike in analysing the performance of an organization. (Pascale Athos, 1981; Peters Waterman, 1982). There are seven variables in the model which include structure, strategy, systems, skills, style, staff and shared values. All beginning with s, justifying why it was termed as the 7S model. This treatise evaluates each of the seven components of the model and the links between them with respect to the Big I of Enterprise Integration using a case study approach. The model is as shown in figure 1 above, showing the interdependency of the variables. This is illustrated by the model also being termed as the Managerial Molecule. It was found that several organisations using the model pay more attention to those variables they consider changeable (e.g. structure, strategy and systems) rather than the other variables (e.g. skills, style, staff and shared values) considered to be soft variables. For long-term benefit, they feel that the variables should be changed to become more congruent as a system. Description of 7 Ss Strategy: Strategy is the plan of action an organisation prepares in response to, or anticipation of, changes in its external environment. Strategy is thought-out, well-structured and often practically rehearsed and is differentiated from tactics or operational actions. It sought to answer three questions; where the organisation is at this moment in time, where the organisation wants to be in a particular length of time and how to get there( ). Thus, strategy is designed to transform the firm from the present position to the new position described by objectives, subject to constraints of the capabilities or the potential (Ansoff, 1965). Structure: Business needs to be organised in a specific form of shape that is generally referred to as organisational structure. Organisations are structured in a variety of ways, dependent on their objectives and culture. The structure of the company often dictates the way it operates and performs (Waterman et al., 1980). Traditionally, the businesses have been structured in a hierarchical way with several divisions and departments, each responsible for a specific task such as human resources management, production or marketing. Many layers of management controlled the operations, with each answerable to the upper layer of management. Although this is still the most widely used organisational structure, the recent trend is increasingly towards a flat structure where the work is done in teams of specialists rather than fixed departments. The idea is to make the organisation more flexible and devolve the power by empowering the employees and eliminate the middle management layers (Boy le, 2007). Systems: This refers to some systems or internal processes to support and implement the strategy and run day-to-day affairs. Different systems exist in companies for procurement, recruitment, promotion and so on. The traditional approach is bureaucratic which are intended to achieve maximum effectiveness but however creating bottle neck. The emerging trends in organisations are to simplify and modernize organizational processes by innovation and use of new technology to quicken decision-making process, especially those involving customers with the intention to make the processes that involve customers more user friendly(Lynch, 2005). Style/Culture: refers to distinct culture and management style in organizations. It generally includes the dominant values, beliefs and norms which develop over time and become relatively peculiar to the organisation. It consists of the way companys top management interact the employees. Traditional approach has been largely military style of management and culture where strict adherence to top-down management, concentrating power at the centre, thereby creating bottlenecks which invariably leads to time wastage and ineffienciecy. Recent efforts have sought to change culture to a more open, innovative and friendly environment with fewer hierarchies and smaller chain of command. Culture remains an important consideration in the implementation of any strategy in the organisation (Martins and Terblanche, 2003). Staff: Organisations are made up of humans and its the people who make the real difference to the success of the organisation in the increasingly knowledge-based society (). The importance of human resources has thus got the central position in the strategy of the organisation, away from the traditional model of capital and land. In order to ensure quality staff, organisations put considerable efforts into hiring the best staff, providing them with rigorous training and mentoring support, and pushing their staff to limits in achieving professional excellence, and this forms the basis of these organisations strategy and competitive advantage over their competitors (). It is also important for the organisation to instil confidence among the employees about their future in the organisation and future career growth as an incentive for hard work (Purcell and Boxal, 2003). Shared Values/Superordinate Goals: All members of the organisation share some common fundamental ideas or guiding concepts around which the business is built. This may be to make money or to achieve excellence in a particular field. These values and common goals keep the employees working towards a common destination as a coherent team and are important to keep the team spirit alive. The organisations with weak values and common goals often find their employees following their own personal goals that may be different or even in conflict with those of the organisation or their fellow colleagues (Martins and Terblanche, 2003). CASE STUDY Rescuing Troubled Software Projects by Team Transformation: A Case Study with an ERP Project, Kim Man Lui and Keith C. C. Chan Strategy. This companys direction and scope over the long term is to be market-leading international beverage brand. This is one of the main motivations necessitating SAP R/3, an ERP system to replace the existing IBM A/S400 owing to growing competitions. Structure. The hierarchical team structure is adopted though a change in the composition and communication flow was effected to ensure success of project team. Functional areas of expertise was key to inclusion in the project team. Systems. In the case study, Accelerated SAP (ASAP) was adopted to implement the new ERP system. ASAP is comprised of five phases. The phases are project preparation, Business blueprint, realization, final preparation and Go Live and support. Skills. There are some issues in the staffing and learning process of the staff in the company. There are some weakness in the staffing and there is no clear cut way of training and assessing the competence of an individual staff in the project team. There is lack of adequate knowledge in the staff included for implementation of the project. The two programmers in the project team are not well experienced in ASAP. Shared values. The core value and belief of this organization is to become the leading international beverage brand. This is the motivation behind the approaches and efforts of all staff involved with the project. Staff. Staffing and training has not been properly developed. Obviously, inclusion of inexperienced programmers is a pointer to the shortcoming. This would definitely impact the success of the enterprise integration project. Style. There is a sign of leadership maturity in the company. The company was rescued majorly because there was a transformation of the team. In spite of the fact that there were a number of issues as mentioned above, the approach adopted to rescue the team was to transforming the project team.

Marketing and New Product Essay

Scenario 1: Clean Edge Razor: Splitting Hairs in Product Positioning description After three years of development, Paramount Health and Beauty Company is preparing to launch a new technologically advanced vibrating razor called Clean Edge. The innovative new design of Clean Edge provides superior performance by stimulating the hair follicles to lift the hair from the skin, allowing for a closer shave. The company has already decided to introduce Clean Edge into the men’s market where it has a strong presence. Jackson Randall, the product manager for Clean Edge, struggles with how best to position the product for the launch. One strategy is to release Clean Edge as a â€Å"niche† product, targeting the high-end market of fastidious groomers looking for superior skin care products. Another strategy is to release the product into the highly competitive mainstream razor market where the product can be positioned as the most effective razor available. Randall meets internal resistance to the mainstream strategy from the product manager for the company’s current, but aging, mainstream razor products and he must consider the effects of cannibalization in his plan. Randall must recommend an optimal strategy and provide supporting economic analysis of his decision–not just for Clean Edge, but for its effect on the entire company. Learning objective: Explore issues associated with strategic product positioning. Review new product development process and understand the importance of evaluating product-company and product-market fit in assessing new product opportunities. Understand the importance and marketing implications of determining whether a new product is a big breakthrough or a simple line extension. Subjects covered: Marketing strategy; New product marketing; Product positioning; Profitability analysis; Quantitative analysis Setting: * Geographic: United States * Event Year Begin: 2010 Scenario 2: Culinarian Cookware: Pondering Price Promotion description Subjects Covered: Price Promotion, Pricing Policy, Consumer Marketing, Profitability Analysis, Retailing, Sales Promotion, Distribution Policy, Brand Equity, Trade Relations, and Product Management. In November of 2006, senior executives at Culinarian Cookware were debating the merits of price promotions for the company’s premium cookware products. The VP of Marketing, Donald Janus, and Senior Sales Manager, Victoria Brown, had different views. Janus felt price promotions were unnecessary, potentially damaging to the brand image, and possibly encouraged retailer hoarding; Brown believed the promotions strengthened trade support, improved brand awareness, and stimulated sales from both new and existing customers. The issue was complicated by a consultant’s study of the firm’s 2004 price promotions which concluded that these promotions had a negative impact on profits. Janus trusted the results, but Brown, believing the study assumptions were flawed and required further analysis, suspected the promotions had actually produced positive results. The pressing decision is whether to run a price promotion in 2007 and, if so, to determine what merchandise to promote and on what terms. The broader issue is what strategy Culinarian should pursue to achieve sales growth goals, and what role, if any, price promotion should play. Subjects Covered: Price Promotion, Pricing Policy, Consumer Marketing, Profitability Analysis, Retailing, Sales Promotion, Distribution Policy, Brand Equity, Trade Relations, Cookware Learning objective: 1. Explore the risks and opportunities of price promotion as a strategic and tactical marketing tool. 2. Through quantitative analysis, evaluate the financial impact of a price promotion using different cost and sales assumptions. 3. Develop the details of a price promotion policy consistent with overall marketing objectives. Subjects covered: Brand equity; Consumer marketing; Pricing policies; Profitability analysis; Sales promotions; Small & medium-sized enterprises Setting: * Geographic: United States * Event Year Begin: 2006 Scenario 3: Metabical: Positioning and Communications Strategy for a New Weight Loss Drug (Brief Case) description Topics include Consumer Behavior, Marketing Communications, New Product Launch, Product Positioning, and Push/Pull Marketing. This case can be used separately or in conjunction with Brief Case #4183, Metabical: Pricing, Packaging, and Demand Forecasting for a New Weight Loss Drug. Cambridge Sciences Pharmaceuticals (CSP) expects final approval for its revolutionary weight loss drug, Metabical. Metabical will be the only weight loss drug with FDA approval that is also clinically proven to be effective for moderately overweight people. Barbara Printup, Senior Marketing Director for CSP, must develop the positioning strategy and marketing communications plan in preparation for the launch of the new drug. Printup must consider the consumer decision-making process and the interaction between the consumer who purchases the drug and the health care provider who prescribes the medication. Despite promising medical studies and consumer research, poor positioning of the drug in the highly competitive market for weight-loss solutions could spell disaster. Students analyze market research data and consider the optimal positioning strategy and marketing communications program. Learning objective: Understanding the hierarchy-of-effects, the decision-making unit, the decision-making process, and push vs. pull communications. Identifying strategies for segmenting, targeting, and positioning new products. Understanding the critical elements of a marketing communications program. Subjects covered: Consumer behavior; Marketing communications; Product introduction Setting: * Geographic: United States * Industry: Pharmaceuticals * Event Year Begin: 2008 Scenario 4: Reed Supermarkets: A New Wave of Competitors description Reed Supermarkets is a high-end supermarket chain with operations in several Midwestern states. Meredith Collins, vice president of marketing, visits stores located in Columbus, Ohio, an important region with the largest market and the greatest impact on revenue growth. She is concerned about increased competition from dollar stores and limited-assortment stores offering very low, appealing price points. Reed’s market research shows that as a result of the economic downturn, customer loyalty is dwindling and consumers are willing to go to multiple stores to get the best deals. Collins must decide whether to change the current marketing and positioning plan in an effort to increase market share to meet challenging corporate targets. Her options include retreating from price competition and focusing on quality or embracing more private-label brands and competing more aggressively on price. She can also maintain the current positioning and appeal to customers looking for a qualit y shopping experience. The case contains an implicit quantitative assignment that instructors can emphasize to the degree they choose. Learning objective: Explore elements of marketing strategy, market segmentation, product differentiation, and product positioning for a retail organization. Analyze and differentiate among conflicting strategic perspectives. Understand the â€Å"cycle of retailing,† which suggests that new retail stores naturally evolve from low-price, low-overhead stores to become upscale retailers offering additional services and product lines. Subjects covered: Competitive strategy; Consumer marketing; Market positioning; Market segmentation; Marketing strategy Setting: * Geographic: United States * Industry: Supermarkets * Event Year Begin: 2011 Scenario 5: TruEarth Healthy Foods: Market Research for a New Product Introduction (Brief Case) description Topics covered include: consumer marketing, market research, new product introduction, and quantitative analysis. TruEarth Healthy Foods, a maker of gourmet pastas, sauces, and meals, wants to build on its successful introduction of fresh whole grain pasta by introducing a similar product concept for pizza. In an increasingly competitive market, TruEarth is focused on beating its competition and wants to act quickly and decisively. The company conducts extensive market research, first using focus groups to test the concept and then following up with take-home trials. Acting as brand managers, students must complete a quantitative analysis of the available data to project the sales volume for pizza and then decide whether to bring the new product to market. Learning objective: 1. Understand the assumptions and techniques for estimating markets and projecting sales 2. Analyze and interpret data to decide whether to bring a new product to market 3. Recognize the importance of perceived value to consumers for a new product as compared with existing products 4. Understand the limitations of making decisions based on research and available data

The Number Of Youth s With Disabilities - 876 Words

â€Å"The Number of Youth’s with Disabilities has Increased Over the years† Youth with disability behavior increase widely over years. Research has proven children with disability have alcohol and drug problem. The issue with youths with disability they have abundant amount of access to drug rather its prescription or illicit.Special education programs reported higher alcohol and substance use than the students not involved in such programs. Disability students has a significantly higher use of: Cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. However the use of illicit long term with also the use of alcohol and drug will cause a higher risk of anxiety, social dysfunction, relationship problems, and/or inconsistent parenting. Parents don’t see the risk they putting their children in when introducing them to the drugs or allowing the drugs; nevertheless, youth with disabilities face low self-esteem, peer pressure, and family substance use:they also face isolation, d iscrimination, lack of personal adjustment to disability, health difficulties, pain, and lack of social access. All those things make it easy to get access to prescription drugs, which can be addictive in some form:There are many different ways children with disability can get a hold of drugs and their parents not know especially due to their many diagnosis. For example, youth with disability can face a significant amount of peer â€Å"disenfranchisement,† lowered self-concepts, and psychological distress that, canShow MoreRelatedPositive And Negative Impacts Of Children With Disabilities1188 Words   |  5 Pageshouse. I never once thought about staying with my parents or them moving in with me I had assumed everyone was taught the same. 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But as a teacher we must understand the needs and requirements of every child and make the environment of equity in the classroom. There are different types of disabilities that the children are suffering from, but today we will discuss about the one type of physical disabilities in the children, and that is Cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is the disorder of movement in certainRead MoreStaff Development Presentation On Cerebral Palsy1431 Words   |  6 Pagesway. He or she may be different from the developmental level, or might be suffering from some types of disabilities. But as a teacher we must understand the needs and requirements of every child and make the environment of equity in the classroom. There are different types of disabilities that the children are suffering from, but today we will discuss about the one type of physical disabilities in the children, and that is Cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is the disorder of movement in certain bodyRead MoreStaff Development Presentation On Cerebral Palsy1534 Words   |  7 Pagesor another way. He or she may be different from the developmental level, or might be suffering from some types of disabilities. But as a teacher we must understand the needs and requirements of every child and consider the equity in the classroom. There are different types of disabilities that the children are suffering from, but today we will discuss one of the physical disabilities in children, and that is Cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder caused by a brain damage

Essay on Illegal Aliens - 1300 Words

Illegal Aliens: Friend or Enemy? The illegal alien debate has raged on for several decades; however in recent years citizens have become more aware of the crisis. Illegal immigration is one of the most controversial political issues of todays society. Illegal aliens and their immigration to the U.S. is a problem that needs to be addressed. It is unfair to Americans and to the country from where they immigrated from. Whether they (illegal aliens) take jobs or put a strain on Americans social service programs, the constant invasion of illegal aliens has promoted disrespect for the law and also limits our†¦show more content†¦Their cheap labor comes with a price, and that price has become too great for Americans to except anymore. The cost associated with these illegal aliens are far to great, they are a drain on Social Security, Medicare, School sys tems, food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunch programs. And they are undermining the core values this country was established on. According to the Center for Immigration Studies, households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than twenty six point three billion in costs on the federal government in 2002 and paid only sixteen billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal deficit of almost ten point four billion according to the Census Bureau. Thats about two thousand seven hundred dollars per illegal alien household the tax payer is having to fork over. The Census Bureau has also developed estimates of its own. Their estimate at the time of the 2000 Census suggests that the illegal immigration population was more than eight million. Using this number, it can be concluded that the illegal-alien population has grown by almost half a million a year in the 1990s. This conclusion is derived from a draft report that has been given to the House immigration subco mmittee by the Internal Revenue Service that estimated the illegal population was three and a half million in 1990. For the illegal population to have reached eight million by 2000, the net increase had to be four hundred thousand to five hundredShow MoreRelatedThe Problem With Illegal Aliens1291 Words   |  6 Pagesproblem with illegal aliens or immigrants. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars to secure our southern border but, with that being said, the government has charged the Department of Homeland Security to create and implement new and innovative ways to justify and solidify those polices. In this case study, there will be a focus and analytical approach to three of the main issues which continue to surface on immigration enforcement. 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Once the airplane took off, words was already spread all over the office of Haiti air in Florida that the airplane left Haiti with more than 30 Haitian illegal on board. The first few 2 hours spent at the arrival office was like a discovery of a new world for every single illegal in that group. This was one of the darkest and the most memorable moment so far in all my 39 years living. Getting here at the end of the Clinton administration followed by an 8 years battle