External And Internal Factors: At&T

One of the leading companies in phone, internet and cable television today is AT&T. Internal and external factors affect this company everyday yet the four functions of management still have to be carried out. The major five factors that affect the functions of management are globalization, technology, innovation, diversity, and ethics. However, managers can still use delegation to impact the factors of management.

AT&T (American Telephone & Telegraph) is the largest supplier globally of telephone, wireless, and internet services. AT&T started in 1983 as Southwestern Bell Corporation (SBC) and the main center was in St. Louis, Missouri. Southwestern Bell moved their headquarters to San Antonio, Texas and changed the name to SBC Communications, Inc. The decision to change the name was to become nationally and internationally known (AT&T, 2008).

SBC bought Baby Bell, SNET, and Ameritech. In the organizing stage management collected information on other companies to merge with. They placed headquarters in different areas and provided the best management there also (AT&T, 2008). SBC finalized their business with the purchases of AT&T for $16 billion, Cingular Wireless, and Yellowpages.com. SBC now has 11 mergers of AT&T and BellSouth and are planning to globalize even more in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Latin America (AT&T, 2008).

Over the years technology in AT&T and in the world has grown more than anyone could have imagined. AT&T has been serving so many people, for example, cell phones have music, cable, and even the internet. AT&T has one of the most advanced networks in the world. AT&T provides local and international communication services to practically everyone in the country. It's said that, "AT&T delivers the widest international coverage of any U.S.-based wireless carrier, giving customers the ability to make calls using an internationally enabled phone on six continents and 195 countries, with wireless data-roaming in more than 140 countries for laptops, hand-held devices and other data services" (AT&T, 2008, Corporate Profile: AT&T: Your world delivered).

Innovation is what keeps AT&T at the top of their game. AT&T is known for adapting quickly to the changes in consumer demand and to new competitors. "AT&T embraces creativity in order to rapidly convert ideas into useful products and services," (AT&T, n.d. Governance). The factor of innovation has a significant impact on the four factors of management so much that AT&T has labs that consist of about 1,000 of the world's top scientists and engineers. The planning stage of new products and services is where the management teams evaluates the current products and services that are now offered to customers and try to find ways to either enhance them or introduce brand new ones. Later stated on the AT&T website is that their main goal is "to develop new and better ways to perform everyday functions" (AT&T, n.d. Governance).

Since AT&T knows that their products and services are advanced with the best interest of the general public in mind organizing the plan goes far beyond the AT&T Labs. Groups through out the company work together to "look beyond the traditional and the expected to solutions never seen," (AT&T, n.d. Governance). AT&T is always looking for new ways to inspire innovation from its employees. This company believes that the workers are not just making products and services for customers but also for themselves and their families. As far as controlling, the innovation progress is reviewed in terms of their impact on the company and customers not to mention environmental stewardship and economic advancement.

Since, AT&T wants to remain a leading force in the communications industry it is constantly trying to find new ways to help the company grow internally and externally, the use of diversity has filled that need. "In the midst of continuous change, we recognize that our success is directly related to understanding and leveraging the many facets of diversity - in our workplace, the marketplace and our communities" (AT&T, n.d. Diversity and Inclusion). Since

AT&T's inception in the eighties, it has continued to use the philosophy of diversity to attain companies through mergers, make the work environment a quality one, and focus on keeping and acquiring new customers.

AT&T also recognizes that diversity helps them organize a better company in terms of views towards the company's success so AT&T can offer their products and services to a broader base of customers. The company even uses the same diversity to help stimulate growth with various programs. "The AT&T Supplier Diversity Programs are designed to promote, increase, and improve the quality of the overall participation of minority-, women- and disabled-veteran-owned business enterprises (M/WBEs and DVBEs) in its supply chain" (AT&T, n.d. Diversity and Inclusion). Other initiatives that help with employee growth are through training and education, workshops as well as recognition programs encourage respect for other employees and themselves. Since, AT&T put so much into the company, this helps with its overall performance