Global Communications Gap Analysis

Gap Analysis: Global Communications

With the onslaught of competition in the telecommunication industry, Global Communications has come under tremendous economic pressure. Over a three-year period, stockholders have seen their investments decline more than 50% and are now questioning the ability of the company's ability to rebound. "Local, long-distance and international markets are all competing for the same business but the industry suffered a huge blow at the hands of the cable companies, who stepped in to provide complete solutions encompassing computers, televisions and telephone service"

Global Communications publicly announced that it will outsource thousands of its technical support jobs overseas and a layoff is expected. Citing contract manipulation, the Union has spoken out against the strategy stating that Global Communications failed to look at the Union as a partner and all other options should have been evaluated prior to the decision to send union jobs overseas. The Union is threatening legal action.

This analysis looks at Global Communications' current situation, issues and opportunities and the stakeholders perspective. This analysis concludes with the considerations of the desired end-state vision, the current situation, and the course concepts.

Situation Analysis

Issue and Opportunity Identification

The competition in the telecommunication industry has placed Global Communications under extreme economic pressure and the industry suffered a tremendous loss in market share when cable companies offered complete solutions to its customers that covered telephone, computers and television services. Global Communications is in a position to expand and grow its market share by turning its goal of becoming a highly profitable global source of telecommunication services into a reality.

Global Communications' decision to outsource call centers overseas resulting in union layoffs will cause a major morale issue and impact productivity. With this implementation of this new plan, it may be difficult to retain good employees and hire new employees needed to grow the business since the Union announced that they will seek legal action against the industry. By excluding the union in the decision-making process the union may not be willing to collaborate with management in implementing the new plan and have threatened the industry with legal action. Global Communications is in the position to open discussions with the Union and rethink its' position by openly discuss and pursue potential opportunities that may not have been considered and may prove to more profitable to the organization and its stakeholders.

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

The identification of stakeholders that are and may in the future be involved with Global Communication are: Stockholders, Employees, Customers and International contractors and employees. Consideration of each of the stakeholders interests, rights and values are as follows:

Stockholders - 1) Global Communications should respect the rights of all stockholders to be informed of companys' affairs and faithfully publicize information, and 2) it is the social responsibility of Global Communications is to secure optimum financial returns. 3) Any legal action against the industry can cause a further decline in Global Communications stock value, all efforts should be taken to prevent or mitigate any actions that would prove to be detrimental to the company's creditability and public image.

Employees - 1) When considering what current employees will be offered new positions, assign him or her to proper roles and functions based on his or her expectations, aptitude and abilities; 2) provide fair competitive wages and benefits, 3) encourage personal development and academic growth in order to grow with the company and be qualified for internal positions of elevation, and 4) Employees have the right to honest and open communication from Global Communications management:

Customers - 1) Private information about customers should be kept in strict confidence. With outsourcing services overseas, Global Communication will not have direct control over how customer information is handled. 2) Employees and contractors should supply customers with top quality services; and 3) customers should be charge a fair and reasonable price for the services provided with no hidden costs.

International Employees and Contractors - 1) The Company should respect moral values of the society and should conduct business suitable to the national sentiment, and should not engage in acts which in any way might be considered disharmonious, or harmful to the national economy; and 2) Standards to support and foster international contractor and employees should be established and enforced. Standards should include specific qualifications and operational standards concerning the technological support and any managerial assistance.

The stockholders right and interest in receiving optimum financial returns on their investments in the company may conflict with the rights and interests of the company employees who also have vested interest in company. The need for changes in how a company conducts business to meet stockholder expectations under Global Managements new plan will cause the employees to lose their jobs due to downsizing in the company and outsourcing jobs overseas. Outsourcing jobs to oversea contractors appears unfair to employees who can be trained or may now be qualified to provide the exact services domestically.

End-State Vision

Global Communications is moving forward with a new strategy of globalization that will position them as a leader in the telecommunication industry. Global Communications will achieve and sustain excellence in its business practices and be considered a forerunner in the telecommunication industry which will be reflected in its' administrative, management, and operational processes and will serve as a model for the industry "best practices." Global Communications consumer services and business practices will be appropriately integrated, effective, streamlined, efficient, and flexible enough to accommodate inevitable change in future technology and industry standards.

Gap Analysis

Global Communication in an attempt to reverse its' economic decline will be introducing a plan that will, in itself, create more difficulties and have a negative impact on the company and any future earnings. Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively