Strategic Implementation And Alignment

In todayÐŽ¦s business world, companies are forced to make quick decisions involving large amounts of capital and labor. The risk involved in such decisions is substantial, as firm leaders are forced to constantly evaluate their companyÐŽ¦s position and search for new ways of updating developments. Normally when facing financial crisis, a corporationÐŽ¦s solution is reducing input costs while increasing its output volume by implementing cost-cutting strategies such us outsourcing or laying off employees. Every corporation is different and has its own unique corporate culture so cost-cutting may not be the most appropriate solution to each companyÐŽ¦s problems. A successful corporation should always put the shareholders in priority as any companyÐŽ¦s policy changing or decision making may significantly affect the shareholdersÐŽ¦ right. Who are the shareholders? They are the customers, employees, and stockholders who are the important human factors to decide the success or failure of an organization.

Harrison-Keyes Inc. (HK), known for its quality products, was once the leading organization in the publishing industry worldwide. HK is a global publisher specializing in scientific, technical, and business books and journals; professional and consumer book, and textbooks and other educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students as well as lifelong learners. 40% of HKÐŽ¦s revenues are generated from its sales offices in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Yet as the e-publishing is becoming more and more popular, HK is starting to experience reduced sales, declined market share and profitability in

the print markets. HK is under the economic pressure and facing the biggest business crisis it has ever been facing. The leaders of the organization have to make a number of key decisions in order to turn the situation around.

Externally, HK is facing several challenges. First, the stock holdersÐŽ¦ confidence is fading as the companyÐŽ¦s stock value went down 12% from 50% to 38% in less than a decade. Second, HKÐŽ¦s old technique is being challenged as the traditional printing business is facing a higher operation cost compare to the e-publishing and forecast is not looking well to the stockholders. Third, the company is losing its market share to its competitors in both traditional publishing and e-book business. The independent booksellers as HK are being edged out by superstores as the superstores offer mega discounts and no-question-asked return policies to the customers, therefore HK are being forced to consolidate its distribution channels and cut down the profit to the bone. The e-book is making print content more accessible to customers worldwide. HK is trying to catch up although it is very much behind on the e-technology.

Internally, ever since the management and the board decided to expend into the e-book business, HK is suffering from the communication problems in several departments. IT department has difficulties launching the e-book software, lacking capacity on hardware which will cause a huge amount of unexpected expense. The outsourcing plan also creates additional problems as Production department has a hard time getting in touch with the outsourced

company in India, which results in major delay on meeting the deadlines and extra expenditures. Moreover, the authors were very unhappy about not being well informed of the launch of the e-books and they are seeking legal solutions. The newly hired CEO failed to make the right decisions starting from using the outsourced company without conducting any survey or research but just going by the referral to not running a test trial on the new software before it goes live. The new CEO also failed to communicate with the authors to gain trust and confidence from them.

The human factor seems to be the main reason that HK is unable to push the e-book plan through smoothly. These problems indicate that HK lacks strong leadership; therefore HKÐŽ¦s opportunity statement will be to become a front-line innovator to setting agenda for the entire publishing industry by developing an organizational culture that promotes discovery, imagination and empowering personnel.

To launch Harrison-Keyes into the era of the 21st century, it is

essential for Harrison-Keyes to first achieve its mission and vision by

following its core values founded in 1899. The mission statement of Harrison-Keyes is to create a set of values and a vision that attracts, finds, evaluates and

recruits players that have a set of diverse skills to fit the company norms. The company vision is: Our Vision is to be the worldÐŽ¦s most influential publishing company in the world by having the best leadership to provide the best customer satisfactions. The values which are to help Harrison-Keyes achieve its mission and vision are: excellence, integrity, fairness, innovation, adding value to our

customers and environment, commitment and consider that HK is as valuable to its customer as they are to the company.

Remember part of what the overseer says in the movie"1984" ad: "We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology.

Where each worker may bloom secure from the pests of contradictory and

confusing truths. Our unification of thought is more powerful a weapon

than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one

resolve, one cause." (Evans, B. 2005) That ugly idea hit a chord with a lot of people 22 years ago, and the same thing holds true today. None of us wants to

be limited, held down or prevented from discovery and imagination. In order for Harrison-Keyes to be prepared for the future, it must plant these seeds of developing and inspiring great talent, creating and manifesting innovation through implementing the essence of leadership.

Strategic failures are often the result of poor implementation and

ineffective leadership. Effective execution of strategies is the key to

operational success and long-term performance. Harrison-KeyesÐŽ¦ implementation plan will be:

„« Creating an innovative organization by attraction, retention,

compensation. (Microsoft)

A. Hiring more senior people from a variety of companies in the