Unit 16 MCKI Assignment Solution - Dell

Unit 16 MCKI Assignment Solution - Dell

Introduction

For any employee, Dell is considered to be the best working company. Dell is known for their employee and customer satisfaction. This has fuelled the urge among new talents to work for Dell as they are always on the positive side when it comes to customer satisfaction and employee recognition. However, in the last decade, Dell has faced an enormous dispute in market. After a long time, Dell was able to make a promising comeback with their new marketing strategy, which helped them to recover their losses during the lean period. During the period of 1990’s, manufacturing strategy and layout design of plant were not able to help Dell in becoming a long term sustainability organisation. Since the market was new and the competition was very less, Dell realised the urgency of restructuring the manufacturing process. However, with increased competition in the market from companies like IBM and Microsoft, Dell understood that they required a major refurbishment to sustain in the market. 

Task - 1

1.1 1.2 Discuss the range of decisions to be taken and examine the information and knowledge needed to ensure effective decision taking

Dell has been in the limelight for their labour controversy recently. This controversy has affected the image of and brand value of Dell immensely. In addition to this, suppliers are another concern for them as suppliers are not able to meet the deadline of resources as provided to apple, which reflects on this present controversy. This issue is directly affecting the inventory process of Dell. The organisation is known to provide excellent services to their consumers and provides business class solutions to other business organisation. In addition to this, Dell, during its peak business duration has hired some of the best employees in the market. Nonetheless, the fresh controversy has affected the business operations that have forced them to alter their marketing strategy to improve their brand image in UK market (Dell.co.uk, 2016).

Nevertheless, altering the marketing strategy is not enough for the organisation to sustain in the market, but they have to change the strategy of their manufacturing process as well. Dell manufactures electronic devices which is overbearing the manufacturing process. Therefore, cultivating its process and layout firm in the former years, it has shown immense development in production and efficiency of it business operation. Based on the information above, the learner analyses the different types of manufacturing facility layouts that are suitable for dell to adapt. The discussion has explored the various decisions that Dell has taken and needs to take for sustaining in the market (Dell.co.uk, 2016).

Figure1 – Category for range of decisions

(Source:Jones, 2010)

With the competition increasing day by day, Dell has to strategize accordingly to ensure that they are able to bring a change in their manufacturing process and marketing strategies to attract new consumers for business. This will help the organisation to move over the controversy and improve their brand value in the market. The decisions include a series of approach that can help them to make relevant changes in their business process and enhance the working conditions and environment for the employees (Jones, 2010, 97). These range of decisions can help Dell to make appropriate changes to their strategies in terms of marketing, operations and others to name a few.

To make decision process efficient, organisation has to collect relevant data both in terms of qualitative and quantitative approach as it would support the objectives and goals. Plant layout, which falls under the category of tactical decisions explains the arrangement of necessary equipment and machines their industrial facility to maximise the smooth execution of material and information to the retail floors. Facility layout compromises of four different types and have their own planning.

Figure2 – Types of facility layouts

(Source:Coombs, 2014)

Process Layout: Design of a floor plan that aims to increase the efficiency and resource transfer by providing machineries and equipment based on requirement.

Fixed Position Layout: This type of layout helps in moving the final products to the consumer by declining the middle stages.

Cellular Layout: This layout divides the resources into small clusters to minimise the complication level of process type layouts.

Product Type Layout: this layout focuses primarily on the flow of products and materials directly to the floor. The equipment and machineries are in proper arrangement to turn the resources into an end product.

However, changing the manufacturing layout is not sufficient to bring the desired changes. In order to operate the machineries and equipment, appropriate employees are required as well. Therefore, the organisation has to look over the job design and responsibility as well to bring maximum change in the process. A proper job design is considered to be a major influence on the performance of an employee that is operating at a particular machine or equipment (Coombs, 2014, p. 145). It eventually reduces the employee dissatisfaction that arise seldom. 

1.3 Assess the current operations – internal and external sources of information and understanding

After a thorough research, the learner has identified some of the journals that reflect on the current operations of Dell based on the job design.

Job: Work at hand that needs to be completed

Job Development: Increase in jobs of a specific job function stretches more accountability to the employee which creates a sagacity of being an important part of the organisation.

Job Variation: Bringing a change in the employee’s job makes them more enhanced and also develops new skills apart from their monotonous job profile.

Job Enrichment: Helps in improving the skillsets of the employee and provide them more opportunity to increase their intellectual level for a higher level in the organisation. It also acts as a source of motivation.

There are certain benefits of job design that are favourable to the organisation and the employees as well. They are,

• Improving employee satisfaction
• Enhances the productivity
• Timely Deliveries
• Positive atmosphere in the work place
• Quality performance with minimised error rate

In order to understand the matter, the learner makes contact with some employees of Dell who volunteered to share their experience with the learner. After gathering information from employees through qualitative means, it has been noticed that, Dell has already implemented product type layout for their facility. However, if the layout can be modified it can enhance and improve the efficiency of the respective process that the organisation executes in their facility. Since Dell, already has an efficient market, it needs to maintains and improve its competitive advantage in sustainability for a long term run in the market. Under such situation the organisation has to improve its consumer relationship by providing attractive offers for its consumers.

1.4 Explain and justify recommendations for improvement

Based on the discussion above, there is no appropriate approach towards the improvement. However, bringing a change to the manufacturing process, Dell can make significant improvements. Apart from that, dell can make improvements in their facility layout to enhance the business based on the demands of the consumers. In addition to this, another area that Dell can focus is the job design of the employees. Altering or modifying the job design can improve the performance and productivity. Hence, as there is no definitive approach towards improvement, Dell can enhance their present manufacturing process and job design to improve their business functions and monitor changes to review their overall performance.  

Task - 2

2.1 Identify stakeholders for a decision-making process in the company and explain why you think they are important and appropriate

Stakeholders in simple business definition label them as individuals who affect an industry or are exaggerated by the industry. They can either have an association with the business or have an impact on the business (Kolleret al. 2010, p. 339) Stakeholders are primarily of two types. They are,

Figure3 – Types of Stakeholders

Internal Stakeholders: Internal stakeholders comprises of employees, suppliers, creditors management of the organisation, creditors, customers, and stockholders. They tend to play an essential role towards the development of the organisation. Planning, Coordination, implementation, evaluation and control are some of the functions that are carried out by the internal stakeholders of the company. They influence the business process by improving the functions of business by participating directly in the business. It involves economic dealings as well, for example without the resources from the supplier they will not be able to develop their products (Jones, 2010, p. 324). This affects the supply chain as well, because late deliveries of the resources hamper the delivery time thereby affecting the whole chain process. This directly affects the productivity percentage, revenue, and the brand image of the organisation.

External Stakeholders: External stakeholders include public groups, government agencies, business competitors, and media organisation which are considered to be the biggest stakeholders of any organisation. They are not directly linked to the organisation, but play an important role in influencing the business functions. They do not have any connection with the organisation but their views and statements do affect the organisation’s brand, it can be on the positive or negative side depending on the content of the view (Rahim, 2010, p. 337).

The applicable empathy of the stakeholders and analysis of their interest is considered to be essential as it helps in broadening the prospects of the business and helps in generating better ideas. In addition to this, it also increases the participation of stakeholders in making decision for the organisation. It also increases the credibility of the organisation and increases the success level made by the business. Therefore the role of stakeholders in an organisation is considered to be very vital in enhancing the production of the company and improving the performance percentage to sustain in the business market (Kebede, 2010, p. 417).

2.2 2.3 Explain how and why making contact with those identified and develops business relationships is important

Based on the discussion above, it is clear that stakeholders play a crucial role in the development of an organisation; therefore it is essential for the company to maintain proper communication with them. This helps in maintaining a proper relationship that benefits each other in the long run for sustainability. A proper communication plan that is considered to viable to approach the stakeholders are,

• Information against every stakeholder of the organisation should be distinguished.
• Additional Stakeholders for the company is also a viable approach which should be taken into contemplation.
• Companies should develop a proper channel for communication with the stakeholders
• The organisation should develop a proper means of communication to inform the respective stakeholders. Even if a stakeholder is not directly in association with the organisation, they still have the right to identify about the events of the organisation.

As put forward by Choiet al. (2010, p. 861), the different forms of communication approaches that can be implemented for increasing business relations with the stakeholders are,

Direct Mail: Implementing direct mail system to the stakeholders of the organisation can help the organisation to deliver the required message in relation to the functions of business. This is considered to be one of the most trusted forms of approach in business context.

Discussion Forums:Discussion forum has the power to include all the internal and external stakeholders of the organisation to discuss different viewpoint that can be helpful in the decision making process.

Advertisement:Print and Media advertisement are best way to inform the stakeholders of the organisation. This helps the organisation to inform a large group of stakeholders instantly without any delay of time.

Meetings and Conferences:Conducting meetings and conferences is another platform to communicate with the stakeholders.

Personal Interviews: In order to receive fresh information from stakeholders based on their opinions and reviews of the organisation, personal interviews are added advantages for the company as it helps in the decision making process to improve the business functions.

Public Relations: Public relation is another formal method of circulating information to the stakeholders.

These processes help an organisation to interact with the stakeholders supports the business organisation in understanding the business strategies to improve the relations. However, one thing is very crucial for the above discussions. Every discussion should be carefully recorded in written format to safeguard the business organisation.

Stakeholders are an importantpart of the organisation who actively participates in the decision making process of an organisation. There are various process that can support the decision making process. Online forums helps the business to take into account the viewpoints of various stakeholders in their decision making process. The top level management of an organisation sometimes take the initiative of personal interview and discuss with the stakeholders about the issue. Direct mails, meetings and conferences are the best way to communicate with the stakeholders as it helps in understanding the issues effectively in detail (Hashimet al. 2010, p. 387)Trust and confidence is considered to be the best source of relationship between the two parties.

The organisation should have faith in their stakeholders and so does the other. Coordination and cooperation leads to productive relationship that can alter the business functions completely. For example, the top level management of an organisation should inform their employees about the issues and show their faith in employees. This helps them to come to a proper solution by discussing it with everyone in the organisation. Another aspect of responsibility that the stakeholders have is binding the information. Confidentiality is the first step towards the development of relationship. For example, Dell decides to launch a new product and has quoted its supplier about the price. Hence it is essential for the supplier to maintain confidentiality about the organisation’s quotation.

Nonetheless, there are certain flaws that creates a lot of risk in the decision making process. They are,

• Time: Decision making process is not an easy process and requires a lot of time to come to proper conclusion about their decision.
• Opinions:The process is stressful as it brings many opinions and thoughts to the process which becomes difficult for the organisation to filter.
• Issues: This process leads to trust issues and confidentiality of the information
• Approach:As the process takes a long time, stakeholders tend to become unpremeditated which affects the decision making process greatly.

2.4 Design strategies for improvement

Speaker Notes: Annual meetings and conferences can help the organisation to provide information to the stakeholders through this medium. This helps them to stay up to date about the organisation’s progress and development in business process. Another area of implementation includes the use of social media platform that are used heavily by almost every individual in this planet. With the help of internet, the world has become a global village that connects individuals of any country of region in a matter of seconds (Bell DeTienne and Jackson, 2001, p. 9). This strategy if implemented can bring a good change in the organisation and help them to grow accordingly. In addition to this, internal stakeholders of the company are considered to be the backbone of the organisation and it is essential for an organisation to provide them with trips as a token of thanks for their contribution in the organisation performance and development.

Task3

3.1 Report on existing processes of communication in an organisation based on your findings

Table1 – Existing process of communication

These methods of communications have been in an organisation for period of time and considered to be the traditional form of communication. These have their own advantages and disadvantages based on the nature of information that the organisation has for its stakeholders (Leidner, 2010, p. 73). This helps in staying connected with the members of an organisation. 

3.2 3.3 Explain ways to improve appropriateness and explain how you would implement improvements to ensure greater integration of systems of communication in that organisation

In order to improve the efficiency of communication, Dell has to ensure in selecting the appropriate mode of communication. Since there is no communication that is worthy enough to be a complete package, there are certain benefits and flaws of the existing communication method. They are,

Table2 – Improve appropriateness of communication process

To implement a better and reliable mode of communication for a better flow of information from department to department, intranet facility within an organisation can diminish the barrier. Intranet facility in an organisation helps in spreading the information quickly among the concerned personnel. Another mode of communication is face to face meetings that can improve the flow of information and avoid grapevine (Raymondet al. 2010, p. 1768). Feedbacks which includes, grievance and complains can be implemented to improve the communication. Apart from that, emails are the first choice to disseminate the information properly.

3.4 Personal Plan to improve own communication skills

Speaker Notes: Based on my present conditions, I have realised that in order to be effective and grow in the organisation, I have to move over my weaknesses and for this I have decided to enrol myself in soft skill development programme and public speaking course to enhance my communication skills for a large audience and get over my stage fright. This will help me to improve my own performance in the organisation and prove to be productive for the betterment of the company and me. In order to achieve this objective, I have allocated myself 2 months, after which I will start to monitor changes in me and review the result for further improvement until I am confident enough to deal with my weaknesses.

Conclusion

The report has been organised accordingly to provide a better understanding on the issues. The first part of the report explores the various issues pertaining to Dell in respect to the recent controversies in international market. In addition to that, organisation has developed new strategies to enter new market and concentrate on the present profitable market like India. Even though the organisation has its market in India, Dell has not put a lot of effort in utilising the market well. The report has provided all the necessary information through critical discussion to provide a better outlook on the issues and solution.

Reference List

Coombs, W.T., 2014. Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications
Koller, T., Goedhart, M. and Wessels, D., 2010. Valuation: measuring and managing the value of companies (Vol. 499). John Wiley and sons
Jones, W., 2010. Keeping found things found: The study and practice of personal information management. Morgan Kaufmann.
Rahim, M.A., 2010. Managing conflict in organizations Transaction Publishers
Kebede, G., 2010. Knowledge management: An information science perspective. International Journal of Information Management, 30(5), pp.416-424
Choi, S.Y., Lee, H. and Yoo, Y., 2010. The impact of information technologyand Transactive memory systems on knowledge sharing, application, and team performance: a field study. MIS quarterly, pp.855-870
Hashim, F., Alam, G.M. and Siraj, S., 2010. Information and communication technology for participatory based decision-making-E-management for administrative efficiency in Higher Education International Journal of Physical Sciences, 5(4), pp.383-392
Bell DeTienne, K. and Jackson, L.A., 2001. Knowledge management: understanding theory and developing strategy. Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal, 11(1), pp.1-11.
Leidner, D.E., 2010. Globalization, culture, and information: Towards global knowledge transparency. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 19(2), pp.69-77