Management consultant at Miri & Co Partners
You are a management consultant at Miri & Co Partners; you receive an email from one of your long-term clients stating as follows:
Following an overhaul of the company and a shift from the conventional model to telecommuting, several challenges have emerged. First, the majority of the departments are not meeting their monthly targets. This follows an introduction of a policy that the most productive employees will receive a monthly bonus. Secondly, numerous conflicts are emerging from the finance departments. We need an urgent solution to increase the productivity of this department. Answer the following questions:
1.How can the company improve group awareness in the company? (5 marks)
2.State the process of using a microcosm group to address organization-wide issues. (5 marks)
3.What are the disadvantages of restructuring based on functional structure? (5 marks)
Solutions for Miri & Co Partners' Client
- Improving Group Awareness (5 marks)
- Communication Platforms: Implement collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams for real-time communication and information sharing.
- Virtual Meetings: Schedule regular virtual team meetings with clear agendas to discuss progress, challenges, and share best practices.
- Knowledge Sharing Sessions: Organize virtual workshops or lunch-and-learns where employees can share expertise and learn from each other.
- Internal Communication Channels: Create a company newsletter or intranet portal to share company updates, announcements, and success stories to foster a sense of connection.
- Social Activities: Encourage virtual team-building activities like online games, quizzes, or social events to build camaraderie and informal communication.
- Microcosm Group Process (5 marks)
- Selection: Choose a small group of employees from the finance department with diverse roles and perspectives.
- Objective Setting: Clearly define the issue(s) the microcosm group will address, such as identifying causes of conflict or brainstorming solutions.
- Facilitation: Provide a neutral facilitator to guide discussions and ensure everyone participates.
- Data Collection: Gather qualitative and quantitative data from the microcosm group through discussions, surveys, or role-playing exercises.
- Analysis and Recommendations: Analyze the data collected by the microcosm group to identify patterns and formulate recommendations for addressing conflict in the finance department.
- Implementation: Present the microcosm group's recommendations to the entire finance department and implement solutions collaboratively.
- Disadvantages of Functional Structure (5 marks)
- Limited Collaboration: Functional silos can hinder communication and collaboration between departments, crucial for tackling complex challenges.
- Slow Decision-Making: Information flow might be impeded, leading to slower decision-making due to lack of cross-functional input.
- Limited Innovation: Focus on functional expertise can stifle innovation that often arises from collaboration across departments.
- Reduced Employee Engagement: Employees might feel isolated and less connected to the company's overall goals in a purely functional structure.
- Challenges in Project Management: Coordinating projects that require input from multiple functions can be difficult in a telecommuting environment with a functional structure.