Response to Classmates Discussions
Classmate response
BUS 637 Week 1 – Discussion Forum 2
Guided Response:Respond to at least two of your fellow students or instructor posts in a substantive manner and provide information or concepts that they may not have considered. Each response should have a minimum of 100 words and be respectful of others opinions and beliefs that differ from your own. Support your position by using information from the weeks readings. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful and interactive discourse in this discussion forum. Continue to monitor the discussion forum until Day 7 and respond with robust dialogue to anyone who replies to your initial post
Andrew Magistri
YesterdaySep 24 at 12:26pm
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Hi everyone!
Kotter’s proposed method used to guide actions creates a strong general framework for implementing change management, however, it may not fit in all cultures. To enable a stronger sense of applicability, it is important to realize that change management implementation may be more applicable in different ways for different organizations. The basic 8 step process as claimed by Kotter, may not be a one-way road. Consideration should be made for the potential to backtrack to any former point in the process, or potentially skipping ahead a step dependent on the overall idea generating momentum.
Rules based environments are substantially more conducive to a niche group of associates, similar in context to principals based environments. Rules based environments set the overall guardrails on a per-position role within an organization. Associates will follow much more structure in their daily routine.
Principals based environments set the guiding foundation for associates to work. The jobs may be similar in the proposed end-goal objective, however, the path to get there is left near freely in the hands of the associates.
Transitioning from one environment to another requires an overall corporate culture shift. The simplest time to consider a large swing would be on company creation. However, assuming the company has existed for any length of time prior to the switch in ideology, the company will inevitably face those that are both anti-change as well as their change-advocates.
Associates that thrive in one environment over the other will likely be against the idea of change, posing challenges in retention, as well as associate satisfaction.
-Andrew
Anand, C. (2019).The greenhouse approach: Cultivating intrapreneurship in companies and organizations. Dundurn.
Kotter. (n.d.).8 step process(Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.).https://www.kotterinc.com/8-steps-process-for-leading-change/
Joseph Choice
YesterdaySep 24 at 3:22pm
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Kotters eight-step method is flexible enough to develop effective change management procedures across several cultures. The caveat to this statement is that it requires an organization and intrapreneurial leaders to be able to interpret and guide individuals to accept the change management process.
For this discussion, I am going to use intrapreneur Lebron James as an example of how he has helped navigate effective change management procedures across several cultures by his leadership within the LA Lakers organization. We often tend to forget that professional sports are part of an intrapreneurial environment where high-level athletes often help navigate results for the entrepreneur (owner) of the team.
Creating a sense of urgency is an area that has to be sold to an individual with WIFM (Whats In It For Me) in mind. As a player on the Lakers, some players are interested in a championship, some in being a starter, some in being an all-star; in order to get there, a sense of urgency needs to be created. Not all players are budding new rookies awaiting instructions, so building that environment with finding the WIFM for each player is something that Lebron has been able to successfully obtain from his current team. He has helped players who might have necessarily never had enough playing time on other teams by pushing them to be passionate about the team, their mission, and their contribution to the team. Lebron has been able to effectively create his guiding coalition which ties into the next change management method of forming a strategic vision and initiatives. When new players come to the team, his intrapreneurial qualities come out to speak towards the vision and how each person will make future goals a reality. Bosccher (as quoted by Kotter, n.d.) mentions that Its not a project, Its a movement. Its a Journey. Join us and leave your mark. (para 4) Beliefs such as these in a team environment can help gain the buy-in to all move in the same direction, like an army.
Enabling action by removing barriers is the next change management procedure. Before his arrival to the LA Laker, Lebron James did not serve as a point guard. This was one position for the team that proved to be inefficient in the past and hard to fill, which caused barriers towards the teams success. Lebron removed said walls by shifting his position from power forward to becoming a point forward. This changed allowed him to add further value to the team and removed a significant barrier that impacted the teams success. This translated into short term wins for some, which ties into change management procedure six. Bench players and role players on the team earned extra minutes, highlight-reel dunks, and player of the week accolades as they filled in other positions. Lebron sustained this acceleration and moment (rule 7) by resurrecting the careers of former all-star players such as Dwight Howard by involving him back into the Lakers team after his first stint with the team was a failure. Lebrons push to continue to be better helped improve their teams defense with a player that still had more to give. Last, instituting change this season Lebron and the Lakers have undergone changes to their lineup, their practice habits, and their playing environment into the Orlando bubble. Despite these changes, Lebron and the team continue to work together and are on pace to reach the NBA Finals.
The level of effort it will take to transition from a rules-based environment to a principle-informing rules environment will depend on the change plan and the timeframe that the intrapreneur sets for this change to be completed within the organization. Change management should be part of organizations’ long-term goals similar to business planning goals that are set. (e.g. 3-year plan, 5-year plan) Changing people must go hand in hand with the ongoing changes made to existing processes, technology, and procedures. People often respond better to culture change when they can also see tangible differences occur as well. Two significant obstacles that might be encountered is difficulty abandoning the old way of thinking and developing trust towards the newfound empowerment. (Anand, 2019) Getting rid of old ways of thinking is very difficult as we are creatures of habit. To change how one sees things takes time, and intrapreneurs need to understand that not everyone will quickly adapt to this new shift in thinking. The next obstacle is developing trust in the new freedom found in personal empowerment. In rules-based environments, rules are rigid and fixed and often come with penalties for breaching the rules. Once it is moved to principle-based, individuals have to decide how to act based on principle guidelines and trust that if they do the right thing, no harm will come their way. Intrapreneurs can help facilitate this trust by routine check-ins and feedback sessions to ensure that communication and transparency are available.
References:
Anand, C. (2019). The greenhouse approach: Cultivating intrapreneurship in companies and organizations. Dundurn.
Kotter. (n.d.). 8 step process (Links to an external site.). https://www.kotterinc.com/8-steps-process-for-leading-change/ BUS 637 Week 1 – Discussion Forum 1
Guided Response:Respond to at least two of your fellow students or instructor posts in a substantive manner and provide information or concepts that they may not have considered. Each response should have a minimum of 100 words and be respectful of others opinions and beliefs that differ from your own. Support your position by using information from the weeks readings. You are encouraged to post your required replies earlier in the week to promote more meaningful and interactive discourse in this discussion forum. Continue to monitor the discussion forum until Day 7 and respond with robust dialogue to anyone who replies to your initial post.
Lisa Schreiner
TuesdaySep 22 at 4:13pm
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Intrapreneurs are strong, independent, influential contributors towards a decision-making process. A beneficial environment foundation for Intrapreneurs to maximize their potential is a culture that empowers them to take charge of a meeting and drive the discussion. The surroundings remove barriers and portray openness where Intrapreneurs are encouraged to share ideas, creating dialogue others continue to feed off.
Management support, guidance, and practice reflect the organizational change. Organizational change failures found that 70% of the time is due to change failure burnout (Gleeson, 2017). For example, change implementations take place year after year, but nothing stays. People work hard to make changes in their work processes, relationships, and schedules to find the organization decides to take another path. Folks get tired of putting in the effort to make changes with no concrete adaptation in the end. Now they think, why bother? It will just end up at the waste side with the rest of the ideas.
Intrapreneurs make excellent change agents through their outspoken personality and ability to voice ideas. According to Foley (2013), Intrapreneurs have an innate curiosity to explore the unknown which makes them great change agents (para. 7-10):
They love a challenge. They are consistently building their capabilities by challenging themselves. No challenge is too big.
They take responsibility for their own growth and development. They proactively seek out opportunities that enable them to stretch and grow. Personal growth is what motivates them.
They embrace change. They know that nothing happens until someone takes action, takes the lead and creates a new path for others to follow. Intrapreneurs take the lead, they make change happen.
References
Foley, S. (2013, August 12). Intrapreneurs Driving Change.
https://corporate-entrepreneurs.com/2013/08/12/intrapreneurs-driving-change/(Links to an external site.)
Gleeson, B. (2017, July 25).
1 reason why most change management efforts fail
.Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2017/07/25/1-reason-why-most-change-management-efforts-fail/#4ddc4595546b
Shira Hudson
YesterdaySep 24 at 9:49am
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Intrapreneurs need specific, fluid, and well-defined environments to thrive. Stagnant and stalled environments are perfect settings for an intrapreneur to make his/her impact. Change in any organization is viewed with resistance and hesitation. When change efforts have failed in the past, people often grow cynical. (Gleeson, 2017) It is critical to allow the intrapreneur to implement strategies of inclusion, partnership, and culture throughout the entire organization. The removal of barriers from intrapreneurs invites a freshness that is long overdue to a company.
Three principles that are the foundation for a beneficial intrapreneurial environment are:
Be the Bridge Builder:The intrapreneur must have the skill and ability to connect with both internal customers and external customers. The customers voice provides beneficial information for the company to analyze and implement and make changes.
Be Bold:The intrapreneur should make it a habit to say yes often and be experimental in the day to day business practices.
Set the Common Ground:The intrapreneur should embed a culture of inclusion and teamwork. This networking group will have the potential of branching out displaying the many talents on the teams
Having a 70% failure rate for the implementation of organizational change is quite high and shocking. The nimble change management techniques have the ability to reduce this estimated 70% failure rate by changing mindsets. Having a fixed mindset will almost always limit the possibilities and opportunities and have an employee stuck in that norm. A growth mindset allows for elevation to take hold and pathways to lead. A growth mindset also it embraces failure as a welcome learning opportunity a springboard for stretching and enhancing our abilities. (Anand, 2019) Once the mindset is changed and set to flexible, creative thinking, the business attitudes, business atmosphere, and environment will also follow.
The intrapreneurs need this room for growth and exploration to assist with drastically reducing this 70% failure rate.
Reference
Anand, C. (2019).
The greenhouse approach: Cultivating intrapreneurship in companies and organizations
. Dundurn.
Gleeson, B. (2017, July 25). 1 Reason Why Most Change Management Efforts Fail. Retrieved from
https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2017/07/25/1-reason-why-most-change-management-efforts-fail/#73377714546b BUS 638 Week 1 – Discussion Forum 2
Guided Response:Respond to at least two of your classmates by commenting on their posts with constructive comments that move the conversation forward. Though two replies are the basic expectation for class discussions, for deeper engagement and learning, you are encouraged to provide responses to additional students and to respond to any comments or questions from other students. In addition, responding to the instructors questions or comments is mandatory. Continuing to engage with peers and the instructor will further the conversation and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real-world experiences with the discussion topics.
Marc Anthony Reynoso
Hi class,
By the year 2030 and beyond, Microsoft plans on making environmental impacts. Smith states, by 2030, Microsoft will be carbon negative, and by 2050 Microsoft will remove from the environment all the carbon the company has emitted either directly or by electrical consumption since it was founded in 1975. Microsoft recognizes that progress requires a detailed plan. They are launching an aggressive program to cut carbon emissions by more than half by 2030, both for direct emissions and for the entire supply and value chain. They will fund this by expanding an internal carbon fee in place since 2012 and increased last year to start charging not only direct emissions but also those from supply and value chains (Smith, 2020).
Aside from reducing their carbon print, Microsoft also has initiatives that impact water supply. Smith states, by 2030, Microsoft will be water positive, meaning they will replenish more water than they use. They will do this by putting back more water in stressed basins than global water consumption across all basins. The amount returned will be determined by how much water Microsoft uses and how stressed the basin is (Smith, 2020).
The replenishment strategy will include investments in projects such as wetland restoration and removing impervious surfaces like asphalt, which will help replenish water back into the basins that need it most. Microsoft will focus on replenishing efforts on roughly 40 highly stressed basins where they have operations. This reflects a science-based assessment of the worlds water basins. Smith also states, the majority of the worlds freshwater is divided into 16,396 basins, each of which has been assigned a baseline water stress score by the World Resources Institute (WRI). This leading nonprofit global research organization focuses on natural resources. A basin is considered highly stressed if the amount of water withdrawn exceeds 40% of the renewable supply. Globally 4,717 basins fall into this category (Smith, 2020).
https://news.microsoft.com/en-ph/2015/06/26/microsoft-philippines-holds-annual-ngo-connection-day/(Links to an external site.)
The article above describes Microsoft in partnership with TechSoup Asia to connect with local NGOs to support and strengthen their technology operations. The event features case studies from NGOs, sessions on technology for social good, as well as demonstrations on the latest Microsoft solutions to facilitate more efficient systems and processes in nonprofit operations. Furthermore, NGO Connection Day focuses on how the Cloud can power nonprofit operations, featuring Microsofts comprehensive Cloud tool Office 365 made accessible to eligible nonprofits for free or at a significant discount (Microsoft Philippines Communications Team, 2015).
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/06/business/international/microsoft-china-antitrust-inquiry.html(Links to an external site.)
The article above describes an ethicaldilemmaMicrosoft faced intheitsChinacounterparts.For Microsoft, its setbacksChinaare particularly galling because high rates of software piracy have sharply limited its sales there, even though products like Windows and Office are widely used.The scrutiny of Microsoft by the regulator, the State Administration for Industry andCommerce (SAIC) stems from antitrust investigations of major Western tech companies in 2014.
-Marc Anthony
Resources:
Smith, B. (2020, July 23).Microsoft will be carbon negative by 2030. The Official Microsoft Blog.https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/01/16/microsoft-will-be-carbon-negative-by-2030/(Links to an external site.).
Smith, B. (2020, September 21).Microsoft will replenish more water than it consumes by 2030. The Official Microsoft Blog.https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/09/21/microsoft-will-replenish-more-water-than-it-consumes-by-2030/(Links to an external site.).
Microsoft Philippines Communications Team. (2015, June 29).Microsoft Philippines holds annual NGO Connection Day. Microsoft News Center Philippines.https://news.microsoft.com/en-ph/2015/06/26/microsoft-philippines-holds-annual-ngo-connection-day/(Links to an external site.).
David Harris
YesterdaySep 24 at 3:16pm
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Begin the web quest by researching current news articles and the most recent annual report for Microsoft.
After searching for Microsofts most recent annual report, we found that the company generated more revenue than it has in at least the past 5 years. The company is in good financial health, despite the current state of the world due to the world-wide pandemic. Microsoft is considered a global company, with many investors and their stock has stayed relatively on top despite the market consistently seeing a loss.
What is the overall global economy projected to be by 2030 and what do you think will be the highest growth divisions for Microsoft at that time and in what geographic areas? Support your projections with at least two credible and recent sources.
The economic projects for Microsoft are unclear, but two things they are working on and see for their future are their continued work in the removal of greenhouse gases in the environment and the focus that there may be a life without windows someday. Microsoft is leading by example in trying to clean up our planet to protect future life. They have vowed to be carbon negative by 2030 and by 2050 will have removed all the previous carbon the company has affected the planet with. When it comes to a world without windows they are addressing that technology is changing and everything is app and cloud focused. Microsoft CEO has even prepped the window division of the company that Microsoft may not be needed much longer.
https://www.theverge.com/2020/1/21/21071108/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-iot-windows-ios-android-future(Links to an external site.)
https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/01/16/microsoft-will-be-carbon-negative-by-2030/(Links to an external site.)
Share a news link to an article that you found that describes Microsoft interacting with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) or foreign government. Share your link (please cite it), briefly summarize the article, and include a description of the importance/role of the NGO or government entity.
The current interactions Microsoft has had with foreign governments is the signing of deals to provide them with cloud-infrastructure services. These deals can be worth up $10 billion dollars in government contracts. These contracts have come under fire after Amazon made an appeal against them. The pentagon in now in control of who will receive the contracts and a decision should be made shortly.
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/microsoft-is-signing-deals-similar-to-jedi-with-foreign-governments-report-2020-08-21(Links to an external site.)
Next, share a news link to an article that describes a cultural challenge or ethical dilemma Microsoft faced outside of the United States. Share your link (please cite it), briefly summarize the article, and include your own thoughts on how Microsoft might have handled the problem differently to ameliorate the situation.
Microsoft has recently had to pay $26 million to settle claims that it violated foreign corrupt practices act. This happened because Hungarian employees inflated their margins on software sales. It was all part of an improper payment scheme. It is noted in the article that there were not proper procedures that were implemented in order to monitor the discounts that were being deducted as part of the payment scheme.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/07/22/microsoft-pay-million-settle-probe-into-hungarian-kickback-scheme/ BUS 638 Week 1 – Discussion Forum 1
Guided Response:Respond to at least two of your classmates by commenting on their posts with constructive comments that move the conversation forward. Though two replies are the basic expectation for class discussions, for deeper engagement and learning, you are encouraged to provide responses to additional students and to respond to any comments or questions from other students. In addition, responding to the instructors questions or comments is mandatory. Continuing to engage with peers and the instructor will further the conversation and provide you with opportunities to demonstrate your content expertise, critical thinking, and real-world experiences with the discussion topics.
Kathryn Magoteaux
My final paper will focus on our U.S. multinational corporations expansion of its aftermarket distribution footprint in Mexico. The launch of a distribution center for our companys aftermarket customers in Mexico will allow our company to expand our product offerings in the Mexican market with shorter lead time.
My resource partner is Raymundo Trevino. Ray has been with Accuride De Mexico for nearly sixteen years and is their Lean-CI & It Manager. Before his employment with Accuride De Mexico, Ray received a degree in Information Systems Administration and a Masters in Software Technology. In 2012, Ray achieved his Master of Business Administration. I choose Ray because he is an excellent learning source. Although we are not direct peers, Ray is always willing to support and share knowledge, which is one of the main reasons I asked him to by my resource partner.
Our text introduces us to the concepts of institution-based and resource-based views of global business. Doing business around the globe requires intimate knowledge about both formal rules (such as laws) and informal rules (such as values) that govern competition in various countries (Peng, 2017, pp. 14-15). Ray has already established the importance of understanding both cultural and governmental rules. Additionally, our organization will import the product into Mexico from the United States, Canada, and China, understanding the advantages of having a custom-bonded warehouse over a non-bonded warehouse. Although the government owns most customs bonded warehouses, our organization would apply to become a certified import storage facility (Chalmers, 2019, para. 5). Being an accredited import storage facility will allow our organization to provide our services to others should we diversify our operation.
Chalmers, D. (2019, December 30). 5 Advantages of a Customs Bonded Warehouse over a Non-Bonded Warehouse. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://bridgetowntrucking.com/blog/advantages-customs-bonded-warehouse/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymundo-trevi%C3%B1o-b5795b8/
Peng, M. W. (2017).Global business(4th ed.). Retrieved from https://redshelf.com/
Michelle Buckley
TuesdaySep 22 at 12:24pm
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As the owner/operator of a pet grooming business, I have decided to expand my business venture internationally and this will be the focus of my Week 6 final paper. My business will launch in London, England soon and will include the opening of a local office with staff, marketing, and financial needs. According to Pursey (2020), pet grooming is a growing business in the UK, and there has been a surge in the amount of people who want to get their pets groomed, particularly dogs (para. 117). In fact, twenty-seven percent of those questioned said they had finished with a partner in favour of their animal compared with two percent when the survey was last carried out, in 2011 (Quarter of us choose pet over partner, 2019, para. 2). It is clear that Londoners are creating stronger bonds with their pets over the last decade and this is leading to an increased need for per services, such as grooming. Increasingly, pet owners are willing to spend dispensable money on animals that become family members.
To help me be successful in this venture, I have sought the assistance of a resource partner from the area.Giuliano Labbate(Links to an external site.)is the Head of Regional Product Management for Amadeus North America. His degree is from the University of Hull in England, and he has held a variety of roles in the airline and technology industries. While there is not a direct link with his career and my new venture, he is an animal lover and will provide good insights into various aspects of business and culture for my international venture in London.
References
https://www.linkedin.com/in/giuliano-labbate-80757212/
Pursey, J. (2020, September 7).100 business ideas you can start today. Entrepreneur Handbook.https://entrepreneurhandbook.co.uk/100-business-ideas-start-today/(Links to an external site.)
Quarter of us choose pet over partner. (2019, January 24).Evening Standard, 9.
