Integrated Assessment of HCSS Business Model - Case Study Example

INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT OF HCSS BUSINESS MODEL By Location Executive summary This paper is a report on a research activity that was carried out by a group comprising of four members. The purpose of this study is to discuss the nature of the business integration. The group uses a company by the name of HCSS in their study. The project starts with an introduction that talks about the purpose of the project and the details of the company involved. The project then proceeds to give details on the assessment of the group’s performance. The report then gives details of the team cases, students which includes the problem statement, an expanded appreciation of the strategy implementation at HCSS. The report then goes ahead and gives a justification of strategy implementation at HCSS. The report then critically analyses the business integration, implementation strategy at HCSS. Table of Contents Executive summary 2 This paper is a report on a research activity that was carried out by a group comprising of four members. The purpose of this study is to discuss the nature of the business integration. The group uses a company by the name of HCSS in their study. The project starts with an introduction that talks about the purpose of the project and the details of the company involved. The project then proceeds to give details on the assessment of the group’s performance. The report then gives details of the team cases, students which includes the problem statement, an expanded appreciation of the strategy implementation at HCSS. The report then goes ahead and gives a justification of strategy implementation at HCSS. The report then critically analyses the business integration, implementation strategy at HCSS. 2 I.Introduction 4 Member performance Assessment 5 Team Case Report 7 Problem Statement 7 Expanded appreciation of strategy implementation at HCSS 7 Justification 9 Critical analysis 11 References 13 Integrated Assessment of HCSS Business Model I. Introduction In the wake of rising major problems in the running of local, regional and international companies, a team was formed to dwell on HCSS as a case study. The company was selected for this purpose so that it would help in shedding light on similar problems that may be occurring in other world class companies. It is expected that by the end of the tasks mandated for the group, there would be recommended solutions for the same problem should it occur in the existence of the group members and the audiences involved too. HCSS is a company that provides information and has knowledge of the customer driven enterprise. The company develops software that is meant to assist construction companies streamline their operations across the United States of America. Thousands of construction companies benefit from the services of this company. This paper aims at using HCSS to discuss how the structure of an organization can influence the manner in which it functions. This team was formed to carry out an extensive study and research in the HR department of HCSS and to identify major problems that face the department. Also to be identified are the possible solutions attached to these problems. In light of that, the members of the group were distributed amongst the different roles that were to be performed. The research was based on the hiring and orientation of new employees into the company. The members of the team were designated to perform different roles as herein discussed. The first team member was expected to study and report on the hiring process and activities of the company. The member was expected to discuss how the company acquires employees, what criteria are used in the process. This included indicating how potential employees are identified and qualifications attached. The second member was expected to research and report on the orientation processes of the company. This includes the activities that take place during the orientation process including what the new employees are expected to do during the orientation process. The third member was supposed to come up with a generic team charter that would provide information about the team and its relative existence based on the set mission. The fourth member did as much as compile the information given by all the members into a comprehensive report that would bring out the actual purpose of the team (Hill & Jones 2012, p. 89). This is inclusive of identifying the conclusions and recommendations of the team. The details of the team members are; The team was headed by, and the other team members, did as much as play their roles under the leadership of the team. The coordination of the members played a very big role in the success of the procedure. Member performance Assessment The members of the team played their roles as expected of them. Each team member produced their expected contributions on time, enabling the completion of this work. This member carried out a comprehensive study on the process of hiring employees at HCSS. This member indicated the methods that the company uses in the process of identifying hiring problems that the HR department normally faces during this process. He managed to evaluate the process and provide recommendations that would better the hiring process at HCSS and other companies too (Goold, Alexander & Campbell 1994, p. 201). However, during the study, the author failed to indicate how the hiring process employed by the company affects the overall performance of the department and the company as a whole. They should have gone ahead to provide information about the pros and cons of the hiring processes employed by the company. In the research on the orientation process of employees at the company, the member managed to find and report the process and the activities that take place during this orientation process. They indicated the orientation activities that the new employees are engaged in and indicated how they helped in the overall performance of the company. They also managed to indicate how the choice of orientation activities negatively affected the functionality of the company and already placed employees. He also managed to discuss the relationship between the overall performance of the company and the orientation process that the employees go through (Hill 2007, p. 123). The writer, however, failed to indicate the recommendations on whatever activities should be done differently, therefore, adding work to the fourth member at the level of compiling the work. The fourth member had to identify possible recommendations and relate them to the finding reported by member 2. The third member was tasked with the role of coming up with the comprehensive team charter that did much in explaining the activities of the team, the objectives of the team, the team members and the roles each of them played in the success of the team. This member also reported on the performance of the members and managed to show how each of these activities were managed. He also provided individual information about the team members. This member did the best of all four by putting together their work in a comprehensive report that indicated all the activities and findings all in a sequential way. He did as much as to indicate whatever information that was left out by any of the members. This member also edited the whole work into a fine finish, ensuring all errors were done away with. However, this member took a long time and had not finished his work on time for the overview process to be carried out by the whole team. Faster working speed is recommended for this member if his role is to be effective in future teams that he involves himself in (Torres-Coronas & Arias-Oliva 2005, p. 111). Team Case Report Problem Statement The competing value framework can be used to point out some of the criteria’s and values and effectiveness under which organizations and work units can be judged. The upper left quadrant of the competing value framework reflects collaborative action imperative. Effectiveness in this quadrant highly depends on the creation and the sustenance of commitment and cohesion. Collaborators are expected to openly and respectively communicate to everyone. This makes it very necessary for them to have a deep understanding and concern for others and themselves too. Collaborators might be important in monitoring and developing of persons in the organization as well as leading groups and managing team (Siegenthaler 2009, p. 101). Expanded appreciation of strategy implementation at HCSS The bottom left quadrant of this framework is always linked to the control action imperative. Effectiveness in this quadrant is aimed at establishing and maintaining continuity and stability. With reference to control, a business manager is supposed to have the knowledge of all the things that are going on in the unit, to find out whether employees are complying with rules and regulations, and to determine whether or not the unit is achieving its goals. As a result of the complex nature of most business organizations, managers are expected to have the capability to move across functions and not just within a single unit (Bowhill 2008, p. 201). In this case the performance will be measured in terms of both effectiveness and efficiency. This would make unit managers the busiest of all players in the unit. Compete action imperative is always represented by the lower right quadrant. Increasing and improving profitability and productivity is the primary criteria for effectiveness for the whole quadrant (Koren 2013, p. 97). This needs all members of the business organization to have an understanding of the mission of the business organization and the things that they have to do in order for them to contribute towards the organization’s mission. To turn the organization’s vision into reality, managers will have to communicate not only the business’ vision, but what is expected from the employees (Nah 2002, p. 112). Due to the nature of competition, managers are expected to be work focused and task oriented in order to be highly competitive. They are also expected to have the capability of taking quick decisive actions.  They should possess characteristics such as energy, motivation, high interest, and personal drive. The upper-right quadrant of this framework shows the characteristics of the open system model and is always labelled creates. Evaluation of effectiveness in this quadrant is always based on the ability to conform to changes and acquiring external support. All managers have the duty of facilitating change and adaptation (Bakker, Helmink, Platschorre & Wilson 1998, p. 134). Identifying important emerging trends, fostering and fuelling innovation, and closely studying the changing environment are the primary tasks of a manager under this quadrant. Managers are also expected to establish their power base and negotiating agreements before they attempt to put their ideas into action.  To make sure that the process of aligning the vision, strategy, and employees’ behavior they work on the commitment and cohesion of their employees.  This process involves enhancing flexibility of groups and individuals in the business organization. This will allow the development of personal skills and abilities. The first step involves making the employees aware of the goals of the business organization (Storey 2007, p. 88). This is accompanied by making employees aware of how their contribution fits into the business organization’s goals. With employees who are this much equipped, the business organization will be able to get the best out of their employees. Justification Paradoxes can exist when ideas that seem to be contradictory or inconsistent are in in actual sense both true. Value frameworks that are competitive assert that managers are often faced with paradoxical situations. Some of these paradoxes are a result of demands that are competing due to the competing values across the quadrant. There are various types of paradox that can emerge from such a process. There might be a paradox associated with learning more about oneself I order to increase someone’s capacity to go through change and become a better person (Cruz-Cunha, Cortes & Putnik 2007, p. 177). There is also another paradox that is related to the human quadrant which emerges when the management overemphasizes on building commitment and cohesion by involving people in the decision making process. This is because decision making that involves groups usually takes longer. This might be as a result of the difference in the various opinions that members of the group might have. This will mean that the management will have to go it alone when it comes to making individual decisions in circumstances where using groups is likely not to yield quality results (Redlein 2004, p. 111). In the human relations model, there are various assumptions that are made. The first assumption is that the business organization is not entirely an economic system, but a social one. This is aimed at enabling the alignment process to take into consideration the interests of all the interested parties. The second assumption is that many needs can result to the motivation of employees (Kose, Cardarelli & Kose 2004, p. 178).  The third assumption is that people will not always behave in rational or logical ways. The fourth assumption asserts that at a working place, workers are always interdependent and their behavior during this period is determined by the social context (Font & Cochrane 2005, p. 92). The fifth assumption is that the behaviors and attitudes of employees are highly affected by the informal work group. The sixth assumption is that economic rewards, rules, and regulations have very minimal impact on the way employees behave in a business organization. The seventh assumption assumes that job roles are by far more complex than job descriptions. Communication channels should also consider both the employee’s emotional needs and the business organization’s economic goals. The ninth assumption is that teamwork is very important in enhancing proper decision making among employees (Liebscher 2006, p. 77). The model also assumes that job satisfaction enhances productivity and proper use of resources. The final assumption is that managers need both social and tactical skills in order to properly manage a business organization effectively. There are four inter-professional Collaborative Practice Competencies. These are: value/ethics of inter-professional practice, Inter-professional Communication, Roles/Responsibilities, and Teams and Teamwork. Value/ethics for inter-professional practice enhances and regulates how a person works with people of different professions with the aim of enhancing a climate of shared values and mutual respect. Inter-professional communication enables an individual roles/responsibilities enables the use of the knowledge of one’s role in the business process and the roles of other professionals to assess the matters at hand (Harrigan & Harrigan 2003, p. 209). These competencies help individuals in understanding themselves and the people around them. They also enable individuals to communicate effectively and honestly. They also enable people to mentor and monitor others. They also give business managers the skills of leading teams and managing groups. Through these competencies managers can also be able to manage conflicts and encourage those that are constructive. These abilities can enable a business management to effectively align the business strategies the behaviors of their employees with the aim of maximizing the productivity of the business organization (Ireland, Hoskisson & Hitt 2008, p. 111). Critical analysis There are various advantages that are related to business management, focusing on human relations. This is because managers who focus on human relations have been discovered to show higher levels of self-awareness (Schaltegger & Wagner 2006, p. 177). They have also proved to be good communicators. This is seen in the way they are able to make good listeners and good speakers. They are also able to regularly provide their employees with constructive feedback (Dustdar & Fiadeiro 2006, p. 212). This helps in enhancing their employees’ belief in their leadership capabilities. They are also able to effectively communicate the business’ expectations to team members. This makes them reliable team and group leaders. This breed of business managers were also discovered to be able to give encouragement to their employees to learn from each other (Kumar, 2010). This is basically facilitated by the different perspectives and ideas that the group members might be having. This breed of manger can, therefore, be said to possess the adequate skills and abilities that can enable them to bring out the best from the team members. This will eventually reflect in the performance of the business organization. There are four primary tensions that business managers should always consider when trying to align the vision, strategy, and employees’ behavior. These tensions are internal focus, stability, external focus, and flexibility. If the management takes all these tensions into consideration then they will most definitely be successful in the process of aligning the vision, strategy, and employees’ behavior. On the other hand failure to put all these tensions can lead to the failure of the all process. As much as the business would need stability, the stability will have to be balanced with some flexibility (Pardy & Andrews 2010, p. 137). The business should also make sure that they have a balance in both internal and external focus.  It is clearly evident that The Company was selected for this purpose so that it would help in shedding light on similar problems that may be occurring at other world class companies. It is expected that by the end of the tasks mandated for the group, there would be recommended solutions for the same problem should it occur in the existence of the group members and the audiences involved too. HCSS is a company that provides information and has knowledge of the customer driven enterprise. The company develops software that is meant to assist construction companies streamline their operations across the United States of America. Thousands of construction companies benefit from the services of this company. References Bakker, H. J., Helmink, J. W., Platschorre, H. J., & Wilson, S. K 1998, Realising succesful business integration: "the integration learning perspective "/ Hans J.C. Bakker, Jeroen W.A. Helmink, Hans J.L. Platschorre ; [ed. Steve K. Wilson], Twijnstra Gudde Management Consultants, Amersfoort. Bowhill, B 2008, Business planning and control: integrating accounting, strategy, and people, Wiley, Chichester, England. Cruz-Cunha, M. M., Cortes, B. C., & Putnik, G 2007, Adaptive technologies and business integration social, managerial, and organizational dimensions, Books24x7.com, Norwood Mass. http://www.books24x7.com/marc.asp?bookid=16476. Dustdar, S., & Fiadeiro, J. 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Schaltegger, S., & Wagner, M 2006, Managing the business case for sustainability: the integration of social, environmental and economic performance, Greenleaf, Sheffield, UK. Siegenthaler, P. J 2009, Perfect M&As: the art of business integration, Ecademy Press. Storey, J 2007, Human resource management: a critical text, Thomson, London. Torres-Coronas, T., & Arias-Oliva, M 2005, e-Human resources management: managing knowledge people, Idea Group Pub, Hershey, Penns. Read More