Global Management Systems - Research Paper Example

? Global Management Systems Global Management Systems Introduction In specific terms, global management systems could be understood as systems of information that are involved in the collection, evaluation, processing, integration, and communication of all necessary and appropriate forms of knowledge in any particular field of human interest. The purpose of these processes is to provide various applications with the collected and organized bodies of knowledge as may be required by a system of application. Quality management is one of the distinguishing features of global management systems (O’Sullivan, 2008). Results-driven and goal-oriented strategies in today’s corporate world have increased the relevance of adopting global management systems. Certain developments have made it possible for organizations to embrace global management systems. The innovations of the Information Communication and Technology (ICT) have made it possible to solve traditional challenges of communication. Internet-based technologies have brought about innovations such as teleconferencing, which make it possible for people separated physically to communicate effectively and work harmoniously. Global management systems developed from the harnessing of these technologies in harmonious, coherent, and systematic working structures. A more elaborate appreciation of the relevance of the global management systems should be guided by the awareness of the differences that have emerged in management systems over the recent past. According to current and previous surveys of the historical development of management processes, the world is increasingly changing from the conventional rigid frameworks of management by adopting new forms and structures (Rahman, 2009). There is an evident and determined shift from the localized management systems to management systems that open up contacts and associations with organizations beyond the professional and geographical boundaries. In the wake of these developments, management systems and processes have had to adopt tools and processes that expand the tasks of organizational management to the international scope. However, the efficacy of global management systems is largely conditioned by the manner in which the local organizations structure themselves in relation to international standards (Oshri, Kotlarsky and Willcocks, 2008). The traditional management systems often involved a constricted system that revolved around the managerial acumen and abilities of the top managers. The top managers exclusively were in charge of the roles of strategy development, goal-setting, monitoring and evaluating processes, crisis management and other processes that largely relate to the process of systems management. The traditional system was generally tedious, cumbersome, and open to abuse and inefficiencies relating to some possible limitations on the part of the management. Moreover, such management systems lay structural impediments of growth and expansion for the companies and organizations (Bu Varma, 2008). These organizations often miss the synergies, skills, and talents that can be found only on the international markets and places outside their territorial expanses. The involvement of global management systems has made it possible for companies and organizations to engage specialized skills and resources that were beyond their individual systems. Global management systems have designed knowledge-based products and systems that seek to address some of the major challenges that have been affecting organizations. It might help consider the evolution of these systems in terms of the basic structural challenges that have affected systems of productions of organizations around the globe. Organizations are no longer constrained in terms of the geographical limits within which they may be superior, as the traditional logistical barriers have been eliminated through the various innovations and knowledge-based developments (Bagad, 2009). The compression of time and space as brought about by the processes of globalization and liberalization has made it necessary for organizations to revise their manner of operations in ways that enhance efficiency and quality. An understanding of the spatial compression of business processes usually involves an evaluation of the connections that followed the elimination of boundaries that had initially conditioned the operation of organizations within geographical borders. Movements of people, knowledge, resources, and tools between separate places have been made much easier by technological advantages. The need to meet international standards has been one of the defining aspects of organizational strategies. It would be important to consider these matters in terms of the dual effects of globalization and liberalization. The application of international solutions to local needs is one of the defining effects of global management systems. The international markets have opened up with the effect that people in different parts of the globe are increasingly becoming aware of the appropriate standards and qualities that meet international standards. The local markets are no longer shielded from international forces. Therefore, the adoption of global management systems has emerged as the only option by which organizations may remain relevant on the global scene. This is because these options usually embrace the most avant-garde and effective standards that are goal-oriented and targeted towards addressing the specific needs of the populations. Strategies and Challenges The adoption of global management systems calls for the development of appropriate structures that would achieve harmony and coherence between the global systems and the local systems. This requires developing appropriate safeguards that would protect the organization from unforeseen obstacles of organizational management. One of the factors to be considered when embracing global management systems is that they require strategic adoption of international tools and processes in order to streamline them within the global culture (Heracleous, 2003, p. 36). It might be argued that the adoption of these processes is largely dependent on the manner in which an organization is able to absorb the standardized and internationalized tools and features. It is in line with this reality that some studies have contended that global management systems may be disruptive to certain organizational features of an organization. For instance, the management structures, matters of organizational hierarchies and other organizational features of an organization are likely to experience significant pressure from the adoption of these systems. Other factors that have engaged the attention of scholars of global management systems include the factor of different work ethics. Global management systems designed in different countries are likely to affect the work ethics of other organizations. This is likely to create a sense of confusion and discomfort to the existing personnel. The adoption of discordant systems may bring about significant negative impacts for any organization. On this score, it is necessary to consider the fact that global management systems are external systems adapted to a localized one in order to upgrade its operations to international standards. In order to effectively adopt global management systems, organizations should use multiple means. Some of the ways that could be considered are organizational change, cultural change, and strategic development of organizational priorities. Organizational change is necessary in order to create a suitable environment for adoption of these changes. These changes could involve the upgrading of systems in order to achieve international standards. These changes are important in order to absorb the structural features of global management systems. Some of the changes that may be necessary include the adoption of different styles of leadership with suitable power structures that would easily morph into international systems and standards. Such structural designs should be flexible in order to adapt to the different styles of management (Yaeger, 2009). The tools and processes designed under the global management systems are usually designed in ways that reflect the general challenges of organizations within a global context. Other studies have argued in favor of the pursuit of International Standardization Organization certification (ISO) as one of the ways that could be used to enhance the harmony between local structures and international tools and processes. Essentially, global management systems are supposed to build tailor-made solutions precisely targeted at the core of organizational problems. For instance, firms with an international reach such as Deloitte and PriceWaterHouseCoopers have distinguished themselves as providers of international tools and processes. Such firms are usually designed to enable the adoption of international solutions to address local challenges. Usually they engage teams of experts with vast skills on handling some pertinent challenges that affect organizational management. Merits Increasing Efficiency of Organizations By using global management systems, organizations have been able to concentrate on the core functions while outsourcing the non-core functions to specialized firms. In this respect, the tasks of the managers are focused on management issues, thus minimizing the levels of distractions that would have resulted from engaging in processes and tasks that fall outside the core-functions of the organizations. The obvious results are increased efficiency in operations, high productivity, and achievement of organizational targets. Studies have shown that organizations that embrace global management systems are more likely to record higher results in production that organizations which fail to embrace these systems (Cheese and Thomas, 2007). The same studies have reinforced the view that the engagement in Global Management Systems often injects higher synergies into the core processes of the organizations. The enhancement of the organizational efficiency often results from the fact that highly skilled professionals who use the most efficient and effective systems to achieve the desired results handle the different processes of the organizations. Naturally, it would not be easy for any single organization to attract highly skilled personnel in different departments and structures of the organizations. In line with this argument, it might be added that global management systems shield organizations from the challenges of staff turnover and retention challenges. Total Quality Management Global management systems have had significant impact in promoting the processes of Total Quality Management (TQM). One of the challenges of the corporate world is the aligning of processes with the specifics of TQM. In order to achieve TQM and to combine the achievement of goals, quality and employees’ satisfaction, it is important for companies to harmonize operations (Hesselbien and Goldsmith, 2009). By using TQM, organizations have been able to align their systems to the specific needs of their clientele. Achieving TQM brings along various advantages that include the development of the organization’s profile and the growth of the brand image. The landscape of the corporate world in increasingly shaped by the combined effects of TQM and global management systems. These two processes are important in shaping the competitive advantage of the corporate world. One of the most significant aspects of global management systems is that they involve the incorporation of quality in the general development strategies (Hesselbien and Goldsmith, 2009). The incorporation of these systems in many organizational structures enhances the systems by enabling the achievement of goals and strategies of organizations. Global management systems usually incorporate the strategic adoption of services that enhance the management of the systems. The development of the global management systems is usually accomplished on a needs-based approach that seeks to streamline the missions and strategies of the organizations. Eventually, this eliminates the possibility of a mismatch between strategy and resources, which often affects companies that embrace traditional management systems. Cost-effectiveness The cost-effective dimension of global management systems has been cited severally and variously by different scholars in their arguments in support of the adoption of the systems. The many arguments brought about by scholars often tend to converge on the point that global management systems lead to a reduction of the number of personnel within an organization. The modern corporate world is often guided by the need to embrace cost-cutting strategies (Hesselbien and Goldsmith, 2009). Logically, the need to increase revenues and profits is significantly reliant on the adoption of strategies that would naturally cut down on the operational overheads and the organization’s wage bill. By outsourcing services, organizations end up with a reduced wage bill and other expenses such as insurance covers, staff development programs, welfare expenses and other financial obligations that employers naturally extend towards their personnel. Surveys on the comparative relationships between the expenses of internal processes and outsourcing have illustrated the fact that it would be cheaper for organizations to depend on global management systems than on their own departments. These benefits relate to the factors of costs and quality. Demerits Downsizing Although the chief objective of downsizing is basically centered on cost-cutting and the achievement of certain strategic matters, it is important to consider the fact that this matter involves issues that engage the welfare of real people. Critics of global management systems argue that the system is disruptive to the welfare of individuals (Hill and Jones, 2012). The objectives of downsizing must necessarily entail the rights of the individuals. Moreover, the processes of downsizing have adverse effects on the dependent economies. When many people lose jobs due to restructuring processes, the disruptions felt at the social levels eventually filter to other aspects of life. These disruptions should be analyzed in light of both long-term and short-term effects. Normally, the social and economic discourses of societies are conjoined and operate in ways that affect the development of societies, groups and organizations. It might be necessary to consider these changes in light of some of the issues that affect and are in turn affected by the various forms of development in human societies. Challenges of Organizational Culture Global management systems have often led to conflicts between different organizational cultures. In many cases, the adoption of global management systems has often entailed drastic changes in the structures and roles of any organization. It might be important to consider the fact that an organizational culture revolves around the aspect of life that relates to associations within and between societies (Hill and Jones, 2012). In the usual cases, an organizational culture entails the adoption of systems and processes that have been embraced within the organization for a long period. Studies have shown that some workers often oppose the adoption of global management system, as they have grown accustomed to traditional ways of conducting business (Hill and Jones, 2012). As a result, the adoption of these systems has faced internal resistances that threaten the stability of the process in general. By its very nature, the organizational culture may unite different organizations that have radically different working systems. The working relationship between these organizations may face significant difficulties that could affect the attainment of set objectives. Dehumanization of the Working Environment Critics of the organization culture have contended that it tends to dehumanize the working environment. A distinguishing feature of global management systems is that its tools and processes rely heavily on the innovations in Information Communication and Technology (Daft, 2009). In some cases, this feature may entail the reliance on virtual processes at the expense of actual real-life processes. The result of these processes is that they contain specific factors that relate to the organizational changes of the systems. In the strict application of this mode of thinking, some critics have argued that global management systems deny workers the chance to engage in interpersonal discourses, which leads to low motivations and high levels of work-related stress (Jackson, DeNisi and Hitt, 2003). Competing perspectives have argued that the levels of efficiencies that are achieved through the adoption of global management systems have in fact reduced the levels of stress experienced by the workers. However, few independent studies have supplied sufficient facts on the comparative differences between the two kinds of working environments. Conclusion Certainly, global management systems have transformed the tools and processes of modern organizations. The development of the most efficient and results-oriented processes has made it possible for the global management systems to achieve the desired goals. These systems offer tailor-made solutions to companies in order to help them achieve utmost efficiency and quality in their processes. The corporate world and non-profit organizations have increasingly adopted these processes with the view of increasing the synergies of an international working environment. Both current and recent surveys have continued to bring about the significant benefits of embracing global management systems. Enhancing the levels of efficiency, achieving total quality management, and cutting on costs are some of the advantages that have resulted from the adoption of these systems. Important differences have been explored between the traditional systems of management and the global management systems. Generally, many studies are united in the opinion that the global management systems are more efficient than the traditional systems. However, challenges of implementation have continued to affect the manner in which these systems work. The adoption of these systems often requires a revision of the structures in order to achieve their seamless change. Usually, global management systems are supposed to remove the engagement of the company from the non-core issues so that the management focuses on the core priorities of the business. The most significant challenge of adopting global management systems lies in the fact that its application entails the redesigning of the management structures to achieve the element of harmony and coherence between the local and international systems. A mismatch of the systems might make them dysfunctional, which would naturally result in low levels of efficiency and other organizational perils. Reference list Bagad, V. S., 2009. Management information systems. New York: Technical Publications. Bu Varma, A., 2008. Global performance management. New York: Taylor & Francis. Cheese, P. and Thomas, R. J., 2007. The talent powered organization: Strategies for globalization, talent management and high performance. New York: Kogan Page Publishers. Daft, R. L., 2009. Organization theory and design. London: Cengage Learning. Heracleous, L., 2003. Strategy and organization: Realizing strategic management. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Hesselbien, F. and Goldsmith, M., 2009. The organization of the future 2: Visions, strategies, and insights on managing in a new era. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Hill, C. W. and Jones, G. R., 2012. Strategic management theory: an integrated approach. London: Cengage Learning. Jackson, S. E., DeNisi, A. and Hitt, M. A., 2003. Managing knowledge for sustained competitive advantage: Designing strategies for effective human resource management. New York: John Wiley & Sons. O’Sullivan, K., 2008. Strategic knowledge management in multinational organizations. New York: Idea Group Inc. Oshri, I., Kotlarsky, J. and Willcocks, L. P., 2008. Outsourcing global services: Knowledge, innovation and social capital. London: Palgrave Macmillan. Rahman, K., 2009. Selected readings on global information technology: Contemporary applications. New York: Idea Group Inc. Yaeger, T. F., 2009. Strategic organization development: Managing change for success. New York: IAP. Read More