Brand House Services Company - Assignment Example

? Brand House Services Company of the Executive Summary Being the last assignment of the cooperative education, this study isobvious to be inferential in nature. The main thrust and emphasis will be on two different subjects. The first section will discuss or will be to critically reflect upon the workplace experience and along with that discussion about the other learning goals will also be highlighted. On the basis of the discussion, relevant conclusions about the subject of concern will be drawn. Recommendations will be also provided on the basis of the findings. The second section of the study will encompass discussion about the research topic chosen during the first assignment of this study. Hence the topic of discussion will be how does Brand House manage constant change within its organization? This research question or the research topic will be addressed through the help of qualitative research methods. It should important to note that each of the sections in the study will cover the six learning goals mentioned initially during the beginning of learning framework. However, to cover these sections, assistance and theories of some of the notable and eminent scholars such as Schon’s (1983), Kolb’s (1984) and Belbin (2010) will be taken. In addition, some of the common frameworks and models such as AREA model and ITAC model will be used for the purpose of accomplishing the objectives of the study. The application of these theories and frameworks will certainly increase the credibility of the study. The study will also attempt to validate the use of these theories and models in the context of this study and alongside its relevance in this field will also be established. It should be also noted that this study will make use of a number of academic resources so as to shed light on the knowledge driven learning goals in a more comprehensive way. However, the most important and significant part of the study is to carry out a critical reflection of the learning experience at the CPO through the work based learning (WBL) framework and theories. This will also help in justifying the lessons learned by me during my tenure with the Brand House Advertising Services Company. Table of Contents Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 Section 1- My Workplace Experience 6 Section 2 – Discipline Topic 17 References 23 Introduction Various definitions about ‘reflective learning’ can be found in the books and academic journals stated by eminent authors of the world. Apart from mere definition, much has been written about it and is often dubbed as a critical subject of assessment (Brooksbank, 1994). Reflection or reflective learning is generally described as the ability to look back at the previous experiences and segregate it into relevant aspects such as the factors directly impacting the success and failure (Enwistle, 2001; Ferdinand, 2004; Forbes, 2012). In addition, some of the experts have stated that it is a means of learning by making a link between the learned theory and practice (Botan & Hazleton, 2006; Breslin, 2008). In the similar manner, reflective learning is also highlighted as a way of improving the performance, by making use of the learning and improvising on the future practices. Hence, it is obvious that a number of definitions and meaning of self learning exists. As a result of that reflective learning is also mentioned as a way of transforming surface learning into deep learning (Beaulieu, 2009; Blanchard & Waghorn, 1997). (Source: Gans, King, Stonecash & Mankiw, 2008) Reflective learning greatly helps an individual to develop self-awareness, critical thinking and analytical skills (Duff, 2000; Elving, 2005). This is important for both students as well as for the professionals. Till now it is believed that the reader has understood the core theme of this piece of work, which is reflective learning. This piece of work is the last installment of the assignment and hence it will be somewhat inferential in nature. Thus, making the readers aware about the background of the study is an important duty or rather is a responsibility. Once the background of the study is enlightened, emphasis and thrust will be given to the two topics of discussion i.e. experience at the workplace and discipline topic and then relevant conclusions about those topics will be drawn. Furthermore, if required, recommendations will be also provided (Deem & Brehony, 2005; Dewey, 1993; Drucker, 2009). Background This piece of work is as a result of the cooperative education at the Brand House Advertising Service Company, currently situated in Riyadh, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia (Brand House Advertising Service, 2013). In this organization, I got the opportunity to work as an administrative coordinator. This company is basically known for the advertising development and brand promotion. It offers additional services such as large format specialized printing of traditional and new media designs. Since its incorporation in the year 1992, the company has remained consistent in terms of its product quality and service delivery (Brand House Advertising Service, 2013a). The company also uses contemporary technologies for the purpose of remaining consistent with the ongoing trends. These approaches and activities of the company play essential roles in satisfying the needs of the client. Now, it is also necessary to throw light on the previous assignments so that the reader gets more aware about the background and connects well with this study. The first assignment associated with this one was about the learning framework. In this assignment, the key tasks were highlighted and the objectives of this cooperative education were highlighted. Furthermore, a plan about how to achieve those objectives is also highlighted. The objectives set by me in the first assignment were development of the communication skills and improvement of my ability to work in teams. In the second assignment, I made a progress report on the initial report. In this context, I tried to review my progress about the objectives I set for myself during the first assignment. The progress report was meant for assessing the extent to which I have been able to reach my objectives. After the progress report, I also did a power point presentation related to the progress report. However, this presentation was related to the progress made in the field of oral communication. Therefore, technically this is the fourth assignment of my co-operative placement that I will be handing over to AUT. In the CPO, I was assigned the role of an administrative coordinator and I was highly benefitted from the same. Since, I used to have a huge interest in administrative work; I have always wanted to work in the administration department. Moreover, this profile has provided me with the opportunity to use my technical and communication skills. In the short tenure at Brand House Advertising Company, I was mainly involved in communication activities. Furthermore, solving departmental queries and communicating with the other stakeholders was also a vital task. However, my job role was not limited to these things only; I had to perform several other duties in the CPO, but those activities were secondary. Yet to mention, some of the activities were processing invoices and other miscellaneous payments for the department, serving as an administrative support to the Information Services Department, supporting creation of semiannual docket including data collection and analysis, assuming the responsibilities of a Microsoft Office Applications (Gill, 2003). The above section has clearly provided a background to the study and it is expected that the researcher will be able to connect with the previous assignments and the current assignment easily. Relevance of the Study Any research work carried out has a certain amount of significance and relevance in the field of business. For example, researcher trying to identify the extent to which customers gets influenced by the advertisement of a particular industry has high significance as it contributes to the betterment of the marketing and advertising efforts of the company. In the similar way, this research paper also holds a certain amount of significance in the field of research. However, there is a big question over the applicability and the contribution of a self reflective project in the practical field, but in the field of academics it obviously plays imperative roles. Although, the commercial implication of these papers is a subject of doubt, but if used for a specific purpose or certain manner, the results will definitely be fruitful. Since this study is also attempting to uncover an area of business in the form of how does Brand House manages constant change within its organization, it can be dubbed as a combination of a reflection and a report. The significance of the study is more evident for the individuals than business houses. This study has the potential to act as a guide to grow professionally and understand techniques of research. Section 1- My Workplace Experience Discussions In this section of the study, I will try to reflect upon the learning I have gathered from the workplace. While doing so, I will consider several aspects of the learning goals. To begin, I will start the description with LG2: Be knowledgeable in your major field of study. Before, making further progress I would first like to thank my CPO: Brand House Advertising Company for giving me the opportunity to pursue my cooperative education. It was a great learning experience for me as I became aware of a number of new things and new techniques. I can also signify my activities at the CPO as a learning platform for the fresher candidates. Being a management student, this was my first corporate exposure and I did not find much difficulty in getting accustomed with the scenario. It also provided me with the opportunity to test my competency skills and levels. It is evident from my case that work based learning is one of the best ways of learning and gathering knowledge of the professional skills. As I have mentioned previously, this study will make use of certain frameworks and theories of establishing the viability of work based learning, a literature review about the frameworks and theories mentioned above will be carried out. Although the study mentioned several theories and approaches, but among them Schon’s (1983) reflection model will be chosen to accomplish the study. With this approach all the other learning goals will be addressed. However, the other theories will not be ignored completely, but when required the study will also make use of other theories so as to strengthen the discussion. The literature review of the same is carried out in the section below: - Literature Review of the Reflective Learning In the recent decades, there has been a considerable amount of interest among the practitioners and scholars about the practice of reflection in the field of academics and professional career (Belbin, 2010). Reflective practices have proliferated over the last few decades through the various fields of education and professional practice. In some profession, reflective learning has become one of the most defining features of competency achievement. In general, a reflective practice is understood or rather defined as the process of “learning through and from experience” for the purpose of gaining new insights of self learning (Hill, 2006; Kameda, 2005; Karp, 2005). However, the term ‘reflective practices’ carries different meanings and ranges from the notion of “professionals engaging in solitary introspection to that of engaging in critical dialogue with others” (Schon, 1983, p.15). One set of practitioners may embrace reflective practices occasionally in explicit and formal ways or may use it more fluidly and tacit ways. However, for another group of practitioners reflective learning may simply mean the adoption of a learning approach to the activities. In reality, reflective practices are often dubbed as the “bedrock of professional identity”. Loughran (2000) in this context mentioned that reflective practice can be dubbed as the way of reflecting on the performance and acting on the reflection (Grant, et al., 2005; Habib, 2013; Hager, 2001). Eminent scholars such as Teunissen & Dornan (2008) defined reflection as "those intellectual and affective activities in which individuals engage to explore their experiences in order to lead to new understandings and appreciations" (p. 19). Echoing this statement another set of author such as Teunissen & Dornan (2008) highlighted that reflective learning is a personal process that has evolved from the affective and cognitive synthesis of the ideas and that it may get strengthened through conversations. The aim of reflective learning is to construct an understanding of something through the process of learning from the past. Hatton & Smith (1994) described reflection as a deliberate or intended thinking about the action for the principal purpose of making some improvement. In the context of the academic point of view, Larrivee (2000) emphasized on the fact that assessing the works of students, educators get the opportunity to guide the entire learning process by assisting the learners to reflect and hence learn through the reflection. Churchill (2009) further emphasized that students feel more confident when they learn through the process of reflection. According to Schon (1983) reflection is of two types namely reflection-on-action and reflection-in-action. Reflection-in-action assists as we accomplish a task successfully. This further allows us to reshape our working and simultaneously helps us in determining a viable solution. Despite that trial and error methods are not used. The Reflection-in-action is concerned with critical practicing. Therefore it can be dubbed as real time learning. For example, a doctor is operating on a patient and making instant decisions about how to cure the disease and along with that judging the viability of each step in the real time. In the similar way, a physical trainer instructing the followers about different exercises and instantly making decisions about the next exercise is an example of Reflection-in-action (Pedersen, 2013). On the other hand, Reflection-on-action takes place after an activity has already taken place or has been completed and then making a judgment about the extent of success achieved or assessing what possible changes can be implemented in order to get better results (Pescosolido, 2002). Therefore, this reflection is anything which can be described in the form of learning from the past. For example, if an individual assesses the quality of the presentation he presented just now or earlier and learns from the mistakes, it is an example of Reflection-on-action. Furthermore, the same also holds true if the individual is assessing his past work for the purpose of making developments in the future. If the same concept is related to my own experience, I would label the learning framework project as the Reflection-in-action learning and the progress report as well as the power point presentation to be the Reflection-on-action learning. This report is therefore regarded as the reflection of the previous reflection papers (Kervinen, 2013; Northouse, 2010). . Dewey (1933) was among the few authors who have identified reflection as a specialized thinking form. The author also argued that reflective thinking has shifted the thinking pattern of people from routine thinking to the reflective action based thinking. The way of conceptualizing refection critically starts with the previous experiences and puts more emphasis on the fact how people learn from doing. Although, Schon’s (1983) is one of the renowned one’s in the field of reflection but base has been provided by Dewey. However, Schon’s (1983) identified the ways through which professionals could become aware of their implicit knowledge and at the same time can learn from their previous experiences. Teunissen & Dornan (2008) emphasize on the fact that the biggest benefit of adding reflection in the learning framework is that determination of the rationale behind doing something in a specific manner and recognizing self feelings about the same. It provides us with the opportunity to assess one’s strengths and weaknesses and that in turn helps in making further development. A significant portion of this study also encompasses the importance of work based learning. Hence, review of the literatures about the work based learning will certainly strengthen the discussion and will add credibility to the paper. As human being continues to move into knowledge based society, the emphasis is strong on the development of knowledge (Kolb, 1984). Hence, with the course of time it is learning which is becoming more and more important. Regarding this aspect, workplace learning is an integral part and is driven by the impact of changes in the skills demands, demographics, people’s relationships, technologies, and roles within various communities and institutions. According to Teunissen & Dornan (2008), “looking at work from the perspective of its learning potential is fundamentally different to looking at it simply in terms of competencies needed in order to perform the job well”(p.36). This statement makes it evident that workplace learning requires a different approach and if the approach is taken properly, great results can be expected. The term work based learning therefore described as the process through which one can learn through work. Work based learning is a subject of study that cuts across a number of disciplines and as a result wide range of generic literature of WBL can be found. Eminent scholars such as Drucker (2009) have stated that the particular aspect of a knowledge society can be stated as post-Fordism and late capitalism. The above discussion pertaining to reflective learning and work based learning has clearly demonstrated that this form of learning has immense significance in the learning process of an individual. Now the next half of the study will describe my experience at the workplace and will also endeavor to establish a solid link between academic frameworks and the discussion. LG2: Be knowledgeable in your major field of study If I start to share my learning experience, 10000 words will not be sufficient because the company has helped me to learn heaps of new things. However, to enlighten some of the experiences I will highlight only the major experiences. In the company, I was designated as the administrative coordinator. However, my job profile was not limited with administrative support. I have been looking after the different business areas. Some of the tasks that I was assigned in the CPO were as follows: - Processing invoices and other miscellaneous payments for the department. Responding to the departmental inquiries (mail, phone, email) encompassing communication with international associates and colleagues. Assisting with the development and administration of various departmental programs and preparing reports. Ad hoc duties as necessary to support the Information Services Department. Making arrangements for visiting associates who includes travelling, lodging, transportation, etc. Monitoring invoices and presenting graphical data reports. Utilizing project management methodology to provide administrative support and coordinating for the Project Management Office. Serving as an administrative support to the Information Services Department by performing responsibly paraprofessional level administrative and technical duties.? Ensuring that grants database is kept updated; supporting all related grants tracking systems. Supporting creation of semiannual docket including data collection and analysis, write-up generation, and compliance.? Assuming the responsibilities of a Microsoft Office Applications super-user and end user trainer. Providing administrative support to both the core and donor-advised fund grant-making teams, including correspondence, travel arrangements, scheduling, conference calls and events coordination, maintenance of office supplies and equipment, calendars, etc. Hence, from the above discussion, it is evident that I needed to perform diverse work activities. Now I will try to enlighten my experience at CPO and the value I have added to the company. At the outset, it must be noted that Brand House Advertising Service is currently the 7th largest branding and advertisement company of the country. The company has been in operation for the last 20 years. It was incorporated in the year 1992 and is presently headquartered in Riyadh, Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia. It offers services such as large format specialized printing of traditional and new media designs. The company is best known for employment of modern and upgraded technology. The technological factor also helps the company to evolve and at the same time satisfy the growing and diversified need of the clients. The major competitors of the company are Points Advertising, Brand Lounge Riyadh, and Al Manara Advertising among others (Arab News, 2013). The industry is highly fragmented and due to the strong competition levels the company is finding increasing difficulties in running the daily operation. Furthermore, the shifting trend of the advertisement sector is yet another disappointing factor for the company. The key stakeholders of the company are its customers, shareholders, employees, and the other associates such as media and government. From my point of I believe that each group has certain contain contribution to the business, but the level of contribution differs to a certain extent. In this regards, I would like to cite an instance where I will establish the role of stakeholders in the welfare of a company. Every employee is supposed to add a certain amount of value to its organization. The value addition can however appear on any forms. For example, an employee can add value to the organization through either of the personal skills, technical skills, management skills and human skills. A combination of these skills assists an organization to gain competitive advantage. Regarding my aspect, I have tried my level best to add value to my CPO through the technical skills. As mentioned in the earlier assignments, the key technical skills that I possess are project coordination, policy implementation, knowledge of different software packages, solving complex technical problems etc. To add to that, some of my habits such as internet research and seeking assistance from the supervisors, whenever I am at a loss; allows me to strengthen my knowledge base. I was lucky enough that I got the opportunity to showcase my technical skills in front of the management. One of the managers of my CPO mentioned me that the company was really struggling because of the lack of technical expertise, but he also stated my technical skills has increased confidence level of the company and has started bidding for complex high value project. Like this way, I have added value to my organization. The value addition was not restrained to only the CPO, but the customers were also benefitted by it. For example, the loyal customers of the company now have the confidence to offer critical projects involving technicalities to my CPO. This approach has in turn played a vital role in maintaining a mutual bonding among the customers as well as the company. Now, as mentioned above about the significance of work based learning I will now try to link theory and practice of work based learning through my own experience at the CPO. Regarding this context, I can relate my own work with theories of work based learning. Callender (2008) accentuated that work based learning offers multiple benefits to the individuals. This is applicable for both students as well as working professionals. A student generally implements the learning in the professional career whereas a professional implements it for further development and growth of the career. In order to establish a strong evidence of how my thinking pattern shifted, I will be using Kolb’s (1984) Learning Cycle. Kolb’s (1984), enumerated that individuals can modify their thinking process with the help of experimental learning and learning experience. The author has segregated this learning process into four different phases. The first one is to gain a concrete experience from the actions undertaken. The second step is to analyze the experience gathered through the reflective frameworks. The third step highlighted by the author is the development of a notion from the analysis of the action and the last or fourth step is to test the relevance and viability of the experience in the practical scenario. Such kind of learning processes and frameworks has greatly helped me to achieve and experience the series of transitions. I will clearly shed light on the transition i.e. where I was and where I am now. Furthermore, the changes in the thinking process will also be highlighted. If I give a real example of the learning I achieved from undergoing the training, the implication of work based learning will become evident. When I was undergoing the training I needed to present some of the messages of the company to the external stakeholders. In this context, I was, at the initial stage was extremely nervous and was thinking about how to present the same. This is because I was not good with the oral presentation skills. Although, I somehow managed the first day of my presentation, but since then the confidence level skyrocketed. After the completion of the tenure I could clearly understand the changes in me. In order to cite an instance, the cooperative learning provided me with the opportunity to get a feel of the professional world. In addition, it gives tremendous industry exposure. The most important of them all is the improved ability of the individuals to handle the workplace challenges. Hence, it is evident that work based learning is a great technique and an effective learning tool for the students and professionals. One of the most evident changes in me I witnessed after the completion of the cooperative education is a drastic shift in the thinking pattern. Earlier I used to approach a problem with a doubt in mind of whether I will be able to complete it or not. However, the cooperative placement has increased my confidence level to a great extent. Moreover, before joining the organization, I only used to have theoretical knowledge, but with the passage of time I have been able to understand the differences in the theory and its implementation in the practical field. Hence, the discussion has made it obvious how the work based learning has increased my confidence level and allowed me to gain new competencies which can be really helpful in the near future. LG3.1 – Be critical enquirers and problem solvers (internal environment) The interrelationships within an organization play a crucial role in the success of a company. Studies have shown that a company with good interpersonal relationship among the employees has been able to achieve organizational goals. Moreover, organizations are also able to accomplish the tasks at a specific time period with high level of accuracy and effectiveness. Brand House is a multi cultural organization as people from different background come to work in this organization and as a result of that the significance of interrelationship in my CPO was much more. In this context, eminent scholars have stated that interpersonal relations have utmost importance in a corporation which is multicultural as it plays a critical role in enhancing communication pattern thereby resulting in better understanding among the working groups. Apart from that I have also identified that respect for each other culture comes from better coordination. Hence, it is obvious to mention that good interpersonal relations should be encouraged in an organization so as to gain maximum output from the employees. Likewise any other firm, my CPO also has to deal with a number of challenges in managing the interrelationships within the organization. The challenges appear in various forms and the company takes different initiates to deal with those challenges. In the context of my CPO, the biggest challenge faced is related to the cultural differences. A number of employees in Brand House come from other places of the world. Due to the cultural differences, management of interrelationship has often become a cause of concern for the employees. I will discuss this by relating to my case. I belong from New Zealand and I could clearly observe the difference between the cultures of Saudi Arabia. Cultural Differences between New Zealand and Saudi Arabia A question is obvious to arise in the minds of reader about why this study is presenting a difference between the two cultures. This is because of the fact that I am studying in a university of New Zealand but my CPO is located in Saudi Arabia. Hence, it is important to shed light on the differences between the two countries. In addition, getting to know about the culture of a country will also help me to perform activities in a better and efficient way. It is obvious that two different countries will have different culture due to the differences in the demographics and several other backgrounds. Saudi Arabia is the 41st largest nation of the world in terms of population and is the 14th largest in terms of the geographical area. The country is often regarded as the birthplace of Islam. The country is located in Asia. On the contrary New Zealand is a country belonging to the Australian continent. Hence it is obvious that the continental difference will differentiate the cultural differences of the two countries. Now to portray the cultural differences of the two countries, the study will make use of Hofstede’s 5D model. The differences of the two cultures are presented in the next section. Before discussing the difference, a brief of the five factors is presented below: - Power distance: - The power distance dimension deals with the fact that the individuals belonging to a society are not equal. Power distance is therefore defined as the level to which less domination and powerful members of an institution or organization of a country accept and expect power to be distributed equally. Individualism: - The basic issues addressed by this dimension are the extent of interdependence maintained by a society among its members. Thus it defines whether people belonging to a society are ‘I’ centric or ‘we’ centric. A society which is individualistic in nature remains only concerned about them, whereas the scenario is completely different if the extent of individualism is low. Masculinity / Femininity: - A high score in the dimension of masculinity and femininity indicates that society is driven by the level of achievement, success and competition. The fundamental issue addressed in this dimension is the factors that motivate people. Hence, a person wanting to be the best is reckoned as masculine whereas an individual wants to be in the current state is dubbed as feminine. Uncertainty avoidance: - This dimension deals with the way a society deals with the statement that ‘future is uncertain’. This is divided into two forms: a group which believes we should try to control the future and another group believes in just letting happen what was meant to. It is defined as the extent to which members of a particular culture feel threatened by the unknown or ambiguous situation and has created beliefs that attempt to avoid the uncertainties. Hence, a society with a high avoidance index score states that they have strong urge to avoid those uncertainties. Long term orientation: - The long term orientation dimension deals with the level to which a society is future oriented or believes in historical short term point of view. Factor Saudi Arabia New Zealand Power Distance Saudi Arabia has high scores high on this subject matter. Their score is 95. The high score indicates that the people of Saudi Arabia accept that a hierarchical order exists in the society and thus reflects a clear inequality among the population. For example, in Saudi Arabia employees are hardly consulted before making any final decisions and managers are the one who makes the final decision. The score of new Zealand in this dimension is very low. It scores 22. This score indicates that the country believes in the act that everyone in a society is equal. For example, in New Zealand employees expects to get consulted by their managers before making any final decision. Individualism The country scores low in this aspect and is therefore regarded as a collectivist society. Loyalty is paramount in a collectivist society and therefore it is evident that Saudi Arabia is a country characterized by ‘we’ centric nature. In terms of individualism, this country scores 79 thereby reflecting the society to be individualistic in nature. Therefore, the people of new Zealand are self oriented and remain concerned about their own problems and their families. Masculinity The country scores high in this aspect which indicates that the industry is driven by strong competition, achievement and success. New Zealand scores 58 in this dimension and that reflects the country to be a masculine society. Hence, the people of this country strive to become the best in their respective fields. Uncertainty Avoidance In terms of the uncertainty avoidance index, the country scores 80. This signifies that the country maintains rigid codes of behavior and belief. However, the country is intolerant of unorthodox behavior and ideas. In this dimension, the country scores 49 and is therefore dubbed as a country that has average enthusiasm to avoid the uncertainties of the future. Another thing becomes evident that to run the society smoothly both experts and generalists are required. Long Term Orientation Being a collectivist society and high uncertainty avoidance index, it is obvious that the long term orientation for the country will be average. This is because, the country respects its past glory and along with that it tends to look after the prospective future. In the context of long term orientation, the country scores 30 and hence it is evident that the culture focuses on tradition as well as fulfilling societal obligations. (Source: Geert-hofstede, 2013) Hence, from this vast difference, it is apparent that certain distinction is obvious to appear. When, I joined the organization some of the employees, which I will not name, have tried to bully me. Moreover, I also had to face allegations regarding my food habits. In the similar way, discrimination has been experienced by other employees of the organization. However, CPO manages it very effectively. In order to generate harmony among the employees, the company has undertaken several approaches (Brand House Advertising Service, 2013d). According to eminent scholars, a company should use the most appropriate strategy to deal with the issue of interrelationship management. I have seen that Brand house occasionally organizes inter office celebration party to strengthen the bonding among the employees. In addition, group working is also promoted. Although, the amalgamation of different cultures could not be fully achieved, to some extent these activities have helped the company to control and manage interrelationship issues within the organization. LG3.2 – Be critical enquirers and problem solvers (external environment) Several studies have been carried out to assess the impact of external environment on the business houses. However, none of the research papers have been able to portray a precise of the impact of external environment on the business operation of a company (Ramasamy & Yeung, 2009; Shaw, 2010; Silva, & Hirschheim, 2007). The most common finding from each of the authors is that every organization gets highly impacted by the external business environment. Each of the aspects of the external business environment such as political, legal, technological, economical, social and environmental somehow impacts the business operation of a firm (Phillips, 2003; Prinsloo, 2002). For example, a company involved in the business of tobacco has to deal with immense pressure from the political aspects as well as the social aspect. In the similar way, my CPO Brand House also gets affected by the external business environment (Topp10, 2011). Brand House Advertising Service is a company involved in the development and designing of advertisements (Brand House Advertising Service, 2013c). Therefore, it is evident that the company belongs to the advertisement sector of Saudi Arabia. In the last assignment I have found a number of external issues being faced by the organization. In order to find the impact of external environment, I have relied on the PESTEL framework and Porter’s 5 forces model to identify the impact of external environment on business. Some of the common ones are economic downturn that forced corporate to spend less on advertisements (Simon, 1959; Suttle, 2013). Furthermore, the decreasing demand of the print and broadcasting advertisement is also a major cause of concern. The companies are shifting to more cost effective and mass media appeal. Hence, to get rid of this issue and justify my role as a critical inquirers and problem solvers I would like to recommend the following to the company: - 1. The company is inactive when it comes to market research activities and as a result of that the company is unable to exactly determine the needs and wants of the consumer. Moreover, the company is also failing to match up with the ongoing market trends. Hence, the company is strongly recommended to carry out market research activities in specific time intervals. In this context eminent scholars such as Wood (2007) have stated that market research activity is one of the crucial factors defining success of a company. 2. The company should initiate a separate division through which they can develop social media advertisements. Furthermore, other advertisement services such as social media marketing search engine optimization and blogging. This is strongly supported by the theories claimed by Stevens (2008) mentioned social media and other marketing forms are the future of advertisement industry of the world. LG4 – Be able to think and act ethically The significance of ethical business operation has been predominant in every sector of business. Eminent scholars such as Stevens (2008) and Bartlett (2003) emphasized on the fact that business houses should make ethical decisions and should not be accomplished by considering the interest of an individual group. According to my point of view, I believe the ethical operation means functioning in a way that does not harm any group or does not give special preference to any group. However, my CPO tries to operate ethically in the market place. I have seen that the company investing a significant amount of money for the purpose of fulfilling its social obligations. However, at times the company breaks the ethical guidelines. For instance, during my tenure, I have observed that Brand House has developed certain advertisements for a client which may negatively impact the society (Brand House Advertising Service, 2013b). Although, from an organizational perspective this decision was not fully erroneous, but I believe a social interest must be thought about before making any final decision. In my point of view, the company should have negotiated more with the client before taking up the project. Moreover, I have observed that the idea of ethical business among the advertisement companies of Riyadh. They believe complying with the rules and regulation of the government is equal to ethical business operation. Hence, being an administrative coordinator it was my duty to look after this matter seriously. I have consented with the supervisors regarding this matter and they have allowed me to sort out this matter. I immediately called for a session with the departmental managers and given them a brief about ethical business. In this aspect, I have tried to implement the Immanuel Kant’s idea of morality, which states about individuals working for the society as a whole and not following any personal interest. In addition, I have also notified them about the positive and negative outcomes for the same. Listening to my presentation, they were fully convinced that the ethical operation would not harm the company in any way and they gave assurance that in the future the company will be more careful before taking any project. I also got huge appreciation for this activity from the higher management. LG5 – Be able to work collaboratively In this turbulent phase of business, team work is essential and is critical to the success of a business. In order to reflect upon my experience of working collaboratively in groups, I will use the approach of Tuckman (1965) who states about the four phases of team building i.e. forming-storming-norming-performing team development model. At the initial stage I was not a good team member and used to finding difficulties in working with others. However, this concept fully eradicated after I started to work in groups. Although the aforementioned model is used by managers for the purpose of team building, but can be effective too, for a team member. The first experience of working in a team was during my second day at work. I was supposed to attend the calls and sort out the departmental queries, but before actually recommending a solution to the queries I needed to consult with one of the assistants before recommending one solution. Initially, I was not getting convinced with his idea and viz. a viz. Hence, it gave rise to inter group conflicts. However, down the line I understood that it is important to work harmoniously in groups for better results. After a few months of experience, I started working as an effective team member. In cases, I have acted as the team leader and guided other members to work efficiently. For instance, the company appointed four members along with me as a change agent in the organization, where we were supposed to implement the change successfully. In this matter, I was extremely worried about inter group conflict, but in order to avoid this I have always tried to listen to the other members and promoted group listening. Moreover, I have also ensured that there is no biasness inside the group. This strategy has greatly helped in reducing the inter group conflicts and resulted in better outcomes. Conclusion This part of the study was meant for analyzing and assessing my workplace experience. In this regards, I would like to state that the experience I gained from Brand House will help me throughout the career. The communication as well as my team working skills has improved significantly. I have been able to learn a number of new things from the organization and in return I have tried my level best to add value to my CPO. Section 2 – Discipline Topic 3.3 - How Does Brand House Manage Constant Change Within Its Organization? Background The second section of the study will be based upon the change management within the organization. The question which was explored in the previous reports was how does Brand House manage constant change within its organization? Since the time of my academic courses, I have observed that change management is an important topic of discussion and has received an enormous amount of attention. As a result of that I have chosen this topic over others. Furthermore, one thing that interested me or fostered me to choose this subject is the drive to assess the implication of bringing change in an advertisement and branding company. The scenario of the adverting industry is changing at a rapid rate and consumer preferences are also shifting. For example, earlier companies use to advertise through radio, newspaper and other traditional forms such as wall painting, but nowadays more contemporary formats are used such as television advertisements, banners etc. Even this is also shifting, companies nowadays are relying more on cost effective and mass media such as the social media. Hence, my aim was to observe how the company brings changes in their service offerings and how the intended change is managed. According to me a change is a continuous process of an organization and is the only way by which company can embrace development. Several instances have shown that companies around the world have been able to make colossal developments. For example, Samsung started its business with consumer electronics goods. However, more emphasis on the mobile phone division can be cited as a change in the organization. This change has allowed the company to reach new heights and achieve success. However, along with initiating the intended changes, a company is also required to manage the changes effectively. This is because an intended change often fails to get implemented because of the different types of limitations and resistances it faces from the stakeholders. For example, companies have to reframe their strategies because they were not able to implement the old one because of stringent pressure from the employees. In addition, some companies also face pressures from the government or consumers when trying to implement something new. Hence, from the above discussion it is evident that management of change is extremely important. In the next section of the study, I will be reviewing the literature on the subject of study. The review of literature will greatly help in strengthening the discussion and can be easily related to the theories. Review of Literature In the present climate of evolving political priorities and economic pressure, organizational change is increasingly becoming a priority. A change is a complex process, but its outcome is always a subject of doubt. A change in an organization can have both positive and negative effect on the organization. As a result of that companies are very careful about bringing any kind of changes in their system of operation and also carefully assess the viability of that change so as to avoid any negative consequences. Nowadays, organizational change is seen as one of the most interesting and important topics of discussion among the mass. The topic has not only remained favorites among the scholars and practitioners of the world, but has also been a subject of interest among the organizations. Companies around the world, put in strong efforts to devise strategic changes and simultaneously implement the same in a proper manner. One of the major rationale behind the increasing importance of change implementation and management in an organization is the shifting needs of the consumers. The consumer dynamism has reached a state that has never been witnessed before and as a result of that; companies have been compelled to bring certain kind of changes in their operation system. Regarding this matter, a number of scholars have focused on the forces that have led to the changes in organization. Ferdinand (2004) in this aspect highlighted that organizational change depends upon the values and cultural beliefs of an organization. He further enumerated that “change are mainly deeply rooted cultural beliefs” and has a strong connection with the organizational performance. A number of scholars have stated that change is a necessary process of an organization, because it is the only way through which the goals and objectives can be satisfied. In the similar way, Grant et al. (2005) emphasized that change is necessary for a company to sustain in the marketplace for a longer period of time. Another author such as Karp (2005) also has similar viewpoints and he also believes that change is basically needed for the purpose of complying with the changing external environment. However, each of these authors has stressed one point that is the management of change. They believe that change is a vital process, but the importance is more on managing those changes efficiently. In the milieu of robust technological development, shifting work practices and a rapidly growing knowledge workforce, change is becoming synonymous with the organizational operation. According to Hill (2006) many organizations recognize the need for a change but ironically 70% of the intended changes do not achieve success. Ferdinand (2004) stated that as a response to the rising importance of organizational change, companies around the world has tried to incorporate periodic change as a part of their business strategy. The changes in the organization came in different forms such as cultural change, strategic change as well as technological change. The type of change is decided by the organization according to the requirement of the business environment. Ferdinand (2004) argues that change in an organization a broad topic encompasses a number of factors. As a result of that, theories pertaining to change management in the organization are only possible if a holistic approach to the subject is taken. There are numerous types of changes and in the similar way there are different approaches to the management of change. In the context of a company belonging to the branding and advertisement sector, the similar approach holds true. Hence, it is evident the type of change or the way of managing the change does not depend upon the industry and type of business. According to Hill (2006) every organization undergoes major changes once in every three years, while small scale changes occur continuously. As a result of that, managers need to ensure that they manage the change successfully and the overall objective of the intended change is fulfilled. A question may arise in the mind of the reader that why there is a requirement of managing the change, when the executive body has decided to implement a change. This is because a company or an establishment always has to face certain kind of difficulties or limitation before actually implementing it. The basic to the success of an organizational change is the level of acceptance of change by the employees. Kubler-Ross (1973) in this context argues that resistance is an evitable phenomenon in organizations because some group of employees will resist a change in thinking that their current state may disrupt as a result of strategic modification. Literature study also suggests that employee resistance are not the sole cause of concern for the companies but often other groups of stakeholders acts as a resist. For example, if a company wanting to bring some technological changes in its system of operation for the welfare of the company and its customers, but if this technological change has a negative impact on the society, the government as well as the other non-governmental organizations will strictly oppose it. In the similar way, other forms of resistance also appear. Therefore, two things become clear in this context 1 – resistance to a change appears in different form and from different stakeholder group 2 – the management of change is possible in different ways. Gibson and Barsade (2003) accentuated that support from the management and two way communications can do wonders to a change implementation. The author exemplifies that employees should be made aware of the intended change and its possible benefits so as to assure them that the change will not harm or disrupt their position. However, some other authors take a more individualistic approach to the resistance and management of change. Harigopal (2006) enumerated that resistance to change depends upon the context of the change as well as the personality of the individuals. Haveman, Russo & Meyer (2001) stated that tackling employees requires skills and managers should try to develop these skills in themselves. Furthermore, the author also highlighted that a company must develop a circumstance of a change and this will help in implementing the change with ease. Eminent scholars such as Iivari (2005) stated that in successfully implementing a change in the organization, a company needs to involve its employees in the decision making process (Mallinger, Goodwin and O’Hara, 2009). The authors believe that involving employees in the change process and making them work as a change agent will really benefit the company (Schein, 2010). However, some other authors believe in the other way round. According to them, only engaging employees in the change implementation process will not serve the purpose. For example, stalwarts such as Janicijevic (2012) stated that employee engagement is not sufficient enough to support the entire change process. The role of managers is crucial in rewarding and encouraging employees to express their support for change. However, for any change one should analyze the viability of the change (O'Neill, 2010; Ragsdell, 2000). If a change has the ability to transform the situation of an organization, has the ability to improve the situation or is the demand of the situation then only it should be implemented. Echoing this statement, eminent scholars such as Jones (2004) highlighted that experimental changes every time does not provide the desired result, if something goes wrong can affect the company drastically (Katkov, 1993). The striking level of changes in the nature of product, technology and market orientation has actually forced the business houses to witness and experience a business environment which can be dubbed as ‘dynamic’. Hence, from the discussion of the literature it is evident that change management is a vital topic of discussion in the field of business. The literature study also made it obvious that a company should bring continues change in its system of operation and along the same time it should also ensure that the management of the change is done efficiently. In the next section of the study I will cite a real incidence of my CPO which will reflect how the company manages continues change efficiently. Reflection In this section, I will enumerate real life experience which I have undergone in my CPO, Brand House Advertising Services. The incident was related to an intended change in the organization. It was about the opening up of a new division in the company. The company, considering the demand and the shift in consumer preferences had decided to produce advertisements related to the social media. I have observed that in Riyadh, the majority of the business houses is considering social media advertisements’ to be more effective and have more impact on the consumers. Furthermore, the cost effectiveness is another factor that played a crucial role in the popularity of social media advertisements. Lastly, it should be also noted that in Saudi Arabia, a majority of the people are active in social networking platforms. On the other hand, the popularity of television, radio advertisement and other branding techniques is reducing day by day. Hence, considering all these facts I can say that the decision of the company to open a separate division for social media advertisement is justified. In order to implement the same company has acquired all the necessary resources but in the meantime employees of other department raised questions about the viability of this change. The main point raised by the employees was about the sustainability of this division. According to them, television and other forms of advertisement will continue to persist but social media advertisement has a blur filter. Furthermore, they also added that the number of active users of social media is comparatively less in Riyadh and therefore the strategy social media advertisement will not persist in the long run. Echoing the same thoughts, the television advertisement department of the company highlighted that companies will soon understand that the real appeal of advertisement lies with the television advertisement. Referring to different cases about the failure of social media advertisement, the department was trying to strengthen their argument. Since I was the change agent, I had no other option but to listen to the points they are making. I should clarify one thing that the management of the company has strictly ordered me to implement the change anyhow and should manage the process effectively. Hence, the pressure was immense as I had to look both the sides. As I have mentioned earlier that only intending and initiating a change does not serve the whole purpose, rather a strong justification for the change is required. In this case also I have applied the similar concept and before accepting the role of a change agent I have thoroughly analyzed the viability of the decision. I have to take the assistance of the supervisors in understanding the benefits of the change and what its implication will be. Furthermore, I have also carried out a secondary research on the internet about the viability of social media marketing in the Saudi Arabian market and the type of benefits to be experienced by both company and employees after its implementation. Hence, in short I have carried out a small pilot study on the topic and ensured about its viability. The analysis and exploration clearly enumerated that the decision of the company to move into social media advertisements was justified. Moreover, conversing with the senior management, I have identified that the company has to implement this change. Although, I have carefully listened to the points made by the employees, I was not fully convinced about their points. As a result of that I decided to carry out an investigation regarding the factors that are making the other employees to make this decision. I had doubts in my mind and I asked some employees about their thoughts on this intended change. In order to get in-depth views about the subject, I carried out a focus group interview with two members from each of the departments. The survey was about their thoughts on the change process and I also tried to identify the reason why they are protesting against the change. Although the majority of the respondents stated that they are positive and happy about the intended but few members are strongly against this change. The analysis of the survey however shown different result and it made evident that the points made by them is not the sole reason. According to my observation, I found that the employees are anxious about their future and has a thought that the beginning of this social media department will make them obsolete in the company. Hence, I communicated the same to the management. Knowing these facts the company framed a new strategy to implement this change. In general, the company has its own way to manage the change, they adopts either of the two techniques to manage a change. One of the evident one is the appointment of change agents. In my case I decided to address the employees about the benefits that they are going to receive through it and also assured them that none of the employees will be laid off. This eased the job greatly as the employees were assured about their future. The intensity of the protest suddenly dropped. Moreover, I have also made some of the departmental managers as the assistant change agents. With this approach, slowly all the employees became supportive and finally the company is in the process of implementing the change. For this work, I was tremendously appreciated and acknowledged by the senior management. They have also assured me that they would like me to be their full time employee after I complete my courses. Conclusion The study was meant for analyzing the process of change management in an organization. The topic selected for this piece of the study was to reflect about how my CPO manages continuing change in the organization. The topic was how does Brand House manage constant change within its organization? In this piece of work, I have main reflected upon my experience in the company pertaining to the management of change. I have highlighted about the change that the company will be implementing within a few days. This change can be dubbed as both strategic change and routine change. Strategic change because of the fact that the demand of traditional advertisements is declining at a steady rate and thus to sustain in the market place this change is evident. In the similar way, the company has not initiated any major changes in the last few years and therefore can also be regarded as a routine. However, the key agenda is to satisfy the stakeholders and continue the operation. In the next section I have given some key recommendation that might be helpful for the company in the implementation process. Recommendations In this section, I would like to highlight some of the suggestions about successful change implementation. When I left my CPO the change was yet to take place and since I was the change agent I would like to make them certain recommendations through which they can ensure proper implementation. The following are the recommendations: - The company is strongly recommended to notify the change among the shareholders and other stakeholders of the company. Notifying stakeholders about the change will not only make the customers and investors aware of the service but will also act as a promotional tool. Brand House must set up a different committee who will be managing the entire change process and look after the grievances of the employees and along with that sort out their queries. Since this is a technological change, it is important that the company initiates programs pertaining to training and development. If the company takes this kind of approach it will create enthusiasm among the minds of the employees about learning new things. Hence, this will make the change implementation process easier. Action planning is another necessary aspect that should be strongly emphasized. The company must generate an action plan so as to monitor the change process and ensure effective implementation. Generation of an action plan would also help the company to monitor the progress of the change and control the cost associated with it. One of the most important things that a company must carry out before implementing a change is the calculation and estimation of the resources required. Hence, the company should carefully analyze and estimate the requirements prior to implementation and ensure it does not get to hold during the mid. References Arab News. (2013). 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