Strategic Management
Robert Smith, CFO of HK feels uncomfortable with the financial projections for the e-books strategic initiative and didn’t approve of the e-book strategy from the beginning. Will Harper, a well-established and well-known author have reservations about e-books. These are some of the few issues HK publishing is facing and this affected the overall strategy (Anonymous, 2008).
McGill, CEO of HK has to play some politics to outcome this agreement and move ahead with the e-book publishing project.
While selecting projects for implementation in an organization, a major factor that influences project selection, funding, resource allocation or prioritization is the extent of individual and organizational politics. Organizational politics can be defined as actions by individuals or groups to acquire, develop and use power and other resources in order to obtain preferred outcomes when there is uncertainty or disagreement over choices (Gray, 2008).
Politics exist in every organization and can have a significant influence on which projects receive funding and high priority (Gray, 2008).
Project Structure
Project Structure is decided by the stakeholders. Key players such as the CEO and CFO have the initial input as far as the structure of the project is concerned. However, this structure has to be approved by the Board of Directors and other stake holders such as author Will X. Harper. Negotiating personal preferences and organizational politics is much like playing a chess game, where a brilliant move to sacrifice a piece or two results in decisive gains in terms of positional advantage (Gray, 2008).
Strategic Management Process
Strategic management is about the organizational success now and in the future. This management and research approach concentrates on the firm's ability to organize its routines, capabilities and resources for success. Harrison-Keyes failed to establish a Strategic Management Process to identify the steps and assign actions on how they were going to transform from a hard back publishing company to a digital publishing company when they over looked the publishing agreement which the corporate lawyers.
A strategic management plan will need to be developed to inventory available resources and the get the identify resources and to establish the responsible parties for deliverables to managing a successful project. If the company is going to be successful with strategic planning and implementation, there must be a breakdown of outcomes laid out. Not only would this allow for the organization be more efficient, it will also allow time for re-evaluation if needed. Strategic management is the process of identifying, deciding and implementing the intent and how the company will get there.
A significant insight gained into political frame was the idea of political mapping. An individual would probably not enter new territory without a map, yet in the workplace we regularly enter what can potentially be a political minefield. Leader needs to ask themselves; how can we map out the political landscape? Broadly, there are four main questions to ask: What are the channels of informal communication? Who are the principal agents of political influence? What are the possibilities for both internal and external ‘mobilisation’ what are the strategies likely to be employed by others? A political ‘map’ can also be created by mapping out the key stakeholders, their power and their interests. Political mapping is a critical asset for leaders to have so much so that Bolman and Deal (2013) relates leaders who not use political mapping to an individual plunging into a minefield without knowing where the mines are located (p.
Politics or politicking is a game that is more ostensible and reserved for the political arena; however, metaphorically, much of the political discourse can also be found within organizations. Politics in organizations, then, is design for groups to reconcile differences between interests, conflicts, and power (Morgan, 2006). The case study to be analyze (Cutting Back at City Hall) is one that illustrates all three aspects of interests, conflicts, and power as the City of Smithville, the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the International Association of Firefighters (IAF), and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) deliberate the city’s proposed budget.
The Strategic management is help to accomplish the goals and intention for organizations recourses and future plans by following the important elements, which are planning, controlling, analyzing by study both internal and external strengths and weaknesses.
The political lens examines an organization through the “roots of conflict” in “different and competing interests, and disagreements” (Ancona, Kochan, Scully, Van Maanen, & Westney, 2005: M-2, 33). The political aspect of an organization requires the “exercise of power and influence” by stakeholders over others to achieve “buy-in” (Ancona et al., 2005: M-2, 33). I will analyze Dynacorp through the political lens to discuss the factors that will hinder of facilitate the success of the change to the front end/back end design (Dynacorp Revisited, 2005: M-2, 85).
It is not about “what you do”, “it is about who you are and who you know”. As employees, we have all heard sayings like this before when it comes to the business world. The “power and politic” mindset is a direct result of the type of tug of war experienced for millions of years; from prehistoric times through modern day. Ever since Ugha smashed Mugha in the head with a club back in prehistoric times, politics have been around in the workplace. Politics are a subliminal fight for survival and it actually happens in personal lives as much as it does in our work lives. Politics can go hand in hand with power, just as night follows the day. Many of the political situations that occur within a corporation are a result of growth and change. However, part of the task of becoming a viable asset to a corporation is to look beyond the surface and find out where the company is heading as a result of these changes. In this way, employees can position themselves to be a positive part of the growth and change.
Individuals have their own personalities that can influence their enthusiasm and productivity within an organization. In addition, individuals also form groups and are part of teams that work together to reach a common goal within organization. According to Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, and Konopaske (2009) dedicated and cohesive teams can have a tremendous impact on organizations effectiveness and the global market. However, all of this happens within the frame-work of office politics and can hinder or enhance the organization’s effectiveness. Therefore, it is important to not only understand individuals, but also groups, teams and office politics within the organization. This will help leaders to plan, organize and motive individuals and groups for the best possible outcome for the organization.
According to Wheelen & Hunger, strategic management “is that set of managerial decisions and actions that determines the long-run performance of a corporation. It includes environmental scanning (both external and internal), strategy formulation (strategic or long-range planning), strategy implementation, and evaluation and control” (2004, p2). All eleven good to great companies are benefit from strategic management and gain long term strategic advantage then lead to outperforming compared companies.
The political frame relies on the assumption that organizations are alliances of unique people and interest groups. The people are unique due to their different views of the world, their morals, faith and activities and the information they have given these characteristics. The political frame also assumes that all key decisions arise from the need to allocate scarce resources such as time, money and information. These scarce resources and differences amongst people are what make conflict the core of organizational dynamics and make power such a crucial asset. Finally, the political frame assumes that all objectives and conclusions are e...
Office politics can have advantages that may motivate certain employees and cliques. It can be very productive, as they usually know each other well and can utilize each person’s talent in a team setting. How a supervisor or manger deals with office politics can ultimately lead to his or her success or demise. It can also be the most unproductive and destructive problem in the workplace; which can derail the best laid business plans. It can eventually take down what was once a profitable smooth running business if it is allowed to continue or if upper management is a participant.
Generally, strategic management is a set of managerial decisions and actions that determines the long-term performance of a company, involving both internal and external environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and evaluation and control. According to the study of strategic management, the corporation should concentrate on monitoring and appraising outside opportunities and threats based on an organization’s strengths and weaknesses (Thomas Wheelen and David Hunger, 2012).
If asked what strategic planning is one could interpret it as simply a road map that can guide the organization in the right direction. It is very unlikely that an organization would know which direction to take without a sense of direction. Managers are faced every day with decisions that have a major impact on the direction the organization must take, therefore, strategic planning can play an important role in guiding managers in the right direction. In other words strategic planning is a tool that management can use to give them a sense of direction that will guide them in doing a better job and to ensure that all the members of the organization are working toward the same goals
As far back as history can be told mankind has struggled between balancing culture, power and politics. Many wars have been fought and many people have placed their lives on the line in order to stand up for what they believe in. The combinations of culture, power and politics have spilled over into the workplace. In today’s business environment individuals have much more to worry about than just completing their assigned tasks. Organizational culture, power and office politics influence day to day operations as well as govern the atmosphere within the organization. The amount of impact that power and politics have in the workplace, directly reflect the organization’s culture formally as well as informally.
What I benefit from this course strategy management class is knowing. The strategic management is consisting of the analysis, decisions, and actions an organization undertakes to create and sustain competitive advantages. strategic management analyses. concern with overall objectives, involves multiple stakeholders, incorporates short and long term perspectives, recognizes tradeoffs between effectiveness and efficiency. The strategic management analysis, formulation, and implementation the challenge managers face of both aligning resources to take advantage of existing product markets as well as proactively exploring new opportunities.
Strategic management is a process to enhance the goals of your business. This gives managers a strategic awareness and value of the company when strategic management is implemented. Having a strategic plan in a company makes the business successful. When a manager takes lead in the change of the environment it allows the company to improve on their short and long term goals. Managers
Zeiger, S n.d., The Impact of Power and Politics in Organizational Productivity, Choron, viewed 5 April 2014, .