Project One Role of the Leader
Purpose:
In the first assignment, students
are given a scenario about Global Delivery Direct (GDD), a Norfolk, England
medium-sized global delivery company that was started in 1968 by four college
friends. In this project, students will demonstrate an understanding of
the broad role of a leader within an organization.
Outcome Met by Completing This
Assignment
develop and implement methods for establishing a
constructive organizational structure and culture that fosters positive
employee and employer relationshipsevaluate the culture and policies of an organization to
recommend and implement improvements that support its vision, success, and
sustainabilityassess the interactions between the external
environment and the organization to foster responsible and effective
leadership and organizational practices
In Part One students will explain
the executive leader’s role in creating an organizational structure and learn
to distinguish the different organizational structures and how decision making
plays a role in the organizational structure. Students gain an
understanding of the challenges related to organizational structure and
organizational culture that a leader faces when merging two companies to create
a competitive advantage.
In Part Two students have the
opportunity to research the merger of two well-known companies with the goal of
assessing what happens when two very different organizational cultures are
joined as one. Taking what is learned from the merger, students apply
concepts and ideas to Global Delivery Direct (GDD).
Instructions
Step 1: Review “How to Analyze a Case Study” under Week 4 Content.
Step 2: Create a Word or Rich Text Format (RTF) document that
is double-spaced, 12-point font. The final product will be between 4-6
pages in length excluding the title page and reference page.
Step 3: Review the grading rubric for the assignment.
Step 4: In addition to providing an introduction, students
will use headings following this format:
Title page with title, your name, the
course, the instructor’s name;Background;Part One;Part Two.
Step 5: In writing a case study, the writing is in the third
person. What this means is that there are no words such as “I, me, my,
we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second
person writing). If uncertain how to write in the third person, view this
link: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/first-second-and-third-person.
Also note that students are not to provide personal commentary.
Step 6: In writing this assignment, students are expected to
support the reasoning using in-text citations and a reference list. If
any material is used from a source document, it must be cited and
referenced. A reference within a reference list cannot exist without an
associated in-text citation and vice versa. View the sample APA paper under
Week 1 content.
Step 7: In writing this assignment, students will use
resources from the course material and no more than 4 external source
documents. NOTE: The expectation is that students
provide a robust use of the course material. Students may use external
resources to address the research for FedEx and Kinko’s but other material
should come from the course readings.
Step 8: In completing the assignment, students are expected
to use the facts from the case study paired with the weekly courses readings to
develop the analysis. The case study is not cited or referenced.
Step 9: In writing this assignment, students are expected to
paraphrase and not use direct quotes. Students are expected to
paraphrase, which can be learned by reviewing this link: https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/QPA_paraphrase2.html
Step 11: Read and use the Global Delivery Direct (GDD) Company
Profile.
Step 12: Read critically and analyze the following scenario:
Please see Part I and II attached….
bmgt_365_global_delivery_direct___company_profile.pdf
wk_4___project_1___part_i___ii.docx
Unformatted Attachment Preview
Global Delivery Direct, Inc.
Company Profile
Welcome to Global Delivery Direct!
The assessment projects for this class course will examine different facets of the
leadership of Global Delivery Direct, Inc. (GDD) and students will be exploring various
scenarios and providing analysis and recommendations from the perspective of a
leadership consultant. Each project has been carefully designed to provide students
with opportunities to demonstrate mastery of various leadership concepts which have
been presented in the classroom (both in the face-to- face and online discussions). The
projects focus on the following areas:
In project 1, students will demonstrate an understanding of the broad role of a leader
within an organization.
In project 2, students are expected to apply course concepts and materials to
provide real-world leadership skills with respect to personnel development.
In project 3, students will present their analysis and recommendations that
demonstrate their ability to create a report that examines ways a leader blends their
social architect role with soft skills and business acumen to fix the problems of a
failing business merger.
Global Delivery Direct, Inc.
History
Package
GDD is a medium sized global delivery organization that started in 1968 in Norfolk,
England when four classmates at the London School of Economics, Joseph Knoll
Windsor, Giles Hartford Weatherspoon, III, John Smyth Heathering, and (the American)
Andrew Rockfish banded together to make their fortune. The then very young men
found what they saw as a great opportunity in the decision of the Royal Air Force to
auction off retired war airplanes. Having met in the school flying club, the men decided
to invest together in the purchase of three retired British WWII cargo planes. The
partners repaired the planes with the help of a retired pilot friend. Repainted white, the
planes with their distinctive winged box design displayed on the tail engaged clientele
worldwide.
Starting small, the ex-pilots took jobs wherever they could find them using their parents’
military contacts to enlarge the business. Soon they had several regular customers,
Europe and America. As the company grew, the four pilots decided to expand from just
small parcels to a mail and document delivery service as well. They took the European
market by storm with their introduction of the 2-day turnaround from Britain to the US
East Coast. Encouraged by the growth, and anxious to return home, Andrew Rockfish
decided with the consent of the others to expand the service to America in the hopes
that it would draw a larger customer base from the new multi-national companies. The
American market grew quickly. By the end of the decade, GDD had a nationwide
presence.
The 1980’s, however, saw the rapid growth of Fed Ex and UPS in the global delivery
service. UPS in Germany started in 1976. After a few hiccups the German post office
was no longer a competitor. The overnight delivery promise put both firms on the map.
It was GDD’s position as number one that sustained its competitive advantage. GDD
kept their customer base in national air cargo deliveries, but global overnight was
proving to be more difficult. Expansion in Asia Pacific to include Australia gave the
company sizeable growth. America fought to hold their market share by moving in to
Canada by the end of the decade. The European branch remained competitive
because their customers were not easily moved to change to large American giants.
In the 1990’s GDD’s Asia Pacific branch continued to expand the Asian and Australian
market. America was holding its own against the two big shipping giants Fed Ex and
UPS, but new competitors like the United States Postal Service were also now picking
up the private company overnight delivery market as well. DHL (a German company)
had also come into the market and was focused in the business-only clientele.
However, the company was too late in entering the competition. It did not prove to be
the threat that the GDD leaders thought DHL might be.
The heavy competition brought a dip in sales in 2012 globally as competition with
America’s large firms put pressure on the company to keep up. GDD’s fleets of
airplanes for the three branches are aging; the need for capital investment is on the
horizon. In addition to the strong competition, regulations, airport fees, and fuel costs
are making profits shrink. GDD watched both Fed Ex and UPS create personal
shipping stores to enhance their individual customer shipping experience meet with
modest success. The now aging owners are looking for ways to grow the company.
The Pan Asian market is still strong for the company as is the small business market for
national sales in America. The company is currently owned by the four founders who
hold 60% of the stock equally, with capital investors holding the remaining 40%.
Current Company Vision: The delivery company to the business world.
Current Mission: To provide cargo and mail services to businesses around the globe
with excellent service and direct simplicity. Employees will seek to foster a personal
relationship with customers through the anticipation of their needs, understanding the
logistic challenges facing their deliveries, and always finding ways to succeed in getting
the customer served.
Services Offered
Package and Mail delivery
Current Fact Sheet
Headquarters
Worldwide web address
Executive Director Corporate Services
2015 revenue
Employees
PACKAGE OPERATIONS
2015 delivery volume
Daily delivery volume
Daily U.S. air volume
Daily international volume
Service area
Customers
Operating facilities
Delivery fleet
London, England
www.gddexpress.com
John Smythe Heathering
$2.245 billion
6,500 (3,000 U.S.; 3,500 International)
1.750 billion packages and documents
47,946 million packages and documents
15.822 million packages and documents
32,124 million packages and documents
More than 15 countries and territories; Every address
in North America, England. France
750 million pick-ups, 1.6 million deliveries
34,926 package cars, vans, tractors, motorcycles,
including nearly 1,000 alternative fuel and advanced
technology vehicles
Jet aircraft
80
Short-termed leased or Chartered aircraft 25
Daily flight segments
Domestic – 340; International – 615
Airports served
Domestic – 122; International – 246
Air hubs
United States
Charlotte, NC (main Global Air Hub); Dallas, Texas;
Ontario, Calif., Rockford, Ill.
Europe
Midland, England
Asia Pacific
Taiwan, Australia
Latin America and Caribbean
Miami, Fla., USA
Canada
Hamilton, Ontario
Current Asset Sustainability Commitments
GDD currently has under contract the purchase of one new cargo aircraft with financial
commitment of $2.6 million. In addition, four older model planes are being retro-fitted
with the newest, more fuel efficient modifications. Measures are constantly taken to
lower flight speeds, optimize flight paths, clean aircraft engines regularly and use
technology to increase precision of aircraft departures, arrivals and taxi times.
Ground Fleet cars, vans, buses are currently dependent on gas and diesel* (*over
half)… Electric vans are being evaluated at this time for purchase.
State-of-the-art knowledge management technology was purchased in 2015 to reduce
route costs and scheduling conflicts to minimize expenses.
Current Business Philosophy
GDD has determined its long-term goal planning pattern. It will now look forward two
years as change in business strategy is imperative to keep growing. The need for
innovation and competitive edge ideas are the main focus for the next two years.
Sustainability both for profit and planet is foremost in the minds of the leadership. The
development of “green” friendly delivery strategies will be a main emphasis. Carving
out a sustainable niche market is also important.
Current Asset Sustainability Commitments
GDD currently has under contract the purchase of one new cargo aircraft with financial
commitment of $2.6 million. In addition, four older model planes are being retro-fitted
with the newest, more fuel efficient modifications. Measures are constantly taken to
lower flight speeds, optimize flight paths, clean aircraft engines regularly and use
technology to increase precision of aircraft departures, arrivals and taxi times.
Sustainability both for profit and planet is foremost in the minds of the leadership. The
development of “green” friendly ground delivery strategies is a main emphasis.
Ground Fleet cars, vans, buses are currently dependent on gas and diesel* (*over half).
Electric vans are being evaluated at this time for purchase.
State-of-the-art knowledge management technology was purchased in 2015 for the
North American division that reduced route costs and scheduling conflicts. Expansion to
the remaining divisions will be executed in the next 18 months or sooner if possible.
Currently a companywide tacit knowledge mentoring program is in the planning stages
and IT is working with planners to devise ways to store of this information in the Cloud
especially in terms of making it user friendly for those with less technical savvy.
Innovation and Adaptability
Development of organizational structure and culture changes are being made to
introduce more collaborative decision making as well as bringing the divisions closer
together in the area of shared resources and communication. The emphasis is to
encourage the exchange of ideas, create an environment that fosters new ideas and
makes change easier in their implementation. GDD understands that innovation must
always be focused on the customer. Customer innovation workshops run by GDD has
helped to bring new customers into the business. New ideas of future logistics are
being explored to help identify new processes that will fit customer needs and their
individual growth potential. GDD seeks to expand the workshop initiative with other
collaborative ideas for the future as customers are very interested in how the supply
chain affects their own competitive edge.
Globalization
There is a consideration of expanding to Africa to develop a lower cost hub connecting
Europe and North American flights. Selection of the best country and potential
development and cost feasibility will be evaluated. Process will start soon to see its
money making potential.
Current Corporate Culture
GDD has always considered their employees to be like family. They value their input in
the business and seek to empower them whenever they can. The current company
culture is a hybrid clan and collaborative. The growth of the company and the need for
structure and communication to keep the global deadlines has caused the Directors to
move towards a collaborative culture. They hope that the family feel of the clan culture
will not be lost hence the hybrid.
Organizational Structure:
This company has a geographical division structure. However, within each division is a
functional structure with logistics focused on getting the parcel or mail delivered in the
fastest possible way. Communication and decision making rather than being kept at
higher levels is being given to the lower levels to make decisions that affect core
operations.
Current Organizational Structure
Executive Director
Corporate Services
John Smythe
Heathering
Executive Director
North American
Division
Andrew Rock Fish
Executive Director
Asian Division
Joseph Knolls
Executive Directive
European Division
Giles Hartford
Part One
Scenario:
Andrew Rockfish is looking for a competitive edge in the North American market that will
translate well to the other divisions. After talking to the other directors, they have
decided to focus on business only and stop their individual services. While they will
lose 10% of their sales, this change will allow the company to offer “boutique” services
to its business customers, thereby increasing prices. Catering to business only will also
allow them to provide personal services that Fed Ex and UPS cannot offer. It was
decided that the initial roll out of this idea would start in the US where the most
imminent threat from competition lies. Rockfish was on board with this idea and began
a campaign among the rest of the company to find ideas that would help to encourage
the new ‘Business First” strategic plan.
In response, a sales manager from his mid-west sales team brought this idea from their
brainstorming session for his consideration. He proposed creating several mobile
packing stores to bring customer service to business directly. GDD would not just pick
up and deliver but they would package as well. This model could be viewed as an UPS
store on wheels. The team got the idea from a local delivery service that started a
similar business as a Mail Store on Wheels and it seemed to be doing well. This
company has five “Mail on Wheels” trucks and focuses on taking small business, not
individuals away from the three local UPS and Kinko stores. After a financial review of
the company, Rockfish decided to buy the business.
The business was started by a young entrepreneur, Adrian Cheng, who ran the
business with the philosophy that “customers always get the best of our time and
service”. Personal service, friendliness, and as much time as it takes to make the
customer happy, was part of the mission statement. Employees were casually dressed
and had no deadlines except those given by the customer. Cheng had about 45
employees and ran both day and evening shifts. He had one van which was on call
twenty-four/seven. Cheng oversaw the whole operation with two assistant managers,
one for the day shift and one for the evening.
Rockfish liked the idea that personnel had been trained in giving personal service and
had a boutique attitude when it came to customers. He thought it was a perfect fit as
the new face of GDD. The merger of these two companies seemed ideal. He decided to
buy the existing business, expand it and have the new personnel trained by the current
personnel.
Part One: Below are a series of organizational structures that exemplify the potential
structure that Rockfish will consider in putting the two companies together.
Explain the executive leader’s role in creating an organizational structure,
the purpose of a structure, and why the leader, not the manager, is the best
person to determine the organizational structure;
Identify each structure below and discuss the associated decision making
flow and the advantages and disadvantages associated with the structure;
Select the structure from those below that best blends the two companies
(GDD and Mail on Wheels) and explain why the type of structure best fits
the purpose of the merger. Discussion should include the decision making
flow, the alignment of people to the selected structure and how the two
companies would interface to create a competitive advantage.
Model 1
Model 2
Model 3
Model 4
Model 5
Model 6
Model 7
Model 8
Part Two
Scenario:
Part Two: Rockfish knows that in addition to a possible new structure, he will have to
revisit the company culture as well as that of the new business acquisition. Anxious to
avoid the problems of Fed Ex and Kinko, Rockfish decides to review their problems and
the existing culture to determine just how to go about blending the cultures and
structures together.
Research the Fed Ex and Kinko merger. Identify the organizational cultures
of the two companies and the problems that resulted from the attempt to
blend the two cultures.
Explain how the problems that Fed Ex and Kinko faced might parallel those
for GDD’s merger. Be sure to include in the analysis the existing cultures at
GDD and Mail on Wheels as well as how the structure relates to the culture.
Discuss how Rockfish can avoid the same mistakes as Fed Ex.
Step 13: Create the introductory paragraph. Within this paragraph, provide a brief
overview of the scenario. Then, provide a thesis statement and tell the reader the main
topics covered in the paper. The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of the
paper but is typically written after writing the body of the paper (Questions students
responded to above). View this website to learn how to write an introductory
paragraph: http://www.writing.ucsb.edu/faculty/donelan/intro.html
Step 14: Respond to the questions in Part One and Part Two following the format
provided. Be clear and concise in the writing and make sure the questions are
comprehensively answered.
Step 15: Using the grading rubric as a comparison, read through the paper to ensure
all required elements are presented.
Step 16: Proofread the paper for spelling and grammatical issues, and third person
writing.
Use the spell and grammar check in Word as a first measure;
Have someone who has excellent English skills to proof the paper;
Consider submitting the paper to the Effective Writing Center (EWC). The EWC
will provide 4-6 areas that may need improvement.
Step 17: Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.
…
Purchase answer to see full
attachment
Recent Comments