Term Paper on "Recommendations for Improving Corporate Communication"

Quoted Instructions for "Recommendations for Improving Corporate Communication" Assignment:

HiFli Recommendation Memo*****to recommend communication strategies that HiFli might adopt

You return to your office after the HiFli simulation and find this memo on your desk:

To: HiFli Employees

Fr: I.M. Boss

Chair and CEO of HiFli

Re: Recommendations to improve our communications

Congratulations on completing the latest production cycle. The President tells me that a sense of spirited competition permeated the production floor.

The President also reported that improvements in communication could have a positive impact on our bottom line. As some of you may know, our leading-market-share position in the communication satellite industry is being challenged by longtime rival Whoosh, which has recently merged with cash-rich Lithuanian telco manufacturer Grunch. Whoosh, using the new capital to make some process improvements, is challenging us on issues of price and delivery schedule. We, of course, are taking on these challenges, but we know that your *****in-the-trenches***** insights are invaluable in our efforts to reduce costs. I*****m also asking our chief supplier, Tinkertoy, and our principal customer, TCI, to share their insights.

We are confident that we can maintain our market share, but we need to carefully examine our costs. The Board and I are meeting next week to begin to identify possible re-structuring opportunities. We believe most of the process modifications will be apparent. How we make all this work*****our means of communication*****is, however, probably more important to our success in reducing costs, but measurably more difficult to identify and improve.

I*****d like your input. Please give me*****no later than the beginning of your shift on Wednesday, March 2*****at least one specific and strategic recommendation on how we can improve communications within your part of HiFli. Your recommendation should include a clear, identifiable statement of the recommendation, an explanation of how the recommendation will be implemented, some discussion of possible costs*****rarely, are changes cost-free, and some indication of what advantages occur from implementing the recommendation. Most recommendations contain some suggestions about their size and scope; please justify the dimensions of your recommendation.

Cc: TCI representative

Tinkertoy representative

Thoughts on how to respond to this memo:

1. Your recommendation should be explicit. For example, you should not just say, *****"I believe we should have more communication among the managers.*****" Rather, it might say, *****"I believe the managers should meet weekly for 30 minutes to discuss production efficiencies. And here is an example of where we*****ve been and where we can go*****¦.***** Or you could say, *****"To insure that the managers communicate more, they need to meet weekly, develop a listserv, and create a system for feedback because*****¦.***** Or you could recommend that HiFli reorganize some of the workforce (such a recommendation would incur movement and training costs).

2. Your recommendation should be accompanied by specific examples that you personally draw from your HiFli experience, and it should be very clear to the CEO why you are recommending these actions and what these actions are. The CEO should also know what your role is in the company.

3. Your recommendation should include necessary comments about implementation and, where possible, benefits*****tangible or intangible*****HiFli gains from making the change (s). I would be very cautious about blaming anyone for any of the problems you identify.

4. Keep in mind our comments in class about how busy everyone is and how important it is to be concise. You should also pick up from this memo that the CEO is thinking about taking some of your recommendations to the Board. Your chances of having your recommendation go forward will probably be strongly affected by how *****complete***** your recommendation is.