How To Build And Maintain Stakeholder Relationships Management Essay

How To Build And Maintain Stakeholder Relationships Management Essay Organizations change constantly, a projects stakeholder set will change as stakeholder change roles within the organization, move into different roles or leave the organization to take up roles in other organizations. For whatever reason, the ability of individual stakeholder to influence the project may increase or decrease. Most project management methodologies define ways to identify project stakeholder, and then base their entire communications strategies on this initial, and only, identification. Many projects fail because stakeholders do not continue to support the vision or objectives of the project. In many cases this is because the team does not recognize changes in the relative power or position of key stakeholder and fails to make appropriate adjustments in their stakeholder management activities. This study reported upon in this paper is focused on support for project managers in building and maintaining relationships with project stakeholder. This is accomplished through using a practical methodology that allows the project team to identify and priorities the projects stakeholder and then stakeholders needs of the project to develop an appropriate relationship management strategy. The underlying assumption for this research is the stakeholder management is extremely difficult, the project manager and his/her project team members must identify, engage and sustain relationships with a diverse set of groups and individuals (including themselves) who can impact the project in many ways. HOW TO BUILD AND MAINTAIN STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS GOTTA QUIRK (1999 2012): Communication and trust is the main source for creating a lasting relationship between stakeholders. Through effective communications and building trusting relationships, organizations should be committed to ensure that all stakeholders are involved in shaping the decisions of organizations in a meaningful manner. The commitment to actively build and maintain long-term relationships with stakeholders is based on two fundamental guiding principles communication and trust.   These two principles shape the development of stakeholder relations philosophy which includes: ENMAX Corporation (2012): Encouraging stakeholder participation in the decision-making process Providing timely information Open, and honest communication Listening to stakeholder concerns Respecting diverse opinions Seeking mutually beneficial solutions Learning from each other Moreover, stakeholder relationships that are unmanaged or mismanaged have a number of less than favorable consequences for companies. These include unnecessary expenses, and a lack of buy-in to processes and initiatives aimed at transforming the company. However, stakeholder management is a difficult undertaking for organizations because it requires investment and commitment to a long term structured process. While there are a number of efficient information management tools available through marketing, it is important to start with the big picture who are we going to be speaking to and how? BY IDENTIFYING THE STAKEHOLDERS Particularly in larger organizations, this process is a critical one because the network of stakeholders with an investment or interest in a business is broader than we would originally have imagined. Consider that likely stakeholders include the board, management, other employees, customers, suppliers and the community within which we operate. It is important when making this list that we gather and collate as much information as possible about the individuals and groups on it. This will enable us to start thinking through appropriate and targeted communication with them. BY PRIORITIZING THE STAKEHOLDER However noble our intentions regarding stakeholder relationship management are, there unfortunately have to be some individuals and group whos needs are more important and who require prioritization if we intend maintaining their support. While this sucks for the interns, the chairman of organizational board will be pleased to know that you have his best interests at heart. Prioritizing begins with segmenting a list into groups and then listing them in order of importance. This process needs to be completed with the organizational goals and the level of stakeholder information in mind. Ultimately, this will ensure personalization and consistency across communication channels at a later point in the process. BY UNDERSTANDING THEIR NEEDS Stakeholders require consistent and regular communication and service. However, their individual distinctiveness requires that this communication be personalized and targeted. This is difficult enough in the corner store but is universally impossible across larger organizations; the number of individuals is just too great. The next thing is to understand each group. A key part of this is to know what information they have, how accurate it is, how it aligns with the organizational goals and what information they need. This should align with the process of prioritization, with the groups at the bottom needing the least amount of information and the groups at the top needing the most. BY BUILDING TRUSTIN RELATIONSHIPS Collaborative partnerships depend on trust. Partners must communicate effectively and resolve conflicts, especially about sensitive issues like distribution of rewards and the involvement of host organizations the in laws. As in any relationship, attention must be given to renewing the relationship and sustaining the commitment of the partners by building and maintaining support of the parent organization, evaluating progress and celebrating success. BY ENCOURAGING THE STAKEHOLDERS This is the act of giving someone support, confidence, or hope that it is well even though they do not see it. When we encourage our stakeholders, it makes them feel the company do have plans for them and that would make them hold on. BY SATISFYING THE STAKEHOLDERS Satisfaction is important in maintaining a good relationship because when one is not satisfied, they would always look for a place where they would be satisfied. Even the study of economics makes us to understand that man is insatiable. So as a company, lets look for a way to satisfy the stakeholders needs. BY ENGAGING WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS Now the easy part is over and you actually have to find an innovative and efficient manner in which to communicate with these stakeholders. Whatever tactics you use, it is helpful to have a communication plan in place so that the process runs smoothly without negatively impacting on productivity. Using a collaborative software package could be the answer, particularly if you want to keep a specific group up to date about a specific project. Regular status reports are useful and email newsletters are very effective for those individuals who are not privy to sensitive information. Going one step further, these can be divided into an internal and an external newsletter; the first being only for staff and the second for clients and interested parties. For small groups and occasionally large ones, meetings are a good way to get a message across and invite buy in and feedback. Remember that in order to be effective, this engagement should be two-way. Stakeholders need a forum to air concer ns and grievances while having the comfort of knowing they will get a response. Neglecting this element of communication is bound to undermine the ultimate goals of your organization. Regardless of tactics though, the important part of this aspect of the process is to understand and manage stakeholder expectations. The stakeholders need to know when to expect communication and what sort of communication to expect. MONITORING THE ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS There is little point in engagement with the stakeholders if it is perceived to be token or ineffectual. While its admirable that you are trying, this lack of efficacy is not going to encourage buy-in and may undermine your company, particularly if the negativity spreads. It is thus important to track and monitor your efforts and gauge the response to them. Speak to individuals directly, encourage feedback and through email tracking assess whether people are reading the information that are been disseminated. Tweak your efforts accordingly. Part of this is keeping a finger on the pulse of the companys reputation which is also important. Conduct surveys if necessary and establish who thinks what and why. Knowing what the perception is will go a long way toward finding the necessary means to turn it around. ISSUES THAT MAY AFFECT STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS AND THE POSSIBLE AREAS OF CONFLICT CIM (1998): The issues that may affect relationships are likewise the same as the areas of conflict, and this is certainly the opposite of the factors that builds relationship. For example, when a stakeholders interest in an organization is different from that of other stakeholders group, this may affect the relationship between stakeholders or cause conflict to an extent. Another example is trust, when there is no trust in an organization; it could also affect a relationship or cause conflict. Also consider when there is no: Control mutuality (think mutual control) the degree to which parties agree on who has the rightful power to influence one another. Trust one partys level of confidence in and willingness to open ones self to the other party. Commitment The extent to which each party believes and feels that the relationship is worth spending energy to maintain and promote. Satisfaction The extent to which each party feels favorably toward the other because positive expectations about the relationship are reinforced. Exchange relationships In an exchange relationship, one party gives benefits to the other only because the other has provided benefits in the past or is expected to do so in the future. Communal relationships In a communal relationship, both parties provide benefits to the other because they are concerned for the welfare of the other even if they get nothing in return. STRENGTHENING AND RESOLVING CONFLICT IN RELATIONSHIPS ASSESS THE STRENGTH OF THE RELATIONSHIP The first thing is to survey the stakeholder group using some variant of the questionnaire, this will reveal how weak or strong the relationship is and where it is weak or strong. For example, in one project I did, we learned the organization had excellent scores with all stakeholder groups on all but one of these six factors. So improving stakeholder relationships in that case was a matter of focusing on that one factor. BUILD STAKEHOLDERS TRUST IN THE ORGANIZATION Consistently treat stakeholders fairly. Whenever the organization makes important decisions take stakeholder opinions into account and otherwise demonstrate concern for stakeholders. Keep organizational promises. Demonstrate competence by doing what was proposed.   PAY ATTENTION AND RESPOND TO WHAT STAKEHOLDERS SAY AND DO Demonstrate the belief that stakeholder opinions are legitimate by responding to them. Give stakeholders a say in the organizations decision-making process, especially in those areas that affect the stakeholder group. DEMONSTRATE COMMITMENT TO STAKEHOLDERS Show stakeholders that the organization wants to maintain a long-term relationship with them. Engage stakeholders to build loyalty to the organization. SATISFY STAKEHOLDERS Identify and enhance the ways stakeholders benefit from their association with the organization. Make interacting with the organization a delightful experience. Make stakeholders feel they are important to the organization. MOVE BEYOND AN EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP TO A COMMUNAL RELATIONSHIP As noted above, exchange relationships are those in which two parties in a relationship expect a benefit in return for a benefit tit for tat. These relationships are the basis of most for-profit businesses. That is, a customer expects a certain quality product in exchange for the money he/she spends, and the organization expects the money in return for the product. Employees expect pay, benefits and a sense of fulfillment and organizations expect work and engagement.   A communal relationship goes beyond that. One party in the relationship believes the other will give benefits with no expectation of a return. An example of this is corporate social responsibility programs, such as when a bank goes beyond the basic business exchange to give back to the community by supporting programs that benefit neighborhoods.  Some argue that this corporate giving is not really selfless in that the organization expects good will in return for the benefit it bestows on the community. And this may be. Nevertheless, when a stakeholder believes an organization helps people without expecting anything in return, the relationship is at a different level than if the stakeholder believes the organization only trades benefit for benefit. THE IMPORTANCE OF MONITORING AND REVIEWING DIY Committee Guide (2012) Both research and common sense support the notion that we need to monitor the performance of stakeholder on an ongoing basis. If we are ever to know how we are doing, the management committee should use reports against its annual operational plans to review progress towards meeting the strategic aims and objectives. Therefore, they must ensure that whoever is doing the work is keeping appropriate records so that progress can be assessed. This will involve, at the implementation stage of the plan, being clear what systems and structures are required. The things you decide to measure will give an indication of how well youre doing, hence, the name indication or performance measures. Before completing your plan, you need to agree how and when it will be monitored and reviewed and what information the Management Committee needs to receive in order to review progress. When reviewing progress towards achieving the strategic aims and objectives, the Management Committee should: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ensure that activities are kept within the parameters of the agreed strategic aims and objectives; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ensure that activities are consistent with organizations vision, mission and values; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢keep under review internal and external changes which may require changes to the organizations strategy or affect their ability to achieve their objectives. GETTING FEEDBACKS The quality of a partnership can be analyzed by getting feedback from the stakeholders through questionnaires or interviews CONCLUSION In closing, Id like to re-emphasize the importance of assessing the strength of the relationship at the outset. That there are six factors to manage when building relationships is a great insight. But to manage we must be able to measure. This tells us not only where to focus our efforts but also whether we have succeeded.

Little Richard’s Influence on Rock ‘N’ Roll History Essay

Rock and roll music emerged as a part of American teen culture during the notably conservative time period in the country’s history which shortly followed the traumatic events of World War II. Being that the genre’s target audience was white teenagers, many Americans- already overwhelmed and on-edge due to the anti-communist movement inspired by the Cold War- were apprehensive about the influence that this up-and-coming style of music might have on their country’s future. America’s youth openly accepted rock and roll’s racially integrated culture of performers and embraced the relatively lewd nature of many songs and performances associated with the genre, much to the dismay of their elders. Richard Wayne Penniman (better known by his stage name, Little Richard) had an important influence on the history of rock and roll music because of his unconventional stage presence and explicit sexuality. Artists such as Little Richard aggressively pushed the envelope, defied social norms and generated controversy. Richard, along with a few fellow pioneers, helped to define rock and roll in its early years, and paved the way for rock and rollers of future generations. Penniman’s work left an everlasting impression on the musical genre and culture that is rock and roll. Considering the time in America’s history during which Little Richard appeared on the rock and roll scene, it is completely appropriate to attribute much of his fame and influence to his unconventional stage presence. The rising popularity of television during the 1950’s fundamentally changed the music industry by presenting artists with an entirely new way to market themselves (or be marketed). Being televised meant that the overall look and presence of an artist played a more crucial role in stimulating audiences; the focus of listeners was no longer solely the sound of the music being produced. Prior to T. V. , music fans were only able to enjoy the sounds of their favorite artist by way of radio and the purchasing of records. In many cases, this meant that if a fan had never seen a live performance or record-jacket photo of a particular artist, it’s possible that they had never seen said artist at all and possessed only a general idea (if any) of what that artist looked like. As television sets became an increasingly popular household item for middle-class American families, â€Å"live performances assumed a new importance for performers of rock ‘n’ roll music, and individual artists and vocal roups sought to cultivate visual characteristics or mannerisms that would set them apart from others and encourage listeners to remember them†¦ but no performer in the early years of rock ‘n’ roll was as visually flamboyant as Little Richard,† (Schloss, Starr, and Waterman 1-75). A fan’s perception of an artist or group became subject to their opinion of the overall image of the performance. At this point in time, listening to the music of a completely respectable, clean cut, well dressed African-American was still considered inappropriate by a sizeable portion of white American society- particularly those living in the South and those beyond their teenage years. Many of these people were hesitant to accept racial integration, and tended to proceed cautiously when (or, more appropriately, if) they chose to do so. These are the same people that were unrightfully, but understandably, so frightened by performers like Little Richard. In order to differentiate himself from other rockers of the time, Richard usually wore heavy make-up and sported his famous pompadour hair style. As a former drag queen, Richard was fully aware of the type of reaction his look would draw from audiences; it’s the reaction he hoped to receive. Though, at the time, society as a whole was unsure of how to react to the statement his image made, â€Å"the†¦ ambiguity of Little Richard’s sexual identity†¦ paved the way for the image of performers such as David Bowie, Elton John, and Prince,† (Schloss, Starr, and Waterman 1-75). Just in case his eccentric outward appearance was not enough to gain the disapproval of parents across the nation, Little Richard put on an absolutely wild stage performance which included dramatic eye rolling and his simultaneous hip gyrating and piano playing. In order to dance and play piano at the same time, Little Richard stood (not sat) in front of the instrument- yet another feature of his performance that was specific to him. Little Richard aimed to gain the attention of his fans by creating an entirely original and exciting performance act. In order to do so, Richard created an image that was totally outside of society’s definition of normal, respectable, and safe. His image was only half of his act, though. It’s unlikely that there were many ‘respectable’ white, American parents around in the 1950’s that were comfortable with the idea of Little Richard having any type of influence over the generation deemed the ‘future’ of their country, much less over their specific children. If there had been anyone left straddling that fence, however, contemplating just how harmful a 24-year-old performer with a whacky haircut and face full of make up could really be, it would be safe to assume that they had never actually heard the man sing. The lewd, scandalous lyrics that completed Little Richard’s unorthodox self-presentation would have provided the final push that landed the aforementioned fence straddler on the opposite side of Richard’s performance, and confirmed the popular idea that â€Å"rock’s musical characteristics indicated a general decline in American taste,† (Schloss, Starr, and Waterman 1-75). While teenagers danced to the sounds of the modified twelve-bar blues accompanying Richard’s shouting vocal style and countertenor whoops, parents instinctively cringed in disapproval of the blatantly suggestive lyrics. Hit songs by Little Richard such as â€Å"Tutti-Frutti,† (Penniman, 1955) and â€Å"Long Tall Sally,† (Penniman, 1956) contained lyrics that were generally non-specific, but overall relatively sexual for the time. Richard’s scandalous appearance, behavior, and song lyrics embodied a sexual tension that managed to both intrigue teenage audiences, and inspire fellow performers. It is this same sexual tension that made society at large not only generally uncomfortable, but also concerned about what other ludicrous notions rock and roll would try to impose upon American culture in the future. Little Richard used rock and roll as a platform to rattle the cages of the music industry, and change society’s concept of what was acceptable, what was normal, and most of all what was popular. It was Richard’s unique image and abrasive song content that simultaneously intrigued and shocked American society in the early 1950s. American teenagers of this time appreciated the power of Little Richard’s performance and embraced Little Richard as the new spirit of rock and roll. Unfortunately, â€Å"in 1957 Richard denounced his work and joined the church†¦clos[ing] his most creative period,† (Oxford University Press). Although the momentum of his influence eventually slowed, it never quite stopped. Rock and roll performers such as Jerry Lee Lewis, the Beatles, and the American Creedence Clearwater Revival all provide examples of music inspired by the work of Little Richard, proving the power of his influence and solidifying the lasting impression that he left on rock and roll.

Husky Injection Molding Systems

Question: What is Husky's strategy? Why has the company been so successful in the period prior to the recent problems? Husky follows a differentiation strategy by trying to offer a higher perceived value than its competitors in order to convince customers to pay a premium price for the company’s products – across its product line, Husky charges a 10% to 20% premium. Husky’s success, prior to the recent problems, can be explained by the following value drivers: Husky’s product featuresThe company is known in the industry for its high quality products. Husky’s systems are speedier than the ones of the competition (for PET products, Husky’s cycle time is 10% to 15% shorter) and they are believed to be more rugged. Furthermore, Husky’s systems are able to produce thinner walls than competitors’ machines, and their resin utilization and durability are higher. Unlike rivals, the company offers a fully integrated system of thinwall mol d, machine, and product-handling equipment. Husky’s customer serviceThe company established technical centers in key locations to provide technical support to its customers. Husky’s internal service force is known to be the strongest in the industry, and in addition, its sales force does an extraordinary job. Husky’s complements In addition to Husky’s systems, the company offers value-added services to provide greater perceived value for its customers: Husky’s experts plan injection molding facilities for customers, train customers, integrate production systems, and produce turnkey factories.In addition to these internal developments, Husky was also able to take advantage of the fact that soft drink makers shifted rapidly to plastic bottles: The company could establish itself in the PET preform market by bringing a quick series of product innovations on the market; by 1995, 60% of the world’s preforms were manufactured on Husky systems. All factors mentioned above contributed to Husky’s good brand equity that, in turn, allows the company to charge a premium price for its products, thus creating a competitive advantage.

Reduced Time from Prison - 1440 Words

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