Abstract
Key Problem Areas
Need to reduce expenses
Reclaim the lost chance of producing the jet engine for Canadian air-defense capability beyond 2008.
Lift the dampened spirits of the personnel.
Key alternative Solutions
a. Need to reduce expenses
Determine areas of high expenses
Institute cost cutting measures
Reduce unnecessary expenses
Terminate some personnel
b. Reclaim the lost chance of producing the jet engine
Offer alternative products to the government.
Ask the government to give the company similar projects.
Prove that the company’s product is better than the rest.
c. Lift the dampened spirits of the personnel
Assure them that not all will be terminated
Provide activities that will lift up their spirits
Recommendations
Reduce the expenses on some materials
Remove unnecessary expenses
As much as possible termination should be the last option.
SWOT Analysis
Strength
The main strength of United Dynamics is its innovativeness. The company innovated various products that were needed in various fields. A strength for United Dynamics is its well established values. Values such professionalism, diligence and perseverance help the company achieves its goal and maintains its stature in its industry. Moreover a strength for United Dynamics is its high regard for the workers. The company has safety practices aimed at the personnel. The company has acquired certification for its health and safety practices, this shows that the company uses strategies that have high standards towards the personnel. The company gives a complete set of safety kit to the personnel. The company also gives reference to laws that affect the personnel. The company follows the employment laws in Ontario. Lastly a strength of United Dynamics is its website that is informative and attractive. The website provides information about the company and information on products of the company and how such product benefits clients.
Weakness
United Dynamics’ main weakness is still lacking advertisements. The company doesn’t use many advertisements that can help it be known to more people from other regions. A weakness of United Dynamics is the limited area that has been reached by the company. The company has a small market; this makes it hard for the company to reach newer clients. It hampers the chance for the company to show that its products are better than products in other regions. Moreover a weakness for United Dynamics is its inability to close an important deal like the chance to develop a new jet engine for Canadian air-defense capability beyond 2008. The loss of such chance did not help in the company’s goal to grow and prosper.
Opportunities
An opportunity for United is to find out more ways to give a distinctive look and features to their products. The company can continue to make sure that their products are uniquely packaged. The company can create attractive and trendy packages that will attract more market. By doing this the company will have competitive advantage over other firms. An opportunity for the company is to improve the features of their website. The website can be improved by adding online communication systems that will help the company communicate with perspective and regular clients. By doing this it can attract more clients and retailers from various parts of the region. An opportunity for the United Dynamics is to continue to make use of newer technologies that will provide better service to clients. United Dynamics can use the advancements in manufacturing facilities and technologies to make sure that the clients will achieve satisfaction. The company can make use of newer technologies to create the best product possible. An opportunity for United Dynamics is to continue to reach newer markets where it can offer its products. The company should consider reaching other regions and countries. An opportunity for United Dynamics is to offer financial gifts to those who will resign from the company. This helps reducing the need to terminate employees. It also maintains a good relationship between the firm and the personnel. Lastly an opportunity for United Dynamics is to increase public knowledge about the company and the product it provides. This could be done through the use of internet and other media.
Threats
A threat to United Dynamics is the competitors. The competitors will try everything they can to gain a better standing against United Dynamics. The competitors might discover products that are better than United Dynamics product line. The threat to the company includes the laws in the country they are operating in. There may be some future laws that will hinder the creation of products. The laws may be used against some components of their products. There maybe laws that can change the allowed component for the product. Another threat to the company is the tariffs and taxes that the company has in the region. The taxes and tariff constantly change and that may give additional expenses for the company. A threat to United Dynamics is the environmental issues that might be raised by certain groups. The environmental concerns on the creation of products can be used as propaganda against the company. Lastly a threat to the company is the global financial crisis. The financial crisis may not be felt by Canada right now but after some time its effects will be felt by Canada and business in that region. The global financial crisis will reduce the clients of United Dynamics and might force it to stop some projects. The company needs to be prepared for this crisis and its probable effects.
Question 1
Employers need to establish organizational policies in order to maintain smooth business operations. Violation of those policies causes deterioration of the organization’s stability and negatively impacts each employee. Employers have obligations to their employees, but employees also owe responsibilities to their employer and coworkers(Covey 2000). An employee has an obligation to adhere to the employer’s policies, and the failure to do so may result in disciplinary action or employment termination Every employment termination exposes the organization to a potential lawsuit, and every incompatible employee creates frustration for everyone. Employees may not always agree with an employment termination but they do respect an individual who has treated them fairly. Prompt and well thought out responses to employee workplace situations not only can build and maintain employee morale and prevent employment litigation but also can provide a strong defense should a claim be filed (Covey 2000). Among the personnel that should be considered for termination from United Dynamics includes Adam Thompson and Lloyd Hunt. Adam Thompson should be terminated because his salary creates higher expenses for the firm. Thompson should be fired because he doesn’t have skills that can be at par with the other engineers. Moreover Thompson is financially stable. Lloyd Hunt should be terminated because he has opposing views with the other members of the group and this does not help in achieving growth for the group. Hunt cannot stay because there are already some work related problems with him and some members of the group.
Question 2
International business has proliferated to a point where most major industries and services operate on a multinational level. Global organizations encounter a wide assortment of laws, employment practices, and individual challenges as they manage human resources located in different countries and cultures. Within this global mix, local discriminatory practices may not be salient to human resource (HR) professionals from a parent organization. Furthermore, attempts to standardize or implement nondiscriminatory HR practices may be resisted or prove counterproductive. A review of current antidiscrimination employment laws and regulations showed most nations adopted or amended legislation within the past 15 years. There is a clear trend for countries to establish national laws protecting rights at work (Corellas & Dipboye 2005). Across these laws, there is a wide range of what constitutes employment discrimination, how laws are enforced, and what remedies are available to victims of discrimination. Aside from legal compliance with employment laws, organizations can foster fair employment practices in a number of ways (Corellas & Dipboye 2005).
Formal methods include strong nondiscriminatory policies clearly communicated to all organizational members, training programs to ensure fair treatment across all human resource functions, and review procedures to investigate charges of discrimination (Corellas & Dipboye 2005). In addition to these practices that are focused on processes internal to the organization, an organization can voluntarily participate in external organizational consortia focused on employment rights. Two hundred years ago, many countries did not grant citizenship or basic rights to women or members of particular racial/ethnic groups. One hundred years ago, the industrial revolution and world wars created workforce demands that have sown the seeds for diversity. Today, diverse workforces are global and workers are aware of fair employment goals practiced by some and aspired to by others. Global business has raised new challenges for countries and corporations. Most existing institutions related to workplace discrimination were born in eras that did not comprehend how organizations transcend national borders with practices that conflict with different societies, religions, and histories. As more countries adopt national and international employment laws, the global codes of social responsibility will converge. A global organization’s ability to adopt these codes will contribute to its sustainability and competitive advantage (Briscoe & Schuler 2004). United Dynamics is located in a place where employment laws and regulations are strictly implemented. As long as United Dynamics would follow the conditions and rules on employee termination there would be no problem. The decision to remove two people from the group would lead to reduced salary expenses for the firm. On the other hand the decision to remove two people from the group can give Hunt the idea to sue the company for violation of employment policies. The company should win this court case through giving proof of how the termination was done in a legal way and through showing that the termination process was humane. The company should disprove every accusation Hunt would throw at the firm.
Summary and Conclusion
Terminating an employee requires careful decision making. To terminate a personnel one must first analyze all candidates for termination. Just like other companies, United Dynamics had to terminate some personnel. They need to terminate personnel because of the need to reduce expenses. They need to reduce expenses because they failed to bag the chance to develop a new jet engine for Canadian air-defense capability beyond 2008. Among the personnel that should be considered for termination from United Dynamics includes Adam Thompson and Lloyd Hunt. Adam Thompson should be terminated because his salary creates higher expenses for the firm. Thompson should be fired because he doesn’t have skills that can be at par with the other engineers. Moreover Thompson is financially stable. Lloyd Hunt should be terminated because he has opposing views with the other members of the group and this does not help in achieving growth for the group. Hunt cannot stay because there are already some work related problems with him and some members of the group. The decision to terminate them was based on their work habits, relationship with the co employees, financial status and capabilities. United Dynamics needs to be prepared for the repercussions of their actions specifically the termination of Lloyd Hunt. He may consider suing in court and the company should prepare to defend itself. As long as United Dynamics would follow the conditions and rules on employee termination there would be no problem. As long as United Dynamics can defend itself from the accusations of Hunt then there would be not much problem.
References
Briscoe, DR & Schuler, RS 2004, International human
resource management: Policies & practices for the global
enterprise, Routledge, New York.
Colella, A & Dipboye, RL (eds.) 2005, Discrimination at
work: The psychological and organizational bases, Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ.
Covey, A 2000, The workplace law advisor: From harassment
and discrimination policies to hiring and firing guidelines
what every manager and employee needs to know, Perseus
Publishing, Cambridge, MA.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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