Business Decision Making (Team Work) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Decision Making (Team Work) - Essay Example Essentially, activities considered in team building include goal setting, development of interpersonal relations among the team members, role analysis to clarify each member’s roles and responsibilities (Robbins, 1993). In spite of the fact that members of a virtual team do not work in a face to face contact, it can be noted that team goals should be clearly defined so that each person is aware of the tasks he or she is expected to perform. There are several advantages that can be derived from teamwork when managing a project. The efforts of the team members are synergised so that they are directed towards the attainment of the desired goals and objectives. The combined effort of team members is likely to produce positive results compared to individual effort. Basically, team building attempts to use high interaction among group members in order to increase trust and openness (Robbins, 1993). This entails that communication is mainly used in the team building process. However, communication across cultures can be challenging in a virtual team. In a virtual team, effort should be made to ensure that people from different backgrounds share a common understanding towards something. Korac-Kakabadse, Kouzmin, Korac-Kakabadse, & Savery (2001, p.5) posit to the effect that the â€Å"major reasons for difficulties encountered in cross-cultural communication stem from the fact that actors from different cultures have different understandings regarding the interaction process and different styles of dialogue.† In a virtual team, efforts should be made to ensure that people from different cultures should interact by way of communication where they are in a position to share the established pattern of behaviour as well as meaning of the organizational context. Lin & Miller (2003) also suggest that when people conduct business across borders, they bring to the negotiation

Lamprey Inc Remains Viable as a Business Enterprise Essay

Lamprey Inc Remains Viable as a Business Enterprise - Essay Example This huge disparity in salary already manifested in the uncompetitive pricing of Lamprey Inc.’s products compared to its competitors. Competitors were also dangerously close to overtaking Lamprey Inc. in terms of product quality. Lamprey Inc. has to lower its cost, to remain viable as a business enterprise. If it will continue to operate with the same cost in the present state of competition, it will not long be long before it will fold. Looking at the numbers, moving the plant to Mexico seems to be the easiest solution considering the wage disparity of $16 per hour in Oconomo plant and $1.60 per hour in Mexico translating to a $ 15 million savings per year. But limiting the consideration of the decision to lowering wages can be a very simple solution to the problem. The real issue of the Oconomo plant is the high operational cost and wage is only one of its many components. In addition, the level of the plant’s productivity may be also an issue for it might be producing less at the same cost. If the management and the employees can find ways to lower the cost and increase productivity that will make the company’s return higher and enable it to keep a savings equivalent to moving the plant to Mexico, then it should be explored. As an experienced manager, Jim Malesckowski felt it in his gut that the decision felt wrong although it sounds right. Strictly looking at the disparity of the wages may seem to be right but he knew that as long as there is a chance that the cost will be lowered, the plant should be saved. Jim has to engage the employees through its union in the solving the problem of lowering the cost and enhancing productivity. He has to be forthright with the employees that both of them want the same thing, to keep the plant at Oconomo without cutting the wages.   So they have to solve the problem of competition which undermines their mutual interest in keeping the plant.