MBA - TodayZ Lesson

Strengths, weaknesses and recommendations for the Knowledge Management Cycle in the company Home and Lifestyle Products Australia (H&LPA).  KM STRENGTHS AT H&LPA The use of SharePoint allows collaborative work in real time for the staff in the office as well as those working remotely. Compatibility of information with other client companies which makes it easier to share information and schedule meetings.  Management desire for improvement is a valuable strength as the company is quickly growing during the last years and management are open to hear and try out new ideas from employees.  The systems for customer relationship management, document and warehousing management have lately been greatly improved allowing easy migration of information.   KM WEAKNESSES AT H&LPA Management doesn’t clearly schedule specific times to analyse the current KM systems and make a plan for it in the middle and long term.     H&LPA relies exclusively on SharePoint for most of its work

This analysis provides valuable insight on the knowledge management systems used by the company Home & Lifestyle Products Australia (H&LPT) based on primary data by direct observation as well as conversations with members of the company.  Firstly, It identifies the core components of the knowledge management cycle at H&LPA, strengths, weaknesses, and provides recommendations. Secondly, it proposes a knowledge management plan with activities and technologies to implement at H&LPA and finally a conclusion.            H&LPA ORGANISATION’S OVERVIEW H&LPA is an Australian company established in 1988 focused on importing products from all over the world mainly in Home and Lifestyle lines (H&LPA 2022).  The company currently has 38 employees and evolved during the last decades to be a product developer, brand builder and supply partner with over a thousand products available to supply partners in the Australian market.  H&LPA provides products to large Aus

Cultural intelligence - CQ Cultural intelligence  is the “Capability of an individual to function effectively in situations characterised by cultural diversity” (Ang 2015).  It involves increasing the CQ drive, CQ knowledge, CQ action and CQ strategy. In other words, increasing the level of Cultural Intelligence comes as a result when it is increased the level of interest, understanding, awareness and adaptation to other cultures (Cultural Intelligence Center 2023). Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory  is a model developed in 1973 thanks to Hofstede’s examinations of worldwide employee’s surveys during 6 years. This model indicates how communication varies within different cultures, as they differ in values, behaviours and understanding of it.  Hosftede’s cultural dimensions are six, they are described as:  1) Power of Distance Index, this is the degree to which authority is accepted and followed.  2) Individualism vs Collectivism, to what extent

Applying Cultural Intelligence, Hofstede's Intercultural Dimensions Model,  and Hall's model of Low-context vs High-context Cultures.  WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION The workshop has by name and purpose “Developing Intercultural Competence” and subtitle “Aussie - Thai Cultural Workshop”, together with a kangaroo picture with the Australian flag and an elephant with the flag of Thailand. Furthermore, this infographic catches the eye by indicating this is a great opportunity to taste Aussie and Thai meals and indicates the time, day, place and topic of the workshop. Cultural Intelligence is explained using images and description of concepts. Then Hofstede’s intercultural dimensions model is explained through pictures, comparing Australia and Thailand in the six different dimensions while two of them are explained in more detail.  Hall’s model of low-context versus high-context culture is presented indicating which one aligns more with Thailand and which one with Australia, as well as how c

Trust between leaders and followers represent one of the most relevant influences to predict success or failure. It sets the base for collaboration which in term brings organisational effectiveness, improves people’s motivation, co-operation, performance and positive behaviour.  As a way of exploring this topic, a formal definition or trust is presented together with the analysis of how trust between leaders and followers influences the decision making and behaviours both for leaders and followers. TRUST DEFINITION Trust is an attitude people have towards other people in the hope that the other person will be trustworthy. Trust has several important characteristics, firstly, it requires being vulnerable to other people's decisions.  Secondly, one of the parts rely on the other one to be competent to do what they have been trusted to do, and lastly, to rely on them to be willing to do it (McLeod 2021). TRUST AND LEADERSHIP IN DECISION MAKING Trust between leaders and followers is kn

The organisational culture is very much shaped by the leaders’ views as well as their relationship with followers. To explore this topic, Schein's model is explained in an attempt to provide insight on a formal definition of organisational culture and the underlying levels of it.  Then, four types of organisational culture are explained as well as the leaders' possible roles within that culture, and lastly, a contemporary example taking Google as a case study for success in creating an organisational culture which values quality work as well as employee satisfaction. SCHEIN’S MODEL  Leaders do an important role in keeping or changing an organisational culture. According to Edgar Schein organisational culture is defined as the group of shared basic assumptions learned by a group while solving problems of external adaptation and internal integration (Schein 2010).  The Schein’s model is a theory in which the basic assumptions determine an organisation’s culture, shaping the value

The present report explores the relationship between trust and human behaviour in the workplace.  This includes the analysis of the workplace relationship between leaders and followers, the influence leaders have on the organisational culture through their relationship with followers, and lastly, the role of trust between leaders and followers in the decision making. Along with this analysis are presented relevant theories, concepts and contemporary examples to support the underlying topic and describe the influences of trust between leaders and followers on the decision making which ultimately impacts on the organisations’ success.  This report concludes there are clear benefits from having a healthy and trusting relationship between leaders and followers such as improving employee’s motivation, co-operation, performance, responsibility and positive behaviour. Workplace relationship between leaders and followers  The workplace relationships and nature of humans in organisations can wi

When thinking of strategic leadership it is often the responsibility of the CEO and the top management group of people within a company. For Fortescue Metals Group Australia- FMG, Elizabeth Gaines (current CEO 2022) together with other nine directors and members of the board, are responsible and accountable for performing the vision, mission and plan to achieve strategic objectives.  In other words, and  according to Lussier “Strategic leadership is a leader’s ability to anticipate, envision, maintain flexibility, think strategically, and work with others to initiate changes that will create a viable future for an organisation” (Lussier 2016, pg 397).  On this  view, FMG has been able to apply strategic leadership in developing human resources of the company by constantly training and educating the staff. For example, the FMG’s objective to run the whole operation with green renewable energy has brought the company to invest in training the teams to find the way to harness the power o