Harvard Case - Women@Work: Naomi (B)
"Women@Work: Naomi (B)" Harvard business case study is written by Roy Chua, Hye Jung Eun, Mengzi Jin. It deals with the challenges in the field of General Management. The case study is 1 page(s) long and it was first published on : Aug 10, 2020
At Fern Fort University, we recommend Naomi adopt a multi-pronged approach to address the challenges she faces. This includes implementing a comprehensive strategy focused on diversity and inclusion, organizational culture change, and leadership development. This strategy will be supported by data-driven decision making, talent management, and strategic communication initiatives.
2. Background
This case study centers on Naomi, the newly appointed CEO of a family-owned manufacturing company, Fern Fort University. The company faces significant challenges, including a lack of diversity and inclusion, a rigid organizational culture, and a leadership team resistant to change. Naomi aims to transform the company's culture and create a more inclusive and innovative environment.
The main protagonists are Naomi, the CEO, and the company's leadership team, who are resistant to change. The case study explores the challenges Naomi faces in implementing her vision for a more diverse and inclusive workplace.
3. Analysis of the Case Study
Strategic Framework:
This case study can be analyzed using a SWOT analysis, Porter's Five Forces, and Balanced Scorecard framework.
SWOT Analysis:
- Strengths: Fern Fort University has a strong brand reputation, a loyal customer base, and a skilled workforce.
- Weaknesses: The company lacks diversity and inclusion, has a rigid organizational culture, and faces resistance to change.
- Opportunities: The company can tap into the growing demand for sustainable and ethically produced products by implementing a corporate social responsibility strategy. It can also leverage technology and analytics to improve its operations and decision-making processes.
- Threats: The company faces competition from other manufacturers, rising labor costs, and potential economic downturns.
Porter's Five Forces:
- Threat of new entrants: The manufacturing industry has relatively high barriers to entry, making the threat of new entrants moderate.
- Bargaining power of buyers: Buyers have moderate bargaining power due to the availability of alternative products.
- Bargaining power of suppliers: Suppliers have moderate bargaining power, as the company relies on a few key suppliers.
- Threat of substitute products: The threat of substitute products is moderate, as there are alternative materials and manufacturing processes available.
- Rivalry among existing competitors: The rivalry among existing competitors is high, as the industry is fragmented and companies compete on price, quality, and innovation.
Balanced Scorecard:
- Financial Perspective: Increase profitability, improve financial performance, and reduce costs.
- Customer Perspective: Enhance customer satisfaction, build brand loyalty, and expand market share.
- Internal Processes Perspective: Improve operational efficiency, streamline processes, and enhance product quality.
- Learning and Growth Perspective: Foster innovation, develop talent, and promote diversity and inclusion.
Key Challenges:
- Resistance to change: The leadership team and employees are resistant to change, making it difficult for Naomi to implement her vision.
- Lack of diversity and inclusion: The company's workforce is predominantly white and male, creating a culture that is not welcoming to diverse talent.
- Rigid organizational culture: The company has a hierarchical and bureaucratic culture, which stifles innovation and creativity.
- Lack of data-driven decision making: The company relies on intuition and anecdotal evidence rather than data-driven insights, leading to inefficient decision-making.
4. Recommendations
1. Implement a Diversity and Inclusion Strategy:
- Set clear goals and targets: Establish measurable goals for increasing diversity and inclusion across all levels of the organization.
- Develop a diversity and inclusion training program: Train employees on unconscious bias, cultural sensitivity, and inclusive leadership.
- Create employee resource groups: Establish employee resource groups for underrepresented communities to foster a sense of belonging and support.
- Review and update hiring and recruitment practices: Ensure recruitment processes are fair and inclusive, and actively seek out diverse candidates.
2. Foster a Culture of Innovation and Change:
- Encourage open communication and feedback: Create a culture where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and providing feedback.
- Empower employees: Delegate authority and responsibility to employees to encourage ownership and initiative.
- Implement a suggestion system: Encourage employees to submit ideas for improvement, and provide incentives for successful suggestions.
- Promote collaboration and cross-functional teams: Encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing across departments.
3. Develop a Leadership Development Program:
- Identify and develop future leaders: Identify high-potential employees and provide them with leadership training and mentoring opportunities.
- Promote inclusive leadership styles: Encourage leaders to adopt inclusive leadership styles that value diversity and respect.
- Establish a mentorship program: Pair senior leaders with junior employees to provide guidance and support.
- Offer leadership development workshops and conferences: Provide leaders with opportunities to learn about best practices in leadership and management.
4. Embrace Data-Driven Decision Making:
- Invest in data analytics tools and resources: Implement data analytics tools to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and identify areas for improvement.
- Develop a data-driven decision-making framework: Establish a framework for using data to inform strategic decisions.
- Train employees on data analysis and interpretation: Provide employees with the skills and knowledge to use data effectively.
- Create a culture of data transparency: Encourage open access to data and promote data-driven discussions.
5. Implement a Strategic Communication Plan:
- Communicate the vision and strategy clearly and consistently: Ensure all employees understand the company's vision for diversity and inclusion.
- Highlight success stories: Share examples of how diversity and inclusion have benefited the company.
- Address concerns and resistance: Acknowledge and address concerns about change and provide reassurance to employees.
- Use multiple communication channels: Utilize various communication channels to reach all employees, including email, intranet, town hall meetings, and social media.
5. Basis of Recommendations
These recommendations are based on a comprehensive understanding of the company's current situation, its strengths and weaknesses, and the competitive landscape. They are also aligned with the company's mission to create a more inclusive and innovative workplace.
The recommendations are supported by research on diversity and inclusion, organizational culture, and leadership development. They are also consistent with best practices in these areas.
The recommendations are expected to have a positive impact on the company's financial performance, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement. They are also expected to enhance the company's reputation and attract and retain top talent.
6. Conclusion
By implementing these recommendations, Naomi can successfully transform Fern Fort University into a more diverse, inclusive, and innovative organization. This will enable the company to attract and retain top talent, improve its financial performance, and enhance its competitiveness in the global marketplace.
7. Discussion
Alternatives:
- Ignoring the challenges: This would be a short-sighted approach, as it would likely lead to a decline in employee morale, talent retention, and ultimately, the company's competitive advantage.
- Implementing a piecemeal approach: This would be less effective than a comprehensive strategy, as it would not address the root causes of the challenges.
Risks and Key Assumptions:
- Resistance to change: The leadership team and employees may resist change, making it difficult to implement the recommendations.
- Lack of resources: The company may not have the resources to implement all of the recommendations.
- Time commitment: Implementing these recommendations will require a significant time commitment from Naomi and the leadership team.
Options Grid:
Option | Pros | Cons | Risks |
---|---|---|---|
Implement a comprehensive strategy | Addresses the root causes of the challenges, leads to long-term success | Requires significant time and resources | Resistance to change, lack of resources |
Ignore the challenges | Easy and requires no effort | Leads to a decline in employee morale, talent retention, and competitive advantage | Loss of market share, decline in profitability |
Implement a piecemeal approach | Less costly and time-consuming than a comprehensive strategy | Less effective than a comprehensive strategy, does not address the root causes of the challenges | Limited impact, may not lead to lasting change |
8. Next Steps
- Develop a detailed implementation plan: Outline the specific steps, timelines, and resources required to implement each recommendation.
- Communicate the plan to all stakeholders: Ensure all employees understand the plan and their role in its implementation.
- Establish a monitoring and evaluation framework: Track progress towards the goals and make adjustments as needed.
- Celebrate successes: Recognize and celebrate the achievements of the company in its journey towards diversity and inclusion.
By taking these steps, Naomi can create a more inclusive and innovative workplace at Fern Fort University, ensuring the company's long-term success in the global marketplace.
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Case Description
This series of six short two-part cases ("caselets") is written to highlight workplace dynamics faced by women professionals. Women represent about half of the global workforce but they face distinct workplace issues compared to men. We will examine some of these issues through these caselets, which are written from the personal perspectives of the protagonists. They are real-life stories that many should be able to relate to. Although all the protagonists are women, this does not mean that the lessons are not applicable to men. Men and women work alongside one another at the workplace and men play a critical role in shaping women's workplace experience. Throughout the case discussions, the perspectives of men will be immensely valuable. We recognise that the instructor cannot possibly do justice to these cases in a 90-minutes class. It is also not our goal to solve the larger social and gender issues that are implicated in these cases. Our aim is primarily to help students better appreciate the challenges women face, and collectively think of ways to handle them.
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