Introduction
Michael Dell, the proprietor of Dell Computers, has been one of the most successful entrepreneurs shipping computers and computer components directly to customers in different locations around the world. However, things have not been rosy of late. Many undertakings in the computer ‘planet’ have seen their market share shrink.
However, Michael Dell has put in place initiatives to reclaim its market share. Pundits have kept asking if Michael Dell will successfully turn around the company and return it to its former glory. This essay seeks to expound on the initiatives and design structures that Michael Dell has put in place to revive Dell Computers.
Organizational Restructuring and the newly hired Executive Team
Dell has hired Ed Boyd to be the Chief Consumer Designer at their Brent Humphreys outfit. Brian Gladden, the General Electric veteran, has come to Dell to take over as the Chief Financial Officer. He has brought in a wealth of experience from General Electronics. Garriques heads the consumer group. Garriques in collaboration with other divisional heads have taken charge of operations. This has ensured that Michael Dell is free to explore opportunities that may be lucrative to the organization (Edwards, 2009).
New Organizational Culture
Organization culture is a particular way of behaving. It encompasses the beliefs about the world. It has much to do with experiments and experience. Dell has had a culture where its products are delivered directly to their customers and the company’s Chief Executive Officer still maintains this will not go away any sooner. Dell has strengthened a culture where a direct sale of their products over the telephone and internet has been initiated.
The customer specifies the features that he wants to be integrated into his personal computer and effects payment using credit card before delivery is made (Gattiker, 1990). After the payment, the machine is assembled and dispatched to the customer. Dell Computers stock a large variety of key components (Golaleh and Merle, 2001).
This enhances wide choice of customer specifications. Components of Dell computers can be assembled in the least time possible before they are dispatched to the customer. This is called mass customization and helps in boosting consumer confidence (Tantoush and Clegg, 2001).
New Strategies to reach customers
The principal beneficiaries of Dell Products have so far been government agencies, home-based consumers, and SME’s. However, these customers have received less attention from Dell because the company focused much on bigger corporations. However, things are changing as salespeople are currently being offered incentives to offer all-rounded solutions to small and medium size companies other than hard wares.
This has been initiated by the head of the group, Steve Falice. Response to customer’s demands has also improved. Issues that are raised by customers are responded on promptly. Dell is also initiating integration as witnessed in circumstances when GA Communications Mac’s was integrated into Dell’s business initiatives (Edwards, 2009). They have also contemplated purchasing stakes from software providers VMware and Microsoft.
Moreover, their takeover initiatives are also done competently and with appropriate speed. Dell begun selling 0.39-inches notebook, the world thinnest notebook as soon as Microsoft launched its Windows 7 operating system. The notebook boasts of features like heat sensing strip.
This has sent shockwaves in the market and show people that Dell is up to revolutionizing the market. Apart from Adamo XPS, Dell is also considering introducing its smart phones in the market. Michael Dell still maintains that Dell will still sell computers directly to its customers
Reference List
Edwards, C. (2009). Dell’s Extreme Makeover. Business Week, 10, 1-4.
Gattiker, U. (1990). Technology Management in organizations, New York: Sage publications.
Golaleh, E. and Merle, J. (2001). Restructuring for agility at Volvo Car Technical
Service (VCTS). European Journal of Innovation Management, 4(2), 64-72.
Tantoush, T. and Clegg, S. (2001). CADCAM integration and the practical politics of technological change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 14(1), 9-27.