Introduction
The fact that societies are becoming more integrated has ensured that the common population becomes more informed about the things that are going on around them. This has been identified to be especially effective in the public’s view of the prevailing health issues in the community. It has been identified that there have been a number of health side effects related to living near high voltage power lines.
Statement of the problem
It has been identified that there has been an increasing public concern over the effect of electromagnetic fields that are generated by high voltage electric wires. This has gone ahead to negate all the developments in the energy sector that were previously applauded for its increased and thorough distribution of adequate electricity to important sectors of the economy (Markel, 2012). The fact that this public outcry has been backed by numerous and authoritative studies done by medical doctors, as well as physiotherapists, means that it is of out-most importance and has to be solved.
The need to relocate some of the high voltage electricity distribution wires, as well as the adoption of underground cabling, may serve to reduce the high cases of medical complications among the communities that live near them. While the main benefit is to ensure that the people are protected from the particular health risks posed by these overhead electric wires, there is also the opportunity to service and upgrade the whole system to ensure that it is able to handle the growing population as well as the growing demand for electricity (Lannon, 2007). This can be achieved through the whole transition from the overhead cables to underground cables as well as the moving of some of the cables to less populated areas where they will have the minimum effect on the population. The company will benefit from positive public relations due to its great social responsibility program. It will also avert the future legal liabilities that seem to be increasing over time as more people sue for compensation over terminal ailments acquired because of the power lines.
The fact that this is a capital intensive venture means that there is a need to identify credible and long-term financial partners who are willing to support the project to its fruition. This is especially important due to the increasing uncertainty in the market after the last financial crisis. It is, however, identified that the fact that the company enjoys a size-able portfolio of investments that are managed by its financial partners means that the procurement of financial services should not be much of a problem (Lannon, 2007). The company also has to acquire the relevant authorization from all the stakeholders involved in both the private sectors and the public administration.
Plan
The need to ensure that the new electrical systems are safe as well as cost-effective means that the strategic managers involved in this project will have to include a number of professional consultants as well as external stakeholders to ensure that all the underlying issues are identified and solved. The need to ensure that the company gets the best out of this project warrants the exploitation of the publicity created by the move to solve the increasing public complaints (Markel, 2012). This should serve to build the reputation of the brand as it is as well as increase the number of customers that it serves and their loyalty. This project has to be timely so as to ensure that its success has a great impact on the profitability of the company. This should then translate into a competitive advantage in the energy industry that the company’s competitors will have a hard time matching up to (Lannon, 2007). The costs related to a project of this magnitude will be quite heavy, but the returns on investment that are expected will be equally satisfying. This means that the success of the project should not be pegged upon its initial cost, but rather its final returns that are expected to be phenomenal.
Conclusion
The solving of product challenges, especially in the lucrative energy sector, should be prioritized so as to ensure that a company doesn’t make any huge losses that characterize the energy business. It is identified that the fact that the industry is quite capital intensive means that there is a high chance that any legal liabilities may be expensive and will eat into a company’s profits. It is recommended that the company moves to adopt underground cabling where the area being supplied with electricity or where the cables have to pass through, is highly populated so as to reduce the level of electromagnetic exposure. Where the population may not be too dense, the company may choose to relocate the power lines away from the people’s homes. The fact the rate of awareness as well as lawsuits have been increasing over time means that the company has to move with absolute urgency to ensure that it doesn’t have to suffer further financial losses due to increased legal liabilities. This should also serve to boost its already crippled public image (Lannon, 2007).
References
Lannon, J. M. (2007). Technical Communication. New York: Longman.
Markel, M. (2012). Technical Communication. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins.