Introduction
Many problems develop at the headquarters for companies that go globally. Some of the problems include those concerned with management, planning, and implementation as well as assessment problems. For instance, when a company commences marketing its products globally, it comes across several obstacles. Such hindrances are more pronounced because there are several crosses like those of languages, policy, and administration changes from one country to another. (Ralph, 1992)
If we take an example at the moment, the conversion of a company to be marketed in the global world will frequently come across different cultural, ethnic, and ethical challenges together with linguistics. Recent research indicates that most companies face this as one of the greatest challenges for going global. This perhaps is due to language barriers which call for several actions to be taken in the planning processes. (Mintzberg, 1994)
Global companies are supposed to familiarize themselves with the different kinds of languages existing in the different parts of the world. So, this necessitates the headquarters of the particular companies to plan for several countries on how to make such language translations. This is further made complex, as it is well known that many countries do not have one specific language which is entirely used by the citizens in those countries, this creates a more complex planning problem on how to cater for the whole community in a particular the country.
The overseers of Motorola Company
The overseers of the company work under the obligations of planning for the translation of products and the company’s name which becomes sometimes difficult. They not only face it hard in planning for the translation of product and company’s name, but they also find it not very much welcoming while they plan for placement of advertising slogans and messages as they want to market their products. (Mintzberg, 1994)
Furthermore, it is said that the planning strategy is a very important tool in the success of any business such as Motorola Company; this is not always the case. Although the planning process is put in place for the best intentions to be achieved at the end of the day, the planning strategy process gets off track. This is because sometimes the planning board jumps from the mission to strategic development without sufficient time to determine the critical indicators embodied in the mission. This develops as a result of the urgency of some business matters which are required for implementation to save the operations of the business stores in the different places in different countries.
It is also shown that this company operates massive volumes of work such as manufacturing, marketing, and advising its core customers on the operation of their gadgets. The larger work volumes create a complex chain which at the end of the day, brings a problem in communication. Top managements fail to communicate the plans they have for the different departments. This results in a shortfall in the planning process as the overall planning is not easy to compile. This in turn yields to poor communication with the other employees. This makes the employees work in the dark. Then the missions and visions of the company are doomed. Its productivity drastically goes down and profits are cut down at a very high rate. (Bangs, 2002)
Due to enormous numbers of individuals involved in the planning function, other challenges arise among themselves in the planning board. Following the involvement of a group of people, arrays of ideas are raised. Some of them require critical thinking which is normally aimed at making the best plan. Although this is healthy action in every community, it sometimes causes more complexes in the planning process.
In most cases, they bring more debatable materials which may lead to acceptance or rejection of such plans. The company has then received a mammoth of impingement at times when the management debate yields to the rejection of formally ethical plans. This leads to intuitive decisions which perhaps conflicts with the formal plans. The outcome creates much greater confusion to the other people working under the skewed plan. So, such problems should be solved for the employees to be set on the right track of work activities. (Arnoldo, 1987)
Involving in the planning process
Apart from the above problems, there is another major one which develops if a company such Motorola goes globally. This problem is the failure to involve all the key participants in the planning process. When people are widely dispersed in different parts, some factors may act as barriers for individuals coming together for a common goal. Due to the factor of time, some of the key employees find themselves much committed in their departmental activities such that they do not attend the crucial planning meetings. This often makes it possible for delays of some of the planning processes which lead to sessions being postponed to a later date.
Another reason that makes some of the eminent people not avail themselves to the planning panels is that planning is a process that needs preparation. Such preparation in most cases turns out to be costly. The costs are incurred in terms of material required for planning preparations and even in the traveling expense. (Henry, 1976)
References
Bangs, D. (2002): The Business Planning Guide, 9th Ed. Chicago: Dearborn Trade Publishing.
Mintzberg, H. (1994).The fall and Rise of Strategic Planning: Harvard Business.
Ralph, D. (1992): Managing the Unknowable Strategic Boundaries between Order and Chaos in Organizations.
Arnoldo, C. (1987): Planning Strategies that Work: Oxford University Press.
Henry, M. (1976): Planning on the Left Side and Managing on the Right: Harvard.