Ecom201

Saudi Electronic University

College of Administrative and Financial Sciences

ECOM201 – Introduction to E-management

   

Student Name:

Student ID: Atheer saad alrobai

Course Title: Introduction to E-Management

Course Code: s190127401 ECOM 201

Academic Year/ Semester: 2021/2022- 1st Semester

CRN:

Instructor Name: Student Grade: Grade Level:

Assignment 3

Project Assignment

GoTech Solutions Company

2021/2022

Requirements

GoTech is a Saudi company (located in Riyadh) that provides technical and digital solutions to

other businesses and individuals. Its operation focuses mainly on the Saudi market, but recently it

opened two offices in Egypt and Italy. Eng. Abdullah is the CEO, and there are three regional

managers (in 3 different countries) and 30 employees working under their supervision.

Recently, Abdullah has been required to make vital decisions to keep GoTech running during

many challenges, including new and existing competitors, rapid technology development, and

Coronavirus pandemic. Consider yourself the CEO’s consultant who is required to help him put

together a strategy so GoTech can not only survive but also thrive in the future.

To help you develop your Consultation Strategy Report, use the following points as a guide:

Part 1

1. An overview of GoTech company (0.5 marks)

2. Description of the type of management that GoTech follows. (1 mark)

3. Description of the challenges with that type of management. (1 mark)

o Communication challenges

o Cultural and political challenges

4. Description of the necessity for creating a virtual Risks Response Team based on

Tuckman’s Team Life Cycle Model (see figure 1). (3 marks)

o Phases of team creation

o Criteria for choosing the team

 Who are they, and why did you choose them?

o Pros and cons of the virtual team

5. Description of the regional managers’ roles (2 marks)

o What qualities must they have as leaders?

o How can they motivate themselves and their team?

o What digital recourses can they use to manage the team?

Part 2

6. Description of challenges that loom over GoTech (1 mark)

o Existing challenges/ disasters

o Potential challenges/ disasters

7. Description of GoTech resources (1 mark)

o What are the digital and financial resources?

o How can these resources be utilized?

8. Description of GoTech digital capabilities (2 marks)

o Existing capabilities that can be strengthened

o Needed capabilities that must be invested in

9. Description of the solutions (3 marks)

o Immediate solutions (based on points 4, 6, 7, & 8)

o Future solutions (based on points 5, 6,7, & 8)

10. Closing remarks/ conclusion (0.5 marks)

Figure 1 Bruce Tuchman’s Team Life Cycle Model (Personio, 2021)

Important details

Due date Marks

End of week 14 15 marks

Useful links:

 http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/documents/planning-and-preparing-

to-write-assignments.pdf

 APA reference system https://student.unsw.edu.au/apa

 About plagiarism http://wts.indiana.edu/pamphlets/plagiarism.shtml

 About plagiarism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism

Guidelines for the assignment:

 This is an individual project, which is part from your course score. It requires effort

and critical thinking.

 Use the given cover page below. One mark will be deducted if there is no cover page.

 Your assignment must be supported by evidence and resources. Otherwise, your

answer will not be valid.

 Use at least 5 different references from the SDL.

 Use font Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial.

 Use 1.5 or double line spacing with left Justify all paragraphs.

 Use the footer function to insert page number.

 Ensure that you follow the APA style in your project.

 Your project report length should be between 1500 to 2000 words.

 Up to 20% of the total grade will be deducted for providing a poor structure of

assignment. Structure includes these elements paper style, free of spelling and

grammar mistakes, referencing and word count.

Answer:

11. An overview of GoTech company

GoTech firm is a Saudi company founded in Riyadh and is registered with Saudi

ARAMCO. It was founded in 2006, and its main focus is Oil and Gas business in Saudi

Arabia. The firm also specializes in offering technical and digital solutions to the business

and people considered to be its clients. Most of its operations are centered within the

Saudi market. However, it has expanded its operation in the other two offices in Egypt and

Italy (Snower & Twomey, 2020). The firm has its CEO known as Eng. Abdullah with the

three regional managers found in three different nations. There are about 30 workers

who are working under these three managers.

12. Description of the type of management that GoTech follows.

Concerning the type of management, GoTech uses the Hybrid type of management. In

this type of management, it is clear that GoTech is a vertical organization at the top that is

specific for its region with no further connections to the services it offers. In addition, the

bottom of the organization is characterized by a horizontal approach which means that it

has mixed responsibilities (Tooranloo et al., 2017).

13. Description of the challenges with that type of management.

Various challenges are encountered based on the adoption of the hybrid management

type used by GoTech firm. One of the challenges is related to communication. The

organization has 30 workers operating in three regions to report to the three regional

managers. This responsibility is made difficult as a result of the communication challenges.

The organization has no fixed reporting for the 30 workers; hence they face the challenge

of how to go after their work (Tooranloo et al., 2017).

The other challenge is the cultural and political challenges whereby the 30 workers have

no understanding of the cultural and the political factors within the three different regions

of operation. The process through which the management is handling its customers is not

perfect. Therefore, the changes that need to be brought are to ensure that there is a

change in the strategy from the hybrid organization to an organization that is focused on

service (Snower & Twomey, 2020). The organization is offering five unique categories of

services, therefore, it is important to create service focus managers who will work with the

30 employees who are divided into five teams. Also, the staff of Gotech come from

different cultural backgrounds with different native languages. Therefore, the team should

use English to communicate with others and avoid misunderstandings during virtual

meetings.

14. Description of the necessity for creating a virtual Risks Response Team based on Tuckman’s

Team Life Cycle Model (see figure 1).

o Phases of team creation

At the forming stage, the 30 employees might not be prepared to prepare for the

training on the need to adopt some technologies in the organization and use the measures

put in place to overcome the adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic so that they can

successfully compete with other firms. This stage is characterized by a low level of

communication and the management is yet to define its objectives in overcoming these

issues (Herhausen et al., 2020. Therefore, the team must be involved in every aspect of the

plans or changes. The employees must be informed about the need to make necessary

changes towards the advancement of the technology and adopt the measures that can

assist in overcoming the pandemic and competition.

Once the members have been involved in the process, the management enters into the

stage known as storming. In this case, employees feel part of the team and they bring their

opinions on the necessary solutions that should be adopted. In such a process, there is an

emergence of conflicts that might be caused by differences in opinions or

misunderstandings on the best solution that needs to be adopted. In this case, the

management has the responsibility of ensuring that the goals aimed at overcoming the

pandemic, increasing the technology adoption in the organization, and utilization of the

measures to overcome the competition are well understood by the team.

Once the objectives are made clear, the next is where everything becomes normal as the

team understands what is best for the organization. Therefore, rules are set to guide the

implementation of the interventions for example training of the employees on the

necessary skills and knowledge required for the successful implementation of the

technology within the organization. The team is also made to understand the importance

of cultural competence and the political environment of the three regions they intend to

operate i.e. Saudi, Egypt, and Italy. The team also learn about the approaches used by their

competitors in their operations (Gas and Oil Technologies, 2018). At this point, the team

has developed good relationships and is now more dependent and knows one another.

The focus now is on the implementation of the proposed interventions or approaches in

addressing issues of a pandemic, technology advancement, and competition. The team is

required to remain one unit with every member understanding their roles. While

implementing the interventions, they must focus on the goals and actions. There is a need

to have clear levels of communication between the department on some of the challenges

experienced throughout the implementation process (Gas and Oil Technologies, 2018).

o Criteria for choosing the team (Who are they, and why did you choose them?)

Concerning the need to create a virtual Risk Response Team that is based on the

Tuckman's Team Life Cycle Model, there is a need for the organization to be prepared to

overcome the issues associated with present competitors, rapid development in the

technology, and the current pandemic of COVID-19 to ensure that the organization keeps

running. Based on Tuckman's Team Life Cycle, it is important to ensure that employees are

prepared for such changes (Snower & Twomey, 2020).

The team needs to be involved in the whole process of overcoming these challenges. There

are different members required to form the virtual Risks Response Team. The team will

involve informaticists and other professionals in information technology. These

professionals play a huge role in educating or training the employees on the procedures of

adopting and implementing the technology. They are also responsible for informing the

management about the required resources and the total cost needed (Herhausen et al.,

2020).

The other essential team and the quality assurance team, the data analyst, and the

professional responsible for financial analysis will inform the management on the

necessary measures to be taken in promoting the continuous working process even during

the pandemic and promote digital marketing which can be used to replace some face to

face marketing. A marketer is also required to inform on how the market has been affected

by the pandemic and some of the approaches that have been adopted by the competing

firms in the three regions (Herhausen et al., 2020).

o Pros and cons of the virtual team

The virtual team will be important in helping the organization overcome issues linked to

present competitors, faster development of technology and assisting in overcoming the

challenge associated with COVID-19 pandemic. They also help in successful

implementation of virtual operation through assistance by the informaticists.

There are disadvantages associated with the virtual risk response team. One of the cons is

the cost for the employment of the informaticists to help with the training of the team

members. There are also other costs associated with the training of the team members for

example planning for the required resources and the implementation of the activities. The

other disadvantage is the possibilities of cooperation failures among the team.

15. Description of the regional managers’ roles

o What qualities must they have as leaders?

The regional managers have key roles to play in ensuring the continuity of the firm. The

current managers in the three regions are currently focusing on ensuring that the

organization is kept operating by addressing issues such as the current competition,

ensuring that there is the adoption of the technology within the organization, and ensuring

that the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic is overcome. Therefore, this leader will

be required to have qualities such as the ability to self-motivate, effective communication

skills, ability to share, prowess in solving issues, a team-building ability, and expertise in

technology (Gas and Oil Technologies, 2018). The leader must also be able to understand

the cultural and political differences of the countries where the organization is operating.

o How can they motivate themselves and their team?

The ability to self-motivation is important in the motivation of the other 30 workers. In

this case, the leaders must be able to get themselves going on the current project and to

work independently in taking every next step towards its completion.

o What digital recourses can they use to manage the team?

One of the digital resources that can be used to manage the team and ensure that

there is continuous consultation is social media. When the organization is responsible for

multiple Twitter accounts, the leadership can use TweetDeck to condense all the Twitter

accounts into one easy -o-manage dashboard. Another digital resource is content

management whereby the market can produce the product or service and sell it

(Williamson, 2021). The leader can utilize Bynder's DAM leverages AI-powered search

techniques to filter the searches. The leadership can also use the analytics by relying on the

Bynder that provides content and ROI analytics within the organization DAM (Digital Asset

Management).

Part 2

16. Description of challenges that loom over GoTech

o Existing challenges/ disasters

o Potential challenges/ disasters

The current challenge within GoTech is related to making vital decisions in ensuring that

the organization is kept operating as it faces challenges such as the new ad the present

competitors, the rapid advancement in the technology, and how to overcome the current

pandemic of COVID-19. Therefore, overcoming these problems is likely to cause more

future issues. In this case, the potential future issues are large sums of cash required to

ensure that the information technology resources are purchased and funds for training of

the employees to acquire the skills and knowledge to successfully implement the

technology. The organization is also facing the challenge of competition and this means

that in the future, it has to ensure that the marketing team is involved in the process of

designing suitable interventions to overcome some challenges posed by the competitors

(Woudhuysen et al., 2021).

The organization is also facing the problem of ensuring that it is not affected by the

unpredictable future impacts that have been brought by the coronavirus pandemic. The

organization is therefore forced to develop the necessary measures for example the

adoption of online marketing to reach its clients who are also struggling to make income.

The organization is also at risk of ensuring that the current employees are not relieved

from their duties as a result of the adverse impacts of the covid-19 (Gas and Oil

Technologies, 2018). The other future challenge is related to the political and cultural

impacts whereby the team has to be trained to understand each culture of its customers

and the rules and regulations on the nations they are operating in.

17. Description of GoTech resources

o What are the digital and financial resources?

o How can these resources be utilized?

Various resources are offered by the GoTech firm. The digital and financial resources

are generated from the digital products or services offered by the organization. The

financial resources are generated from the trading, services, digital solutions and AI, and

marine. On the other hand, the digital resources are Drill Quip, Interwell, Excellence

Logging, and Mohawk Energy.

The Drill-Quip can be used by the firm to design and produce the subsea, surface, and

offshore rig instruments for utilization by the oil and gas firms. Mahawk Energy can be

utilized in developing, manufacturing, and installing solid expandable tubular products that

offer real value for the E & P firms. Mohawk Energy also enables the operators to reduce or

get rid of the borehole tapering problems.

18. Description of GoTech digital capabilities

o Existing capabilities that can be strengthened

o Needed capabilities that must be invested in

There are various digital abilities of this firm and one of them is based on its product

and services that involve the digital solutions & AI that includes the INT, Resoptima, and the

Sekal. The INT has resulted in the creation of products that assists oil and gas firms to

visualize, perform monitoring, and evaluating their data. This area needs to be improved by

ensuring that the management is delivering unprecedented interaction and access to their

data (Gas and Oil Technologies, 2018).

The organization through its digital platform has introduced Resopotima that offers

software solutions and consultancy to some of the challenges in the engineering sector.

The needed improvement in this area is to ensure that there is a successful integration of

the modeling tools that is important in the empowerment of the subsurface resource

team. Besides, as a needed capabilities of the firm, there must be a digital ecosystem that

connects efficiently suppliers, customers and the company together, and thus can harden

the supply-chain process.

19. Description of the solutions

o Immediate solutions (based on points 4, 6, 7, & 8)

o Future solutions (based on points 5, 6,7, & 8)

Based on the required solutions, the process of having a successful virtual risk response

team requires the process of offering prior information to the team about the potential

changes they should be expecting. This is important in ensuring that the life cycles of the

project are overcome and that the team members operate with little resistance. An

effective communication process is necessary. Overcoming the present and the potential

or future disaster requires preparation and effective interventions that address issues

related to technology, competition, and the effect of covid-19. It is important to have a

team of informatics, data analysts, and marketers who must be provided with the required

resources to offer effective solutions (Gas and Oil Technologies, 2018).

The organization also needs to have future solutions and the first one is to ensure that the

team of developers and the owners of the digital products provide unprecedented

interactions to the organization's data. It is also important to ensure that the regional

managers are effectively assessed for their qualifications to ensure that they have the

qualities required to overcome the presented challenges and move the organization

forward. Thorough recruitment for the management position of the three regions must be

done. The organization must also ensure that the needs of the customers in terms of the

services required are met (Gas and Oil Technologies, 2018). The organization must ensure

that there is an existence of good cooperation with the clients and communication to

understand their needs.

20. Closing remarks/ conclusion

In conclusion, GoTech firm must make the necessary effort to overcome the present

and future problems associated with the issue of technology advancement, the threat from

the covid-19 pandemic, and competitors, especially in the three regions. Therefore, it is the

responsibility of the management to ensure that the managers with the three regions have

the qualities required to address this problem at present and prevent future issues that

might affect the smooth running of the firm. The management must also ensure that its

employees are equipped with the skills and knowledge required for the successful

implementation of the technology. A stronger and effective marketing team must also be

established to advise on the necessary intervention to overcome the competition.

References

Gas and Oil Technologies. (2018). GOtech. Retrieved from http://gotech.com.sa/

Herhausen, D., Miočević, D., Morgan, R. E., & Kleijnen, M. H. (2020). The digital marketing

capabilities gap. Industrial Marketing Management, 90, 276-290.

Snower, D., & Twomey, P. (2020). Humanistic digital governance.

Tooranloo, H. S., Azadi, M. H., & Sayyahpoor, A. (2017). Analyzing factors affecting

implementation success of sustainable human resource management (SHRM) using

a hybrid approach of FAHP and Type-2 fuzzy DEMATEL. Journal of cleaner

production, 162, 1252-1265.

Williamson, B. (2021). Making markets through digital platforms: Pearson, edu-business, and the

(e) valuation of higher education. Critical Studies in Education, 62(1), 50-66.

Woudhuysen, J., Kosack, E., & Stone, M. (2021). DESIGN, INNOVATION, AND MARKETING

RESEARCH. The Routledge Companion to Marketing Research.