W7 RT2C Wald

Discussion: Importance of Communication in Partnerships

Assume Alpha Distributing has just hired Brown Staffing to take over the administration of all of its payroll and benefits matters. There are three distinct but all-important dyadic channels of communication that should be addressed in this situation: (1) Alpha to Alpha’s employees, (2) Alpha to Brown’s employees, and (3) Brown to Alpha’s employees. In this context, all are important. Effective communication can make the outsourcing transition incredibly smooth, but insufficient or ineffective communication can make it exceedingly difficult and painful.

Consider how the level, frequency, and direction of communication can be crucial to the real and perceived success of a business partnership.

To prepare for this Discussion ,

Review this week’s Learning Resources, especially:

· Case study of processing firm-distributor – See pdf

· How Good Are Service – See pdf

· Relationship Governance – See pdf

· Infighting unravels alliance – See pdf

· Outsourced Marketing – See pdf

· Creating an effective service level agreement - See pdf

Assignment:

Respond to two your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

· Ask a probing question.

· Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings.

· Offer and support an opinion.

· Validate an idea with your own experience.

· Make a suggestion.

· Expand on your colleagues’ postings.

· No Plagiarism

· APA citing

1st Colleague – T West

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Importance of communication in partnerships

In the context of communication, a channel is a means of transmitting information from one person to another. The smooth operation of a business relies on open lines of communication. The ability to communicate effectively amongst businesses is critical to the success of joint ventures. (Wieland et al., 2021) Communication is key to a successful outsourcing shift for all parties involved. On the other hand, a company's smooth operation and outsourcing are hampered by a lack of or insufficient communication. As a result, effective communication is essential to achieving an organization's goals.

 

A partnership communication plan needs at least five parts to help the two organizations reach their goals, especially when it comes to outsourcing. First, there are goals for how the two partners will talk to each other. In the communication plan, the communication goals should be written down. The communication goals between the executives should be made clear, and the communication should be geared toward reaching those goals. In the communication plan, you should also say how you will talk to the employees. Second, there should be a clear idea of whom the communication in the organization is meant for. The message should get to the right people without falling or getting messed up.

 

Third, the transmitted message is of tremendous importance in the communication plan. The message should be clear and exact to prevent misinterpretation or send multiple meanings to the listeners. Message constitutes the backbone of every communication plan. It is the stuff being transmitted from the executives to the younger staff. Fourth, a communication route has to be mentioned in the communication strategy. It is the medium for communication purposes in the organization, both the primary company and the outsourced firm. The channel must be specified to avoid delays or distortion of the information. Lastly, message placement incorporates the response obtained from the receivers of the information. It helps to know the firm's trends in measuring the development of the collaboration taking place between the two companies.

 

For each organization, an exit strategy is essential. It is an exit strategy for any corporation that joins a joint venture. Before accepting outside financing, it is recommended that the company's founders create and examine an exit strategy. By developing and following a solid plan for winding down, you may raise the likelihood of your company's success and reduce your departure timeline while also increasing your exit valuation. When collaboration does not work out as envisioned, having an exit strategy will help the organization be ready for whatever comes next.

 

The company's success and the success of each partnership it enters into depends on effective communication. It enables both parties to know the organization's long-term performance better. (Bond-Barnard, 2018) Understanding is essential to the organization's success. Communication relies on the power of persuasion and discussion to overcome obstacles. I do not think it is good to keep CEOs' communications from reaching their subordinates. Any information that has to be passed along must be phrased and considered among executives before being given to employees. An organization's activities dictate how often it communicates with its members. There is a need for constant communication in the course of the work. Lastly, creating time is an essential aspect in driving the frequency of planned communication; this results from giving employers and employees time to reflect on what they are supposed to do. This is vital because; employers and employees will be on the same page, and there will be practical activities within the organization.

Wieland, M. L., Asiedu, G. B., Lantz, K., Abbenyi, A., Njeru, J. W., Osman, A., ... & Sia, I. G. (2021). Leveraging community-engaged research partnerships for crisis and emergency risk communication to vulnerable populations in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of clinical and translational science, 5(1).

Lemley, M. A., & McCreary, A. (2021). Exit strategy. BUL Rev., 101, 1.

Bond-Barnard, T. J., Fletcher, L., & Steyn, H. (2018). Linking trust and collaboration in project teams to project management success. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business.

 

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2nd Colleague – Natasha Mills 

Importance of Communication in Partnerships

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Week 7 Discussion

Despite the high rates of failure in partnerships, many of those involved in their formation normally ignore the drawing of an exit strategy. As Gulati et al. (2007) posit, negotiating an exit strategy at the early stages of an alliance formation is considered awry and associated with a lack of faith in the success of the partnership. On the contrary, an exit strategy is a necessity during alliance negotiations and formation. Partnerships are like marriages, meaning that the probability of a break-up is high. When such occurs, the partnering companies would want to maintain their reputation and avoid offending their partners (Gulati et al., 2007). Alliance partners can include this exit strategy in a partnership communication plan. This paper will illustrate the importance of such a plan and what elements are included in it.

Key Elements in a Partnership Communication Plan and When to Include an Exit Strategy

The main purpose of a partnership communication plan is to allow continuous and effective information flow between those involved in an alliance, including suppliers, customers, employees, and other parties. The first key element that should be included in a communication plan is how information will be shared during the alliance. Gibbs & Humphries (2009) mention information impactedness as a human factor that leads to the break up of an alliance. This refers to misleading a partner, being economical with the truth, or deliberately withholding important information (Gibbs & Humphries, 2009).

Key performance indicators (KPIs) should also be included in a partnership communication plan. Gulati et al. (2007) argues that many partners create a plan of how to break up but not when. KPIs can be helpful with the when because they will show whether the alliance is achieving key milestones or failing, causing the partners to know when to break up. The last key element of a partnership communication plan is an exit strategy created by both partners. The exit strategy should have what would be considered as triggers of the exit, fair separation of assets, and details of the disengagement process (Gulati et al., 2007). Therefore, an exit strategy is a significant part of a partnership communication plan and should be included during the formation of the partnership.

Importance of Communication Plans in Partnership Success

Poor communication is one of the most profound causes of alliance failures (Bhaskaran & Jenkins, 2009). This is because it leads to poor collaboration and cooperation, which, in turn, affects the development trust. An alliance without trustworthiness is less likely to succeed. A communication plan addresses all these issues by clearly elucidating the strategic intent of a partnership (Bhaskaran & Jenkins, 2009). The outcomes usually are increased commitment, cooperation, and trust between the partners, thereby creating enduring alliances that are well positioned to achieve set milestones. For instance, a partnership communication plan will help the Alpha Distributing and Brown Staffing partnership become successful by elucidating the basis of the partnership, enabling effective information sharing, and increasing the process of building trust and commitment among the employees of both partners.

Key Factors that Drive the Level of Planned Communication in Partnerships

Commitment, trust, cooperation, and relationship satisfaction are the key driving factors of planned communication in partnerships. A communication plan clearly states the strategic intent of the partnership, methods of information sharing, realistic goals to be achieved, and how to track performance (Bhaskaran & Jenkins, 2009). These components help partners work together and achieve targeted outcomes as opposed to when the alliance lacks a communication plan, leading to the formation of an adversarial relationship due to the emergence of constant conflicts. It is essential to note that the working together of partners includes their employees. Hence, the employees need to be informed about issues concerning the partnership that affect them. Open communication creates a trustworthy environment that increases commitment and loyalty of the employees to the alliance. Further, the alliance will be characterized by communication satisfaction, which also fuels employee commitment levels to the alliance (Walker et al., 2009). However, it is not necessary for employees to be privy to the same information shared with the executives, unless the information involves them and could potentially affect their performance and commitment if not shared with them.

Key Factors that Drive the Frequency of Planned Communication

According to Gibbs & Humphries (2009), frequent communication, information sharing, and open dialogue are a part of the success spiral. Such communication cultivates the creation of value, reliability, synchronization, and quality. Therefore, the key factors that drive the frequency of planned communication can be summed up as performance and the realization of set milestones. From this perspective, the communication plan should address spontaneous demands for information as long as the demands have a positive impact on performance and the continuation of the alliance.

In conclusion, a communication plan is a significant determinant of the success of alliances. It is the lack of it that increases the risk of failure for many partnerships. Also, the areas addressed in a partnership communication plan are critical because they affect what and how issues are addressed during the alliance.

Bhaskaran, S., & Jenkins, H. (2009). Case study of processing firm‐distributor firm outsourcing alliance. Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management.

Gibbs, R., & Humphries, A. (2009). Strategic alliances and marketing partnerships: Gaining competitive advantage through collaboration and partnering. London, NI: Kogan Page Limited.

Gulati, R., Sytch, M., & Mehrotra, P. (2007). Business Insight (A Special Report); Preparing for the Exit: When forming a business alliance, don't ignore one of the most crucial ingredients: how to break up. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y], p. R.11.

Walker, M., Sartore, M., & Taylor, R. (2009). Outsourced marketing: it's the communication that matters. Management Decision.

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