CAREER CONNECTION: Final Strategic Plan

EVALUATION OF SWOT ANALYSIS

SWOT Analysis is all about the identification of internal strengths and weaknesses as well as external opportunities and threats that influence the profitability of the organization in question. The factors fall under a myriad of factors that include legal and regulatory, global, economic, technological, social, environment, strategy, structures, resource goals, culture, leadership, and intellectual property. Based on the SWOT analysis that was performed earlier, it is important to come up with more alternatives to the solutions already offered. This is all in a bid to convert strengths to opportunities and converting weaknesses to threats. The first recommendation would be the adoption of a decentralized business structure in place of the straight administration chain of command. With such a system, company executives would delegate important decision- making authority to middle- level and local managers while still reserving critical decisions for the top. This would empower employees, relieve the burden off the Dean’s, increase efficiency in decision- making, facilitate the process of expansion and even ensure self- sufficiency in the case of emergency. Neon software is a proponent of single sourcing. Single sourcing provides many benefits to the organization including reductions in product variation and cost of quality. However, it also comes with its risks that include failures at the supplier and greater supplier power. However, Neon Software can overcome risks associated with a sole-sourced supplier relationship. This could be solved by asking for risk mitigation strategies, mapping the process, engaging managers and employees, and collaborating and learning. Creating a process map for each supplier is particularly important. By auditing, each step in the map, redundancies, errors and other potential bottlenecks would be totally rooted out. Neon Software also has a problem with a stunted customer base. However, in order to increase its customer base, Neon Software should stay in constant contact with potential and existing customers. It also increases customer value which is very important. In order to increase its customer base, Neon Software could adopt a couple of strategies. Offering free newsletters is a viable option, for example. If the newsletters provide good content, customers will know more about the business in question. Keeping website content fresh and asking for opinions of the page’s visitors is also as important. This works hand- in- hand with keeping up and maintaining excellent customer support and service.

COMMUNICATION PLAN

Objectives

1. Keep all stakeholders and employees informed about the company’s strategic objectives as regards shareholder value, customer value, internal operations, and employees.

2. Attract feedback from stakeholders on how the strategies can be achieved or how some aspects of the same could be improved.

3. Managing expectations of the stakeholders so they can know what can and cannot be achieved.

Target Audience

Suppliers, customers and employees

Communication Methods

Written options- leaflets and flyers, posters, newspapers, and social media methods

Oral options- Staff meetings and Hotlines/ help desks.

The communication methods are relevant in this case since they are easily available and preferable to the target audience. Social media help desks and staff meetings are particularly important since they enable two- way communication which is necessary for feedback.

Establish time frame

As part of the implementation period, there will be meetings with relevant stakeholders and their representatives to provide a forum for ongoing dialogue. After each of the planning meetings, an update of progress and planned activities of the last six months will be provided. Results of the midterm evaluation and satisfaction surveys will also be shared with all stakeholders.

Communications Budget

The communications budget, in this case, is supposed to guide the investment in communication methods. However, in this context, the methods used are largely inexpensive.

Implementation

Monitoring of results and looking for ways to improve.