In This Course You Will Shadow Emma, The New General Manager ✓ Solved

In This Course You Will Shadow Emma The New General Manager

In this course you will shadow Emma, the new General Manager at CM Tech, to explore various aspects of business performance management topics related to organizational development and performance management in a real world context. CM Tech is a fictional company but we will bring it to life in this course. CM Tech is a multinational organization that manufactures computer components. You and Emma will focus on driving business strategy throughout the organization through performance objectives, organization structures, and management processes. You will also be tasked with managing the performance of teams and individuals towards the achievement of performance objectives.

In other words, you have a lot to do. So, why should we partner with Emma and why study performance management at all? Working with Emma provides us a glimpse into how all these concepts work in a real world environment. Rather than simply exploring concepts, we get to explore the materials within the context of real world situations which helps us more readily grasp and apply what we are learning in our own work and life situations. Completing this course will arm you with the knowledge and insights necessary as an employee or manager to appreciate and support a successful performance management program.

In our first week we will dip our toes in the water with a look at several introductory topics. We’ll see the history of “new” management theories, look to the future to see what we think might be coming next, and look at the most common things organizations do wrong which almost ensures their employees will perform poorly. Why look at all the horror stories on what not to do? Well to see what not to do and why. Unfortunately the world around us provides us with lots of examples of what not to do.

To combine two of our key chapters I’ll share some of Emma’s experiences at CM Tech with you. CM Tech is a mature organization that has been in operation for over 30 years. They have faced many challenges of course and have done their best to evolve over time, keeping up with the many “new” developments you will read about in Chapter 3. Continuous improvement has been a recurring theme over the last thirty years and CM Tech has tried hard to keep up. They tried to implement a Total Quality Management (TQM) system many years ago with some success.

After the initial success of TQM faded, they worked on lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, implemented a Balanced Scorecard, and more. While all of these initiatives worked to a degree, over time the employees with long tenure began to lose interest in each “new” thing that came along. The lesson Emma emphasizes from all of these “new” initiatives is that there were various reasons for overall failure or reduced success in each project. The team didn’t take the time to analyze the reasons for their failures, so they were condemned to repeat the same mistakes each time a new project or management philosophy was introduced. Over time, employees developed an expectation of failure and reduced their efforts to buy into each new initiative.

Emma emphasizes the importance of looking back and understanding what went wrong, as well as appreciating the value each new management philosophy can contribute if properly implemented. There is much to learn from history, especially when things go poorly. Our assignments and discussions will focus on our materials, but not just conceptually. We will explore how these concepts apply in real-world situations, including CM Tech and our own professional environments. Consider the history of your organization or previous employers. Can you identify management breakthroughs such as TQM or the Balanced Scorecard? Have you seen or experienced poor performance practices? What are the organizational missteps that demotivate employees? Reflecting on these questions helps connect theory to practice and enhances understanding.

Looking ahead, what might be the next big management innovation? Perhaps your company is already implementing progressive practices you believe will shape the future. The concepts we learn will have greater meaning and staying power when we see their application in real organizations or scenarios like CM Tech.

Understanding Rules for Poor Performance and Management Pitfalls

Chapter 1 humorously outlines rules for ensuring poor performance, drawing from satire to highlight what organizations should avoid. It emphasizes that mismanaging performance management, fostering distrust, lack of accountability, and poor measurement systems can lead to organizational decline. The chapter details how deliberately neglecting strategic alignment, discouraging healthy conflict, avoiding accountability, misreporting metrics, and resisting modern management practices can all contribute to organizational failure.

This satirical view underscores the importance of implementing effective performance management systems. Key pitfalls include withholding strategic information, failing to measure and track strategic goals, misallocating costs, neglecting customer segmentation, and resisting technological advancements such as ERP systems. These mistakes serve as cautionary tales for organizations aiming to sustain and improve performance. Recognizing these pitfalls helps managers design better systems that motivate employees, inform decision-making, and support continuous improvement.

Applying Performance Management Principles in Real-World Contexts

Learning from organizations like CM Tech and studying the adverse practices outlined in the chapter enables us to understand what to avoid and what practices foster successful performance management. For instance, CM Tech’s history illustrates the importance of continuous improvement and proper implementation of management philosophies, rather than superficial adoption or complete neglect.

Organizations that mismanage performance metrics, ignore strategic alignment, or foster a culture of mistrust often experience stagnation and demotivation. Conversely, organizations that successfully implement tools like balanced scorecards, employee engagement strategies, and technological solutions such as ERP systems demonstrate better agility and responsiveness. Furthermore, strategic performance measurement should include customer segmentation, profitability analysis, and risk management techniques to optimize resource allocation and improve overall organizational health.

In practical terms, organizations should develop aligned performance objectives, foster transparent communication, and implement reliable measurement systems. Leadership must promote accountability and reward improvements to sustain motivation and drive organizational success. Additionally, understanding the historical context of performance management allows organizations to avoid pitfalls and embrace practices proven effective over time.

Conclusion: Embracing Effective Performance Management

Effective performance management is fundamental to organizational success. Learning from the mistakes and successes detailed in the chapter and exemplified by CM Tech equips managers and employees with the insights needed to design systems that motivate, measure, and improve. Implementing strategic alignment, fostering trust, and leveraging technology are crucial components of modern performance management. Avoiding the pitfalls of misreporting, neglecting customer insights, and resisting innovation ensures organizations remain resilient and competitive in dynamic environments.

References

• Kaplan, R. S., & Norton, D. P. (1996). The Balanced Scorecard: Translating Strategy into Action. Harvard Business Review Press.
• Juran, J. M., & Godfrey, A. B. (1999). Juran's Quality Handbook. McGraw-Hill.
• Deming, W. E. (1986). Out of the Crisis. MIT Press.
• Parmenter, D. (2015). Key Performance Indicators: Developing, Implementing, and Using Winning KPIs. Wiley.
• Higgins, J. M. (2005). The Four Disciplines of Execution. Free Press.
• Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive Advantage. Free Press.
• Anthony, R. N., & Govindarajan, V. (2007). Management Control Systems. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Simons, R. (1995). Levers of Control: How Managers Use Innovative Control Systems to Drive Strategic Renewal. Harvard Business School Press.
• Hammer, M., & Champy, J. (1993). Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution. HarperBusiness.
• Neely, A. (2007). Business Performance Measurement: Unifying Theory and Practice. Cambridge University Press.