Organizing, Researching, and Illustrating Your Material

Methods: Conduct investigation in the branch through:
Request initial explanation from the branch manager regarding the issues, on the first day of branch visit. An explanation from the branch head is imperative before communication with anyone else in the company. branch head is responsible for the overall performance, and as a branch head, should be held accountable for issues the branch is facing, or needs to explain his side regarding the issues. In doing this, I expect to learn how the branch head deals with the issues, or if he has complete knowledge of them, and what actions did he take to resolve them. Reading and analyzing the branch’s five-year business reports. Listing possible issues and problems from the business reports. Facts normally don’t lie. I can gather potential evidences and loopholes in the branch’s operational weaknesses. Likewise, I will know where to start from, considering the presented data. Conduct interview on each department’s head as a group.

Communication with each department head allow discussion of the issues on different perspectives. Preferring a group interview with the department head will allow checking, rechecking, and confirmation of the problems on a wider scope. Conduct internal and external survey through a survey questionnaire. survey will be done on two important stakeholders: First on the employees and second, the branch clients for the past 12 months. I expect to gather on how employees evaluate all aspects of the branch’s operations, and on how clients evaluate the branch’s service performance. Conduct interview employee executives and individually.

The purpose of the interview is to get results of the survey. I can gather other information that was not raised on the group interview, perhaps because of job security. I expect deeper understanding of the problem and to get opinions of how to resolve them based on individual perspectives. Step 2: “Employees”

Are you happy with your employment?

▪to learn how many employees are happy and are not, with their job.

What are the possible reasons for your employment satisfaction/dissatisfaction? ▪learn what causes their satisfaction/dissatisfaction, trigger employees to share the problems they may be experiencing. In what aspects of its operation, should improve? Please list them and provide your reason/s why. ▪employees to share their evaluation of the branch’s operations and gather relevant knowledge of where the problems could possibly have started. In reference to number 3 questions, were these improvements started? If not, what do you think are the reasons for its delay? ▪in this question, learn if the employees think that the management is aware of the problems that they see and if not, feel about not being heard and what they think could be the problem. What do you propose as the best solutions to your listed issues in question number 3? ▪the question will gather possible solutions to the problems as employees see them. “Clients”

In a scale of 1­5 (1 I the highest and 5 is the lowest) please answer the following questions. How do you rate the overall performance? this question will determine the overall performance of the branch. In getting this, I will have the confirmation of whether the clients are satisfied or not. How do you rate the branch’s procedure for accepting new client account and in closing completed accounts? this will help me in knowing how well the clients accept the branch’s procedure In what way/s do you think can the branch meet your service expectations? this question gathers relevant client suggestions in improving the branch’s performance. Phoenix Advertising

I would like to inform you that our company president, Mr. Gregory S. Forest is sending me to your branch to conduct an investigation. Mr. Forest was alarmed upon learning that four of our clients, which are very important to the company, had complained about the lack of quality of the advertising works performed at your branch. He is also particularly awed with the news that two of the top management people an art director and an account executive have quit within the period of three months and of other management employee issues arising in you branch. In this regard, I expect you to prepare various company documents, such as the company policy manuals, management approaches, production processes, hiring and recruitment processes, etc. Please make these available when I arrive. Also, I will be conducting an interview with some of your employees to gather their views and opinions of the issues. Your full support in this investigation is highly critical in resolving any possible problems in your branch, and more importantly, in coming up with the best solutions.

“Problems:”
The Phoenix Advertising is experiencing problems, particularly in terms of employee’s morale and motivation. In this regard, a report is needed to critically examine the economic, the managerial issues, and the relationship of the subordinates and the management. This is intended to create a clear understanding of the situation and to create a solution. “Facts and Causes:”

Background data about the agency are as follows:
Experiencing the problem is the Roanoke branch of the Phoenix Advertising located at Roanoke, Virginia. Phoenix, Advertising is headquartered at Charlotte, North Carolina and serves clients such as banks, insurance companies and retail chains. The company President to know the facts and causes of the turmoil and to be able to create analysis tasked the investigator and relative solutions to the problem. Relative Information about the Case:

The problem has surfaced only when the company President learned that four clients have complained of the work performed in the Roanoke, branch. Clients are very important to the company’s overall success. Also revealed that there were two top management people have left the agency in the last three months. Others, who are also considered as key people in the agency are threatening to leave due to issues of lesser work collaboration. Moreover, the branch is also accepting new clients without proper evaluation of the workloads. The president requires the investigator to conduct an inquiry of the situation. To determine and critically analyze the work condition of the branch is also highly necessary. Interviewing several and various employees in determining the views and opinions of the stakeholders in the assigned area. Looking at various company documents, manuals, and employee management approach is likewise important in the investigation conducted in this situation. “Impact and Effects:”

The investigation proved that the Roanoke Branch is currently facing management and employee relations problems. The management problems are significantly affecting its employee’s performance and the overall quality and productivity of the branch. One of its problems is the decreasing employee morale and motivation. The respondents have shown significant decrease in their dedication for their work, and the declining quality of their performances. They also associated this decline to the felt dissatisfaction with the services and the performances of their superiors and the work environment. The employees feel stressful in their work environment which results to increase rate of absenteeism and employee turnover. Lack of or poor communication is also another problem raised by the respondents during the interview. “Solutions”

The various problems discovered in the investigation have to be resolved soon, as this may negatively affect not only Roanoke, but Phoenix Advertising as a whole. The investigator recommends the following solutions: Revise the hiring and recruitment process relative to work assignments, authority of command, and the rights and privileges of employees. The proposal will create an understanding of the purpose of having the employee in the organization, allowing the superiors to use them accordingly based on their skills set, and responsibilities. Reducing workloads of full­time employees and adding more part-time employees especially during peak times, seasons to lessen employee tensions. Establish a better and more clearer communications between employees and subordinates, allowing a more productive collaboration between artist, workers and other necessary work personnel in the project. Create a clearer procedure and requirements in the approval of new contracts, relative to the production capabilities of the overall agency