Scenario #1: prepare a narrated PPT presentation to submit by the end of week. you don’t need to speak, you just need to prepare and I will speak to present
Scenario: Outsourcing in Poland
Your U.S. headquartered firm wants to explore the feasibility of expanding internationally by first partnering with a firm in Poland for some of its IT services. Preliminary discussions at the senior levels of both firms have been positive, suggesting the potential for a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. For your firm, expected benefits include not only improved capacity and increased efficiency but also an expansion of the company’s talent pool and added knowledge about operating in the EU. There is a specific interest in learning what is needed to build and support high-performing teams that are multicultural, multifunctional, geographically dispersed, and that must rely on technology for communication and decision making.
You have been given a short amount of time to conduct the necessary research and to brief the executive team on the issues you anticipate the virtual team will confront and the resources needed for success. Specifically, your boss has shared that one of his biggest concerns is with key national cultural differences that may impact the team’s ability to work effectively with counterparts in Poland. Your boss has also shared with you that the firm’s leaders want to use your experience as a way to improve both the cultural intelligence and teaming competency of its workforce. Your company is not only new to working internationally but is also new to using such complex virtual teams. Your boss knows you are pursuing an MBA so expects you will be adept at finding useful and reliable information but one source he has heard about and recommends is the The Hofstede Center, which profiles the research of one of the leading experts on country cultural differences and their implications for businesses.
You should assume individuals on this global team will have the necessary job-related skills for success. Also assume members from the two companies will NOT be able to get together physically.
Your proposed plan to the CEO and the board, for developing and implementing this virtual team must address the above this question.
• What assumptions has the team agreed upon to help frame and appropriately limit this project?
• Speaker notes are required, both as a safety measure in case something happens to prevent the narration from being heard and because there may be members of the class who have hearing limitations.
• Sources (citations) must be incorporated and properly recognized within the presentation (i.e., on the slides and in the narration). While you would not necessarily include these in a project presentation at work, this is a requirement for academic presentations. Also be sure to include one or more slides for references at the end of the presentation.
Background Info:
What does our firm do?
Steel Services is a full service IT contracting company providing enterprise IT services, software development, onsite contracted IT professionals, and IT Helpdesk services.
Why are we considering working with Poland?
Steel Services Management wants to contract out the IT Helpdesk services to Poland to save costs. Management thinks their labor is less expensive.
How much IT will we be outsourcing?
Our proposal should be focused on outsourcing Tier 1 Helpdesk support. Tier 2 and higher support will be handled in Head Quarters, San Diego, CA (I love that place, its warm!)
The majority of Poland does not speak English! It looks like 30% do though. Which should be fine, but speaking English should be a requirement of the contract we setup.
Will the Polish be taking over the responsibility of our engineers in the US?
No, the Tier one engineers will follow helpdesk scripts made by HQ.
Normally IT has a headquarters somewhere to give guidance to the regional offices. Who will be in charge?
HQ will be in charge, and we will consider the other office as our international office in Poland.
Summary from meeting:
Team Steel Work Assignments
Nene Keita
•What assumptions has the team agreed upon to help frame and appropriately limit this project?
