RBP020L086 Problem solving and research methods Assignment Sample
Module code and Title: RBP020L086 Problem solving and research methods Assignment Sample
Outline structure documentation
Introduction
Microsoft is one of the leading companies engaged with cloud services, office applications, and electronic accessories and is especially known for the software suite or package of the renowned operating system of Windows and gaming consoles of Xbox (Microsoft.com. 2022).
Right now, Microsoft is facing severe problems that will be discussed in this report with the managerial viewpoints for solving the problems along with suitable research methods. The problem in Microsoft will be described in a nutshell followed by the factors that are causing the problem and finally the required initiatives by Microsoft to eradicate the problem will be explained.
Brief description of the problem in Microsoft
The main problem or issue that is currently taking place in Microsoft is the cultural barriers and poor interface of communication skills regarding the organisational background. In the past, Microsoft has faced numerous cultural issues or threats along with product failures and regulatory adversities that have led the company towards partial devastation (Warner, 2019). The breakout of the pandemic of Covid-19 has badly impacted the whole organisational communication structure of Microsoft with limitations and restrictions on the geographic and demographic viewpoints (Nembhard et al., 2020).
The intensity of the cultural challenges in the workplace revolves around gender gaps, religious unfairness, racial differences, and cultural variations that usually occur from the diverse employee approach and mixed organisational culture (Cletus et al., 2018). The inequality of wages is a notable problem or issue for Microsoft as one of the female employees filed a lawsuit accusing the company of varying the payment range in accordance with gender specification (Refer to Appendix 1).
The communication barrier for an organisation may be labelled as the deficit of effective approaches to communicate precisely with the stakeholders for the desired innovation and success for the business operations (Kozioł and Beyer, 2021).
The reason behind the problem
Covid 19 fallout is the biggest reason behind the communicative challenges of Microsoft and impacted the organisation with multiple subsequent threats. The lessening of physical collaboration during the global outbreak of the pandemic has somehow influenced the employees adversely with more chances of digital communication that lacks the opportunities for interactions with the management (Filippis et al., 2020).
Moreover, lowered existence of sufficient data storage and tools for performing digital communications is also one of the reasons behind the communication problem for many companies (Jallow et al., 2020). Microsoft has encountered outlook crashes previously which is a rigorous communication threat for maintaining digital communication and collaboration. The threatening virus attack may also be harmful to the damage or the crash in the outlook that may affect the whole communication process of Microsoft (Alenezi et al., 2020).
Apart from these, the causes of the cultural challenges faced by Microsoft have occurred from the inappropriate leadership style, ambiguity and confusion raised from the old structure of the organisation and gender bigotry. Most organisations are engaged in the practices of gender favouritism that is giving a mean and narrower approach to success and achievement resulting in a big and inevitable cultural issue or challenge (Correll, 2017).
The initiative needs to be taken by Microsoft to eradicate the problem
The inclusive workforce model illustrates the parameters that need to be focused on by the organisation for the equilibrium of cultural harmony in the workplace and for treating employees with an accepting and embracing approach (Shore et al., 2018). Microsoft has to follow the inclusive workforce model for the resolution of cultural distinctions by the first and foremost action towards gender equity. The thinking style and personality of an employee will need to be considered by the organisation to bring innovation and update to organisational cultures.
The way of thinking of an individual has a close relationship with the transformation and enhancement of the cultural interface of the organisation for both the existing and new members. Microsoft needs to concentrate on sexual preferences, family background, racial and linguistic equity, cultural ethnicity country in which the employee resides or comes from overall experiences amalgamated with the background of the worker.
The factor or the variable of the family status of an employee is a large determinant factor in the success of building a uniform cultural backdrop of an organisation by emphasising the family conditions of the employee and how the latter needs to be treated (Horbach and Jacob, 2018).
Figure 1: Inclusive Workforce model for cultural equity in Microsoft. (Source: Shore et al., 2018)
Microsoft has to focus on the 7 C’s of the communication method to break the barriers rising in this factor and giving organisational challenges. The seven c’s of communication involve completeness, concreteness or credibility, consistency or correctness, conciseness and consideration and courtesy (AULIA, 2021). The organisation needs to be more aware of the complete conveyance and interpretation of the communication consolidated with the concrete or correct approach.
The need for effective communication for the organisational operations may only be attained by the proper conciseness and complete approach (Bubel and Cichoń, 2017). The requirement of the courtesy factor in communication is vast and effective for the enhancement and collaboration of teamwork for the organisation.
The usage of digital communication platforms will be more significant for organisations for seamless and well-mannered dispersion through all the points (Mukherji and Arora, 2017.) Microsoft needs to improvise on the digital mode of communication that has surplus generation since the time of Covid. The skill of clarity advances individual performances and responsibilities which is extremely needed for the maintenance of organisational communication (Gil-Garcia et al., 2019).
The correct approach to communication may be a resultant or dependent factor for the sake of the safety of the communication for the mitigation of the barriers occurring in this parameter (Nantes and Pérez, 2018). The concrete factor is impactful for the proper obtainment of both intercultural and intracultural narratives of communication concerning the solid and substantial interface of the information (Kecskes, 2020).
Figure 2: 7 c’s of Communication (Source: AULIA, 2021)
Conclusion
From the above assessment, it may be concluded that Microsoft is going through notable cultural and communication issues that are briefly described with the most definite and probable reasons. The principal question on the cultural environment of the organisations that arose during Covid 19 is how the equilibrium or exchange of culture will be maintained as the work from home was taking place (Spicer, 2020).
References
Bubel, D. and Cichoń, S., 2017. Role of information in the process of effective management of the university. International Journal of Innovation and Learning, 21(1), pp.114-125.
Cletus, H.E., Mahmood, N.A., Umar, A. and Ibrahim, A.D., 2018. Prospects and challenges of workplace diversity in modern day organizations: A critical review. HOLISTICA–Journal of Business and Public Administration, 9(2), pp.35-52.
Correll, S.J., 2017. SWS 2016 Feminist Lecture: Reducing gender biases in modern workplaces: A small wins approach to organizational change. Gender & Society, 31(6), pp.725-750.
DeFilippis, E., Impink, S.M., Singell, M., Polzer, J.T. and Sadun, R., 2020. Collaborating during coronavirus: The impact of COVID-19 on the nature of work (No. w27612). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Gil-Garcia, J.R., Guler, A., Pardo, T.A. and Burke, G.B., 2019. Characterizing the importance of clarity of roles and responsibilities in government inter-organizational collaboration and information sharing initiatives. Government Information Quarterly, 36(4), p.101393.
Horbach, J. and Jacob, J., 2018. The relevance of personal characteristics and gender diversity for (eco‐) innovation activities at the firm‐level: Results from a linked employer–employee database in Germany. Business Strategy and the Environment, 27(7), pp.924-934.
Jallow, H., Renukappa, S. and Suresh, S., 2020. The impact of COVID-19 outbreak on United Kingdom infrastructure sector. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment.
Kecskes, I., 2020. Interculturality and intercultural pragmatics. In The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication (pp. 138-155). Routledge.
Kozioł-Nadolna, K. and Beyer, K., 2021. Barriers to innovative activity in the sustainable development of public sector organizations. Procedia Computer Science, 192, pp.4376-4385.
Microsoft.com. 2022. Cloud, computers, Apps & Gaming (no date) Microsoft. Available at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-in (Accessed: October 26, 2022).
Mukherji, S. and Arora, N., 2017. Digital communication: easing operational outcomes in the workplace. Procedia computer science, 122, pp.1084-1091.
Nantes, D. and Pérez, J.A., 2018, June. Relating process languages for security and communication correctness. In International Conference on Formal Techniques for Distributed Objects, Components, and Systems (pp. 79-100). Springer, Cham.
Nembhard, I.M., Burns, L.R. and Shortell, S.M., 2020. Responding to Covid-19: lessons from management research. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 1(2).
Shore, L.M., Cleveland, J.N. and Sanchez, D., 2018. Inclusive workplaces: A review and model. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2), pp.176-189.
Spicer, A., 2020. Organizational culture and COVID-19. Journal of Management Studies, 57(8), pp.1737-1740.
Szydło, J. and Grześ-Bukłaho, J., 2020. Relations between national and organisational culture—Case study. Sustainability, 12(4), p.1522.
Ting, S.H., Marzuki, E., Chuah, K.M., Misieng, J. and Jerome, C., 2017. Employers’ views on the importance of English proficiency and communication skill for employability in Malaysia. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(2), pp.315-327.
Warner, J.P., 2019. Microsoft: A Strategic Audit.
Appendices
Appendix 1
https://www.theverge.com/22331972/pay-equity-now-pledge-katie-moussouris-microsoft-lawsuit
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