Case Studies

CASE 3:  EXPANSION INTO EXPORT MARKETS REQUIRES BUSINESS REORGANISATION

Project Background:

A new and highly entrepreneurial client had grown within three years from start-up to being the premium supplier in its field.  Leveraging off its now dominant position within the Irish market its strategic plan called for an aggressive expansion into the UK market.

In their growth to this point the approach was to “get it done” and this meant a very responsive but a somewhat informal structure.

This expansion into the UK triggered a desire by the owners to seek a more formalised structure for the business but one that would reinforce the flair and drive that was central to their success.

Project Objectives:

PBS was commissioned by the owners with the following brief.

  • Develop an organisational plan for the company to meet the needs of the next 3-5 years
  • To do so in a manner the reinforced the core entrepreneurial flair and customer focus regarded as key values to the company
  • Develop a practical plan for entry into the UK market
  • Help effectively communicate this to all in the company
  • Provide assistance in the implementation of the plan.

Project Approach:

The PBS approach consisted of a 6 step process, working interactively with the people within the client company. The steps were as follows:
 
Step 1 – Defining the implications of the strategy. Starting with an analysis of the stated strategic plan in terms of its organisational implications, we defined all the key roles in terms of responsibilities, reporting lines, decision making, performance measures and desirable skill sets. We then estimated the numbers required in these roles as the strategy progressed.

Step 2 – Development of an outline organisational structure for the company Utilising the profile from step 1 an outline organisational chart was created. This structure was then analysed to see how it matched to the requirements of the business.

Step 3 – Review with Key company personnel  We then presented and explained to key individuals the proposed structure and where they fitted within it. We reviewed the Roles/Decisions matrix with these individuals and addressed any gaps identified by them. With this analysis we documented issues that required further clarity from the owners.

Step 4 – Follow-up with Owners to finalise on structure Based on data from step 3 we again met with the owners and reviewed modifications possible within the structure before finalising on a new structure. Potential issues with a critical impact upon success were discussed. Following from that meeting a full documentation set was prepared.

Step 5 – Development of an implementation Plan. A phased approach to implement the agreed organisational structure was developed which included:

  • Initiation of a coherent regular management process
  • Effective use of metrics
  • Communication of Structure
  • Recruitment
  • Implementation of a structured Training Program
  • Reward and Recognition systems re-evaluation
  • Implementation plan for UK market

Step 6 – Execute and support the implementation plan Finally a support plan to aid with the implementation was prepared.  This included items such as assistance with development of the training function, accessing the relevant HR expertise, initial facilitation of the management process and mentor support as individual needs arose.

Project Results:

The owners specified that their need had to be in keeping with the resources available while not putting at risk elements of the culture that had been critical to their success.

Through the work completed, a longer term organisational view directly linkable to the business strategy was established. A common language of job roles and metrics was developed to help gain understanding within the organisation.

Furthermore, implementation became a more practical set of actions.  The difficulty of the expansion was solved in a way that managed the risks for both the existing Irish and developing UK operations.