Fostering a Learning Organisation for Small Community Tabloid - Essay Example

Fostering a learning Organisation for small community tabloid Changes in the media industry milieu loom an apparent extinction of community papers.Cabled TV and Internet are new substitution forms of print media, which in the past stood as the portal of crucial information. The traditional role community papers had, to filter or determine information for dissemination, is significantly repressed. It is argued that without the opportunity to resurface the local print medium, the good writer’s life is rife of harsh choices and small community tabloids reek of payoffs. In 2005, the mountain region community tabloid which is churned up by a small outfit of six workers, reached a state of moribund. A new management was installed to carryout company restructure. The takeover management was resolute to achieve a bit more than company survival but to be a source of insight through business leadership. A first concern was whether the paper made a connection with the community, and an organisation assessment was conducted. The appraisal should determine the possibility of a radical turnaround, directing financial sustainability and professional management. Sometime in the 1990s, the newspaper weekly was formed through the convictions of two brothers who were once newspaper boys roaming the city. These days, they are men of political ambitions, and the paper advocates to shape collective expression. The company had undergone a rough evolution typical of small organisations, survived a series of turnovers, low liquidity; high debt and structure transitions from corporate to proprietorship, to foundation led activities. From the ownership end there seemed a constant lack of commitment and a few notable failures. Small organisations form the backbone of the economy. Of a total of 811,592 business organizations, 61,762 are recognized as small enterprises and 743,949 as micro enterprises. While the segment employs 69.9%, the rather huge amount of resource input equals an economic value of only 32% of GNP. Poor productivity arises out of the lack of business introspect and foresight, insufficient use of technology and poor capital formation. Of the recent four years, the community tabloid operated on a funding of 50 thousand monthly, and a three term provincial Governor was its principal funder. The medium made up eight pages and was circulated within provincial borders, having a population size of about 320 thousand. Company revenues listed 570,274 covering seven months, with the portion of it uncollected or ‘arranged’ comprising 21%. Circulation was established through an exclusive dealership which averaged 356 copies sold out monthly. A small amount of 14,270 for four months in previous was recovered from collectibles. Payables lay in printing and communications; salaries and wages left unpaid represented six months. Assets consisted office furniture plus two functioning computer units. Sales ranged within a meagre 30 to 70 thousand monthly, defining the cost to do business at a high 1.46. The tabloid took up ten pages and a staff of six. The beat focused primarily on political controversies similar to other local publications, and less informative of the different aspects of community life. In several occasions, the weekly release came through behind schedule, circulated Wednesdays if not out of neglect. Leadership and responsibility were undefined. By so, procedures, work flow and market circulation, were lame. Several transactions did not have available records, and because systems were loosely in place, revenues were extremely low. In spite of which, collection efficiency registered only an average of 63%. Management identified certain areas of focus: consumer sense, awareness of geographic and demographic circulation, revenue generation, organization structure, internal control, and tabloid content. Brainstorming of stakeholder expectation was conducted through focused group discussions and employee interviews. The table below summarises the important concerns. STAKEHOLDER EXPECTATION Readers Punctual release of newspaper weekly, diverse content, informative and well written. Presentable layout, articles should be legible and not cramped altogether. Affordable. Proprietorship Writers Columnist Editorship Printer Newspaper Dealers Tabloid operation is profitable. Organisation exerts high level performance. No major capitalisation involved the reorganisation Compensation is on time. Adequate tools, computers are often not functioning properly. Office space is very untidy and no one is responsible for cleanups. Responsibilities should be clear and there ought to be leadership support and room for growth Professional paper presentation, articles are coordinated on time and paper is not delayed Too many columnists of the same expertise, redundancy of views and topics. Article submission are not forwarded on schedule, Selection of writers should be rigid. No non-editorial tasks should be given Efficient coordination of proper file form, layout and correction. Payments are past due. Distribution should not be exclusively handled Coordination of returns directly from newsstands Drop off of release should be 4AM Sundays to ensure effective circulation Closing Gaps Four of six writers of the old outfit abandoned post during the long wait for a new management. The two remaining staff was fit into the new company line up, deliverables and rules were defined and served in writers contracts. An operations team was formed to segregate all duties that were non writing related. This area took up advert solicitation, logistics support, coordination of dealership and print shop. As the rehabilitation process progressed, a buttress of the paper required using all the help one could get and a few experts were looked up. A flamboyant retired editor in chief was hired, which created a widespread notion of organisation reformation. Eventually this started the bandwagon of acclaimed columnists and specialists. Soon enough the tabloid swiftly got back on the local print media charts. Working 60 days into the critical path, revenues soared to 193,061 pesos. The weekly was sectioned in two parts to slate in a cultural component for the tribe communities and a State University Professor named the section Style. The new organisation churned u\out an average of 20 pages, and one special release on the provincial holiday, which took up 32 pages. With that, the steady growth in revenues reached 876,833 pesos and the excitement set in. It is reasoned that the transformation of tabloid mood changed the value given by the community. The medium was perceived as a positively diverse collection, thriving on the promise of quality. A weekly release put together a powerful opinion page, adequate sports updates and an insightful Life Section focused on tribe culture. While it was intended that management of change did not mean a change of people but a change in mindset, the crucial task was setting the standard performance level. True enough the restructuring of an organisation, changing assignment objectives, responsibilities, and reporting relationships within the organisation proved a successful method, sustaining performance was a concern as there were no training budgets available. On the aspect of training, this was embedded into the editorial contracts, for both section editor for culture and the editor in chief for news articles. The mapping of organisation deficiency defined the areas needing constant attention and mentorship. To establish teamwork, groups of three: writer, photographer and dealership were sent on out of town assignments on every municipality of the province, although the articles were culturally driven, as the rituals moved crowds. Workflow was also broken into two lay outing days, the inner sections of the paper were completed every Wednesday, the news portions were closed midnight of Friday. An operations-staff was sent weekly to coordinate and sit through the print out procedure of the weekly release every Saturday, a delivery van assigned in fetching and rollout Sunday at 4:00 AM. The deficiency list from left to right, as plotted in the chart (1)Lack of originality on story angle and thought presentation (2)Not comprehensive, appears to be rewritten articles of newspaper dailies (3)Spelling inaccuracy (4)Grammar incorrect (5)No initiative to search and investigate new issues (6)Late submittal (7)Not enough information sources, or poorly cited (8)Employees are confused about job responsibilities (9)Job descriptions are vague or unclear (10)Organisational structure fails to relate to the organisations strategic goals (11)There are pockets of employees doing too much or too little, or doing boring work (12)Workflow processes result in unnecessary complexity, inefficiency or wasted resources (13)Staff cannot adapt quickly enough to changing internal or external conditions. Identifying Root Causes of Gaps Environmental Factors Symptoms: Employees could not perform adequately, if they had to incentives were flawed. Prescription: Provision of new office equipment and internet provider which was acquired through an exchange deal with the local provider and included new computer units. All back wages were settled upfront after verification of work submission. A different compensation package was set individually to the writer ability and altered to the expected article output. Writers were granted meal benefits and shuttle service during press nights, held twice weekly or one night each tabloid section. In return writers were required to remain until the weekly section release closed, full edited and bed on layout. By breaking down the section close in two separate weekdays, the workers were less stressed and more focused. At the same time there was no need a large capitalisation on equipment. The vendor sponsored units were optimized with a streamlined work flow. Operation personnel kept the workplace up and running during business hours; tidy and clean. Coffee and potable water were always available. Determinants: Writers unmotivated, there were compensation delays and fees on the low side. Workplace was far, public transport was difficult at night. The place was unattended, dirty and untidy. Computers usually malfunctioned and there was no internet installed. Without sufficient equipment, work slowed. A bottleneck occurred on press nights which were done in the past once weekly and the quality of work suffered. Knowledge Factors Symptoms: Tabloid puny in content, articles poorly written. Prescription: Formal training could not be afforded, thus mentor roles were incorporated in the contracts of newly hired editors. The set up work system resulted in a high interaction during press nights. Grammar, spelling and debates on community issues were held. Out of town media coverage set out teams on the field during special cultural rituals or important events. Teams were formed in groups of three, a photographer, writer and one operations personnel. On occasion there was an editor along to observe how interviews were conducted and how information was gathered. The special coverage served as the informal training process and peak positive experiences of individual writers. Aside the spice it added on the paper, these special coverage were equalled by a strong advertiser response for sponsorship on the particular release. Determinants: A gap in the transfer of skill and technique in completing a good report, between old guards to new reporters. No standards set on the work output, no evaluation and monitoring schemes set. Corrective measures or improvement points were not discussed. No one communicated team and common vision. As improvements came along, the organisation needed a basis of comparison with the local print media industry. Tabloid positioning had to be established to chart the work flow for the upcoming year on features. People and places in the community. An industry SWOT was carried out to evaluate company standing and strategic areas of advancement, insofar right pricing. Attitude Factors Symptoms: Employee behaviour is dysfunctional and disruptive to the organisation. Prescription: A descriptive of the ideal employee attitude was circulated, with these categories incorporated in annual employee appraisal sheets as basis of salaries increases. Must have initiative, with a strong tendency to contribute, develop, and carry out new ideas. Exhibits willingness to work with others, and is quick to volunteer assistance. Communicates team, exceptional at building consensus and creates very harmonious work environment. Not only thinks ahead, sees needs and reacts quickly to new priorities. Work is completed on time, maintaining efficiency and effectiveness at the highest level. Has broad knowledge base of own profession, takes the opportunity to improve self. Requires virtually no checking, accuracy and quality of work are a priority. Determinants: Employee cannot handle multiple tasks and deals with current situation only. Lacks the understanding of many aspects and makes little effort to advance self. Makes errors in judgment and work is inconsistent with desired quality. Misses important deadlines, with no planning evident and has poor utilization of resources. Not seen as a team player or is observed obstacle to accomplishing goals. Prefers to work independently, refuses to share information, resources or efforts until is asked to do so. POTENTIAL BENEFITS INDICATORS Increased Outputs The number of pages doubled using the same number of writers on firm story count and deadline. The average number of special features published weekly were more all other local publications A diverse medium of two sections with a strong opinion page Salaries were received on time Time Savings The average number of stories worth printing with the same count of writers are more Equipment downtime was kept to 24 hours, with repair and maintenance contracts on advert exchange deal Improved Quality Quality improvements result in the increase in circulation breadth, and volume Advertisers include national telecommunication firms during peak of rituals and tourist influx Positive feedback received from prominent local leaders and other publications Expression of interest of many columnists not selected on the new medium New advertising packages from annual schemes to one time prints, and event related sponsorships Error Reduction Error reduction was at a running average of 15% No recorded delay in weekly release, distribution or delivery Collection efficiency was up at 90% Accuracy in the recording of all financial transactions Industry SWOT on local print media finds a market base of 8.7% (Source: BENECO presentation, 2007) METRO NEWS REGINA LEADER POST OWEN SOUND SUN METRO NEWS SUBSCRIPTION $8.5 AVERAGES 31 STORIES STRAIGHT NEWS SPORTS SECTION ENTERTAINMENT 15 PPS| 1500 CPS LESS SUBSCRIPTION $6.0 AVERAGES 12 STORIES STRAIGHT NEWS WEAK ON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 12 PPS| 1000 CPS LESS POSITIONS LEFT OF CENTER SUBSCRIPTION $8.00 A AVERAGES 30 STORIES STRAIGHT NEWS WEAK ON SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT 8 PPS| 500 CPS LESS SUBSCRIPTION $5.50 AVERAGES 22 STORIES STRAIGHT NEWS OCASIONALLY HAS FEATURE STORIES 14 PPS| 8000 CPS POSITIONS ON THE BASIS OF AFFORDABILITY DRUMHELLER MAIL YORKTON NEWS SUBSCRIPTION $8.00 AVERAGES 10 STORIES STRAIGHT NEWS OCASIONALLY HAS FEATURE STORIES 10 PPS| 1000 CPS LESS FEW STORIES AND VISUAL CONTENT SUBSCRIPTION $9.50 AVERAGES 56 STORIES STRAIGHT NEWS NO FEATURE STORIES 40 PPS| 30000 CPS HAS CORNERED THE JOB MARKET STRONG ON OBITUARY NOTICES HIGH CIRCULATION WITHIN THE CITY NOT INNOVATIVE THE ONLY NEWSPAPER NOT ACCEPTING DEALERSHIP RETURNS Learning Organisation Managerial Self-Assessment SD=Strongly Agree/ A=Agree/ D=Disagree/ SD=Strongly Disagree SA A D SD 1 Each individual I supervise feels he or she is doing something that matters—personally and to the larger world * 2 I find ways to ensure that my employees are stretching, growing, and enhancing their capabilities * 3 When I want something really creative done, I ask to team to do it instead of sending one person off to so it along * 4 I reward and recognise honestly and openness in the people I supervise * 5 I promote and reward partnering at all levels of our organisation, particularly across functions * 6 I share credit for our work units successes with all the members of my team * 7 I encourage discussion among my employees about our vision and where our organisation fits within that vision * 8 I share relevant information with all the people I supervise, even if this involves educating then to understand that information * 9 I make it possible for my employees to learn what is going on at every level of the organisation so they can understand how their actions influence others * 10 The people I supervise feel free to inquire about and address each others assumptions and biases * 11 My employees feel that they are able to openly discuss any related item with me and with other team members * 12 My employees and I treat each other as valued colleagues * 13 The people I supervise demonstrate a mutual respect and trust in the way they talk to each other and work together, regardless of what positions they hold * 14 My employees feel free to experiment, take risks, and openly assess the results * 15 I am personally involves in structured team discussion sessions to demonstrate that the team of people i supervise is important to me * 16 I strive to create and maintain an atmosphere of trust for team discussion sessions * 17 I raise questions with no hard and firm answer to show my employees that i want to learn from what they have to say and that i don’t always know the answers * Total 11 5 1 Multiplier 4 3 2 1 Line Value 44 15 2 0 SCORE 61 Over 54: You already exhibit the characteristics of a manager who has created a learning organisation atmosphere for your own employees The most significant change using the structured process on human capital development is the mindset change. While factual material is captured to validate these changes, the meaningful experience of being in a transitional program is what in long term, stems valued innovations. In eighteen months, the weekly tabloid redefined its company image. These accomplishments include as follows: (1) Attention of readers drawn in by its new layout style, two sections in an affordable package and its content (2) Relationship with dealers were redefined and exclusivity was revamped (3) Set standards, organized work flow resulted in a renewal of company spirit (4) The paper created a new perception of value in the local print industry (5) Strong opinion page (6) Good sports page (7) Tops feature writing (8) Increased circulation in areas of the hinterlands. It can be said that thinking systems through a systematic work flow and clear definition of responsibility played a crucial part. Restructuring work flow and installing checkpoints seemed to work effectively. This thinking systems part was accomplished in several appreciative inquiries on the industry and local practices, with each stakeholder. Personal mastery could not have been achieved without the mentoring guidance of dedicated editors. Especially since the editors selected were respectful of colleagues and applied collaborative approaches. Working in teams served as an informal training platform because the exchange of ideas, techniques and styles helped shape a writers view. These activities formed as peak positive experiences which proved motivational in itself. While the appraisal task involved a small organisation, the challenge was a stern requirement on ethics and personhood. There was more energy in understanding the peculiarities of the journalists, the boundless intellectual space demanded of the best of them, but in general an enormous patience and genuine appreciation. Conclusion Transitioning companies in itself is instructive. The task is lengthy, tedious and possibly fatal. It comes with a heightened expectation that enormous skill is asked. In its execution, frustration comes easy with tons of stress, and the job entails a constant balance in perspective, in order not to wind up with a parched soul. In the advancement of company, there are only two essentials: that you drive with the right intention, and remain aware of whose expense these gains are made. Given the limitation of the work environment, lack of technology and poor capital formation, it is argued that tenacity of purpose and indomitable spirit triumphed. Here, stories on the tabloid are used to understand context, culture, and participant experiences in relation to a broader sense of community. References Molintas, D. (2007), Technical And Management Consultation Report: Cordillera Today. CAR:PIO BENECO: Benguet Electric Company (2006), Directors Presentation on Print Advert Bids on Exclusive Publication of Power Outages NEDA CAR, 2004 quickstats Read More