Research In Motion (RIM)
Running head: research in motion (rim) 1
research in motion (rim) 8
Company History
Name
Institution
Date
Introduction
An organization is bound to experience a crisis at one point in its existence. The manner in which the organization manages the disaster will determine the success or failure of the organization. Communication is an essential tool in an organization. It is through communication that organizations find it easy to coordinate their activities. Conversely, there is no better time when organizations need to be effective in communication than in times of crisis. In many instances, when an organization is in crisis, there is confusion since many people may be attempting to do what they think is in the best interests of the organization. Unfortunately, their efforts may not be coordinated, and that may end up having adverse effects on the ability of the organization to manage the crisis. Communication plays an integral role in crisis management to the extent that it makes sure that all the stakeholders are reading from the same script, and that all of the stakeholders are moving toward the same direction (Coombs, 2014). In the absence of effective communication, there will be confusion, and that will have adverse effects on the organization.
Company History Research in Motion is a Global telecommunications company. In 2011, the company’s co-chief executives found themselves facing a serious crisis which needed them to take actions to prevent the company from experiencing a further decline in market performance. The previous year, the company had faced one of the most challenging times when it had a decline in its market share while its stock price also experienced a serious hit. In this particular crisis, one of the senior executives in the organization addressed a damning anonymous letter which revealed some of the weaknesses and cultural problems of the company. The letter questioned, among other things, the leadership style of the organization, the organizational culture as well as the product development systems in the company. The anonymous senior executive offered personal insights and possible solutions which could be used to bring back the company to its lost market standing. While the letter was addressed to the executives of the company, it was unfortunate that the letter got leaked and it was picked up by an online technology news provider referred to Boy Genius Report. The contents of this letter were later published in an online article of Boy Genius Report, thereby exposing the weaknesses of the company to the public (Thecasecentre.org, 2012).
Further, the letter seriously exposed the leadership weaknesses of Research in Motion. The co-chief executives of the company were under pressure to find out the best ways to address the public over the issues addressed in the letter. Most importantly, since it was evident that they were being questioned by their employees, the co-chief executives had to find the most suitable approaches to communicate with the employees internally. It was necessary for the co-chief executives to assure the employ the most suitable mechanisms to address the problems internally.
The specific problems to be addressed
There are two specific problems which need to be addressed in this case study. The following is an illustration of some of the problems which would have to be addressed in this case study;
Change the perception of the outsiders concerning the problems facing company; form the case study, it is apparent that the company has come from a difficult financial year which was characterized by poor performance in the market as well as dwindling share prices. When this letter went public, it affected the reputation of the company in the market since it exposed its weaknesses to outside parties. Thus, it is necessary to execute a communication strategy which will restore the reputation of the company in the market (Ulmer et al., 2017).
Address the confidence and faith of the employees in the leadership of the organization; from the letter, it is notable that the employees have lost faith in the company and its leadership. To some of the employees, the leadership is prepared to address the ills facing the company. Besides, it would be helpful for the organization to carry out communication, which would address the concerns of the company. Most importantly, it would be necessary to make the employees understand that the leadership is aware of the challenges, and it is taking necessary steps to address them (Coombs, 2014).
Communication goals
There are two primary targets of this communication exercise. The first target is the employees of the organization. The second target of this communication is the outside stakeholders of the company, including clients, suppliers and partners. Among the employees, the communication goal is to reassure them that the organization is doing whatever is possible to address their concerns. However, communication also seeks to help establish a communicating structure between the leadership and the employees (Coombs, 2014). Apparently, the employee might have written the synonymous letter because there was no alternative communication channel which he could use. Another goal of communication is to provide an opportunity for the employees to understand the operations of the company. It may be argued the employee who had a problem with the product development and employee culture of the organization did not have an adequate understanding of the operations of the company. Nonetheless, the main goal of outside communication is to rebuild the image of the company. The publication of the contents of the letter had caused a serious dent to the image of the company, and it was necessary to rebuild it.
The mediums of communication applicable
There are two primary mediums of communication which will be used in this communication. One of the mediums is memos while the second medium is the use of emails. The main purpose of using memos is because it is capable of being used to reach a wide range of audience. For instance, since it will be necessary to communicate with all employees about a wide range of concerns, the use of memos will be most appropriate. When a memo is used, it is possible to summarize the information in such a manner that will make it easily accessible to all the employees. One of the advantages which makes the use of memos suitable in this case is that memos are easy to produce, and they are also easy to read since they are not loaded with many words (Guffey & Loewy, 2012).
However, since there are only a few senior executives working for the organization and it would be possible to reach out to them. The most suitable medium for reaching senior executives is the use of emails. At their level, it would be possible to draft emails which will be directed at each senior executive. The first benefit of this medium is that it will affirm to the senior executives that the management recognizes their rank and status in the organization. Additionally, the use of emails allows senior executives to provide immediate responses to communication.
Targeted audience
For this internal communication, there are two primary targets of communication; employees and senior executives. The issues arising from the leaked letter to the management concerned mainly the employees and the senior executives. A critical examination of both the executives and the employees reveal that they have unique features and cultural dispositions which determine the interaction among them (Thorson & Moore, 2013). Firstly, it is important to note that not all employees speak the same language. While a significant majority of the employees have English as their first language, it is also notable that there are many employees who are not English speakers. Thus, when making internal communication, it would be necessary to make sure that there is consideration of the interests of these groups. Perhaps it would be necessary to consider translating the messages or using simple language for the benefit of the employee who does not have English as their first language.
The message
MEMO
TO: All Employees
FROM: Co-Chief Executive Officers
CC: Senior Executives
DATE: 27.06.2019
SUBJECT: Clarification on Employee Concerns
Research in Motion (RIM) has been one of the most effective companies in the industry for the last decade. In an environment which is a highly competitive industry, there is a reason which has made the company stand out among its peers. It is through sheer determination and commitment to the highest standards of quality and innovation that the company has managed to stand tall in the industry. Besides, the stable leadership which the management has shown has provided a favorable environment for the growth of the company. Although it is notable that the company has in the recent years lost a little ground to its rivals with regards to market share and share prices, there is no reason to suggest that the county is heading south. While appreciating that the recent performances do not indicate the direction which the company wants to take in its growth agenda, it is notable that the challenges are not insurmountable. In a letter which has been circulated in various online platforms, there has been a projection that the company is directionless and disorganized as a result poor leadership, unsuitable organizational culture as well as the product development problems.
Concerning these accusations leveled against the company, we have the following to say; we have the following to say;
Firstly, in the face of the massive growth which RIM has experienced in the last few decades, it is not fair to say that there is poor leadership. Perhaps the accusation concerning poor leadership arises from the fact that the company has lost some economic and competitive ground in the last few years. It is important to note that the performance of an organization in the market is determined by a wide spectrum of political, economic and social factors. Thus, it would be very shortsighted to place the blame on the management. Throughout the time when this company has existed, the leadership has always desired to make decisions which it feels best serves the interest of the business. In many times, the decisions have been favorable, but there are also times when the decisions may fail to achieve the desired objectives. These challenges do not mean there is poor leadership. We would like to assure you that the leadership is steadfast and has an unwavering commitment to take this organization to the next level.
The organizational culture of RIM has also come into sharp focus. Just like many other aspects of the business, the culture of the organization has always kept changing. The management realizes that as times change, it becomes necessary to lead a cultural change which would make sure that the culture in line with the contemporary environment in which the organization operates (Schein, 2010). It is true that the leadership appreciates that there could be problems with the organizational culture which could have been responsible for the poor performance of the organization in the recent past. However, the cultural problem is not so massive that it could be a cause for concern to the organization. The leadership is currently adopting a wide range of measures to influence the development of an organizational culture which would enable RIM to enhance its competitiveness in this ever-changing environment.
While appreciating that the employees may at times have concerns with several issues in the organization, it is, however, essential that employees must use the most appropriate ways or mediums to relay these concerns to the concerned authorities. The leadership of RIM has an open-door policy, which means everybody with concerns is free to knock any door and present grievances without having any disciplinary action taken against him. The adherence to the proper communication channels will not only protect the image of the company, but it will also make sure that solutions to the challenge are found in time.
Needs and Development
During the development of the message, it was important to consider the levels of professional training of the employees. One of the primary challenges which are responsible for the disorganization of most organizations is poor training on a wide range of organizational processes. While employees may be skilled in their various fields, it is possible that they may not have an adequate understanding of the mode of operations in the organization (Cohen, 2017). For example, in the case of the senior level executive who authored the anonymous letter, it is possible that an individual may not have understood organizational processes. Thus, when developing the message, it was necessary to understand that a significant number of employees may not understand the organization. Besides, it was considered that when the employee accused the organization of having a poor organizational culture, the individual may have been new in the organization and as a result, may not have had a clear understanding of the foundations of the culture of the organization (Rao, 2002). As a result of this, it was essential for the message to clearly demonstrate the process of cultural development in the organization and the way it has served the organization.
Support
As the organization goes through this period of transition, it is possible that employees may be affected in a certain way. Thus, the organization has taken several steps to make sure that it helps the employees through the critical transition phase. Firstly, the organization has clearly provided a communication channel which employees may use to seek any clarification. It is important to note that poor communication is one of the factors which lead to confusion and despair among the employees (Cadon, n.d). Through effective communication, it is possible to address the concerns of the employees and help them settle in the organization. Besides, the organization is embarking on a continual training of employees to improve their exposure to current trends.
Potential conflicts arising from the communication
One of the potential sources of conflict arising from communication is the possible misinterpretation of the communication by the recipients (List, 2011). Among the people who accessed the message through the memos, it is not possible for them to seek clarification. Thus, each recipient is entitled to interpret the message in his way, and that can cause a misunderstanding and a subsequent conflict.
External Communication
Effective external communication serves as a critical strategy when it comes to proper crisis management. For-profit, as well as non-profit organizations in present-day society should adopt and incorporate effective communication frameworks in their operations; given they remain subject to a great deal of public scrutiny. In essence, the 21st century remains characterized by a wide range of complicated and multifaceted crises, which require any given organization to take a comprehensive approach to developing appropriate and result-driven external communication strategies. Typically, an efficient crisis management plan must factor in a seamless external communication framework because the manner in which an organization manages disasters determines its success or failure. In this case study, the various instances of failure show that Research in Motion (RIM) is in a crisis, which can only be addressed or solved through an effective external communication framework. The communication model should be developed and implemented in manner that it aptly manages the situation facing the company’s external stakeholders. In particular, the company’s external communication should go a long way in assuaging the fears of its customers and other stakeholders, such as suppliers and service providers (Ahmed, 2018). A proper external communication channel will ensure that the intended message reaches the target audience and works towards improving the company’s already tainted public image.
Medium
RIM can utilize a variety of communication channels with the sole purpose of disseminating information to the public and all other responsible stakeholders. Most importantly, these media possess different characteristics, as well as scope, meaning the company should place great emphasis on identifying and the most appropriate and effective medium. In this respect, RIM can achieve this by evaluating how each of the media performs regarding the target audience, costs, and the conveying the intended message. In other words, some external communication channels tend to enhance convenience and reliability, especially when tasked with the responsibility of delivering information to a given audience. On the same note, the cost incurred determines the type of external communication media to use.
Although some communication methods are more effective than others, communication experts associated with successful and international firms have so far recommended the need for using at least two media as way of dealing with or handling any given organizational crisis. According to Burdstrom (2018), this multidimensional and pragmatic approach allows a firm to benefit a great deal from the strengths of each channel. Sensibly speaking, the use of different media plays a leading role in creating communication synergy, which, in turn, presents an organization with the opportunity to reach a broader audience base. In this way, the company in question can quickly disseminate the message in an efficient manner.
RIM should convey the intended message by considering and using external communication channels. In essence, the company can effectively disseminate its position regarding the leaked letter to the management. The firm should make this consideration; given the rapidly developing information and communication technologies and social networking sites and associated platforms. Change-driven companies from across the globe are increasingly becoming digitized as they have and continue to embrace social media, Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter to communicate with their customers. Information technology (IT) is fast revolutionizing the communication sector with billions of people interconnected through these platforms. The increased uptake of the internet and the use of computers have enabled customers to quickly gain access up to date information about the various developments and trends in the corporate world (Hall, 2014). In this sense, RIM should prioritize the use of their website in disseminating information to external stakeholders. For instance, the company should create a statement on its website and other social media handles, highlighting issues facing the firm, the interventions it has put in place, as well as the way forward.
The use of online platforms in the dissemination of information is advantageous on numerous fronts. When compared to traditional communication channels, such as TV, radio, billboards, and letters, social media networking sites are relatively cheaper. Second, the use of Facebook and other social media platforms would play a fundamental role in ensuring the company reaches the target audience because the leaked letter reached the platform through the same media. Therefore, using the same medium to counter the narrative and set the record straight gives the company an equal opportunity to pass its message to its external stakeholders, especially those who might have been adversely impacted by the letter. Moreover, that the use of online platforms in disseminating information would enable the company reach its millions of customers from wherever they are in the globe (Lazzari, 2018). Concisely, social media has globalized external communication.
In addition to social media, RIM should make a comprehensive media statement on local and international print and electronic media. In the statement, the company should identify, state, and respond accordingly to each of the issues raised by employees in the leaked letter. Equally important, the management should examine and make necessary changes to the statement before it goes public as a precautionary measure; avoiding errors and omissions. The media statement will allow RIM to respond to the various issues affecting the company and reassure its customers and other stakeholders of the initiatives it is undertaking to remedy the situation. A media statement helps the organization to formally narrate its story to the public, which helps in controlling the situation. Hall (2014) argues that an organization can manage a crisis by going ahead of the damaging story. Accordingly, the whole process of arresting the situation allows the firm to shape the narrative of the ongoing crisis and remedy the image of the company.
Target Audience
In the case at hand, the target audience for the external communication comprises the company’s existing and potential clients, shareholders, service providers, and the general public. In particular, RIM is currently facing a crisis that has led to poor share performance in the stocks market and reduced profits. The leaked letter to management highlighting the leadership deficiencies in the organization has had had a negative impact on the company’s corporate reputation. With the perception among shareholders that the company is being poorly managed, the RIM’s share prices have decreased significantly because individual investors have lost confidence in the company. Besides shareholders, the general public and potential investors shied away from the company’s shares as it seemed that the company was experiencing significant leadership and organizational challenges. In his recent article, Ahmed (2018) corroborates that investing in a business with significant the identified management and performance problems serves as a severe risk that both short-term and long-term investors often consider before investing.
Apart from the identified external stakeholders, the company should invest in assuring the general public of the high levels of professionalism and competence that the firm ascribes to. RIM should make the general public aware of its principles as way of ensuring people embrace and identify with it the organization. Cardon (2016) argues that people tend to associate not only with successful but also socially responsible brands that promote their ideals and public policy. The general public is a critical target audience as they are the consumers of the organization’s products and services. In essence, the company’s sales volume depends on the level of consumer loyalty. The relevance of the general public has been reflected by the poor performance posted by RIM in the recent past as the market refrained from purchasing its products.
Draft of External Communication
Media Statement by Jones Whitaker about the Leaked Letter to the Management of RIM
Research in Motion is a dedicated and responsible company driven by high standards of corporate governance.
The company has learnt of the public dissemination of the contents of a letter to the management. As an organization, RIM encourages its employees to continuously critique and make suggestions of how the organization may improve its operations. Through this policy, the company has tremendously improved its capacity and organizational efficiency thereby enabling the organization to meet its objectives. As such, the leaked letter is a testament to the expanded freedom of employees to air out their grievances and highlight areas in need of improvement.
To this end, RIM has forwarded the issues highlighted in the latter to a special task force, as is ordinarily the case, to investigate the allegations raised therein. The company assures its stakeholders that appropriate action will be taken to address these organizational weaknesses, if any, upon receiving the official taskforce report.
Thank you for your continued support.
For interviews contact:
Alex Maine
Head of Public Relations
Phone number: 202-555-1212
maine.alex@gia.com
Conflicts
One of the anticipated conflicts expected by the issuance of the above media statement is the possible misinterpretation of the message. The company’s external stakeholders may have numerous questions arising from the statement because it appears to take a general approach to conveying the intended message. In essence, the statement at hand has not identified any of the issues raised by RIM employees. In this respect, stakeholders are more likely to demand for clarifications. Another conflict would result from external stakeholders’ relationship with the already appointed special contact person tasked with the responsibility of to conducting further interviews and queries. Other players might have difficulty developing and maintaining the much-needed rapport with the contact person thereby keeping crucial information. Cardon (2016) has noted with a great deal of concern that this type of misinformation might compel stakeholders to not fully appreciate the company’s efforts in addressing the various issues highlighted in the leaked letters.
Follow Up
Mission, Vision and Goals
LaReau, J. (2017, October 19). NADA Data shows dealer profits eroding. Retrieved November 25, 2018, from http://www.autonews.com/article/20171019/RETAIL/171019631/nada-dealer-profits-service?CSAuthResp=1%3A573702363707401%3A423309%3A1%3A24%3Aapproved%3A28166A7A56FB946992CCF6F22FD20DD9
Internal Communication Measurement
External Communication Measurement
Lessons Learned
References:
References Milestone 1
Coombs, W. T. (2014). Ongoing crisis communication: Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications.
Thecasecentre.org. (2012). Research in Motion: Sincerely, a RIM Employee (A). Ivey Publishing. Available at: https://www.thecasecentre.org/programmeAdmin/products/view?id=108285
Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2017). Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Sage Publications.
References Milestone 2
Cadon, P. W. (2nd Edition). Managing Through Communication. McGraw-Hill Education.
Cohen, E. (2017). Employee training and development. In CSR for HR (pp. 153-162). Routledge.
Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2012). Essentials of business communication. Cengage Learning.
List, C. (2011). Group communication and the transformation of judgments: an impossibility result. Journal of Political Philosophy, 19(1), 1-27.
Rao, J. A. (2002, November). Helping employees embrace change. Retrieved from McKinsey&Company: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organi…
Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership (Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons.
Thorson, E., & Moore, J. (Eds.). (2013). Integrated communication: Synergy of persuasive voices. Psychology Press.
References Milestone 3
Ahmed, A. (2018). Types of external communication. Bizfluent. Retrieved Feb. 6, 2019 from https://bizfluent.com/list-7662353-types-external-communication
Burdstrom, G. (2018). When you need to make a statement to the media. Retrieved Feb. 7, 2019, from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-write-a-statement-2295985
Cardon, P. (2016). Business communication: Developing leaders for a networked world (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Hall, J. (2014). How to choose the right medium for your message. Retrieved January 25, 2019, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhall/2014/04/20/how-to-choose-the-right-medium-for-your-message/
Lazzari, Zach. (2018, June 28). Importance of external business communication. Retrieved February 6, 2019, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-external-business-communication-19304.html
