IBS804: Leadership Strategy and Communication Plan for Global Markets

This report addresses the development of a leadership strategy and communication plan for a New Zealand-based export manufacturing company, ABC, intending to establish a unit in Mexico. The assignment focuses on creating a leadership strategy, considering staffing policies and cultural dimensions, including Hofstede's and Globe's cultural dimensions for both New Zealand and Mexico. The report proposes a geocentric staffing policy, emphasizing a unified working culture and the importance of cross-cultural communication. It outlines a leadership strategy that involves reviewing business strategies, conducting capability analysis, and incorporating technology. Additionally, the report details a communication plan for disseminating the leadership strategy to various stakeholders, including staff, clients, and the board panel, utilizing meetings and social media channels. The report emphasizes the need for ethical considerations, data protection, and the importance of adapting to cultural differences to ensure successful global expansion.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Managing in a globalised world (Assessment 2)
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1
MANAGEMENT
Table of contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Overview of the organization.....................................................................................................2
Part 1..........................................................................................................................................3
Leadership strategy................................................................................................................3
Part 2..........................................................................................................................................8
Communication plan for communicating the leadership strategy..........................................8
Recommendations......................................................................................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
References................................................................................................................................11
Appendix..................................................................................................................................13

2
MANAGEMENT
Introduction
Management is one of the aspects, which is essential for accomplishing the tasks
according to the identified and specified objectives. Strategic management is needed in terms
of prioritizing the tasks according to the urgency and the requirements. This approach is also
applicable in case of the expansion activities. In this context, the parameter of human
resource management holds prime position for attaining infrastructural development, which is
an agent in terms of externalizing the operations (Burke, 2017). This assignment considers
the case of ABC export manufacturing company, which intends to open a unit in the
threshold of Mexico. The main focus of the assignment is on devising a leadership strategy
and communication plan.
Overview of the organization
(Refer to Appendix 1)
Discussion
Workplace issue of ABC export manufacturing company
Staff selection
In ABC export manufacturing company, the staffs are selected on the basis of
interviews and practical tests. In the interviews, the awareness of the candidates about the
recent trends and policies are tested. The Staff Selection Commission is involved for
conducting the recruitment and selection in an unbiased manner (Ssc.govt.nz, 2019).
Training and development
Once the candidates are selected, they are engaged in the training and development
programs. The courses of the training revolves around the basic managerial skills,
organizational behaviour, customer satisfaction and others. Personality development courses

3
MANAGEMENT
are also included in the training programs. According to Mangan and Lalwani, (2016), career
plans are also developed for enhancing the preconceived skills, expertise and knowledge of
the employees.
Culture
Diversification is reflected in the lectures and seminars, which encounters the
assemblage of delegates and staffs from different socio-cultural backgrounds. Cultural
programs are a part of the business, which enhances the heritage, customs and traditions.
Conscious approach is exposed by the company towards preservation of the traditional
hierarchy in the process of innovation (Alsamydai & Alensour, 2016).
Ethical issues
The operations of the company revolves around the standards and protocols of the
ethical code of conduct. Regular inspections, audit and reviews are conducted by involving
the external agencies and the board panel. Ethical Consent Forms are signed by the clients
and the customers before the commencement of the data collection process (Binder, 2016).
Data Protection Act (1998) is used for enhancing the security within the information shared
by the customers. Systematic approach in this context is assistance for the company in terms
of averting the instances of information leakage, cybercrimes and illegal commercialization.
The business ethics of the company is based on the issues of human rights and corruption.
In this, the standards and protocols of the home country is adhered. The subsidiaries are
involved in the foreign audits, which helps in ensuring whether the standards are properly
followed (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015). This audit is assistance towards the detection of
necessary actions. Here, the main aim is on ensuring whether the employees have access to
the basic fundamental rights.

4
MANAGEMENT
Part 1
Leadership strategy
ABC export manufacturing company can strategize the act of developing staffing
policies, which would solve the issues related to the recruitment and selection. In this, focus
needs to be placed on the employees who possess the desired qualifications and are eligible
for accomplishing the identified and the specified targets. Polycentric approach in this
regards would be efficient in terms of localizing the operations by mapping the culture. On
the contrary, Boice, Torrisi-Steele and Boice, (2018) is of the view that geocentric staffing
policy would be an effective means for the development of strong and unified working
culture, where the balance between the supply chain networks is effectively maintained. This
approach would be beneficial in terms of globalizing the operations through the means of
infrastructural development.
Practising a sound and flexible workplace culture is needed for attracting the
international executives. In this context, it needs to be ensured that they feel the environment
similar to their native culture. Immigration laws can act as an obstacle in the implementation
of the policy. Szabla, Dardick and Devlin, (2016) states that geocentric approach would be
effective, as it would make judicious use of the human resources. Departmentalization would
be an agent for generating team work among the staffs. Inclusion of the information
management systems into the strategy would be a planned and reasoned approach towards
reducing the complexity of the supply chain network (Kerzner, 2018).
In this context, Hofstede’s cultural dimensions can be included. The following is the
score of the host country, Mexico to which ABC export manufacturing company would
penetrate.

5
MANAGEMENT
Table: Score of Mexico
(Source: Hofstede-insights.com, 2019)
According to the table, the highest score is awarded to the dimension of indulgence. It
can be said that indulging in meetings with the representatives and delegates would be
beneficial for ABC export manufacturing company to enhance the cultural diversity.
Maintaining consistency in organizing the meetings would upgrade the stability in the
professional relationships between New Zealand and Mexico. The lowest score is that of the
individualism. Collective culture overpowers the traditional social constructs. On the
contrary, the score of the home country, that is New Zealand stands as follows:
Table 2: Score of New Zealand

6
MANAGEMENT
(Source: Hofstede-insights.com, 2019)
In case of the home country, the highest score is that of individualism, which indicates
strong and flexible culture, which is to be expanded into the markets of Mexico. The lower
score is that of power distance, as the managers rely on the individual efforts of the
employees. Strong communication is practiced, which is beneficial for information and
security exchange (Alsamydai & Alensour, 2016).
Along with this, Globe’s cultural dimensions can also be used for comparing the
situations of New Zealand and Mexico.
Fig: Cultural Practices and Values in New Zealand
(Source: Globeproject.com, 2019)

7
MANAGEMENT
Fig: Leadership score of New Zealand
(Source: Globeproject.com, 2019)
Fig: Culture score of Mexico
(Source: Globeproject.com, 2019)

8
MANAGEMENT
Fig: Leadership score of Mexico
(Source: Globeproject.com, 2019)
Fig: Proposed leadership strategy for ABC export manufacturing company of New
Zealand
(Source: created by the author)
Leadership
strategy
Analysis of the current
and future leadership
capabilities- STAFFING
POLICY
Strategy formulation
and implementation
Talent acquisition,
sustainability and
leadership practicies
Evaluation

9
MANAGEMENT
The primary stage in this context is the review of the business strategy of ABC export
manufacturing company, which is, competitive. Within this, the focus is to be placed on
product differentiation for adding innovation into the operations, which enhances the
standards and quality. The following stage is that of the strategy formulation and
implementation. For this, analysis needs to be conducted of the current and the future
leadership capabilities. Here, capability analysis of the staffs would be a planned and reasons
action for enhancing the standards and quality of selection and recruitment. Typical evidence
of this lies in the post training tests, which would act as an agent in terms of detecting the
extent to which the staffs emerge successful in making practical application of the learnt
skills in executing the allocated duties and responsibilities (Wendee, Sussan & Chinta, 2018).
Scoring the performance if the staffs would be assistance for the company to detect the
critical success factors and value propositions, which would drive the business to the
benchmark level of performance.
As the intention is expansion, therefore, one of the drivers would be globalization. In
this case, the requirements would be increased cultural sensitivity among the leaders. Cross
cultural communication would be an effective option for enhancing the stability in the
professional relationships. The managers can organize training programs for the staffs
regarding the new products, which have emerged in the market. The staffs can be inspired for
conducting market research, which would enhance their preconceived skills, knowledge and
skills about the products and their implications on the productivity as a whole (Lewis, 2019).
This approach would be a practice for the company in terms of developing customer oriented
practices. Investments in technology would also be an innovative means in terms of
expanding the scope and arena of the business.
In this context, there are various dimensions, which ABC export manufacturing
company needs to focus upon. These dimensions are quantity, quality, skills or behaviour,

10
MANAGEMENT
collective capabilities and leadership culture. Mention can be made of quantity, where the
means of collecting data are surveys and interviews. The responses provided are the basis on
which the workforce planning can be done (Frynas & Mellahi, 2015). After shortlisting the
candidates, their leadership style assessment or personality tests can be conducted for
measuring the effectiveness, appropriateness and feasibility in terms of the workplace
conditions. Ability testing can be one of the means of identifying and assessing the
capabilities and competencies of the staffs (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015). Systematic
progression in this direction would be assistance for yielding positive results. The means of
interview can be adopted for gaining an insight into the collective capabilities.
For globalizing the operations, building a strong culture is important. For this, culture
assessment surveys needs to be included in the strategies. This surveys are vital for enhancing
the awareness about the approaches possessed by the employees towards the cultures and
their implications on the business operations. The leadership dimension of skills/behaviour in
case of the expatriates and locals would diversify the culture of the company. For this, cross
cultural communication and discussions needs to be conducted for averting the instances of
conflicts, discriminations and harassments (Pasmore, 2009). Segmentation of the stakeholders
and shareholders into various groups would develop the balance between the society,
business and the planet. Rather, it would conglomerate the parameters of social, cultural and
economic parameters. Binder, (2016) is of the view that conscious and rational approach of
the managers in this aspect would be effective in terms of averting the instances of conflicts,
discriminations and harassments.
Part 2
Communication plan for communicating the leadership strategy
Audience Message type Delivery
method
Schedule Message
source

11
MANAGEMENT
Staffs Strategy Meeting Monthly Manager
Meetings would be the primary step for disclosing the leadership strategy of staffing
policy to the staffs, clients and the customers. Involving the stakeholders, shareholders, board
panel in the meeting would add authenticity and relevancy to the processes. Question answer
session in the meetings would be fruitful in terms of clarifying the doubts of the staffs in
conducting the operations according to the requirements. The meeting would act as a
platform for the staffs in terms of voicing out the opinions regarding the issues, which they
are facing while executing the business operations (Austin & Pinkleton, 2015).
As the target audience are the staffs, therefore, simple language is to be used, so that
they achieve a clear understanding for the message, which is to be disseminated. Here,
jargons need to be avoided, which may create discrepancies. Consent of the stakeholders and
shareholders are crucial before the strategy formulation. Rationality and consciousness in this
regards depicts the consideration of the participative management style, indicating a strong
workplace culture. Monthly organization of the meetings would be beneficial for reflecting
on the progress and updating the awareness of the board panel about it. Sending the minutes
of the meeting to the heads of the department would be effective for taking the necessary
steps. Evaluation of the meeting minutes can be beneficial in terms of detecting the areas,
which needs to be improvised for enhancing the standards and quality of the performance
(Lewis, 2019).
Apart from this, other communication channels like social media can be adopted for
sending the message to the clients and the customers. These channels include Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram and others, which would increase the trafficking of the audience towards
the brand image. Installation of the privacy cookies and policies would be planned and

12
MANAGEMENT
reasoned approach towards securing the private information shared by the staffs. Using Data
Protection Act (1998) would be one of the means for expanding the customer base of ABC
export manufacturing company through retaining the prospective customers. This adherence
would be one of the means for enhancing the workplace culture (Wendee, Sussan & Chinta,
2018).
Cross cultural communication would be an agent in terms of measuring the extent to
which the staffs emerge capable for dealing with the cultural differences. For this
measurement, drives, knowledge, strategy and action are the typical components for the
organization to consider. As per the arguments of Boice, Torrisi-Steele & Boice, (2018), the
major drive would be motivation, assisting the personnel to expose better performance.
Conscious approach towards the cultural elements while communicating is an agent for
earning trust from the clients and the customers.
Recommendations
 The tasks and resource allocation can be sent to the head of the department through
emails. Replying to the emails would upgrade the professional communication.
Spontaneity is to be maintained in this context for averting the instances of conflicts,
discriminations, harassments and misunderstanding and others. Clarity is also needed
in the conversations for preserving the stability in the professional relations. Foreign
delegates of Mexican manufacturing companies can be contacted for briefing about
the staffing policies.
 Presentations of the benefits and implication of the staffing policies would enhance
the communication skills of the staffs. Offshore marketing would also be effective in
terms of externalizing the export and manufacturing operations. In this case,
Alsamydai and Alensour, (2016) is of the view that consciousness is reflected from
ensuring that the private information and confidential codes are secured.

13
MANAGEMENT
 Prior to the selection of the communication plan, the need is to be detected. This
approach would be helpful for averting the misunderstanding and communication
gaps and achieving trust, loyalty and dependence from the clients and the customers.
Limitations of the report
The report has attempted to peek into the global expansion strategies of ABC export
manufacturing company into the markets of Mexico. Hofstede and Globe’s cultural
dimensions have been incorporated into the propositions. Due to financial and time
constraints, the report fails to conduct qualitative data, where surveys and interviews of the
personnel could have been added.
Conclusion
In order to globalize the operations to the Mexican market, ABC export
manufacturing company needs to devise plans. The important domains in this case is that of
leadership and communication, which are crucial for upgrading the standards and quality of
the operations. Conducting value chain analysis would be one of the means for detecting the
unique selling proposition by which large number of customers can be attracted. Adopting
social media marketing would be a planned and reasoned approach towards increasing the
trafficking of the audience towards the brand image. Privacy cookies and policies would be
effective in terms of securing the private information shared by the clients and the customers.
Communication plans in the form of meetings are essential for disseminating crucial
information about the staffing policies to the clients and the customers. Evaluation would be
crucial in terms of detecting the feasibility, effectiveness and appropriateness of the
developed policies and practices.

14
MANAGEMENT
References
Alsamydai, M. J., & Alensour, J. A. Y. (2016). The Specific Factors for Strategic Leadership
Style and Its Impact on Competition Strategy Selected. International Review of
Management and Business Research, 5(4), 1474.
Austin, E. W., & Pinkleton, B. E. (2015). Strategic public relations management: Planning
and managing effective communication campaigns. Routledge.
Binder, J. (2016). Global project management: communication, collaboration and
management across borders. Routledge.
Boice, W., Torrisi-Steele, G., & Boice, G. (2018). Leading into the future. Strategic
Leadership, 279.
Burke, W. W. (2017). Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.
Frynas, J. G., & Mellahi, K. (2015). Global strategic management. Oxford University Press,
USA.
Globeproject.com (2019). Score of Mexico. Retrieved 31st August 2019 from
https://globeproject.com/results/countries/MEX?menu=list#list
Globeproject.com (2019). Score of New Zealand. Retrieved 31st August 2019 from
https://globeproject.com/results/countries/NZL?menu=list#list
Hofstede-insights.com (2019) Score of Mexico. Retrieved 28th August 2019 from
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/
Hofstede-insights.com (2019). Score of New Zealand. Retrieved 28th August 2019 from
https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/new-zealand/

15
MANAGEMENT
Kerzner, H. (2018). Project management best practices: Achieving global excellence. John
Wiley & Sons.
Lewis, L. (2019). Organizational change: Creating change through strategic communication.
John Wiley & Sons.
Mangan, J., & Lalwani, C. L. (2016). Global logistics and supply chain management. John
Wiley & Sons.
Pasmore, W (2009). Developing a leadership strategy: A critical ingredient for organizational
success. Greensboro: Center for Creative Leadership.
Ssc.govt.nz (2019). About us. Retrieved 31st August 2019 from http://www.ssc.govt.nz/
Szabla, D. B., Dardick, W., & Devlin, J. A. (2016). The perception of change strategy scale:
Validating the measure. In Research in organizational change and development (pp.
83-111). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Wendee, P., Sussan, F., & Chinta, R. (2018). An Epilogue to Succession Planning:
Understanding the Value of Your Enterprise. In Succession Planning (pp. 223-238).
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

16
MANAGEMENT
Appendix
ABC export manufacturing company is a medium sized one, situated in the threshold of
New Zealand. The revenue of the company is estimated to be approximately between NZD$
5m- 10m. Functional organizational structure is followed, which helps in enhancing the
standards and quality of the operations through team work. Mention can be made of the
human resource management division, which looks after the manufacturing and
distribution operations, which is to be expanded into the Mexican market. The board panel
entrusts the staffs with the responsibility to prepare strategies, which addresses the issues
of recruitment and selection.