1. What suggestions can you offer Peter Flagstaff and Lindsay Gibson to improve knowledge sharing at the Flagstaff Marketing Group?
In order to improve knowledge sharing at the Flagstaff Marketing Group, the personalization knowledge sharing strategy can be applied. This strategy focuses on dialogue between people. In order to solve a project, one will use the database with contacts of right people who might be useful in this particular project. Then, after an experienced in this issue person has been found, a meeting can be arranged. Moreover, phone calls or e-mail message can also be used..
2. How valid are the points made by the account executives for not doing a better job of sharing information?
Analyzing the arguments and points that have emerged from the focus group for not doing a better job of sharing information, it can be said that some of them seem quite relevant, while other are dubious.
Jason, for example, claims that: "After you share an idea with another executive, the idea becomes public knowledge. It loses its originality". However, isn't Flagstaff a marketing company? Yes, it is. And practically all marketing campaigns can be easily analyzed, since this knowledge is not esoteric and accessible to the limited amount of people. Each account executive can see, what has been done by his or her colleague. Logos, names and slogans are actually not concealed. That is why dominant majority of marketing solutions become public knowledge when this solution or strategy is realized, not when its creator shares an idea with another executive.
3. What cultural changes might be needed at Flagstaff to improve knowledge sharing?
As we can see from the case and Gary’s reasonable arguments, there is a danger of the information’s leak from within the company in case if someone of the employees decides to leave it. Obviously, if this person begins to work for another company, the information and knowledge he got while working for the previous ones will be used on the new workplace.
Hence, the major cultural change that should be introduced at Flagstaff is the development of loyalty within the firm and introduction of a new policy, which prohibits the disclosure of information, considered an intellectual property of the company.
References
Dubrin, Andrew J. and Young, Jeffery David. (2007). Fundamentals of Organizational Behaviour (1st Canadian Edition). Toronto: Thompson Nelson.
WHOLE FOODS CASE PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 4
Running head: COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEM IN FLAGSTAFF MARKETING …