Case Analysis Sonoco Products Company Essay Example

Case Analysis Sonoco Products Company Essay Example Case Analysis Sonoco Products Company Paper Case Analysis Sonoco Products Company Paper Sonoco Products Company (A): Building a World-Class HR Organization Sonoco Products Company is a global packaging company that began in 1899 in Hartsville, South Carolina. During 1990’s Sonoco was one of the largest packaging companies in the world with revenues reached $2. 6 billion through the manufacture and sales of consumer and industrial packaging, with 17,300 employees across 285 operations in 32 countries, serving customers in 85 nations. During 1990’s the United States was enjoying economic growth during the late 1990s/early 2000s, so was the packaging industry; as a result, Sonoco’s position began to change. Sonoco was becoming increasingly more susceptible to changes in the world economy, and the packaging business began to focus higher speed computer technology for quality assurance that improvement and labor saving, production for diversified product types, and implementation of policies and action programs to meet the consumer needs, including development of innovative packaging containers and techniques. Thus, Sonoco realizes that it needs reinvent itself in order to remain competitive in their market. Hartley has to answer several questions from Sonoco’s CEO, Mr. DeLOach. Between the two plans Hartley presented as a possible solutions fro the company, the horizontal or hybrid structures, she has to prove which one is the best one would fit with the company’s goals. Being in a dynamic market, Sonoco needs a structure that reacts fast to changes in the market, so, a hybrid structure in which the divisions would have some direct involvement with planning, personnel programs, compensation, and benefits. The advantage of this structure is that it would leave a form of divisional Human Resources management intact on which general managers could still call for assistance. Moreover, these new group of Human Resources managers would be able to provide the strategic interact between corporate Human Resources functions and Sonoco’s business goals. Thus, a hybrid structure would be flexible enough to respond quickly to environmental changes, and be able to participate in divisional level strategies. Thus, the hybrid structure suits perfect to a complex organization like Sonoco with advanced technology and dynamic environments such as changing products preferences by costumers and competitors, and as well changing government regulations affecting its business. This hybrid structure aligns perfectly with Sonoco’s flexible strategy to meet the changing demands of its industry and consumers. Furthermore, Sonoco’s members have to choose which option would better ensure the right people were in the right position. Sonoco’s value revolves around people, culture and values. Sonoco’s culture has always played a role in its success with safety, integrity, and respect for the individuals are the roots of its culture. However, since the mid 80’s there was a diminished sense of personal responsibility and accountability that linked into the company. So, some financial goals fell short, but DeLoach’s and Hartley’s new strategies turned this around. Sonoco needs to get a tighter control over this component. During the 1990’s, Sonoco failed to hold its people accountable and develop them, especially the leadership. Sonoco realized this fragmentation led to ineffective succession planning and leadership development that only harmed the company. Thus, the implementation of the new performance management and compensation systems, as well the increased focus on leadership development, and most importantly the succession planning process. It is not only important to have the right people with the right skills now, but to sustain the company’s position into the future; Sonoco has to develop its talent pool and leaders going forward. As a result, a hybrid structure in which the divisions would have some direct involvement with staffing, succession planning, personnel programs, compensation, and benefits would allow to have the people in the right positions at Sonoco. In this hybrid structure, basically the strategy focus on Human Resources Department to planning, and its implementation responsibilities would primarily rely on the top HR Corporate level while the field staff would handle divisional level issues by assisting in rolling out initiatives, performing consulting services. Moreover, besides which option would be more flexible or ensure that the right people were in the right positions, Sonoco as a profit corporation is also looking for the most profitable strategy so the company’s shareholders would be satisfy. Between both structure, the centralized and the hybrid options, the best structure for profitability perspective is the hybryd structure. Even though, the centralized structure projected cost savings is higher thatn the hybrid structure with $3. 1 million for the centralized option compare to the $2. million for the hybrid structure; however, the hybrid structure on the long run would be fair better because consolidating administrative functions where feasible to result in economies of scale would in cure in a bigger savings. Also, having the appropriate systems in place to get the right people in place and up to speed will improve productivity, increase employee satisfaction, reduce waste, and decrease turnover which will result in incre ased profits on an ongoing basis during the years which also helps to reduce employee turnover ratio which means that Sonoco would safe on training programs for new employees. Last but no least, Sonoco has to select the structure that matches the organization’s principle that â€Å" people build businesses†. This phrase is true, but no organization can win business if the people in the organization are not in the right position or there is lack of communication with in the organization. It is really important that a company’s strategy, structure, and systems are well defined, so that the Human Resources would hold it all together which includes details on how a company trains, socializes, integrates, motivates, and manages the careers of its human resources or also known human capital. So, the hybrid structure would best fit Sonoco’s principle â€Å"people build business† Sonoco realized this fragmentation led to ineffective succession planning and leadership development and it would harm the organization. It is not only important to have the right people with the right skills now, the most important is that the people are in the right positions in order to build businesses which with a hybrid structure the divisions would have some direct impact on how people are motivated with in the organization which would lead to a high performance from each departments and the company as a whole. Additionally, Sonoco took advantage of the concept of incorporating diversity into its business, which would bring new ideas to the business, and that workforce diversity would play as a competitive advantage against competitors. In conclusion, due to Sonoco’s complex organization with advanced technology and dynamic environments typically fair better with a hybrid structure. This structure aligns perfectly with Sonoco’s flexible strategy to meet the changing demands of its industry and consumers. Moreover, a hybrid option allows for the right people with the right skills to be where they are most beneficial to the organization; so, this way they get the development and attention that they need to produce the results top management and shareholders expects. In addition, as far as meeting Sonoco’s financial targets, the hybrid structure would over time fair better than the centralized option due to the flexibility to changes in he environment. Thus, having the appropriate systems in place to get the right people in place and up to speed will improve productivity, increase employee satisfaction, reduce waste, and decrease turnover which would result in increased profits on an ongoing basis for Sonoco, and with the hybrid structure in place, more attention could be given where needed. To illustrate, while the corporate function worked on high level initiatives, the field Human Resources Department staff could provide insight or suggestions on how to make this best work for the divisional managers. This being said, Human Resources would be acting in a proactive way to the business needs. Furthermore, the Human Resources field manager could also observe and communicate what compensation plans may work best since they would have firsthand knowledge of operation and the staff. Ultimately, these actions will result in improved operations and cost reductions for Sonoco. References Thomas, D. , Groysberg, B. , Reavis, C. (n. d. ). Sonoco Products Company (A): Building a World-Class HR Organization [Review of Harvard Business School]. 1-25. Mission statement Sonoco. (2009). Retrieved November 15, 2010, from sonoco. com/sonoco/Home/About+Us/cor_mission_statement. htm

How to Effectively Prepare for a Second Interview

How to Effectively Prepare for a Second Interview Congratulations! Not only have you made it to the interview stage, you’ve made it through to the second round. You’re one step closer to landing the job. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s a pretty good indication that they like you. Think of it like a second date with someone you’d like to get serious with. Now’s your chance to prove to them that you have what it takes. That being said, here’s your comprehensive prep guide to help you prepare for a second job interview. First step: StrategizeThe stakes are obviously higher. You’ll have to kick your game up a notch to match the level of scrutiny you’ll be under. Make sure you’re well prepared. Make sure you know the exact name and function of the position for which you’re being considered. And make sure to ask in advance exactly who will be interviewing you, names and roles.If you’ve gotten word of your second interview via email rather than phone, this g ives you a bonus shot at drafting a superbly professional response. If not, no worries. Just plow forward into your prep work. The key to good prep is not to stalk them, but to garner enough knowledge to show them you’re keen and wells Included)

The Relationship between Poverty, Governance and Development and an Essay

The Relationship between Poverty, Governance and Development and an Analysis of the Strategies used by Key Actors in Dealing with these Three Variables - Essay Example Globalisation has taken the centre-stage in national affairs around the world in the past twenty years.This has been characterised by the fast growth in cross-border communication and travels, harmonisation of standards, stronger international treaties and the growth in the number of multinational organisations and entities.Globalisation has been supported by global partnerships and improved systems of cooperation amongst nations. It is obvious that governance in nations have changed and there are communities affected by global governance and standardisation now than ever. In spite of this, there are huge disparities between nations in different parts of the world. The aim of the research is to identify the relationship between poverty, governance and development and an analysis of the efficiency of methods used to deal with these three variables by governments and other key actors. In attaining this end, the following objectives would be explored by the researcher in order to draw a conclusion on the dominant trends in the relationship under review: 1. A critical examination of the key concepts: poverty, governance and development. 2. An evaluation of the key stakeholders and approaches used to deal with poverty and the metrics in examining them. 3. An assessment of the results of the strategies and approaches used to deal with poverty and its effectiveness. 2.0 Critical Examination of Key Concepts: Poverty, Governance and Development This section of the research would examine the key concepts under discussion in the paper. It would involve the definition of the three main concepts of poverty, governance and development. This review of literature will assess important trends that describe these three ideas in the international and global context. The popular definition of global poverty was set by the United Nations in 1995 (Segal-Horn and Faulkner, 2009). The definition include the people who live on â€Å"less than one dollar a day† (Segal-Horn and Fa ulkner, 2009). This classification provides a standardised view of who are poor and cannot afford the basic necessities of life. Generally, the world is divided into nations where there are few people who live below the poverty line and those who have most of their citizens living above it (Held and McGrew, 2007). The classification on the basis of the majority of nations provides a categorisation of richer nations and poorer nations. The classification provides an idea of the quality of life of nations and how much is available to people and how wealth is distributed in each of the nations. Another approach of viewing poverty on the global scale is to view the infrastructural development of the nation (McNeill and StClair, 2009). To this end, McNeill and StClair identify that some nations have better developed infrastructure whilst others have less developed systems and structures (2009). The classification on the basis of infrastructure puts nations into classes of developed, emer ging and underdeveloped nations (Thomas, 2000). Developed nations are those that have the best and most advanced structures and amenities which provides a good life for their citizens. Underdeveloped nations are those that have limited infrastructure whilst emerging nations are those in the transition between developing and developed nations. Most developed nations are in the northern continents like Europe and North America whilst the underdeveloped states are in the southern hemisphere. The criticism of the model of classifying nations according to their infrastructural base is that, they do not give a clear picture of how well wealth is distributed in these nations. A typical example is the case of large federal nations in the developing world like India, Mexico and Brazil who have huge national funds which can afford to fund the largest projects. Yet, these

No topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

No topic - Essay Example Further, John is found to have a good knowledge of the issue of locally grown and ecologically grown products. In the case of the former, he explains his concerns over the use of pesticides in products that are locally produced and also tries to compare it with the latter in terms of a number of issues such as refrigeration, pesticide use, irradiation, antibiotics etc. further, his extensive use of results from various research studies clearly highlights the depth of knowledge and insight that the writer possess in the subject. John starts the discussion with the simple expression – ‘who wants to pesticide residue?’. By doing so, he has also taken into account the issue of resources such as oil and also the time gap between production and supply to the department store. The central point of the discussion does however not limit itself to the issue of pesticides alone. Additionally, it also tries to convince the user that another aspect that consumers look for when buying the product is the value for ‘taste’. John has clearly put forward his findings of food being ecologically rich but deprived of essential taste on account of being refrigerated and transported across long distances. John has further appealed to the audience to not judge ecologically grown products on the basis of the process that they undergo during production, but to also think move ahead from thinking from a consumer perspective to a more closer look from the health aspect. He argues that despite the high preference for the way products are grown, it is also important to consider its freshness and the extent to which it works well for the body upon consumption. John has clearly pointed out the difficult position faced by huge departmental chains such as Wal-Mart that has been facing a backlash since its decision to offer a higher proportion of organic products. John uses the information obtained from several researchers such as Joan

Speech :: essays research papers

Hello ladies and gentlemen my name is BLANK and I am here because I am a risk taker. Have you ever heard the expression â€Å"if they jumped off a bridge would you too?† My answer was a nervous â€Å"yes† to a free-fall jump off a bridge. This decision was a life changing one. It was a hot and humid day and my friends and I were out cycling for a few hours to fill in time. After a while we reached a foot bridge that was suspended over water. We all stopped before it. Suddenly my best friend turned around and said â€Å"I dare you to jump off the bridge.† Not to say anything, but I have a huge fear of heights. I have had it since when I went for a short, noisy and scary flight in a light aircraft when I was five. I have problems just going up in an elevator let alone jumping off a bridge. I could see other people jumping off and screaming while they fell towards the water. The noise from the screams was making it worse for me as it was causing my stomach to tighten and making me feel sick. So I decided to take the easy way out of this situation without embarrassing myself in front of my friends. â€Å"Yes, ok† I said nervously. â€Å"But, only if you jump first.† I added. He said â€Å"fine† then got off his bike and put it down and said to look after it. He then made his way to the side of the bridge and stood up on the rail. He waved to us and then he just jumped. No fear or hesitation. He just jumped! I was amazed and then I hear a splash. Oh no! So much for the easy way out of this situation. I had assumed that he would decline and it would be left at that. We watched him swim back to the shore and then he went out of sight. I knew it was my turn next. A few minutes later he reappeared triumphantly and announced that it was my turn to jump now that he had completed his end of the dare. With the spotlight on me and the pressure building as my friends cheered me on I decided that there was no way out and that it was time to face my fears and conquer them.

The Case to Keep Drugs Illegal

The Case to Keep Drugs Illegal The article, â€Å"Don’t Legalize Those Drugs†, by Barry McCaffrey was made to claim that the current United States policy against drugs is indeed successful and should not be abolished. McCaffrey claims, â€Å"Drug use imposes an unacceptable risk of harm on the user and others,† then proceeds to provide substantial support for this claim. He also claims â€Å"harm reduction†, or the softening of the drug laws, would have a negative effect on our countries well-being.The strength of McCaffrey’s argument is his ability to support his claims. One of his main supports is that â€Å"Substance abuse wrecks families†. He then provides perceived facts about child maltreatment, death rates, and other problems in families with substance abuse issues. He also discusses crime outside of families and how having legal drugs, our crime rate would actually increase because people on drugs are more likely to commit crimes.He u ses the statistic that says â€Å"in 1997, a third of state prisoners and about one in five federal prisoners said they had committed the crimes that led to incarceration while under the influence of drugs. † There are many warrants that connect McCaffrey’s evidence to his claim. The most obvious one is the accuracy of his sources. There are many facts that are based on percentages and surveys but there is not a clear sample size. How many people are being surveyed or where are the statistics being gathered are all valid questions.He also says that â€Å"studies show that the more a product is available and legitimized, the greater will be its use†. This needs many warrants, what study actually shows this and how can it be proven that use will be more common? Finally, he stands firm against â€Å"harm reduction† and claims this will make drug use greater, but one could definitely argue that â€Å"harm reduction† would help drug abuse. McCaffrey dis cusses how he believes drug policies can be improved without being abolished as a counter argument to those who believe the current system is unsuccessful.He talks about how prevention is the true solution to our country’s drug issues. Also, his defense to those who argue for choice, he says that we have agreed consistently against things that can cause harm to us. Fore example, wearing a helmet when on a motorcycle therefore, the drug issue is no different. Overall, this is a well written argument and McCaffrey does a great job supporting his claim and making claims against counter arguments. Works Cited McCaffrey, Barry R. â€Å"Don't Legalize Those Drugs. † Washington Post June 1999, n. pag. Print.

What Are The Key Features Of The Welfare State - 1814 Words

What are the key features of the welfare state? At first, asking what are the key features of the welfare state are, seems relatively simple: to protect the most at risk in a society? But it is vastly more complicated question to answer when truly thinking about it deeply. The wider impact and problems surround the question of Welfare and what those key features are and should be. Further to this, dependent on who is in charge of the state, may change the very definition of what they consider to be Welfare and how far it should go, based perhaps on their political ideology; be they Conservative or Labour for example, each party may have differing views of how far the state should intervene within the realm of social policy. Firstly this essay will show how and why the foundations of the welfare state came about. The essay will attempt to identify and explain what the key features of the ‘classic welfare state’ (Lowe, 2005), although this is difficult to define as there are many subjectively important features within the realm of welfare, one can easily argue strongly for each separate feature and its level of importance, within society. So this essay will aim to show what are broadly speaking the most crucial within society and what features have been consistently at the forefront of government’s welfare and will finally summarise the findings. To begin, this essay will look at why and how the welfare state came about. It is however important to acknowledge that the exactShow MoreRelated America Needs to Invest the Social Security Trust Fund Essay example799 Words   |  4 PagesAmerica Needs to Invest the Social Security Trust Fund Our nation ensures social welfare through Social Security. However, the United States cannot ensure the welfare of its own welfare system. 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