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INTERVIEW PAPER Rochelle Betton-Ford 481864

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INTERVIEW PAPER I had the privilege of interviewing Mr. Gregory Jackson, CEO and president of Jackson Management Motors, Prestige Motors and Jackson Land Owner Company, LLC. Mr. Jackson was one of the participants in selecting Henry Ford Hospital for the Baldrige Award in 2012. Mr. Jackson is a board member for Henry Ford Hospital. Employed as an accountant and later as a financial controller for General Motors, Mr. Jackson invested 150,000 dollars all of his personal savings, and help from General Motors opened his first dealership in Mt. Morris, Michigan and has since become a successful entrepreneur.

Introduction: Participant Business Mr. Gregory Allen Jackson Jackson Automotive Management Group Jackson Land Owner Company, LLC Position How long in Business Early Education Undergraduate Graduate 1989 Present Detroit Public Schools Accounting Morris Brown - Georgia Atlantic University Graduate School of Business - Finance and MarketingFlorida Interview questions 1. What is Strategic Planning? Steps taken to achieve your organizations objectives; 1) clarify the organizations CEO and President, Board member Henry Ford Health Systems

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objective, 2) clarify the objective purpose, 3) assemble persons involved in the planning 4) how will the plan be monitor and by whom

2. How is Strategic planning implemented/who implements strategic planning?

Based on why you are implementing a strategic plan there are basic steps you might begin with: Look at your current position, where are you trying to go, how strongly do you feel regarding this move, perform an external analysis and internal analysis, how much time are you allocating for this move, ask if your strengths can maintain the change, do you have enough capital to cover the strategic move, create strategy, implement, and create steps to monitor new strategy. CEO begins the process, leaders and managers of all departments, non-management employees and stakeholders are on board as well. 3. What information are you looking for when performing an external analysis? The opportunities and threats, such as demographics, age, social and economic environment, this information is useful for evaluating strategic planning. b. Why is this information useful? This information is useful when creating a strategic plan. You have an idea of the client base, which you are targeting, what are their habits, is your product compatible to this group, and other vital information that will assist in the planning. 4. What role does the organizations Mission Statement play in strategic planning?

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If the organizations objective is in alignment with its strategic planning, your company is working towards its mission statement. When the mission statement is not in alignment with the strategy plan, consider modifying the mission statement or the strategy when applicable. 5. How does the bargaining power of suppliers and bargaining power of customers affect your market? Your product is not in high demand to customers, if are only a few suppliers, the suppliers have power over an industry when substitute products are sparse, few companies offering the same or similar products, the suppliers can raise prices or reduce the profit and the company will not recover cost due to the suppliers increasing cost. 6. Threat of Entrants to a market, Threat of substitutes low and why? Barriers are low when the new entrants product is difficult to imitate, a product or services is in high demand, and few competitors have or offering the same or similar services or product. Barriers are high; Startup cost expensive, government regulations existing companies have a monopoly on customer base, strong capital/revenue base, patterns Threat of substitutes: The threat becomes high when patents expired, and or when products are easy to duplicate competitors will and do imitate products and services of rivals that are in demand, products that have proved profitable and are cost effective to reproduce. 7. How would you define Core Business and Competitive Advantage? The primary activity that a company was founded on, over time the core business may change or involve other activities when opportunities or threats from external activities arise. Included are the Core Competencies which are the exclusive abilities difficult to imitate created by the founder.

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Competitive Advantage The ability to consistently and efficiently provide products at a lower price to customers compare to your competitors. It is essential for companies to develop valuable and unique resources, ensuring long term sustainability when creating a competitive advantage. 8. How does a domestic market differ from an international market? Understand there is a difference conducting business at home and globally. Understanding and respecting the differences is the key to success. Important differences to know prior to doing business internationally:

a. Cultures, varies from country to country b. Government laws and regulations c. Politics d. Technology e. Advertisement and marketing Learn as much as possible before entering an international market, do utilize a SWOT analysis. Respect and politeness goes a long way when dealing with different countries. 9. When will markets become completely globalized? We are in a global economy today. 10. When is it time to redefine the core business? When the core business is no longer unique and is simple to imitate, and two your competitive advantage no longer serves its purpose. Lessons from the interview I felt as if I were in class during the interview; prior to the interview Mr. Jackson discuss

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the basics for leadership, organizational culture and strategic planning. Mr. Jacksons answers correlated and confirmed the course readings and assignments. However I stand corrected. I have referred to objective an adjective in place of the mission statement. Mr. Jackson took the time to differentiate the two terms. While the mission statement in a sense is a broad term for what the organization stands for; objectives are the methods for how the purpose of the mission shall be achieved, the steps taken over a period of time to make the mission statement a reality (Kouzes, Posner, 2007). Strategic planning appears so simple on paper, you have an idea, create the plan, gather your people, strategize, monitor and there you have it. In reality strategic planning is time consuming; this is not a quick fix solution. Strategic planning is a concerted effort, implementing a change either short term under a year or long term three to five years or longer ( Hitt, Ireland, Hoskisson, 2011). Defining the strategy, what direction the strategy must take. Who begins the process? Begin at the top. Ensure the vision, core strengths what makes the company unique stressing the importance of the companys values, the very purpose of why the company exists, why the next phase must begin. Mr. Jackson spoke of workshops for the strategic process consisting of nine to eleven people, or more depending on your industry and project. Workshops occurs away from the office, lasting two to three days, or a weekend or longer. Prior to selecting participants in the strategic process, consideration of the qualities of members are vital to the process. Eventually everyone is on the same page, however persons may have different ways of achieving the main objective. Diversification allows creativity among team members, by creating groups of three four people to come up with ideas for the given idea works well. Barriers for a successful process should be eliminated prior to the beginning prevents time taken away from the planning. Mr. Jackson recommends resolving any internal conflict among team members, if not valuable time will be spent on resolving the

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conflict instead of the plan. Also make sure persons that you are relying on are reliable, avoid pending vacations, retirements and holidays making certain these events are not scheduled near the time of the process. Organize all information, pertinent data findings from data from SWOT analysis. Most companies will bring in a facilitator to conduct the process, more than likely someone outside of your organization (Montgomery, 2012). Having someone inside the organization may not serve the company well, bringing with bias from the inside. A facilitator with experience, neutral and without prejudice, someone knowledgeable and a history of success to guide the company towards the desirable objectives. An detailed evaluation is made of the findings of the SWOT analysis; acronym for Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats; a tool used to assess an industry and its competitors. Internal analysis focus on the strengths and weakness of a companys while the opportunities and threats of competitors is the external environment side (Hitt, Ireland and Hoskisson, 2011). Four components of the external environment; Scanninguse to recognize new signs of environmental changes and developments, Forecasting; prediction of what may happen, based on data from the past and present tendencies (Swayne, Duncan, Ginter, 2008), Monitoring; identify the meaning through current observations of environmental changes and trends (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskission, 2011) and Assessing; to establish the timing and importance of environmental changes and trends for a companys strategy (Hitt, Ireland, Hoskission, 2011). The external analysis and four of its components were instrumental when Mr. Jackson decided to sell some of his dealerships. Mr. Jackson stated monitoring and forecasting the external environment was part of the equation, as well as the internal environment of his company in restructuring his business. The threats of the external environment provided itself as an opportunity for Prestige Motors. Mr. Jackson actually profit

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through a failing and unpredictable economy. During the time General Motor dealerships were closing Mr. Jackson purchased a Mercedes dealership this company was looking for someone to turn this dealership around I was in position to do so the timing was perfect. During the conversation, days prior to the interview, Mr. Jackson spoke freely regarding SWOT, stating many companies have failed in business by not performing a thorough analysis of The external environment nor the internal environment. The most valuable lesson from the interview was the strategic process and the utilization of a SWOT analysis.

Interview and Professional Career My desire to open a chain of dental offices for the cognitively and physically disable populations. My strategy began by attending Siena Heights University and applying to a Leadership graduate program. Phrase two begins after graduation, phrase three begins and ends after my personal life is in order. Uncluttering ones closet, finances, health issues, home or present employment and career issues. It is a grand ideal to open an office(s) for an underserved population, the question arises; how sound is this decision, what do you have to make this happen. What is my strategy? Exactly what am I trying to accomplish, what is my mission statement, it may change after a process of elimination to reach my goal. How feasible is this commitment? What assets do I have, do I have the capability to raise necessary funds to to support this endeavor. What are my internal strengths and weakness? I believe there is a need for access to adequate care for an underserve population, I am missing numbers and pertinent information that will assist the direction I must take. An external environmental analysis is of extreme importance, and I will be foolish to overlook this process. I will look at

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the demographics in a particular area, what is the social and economic and cultural standing of this group. I am not sure of the competition in this area. What political and legal barriers must I over come to reach the objectives of my mission statement. Evaluate the findings from the external analysis will provide answers I need to continue on. Knowing what barriers I may face is actually a tool to use to overcome present and future challenges. Information attained from the analysis will clarify my core business. I will tailor my services against the threat of new entrants and threat of substitutes. I will have to watch my competitive advantage make certain it will not become my downfall, by out competing myself (Margretta, A., 2011). Similarities and Differences As for differences Mr. Jackson believes we are in a global market. Advancement of Technology has made it possible for countries to trade, merge, partnership and compete internationally. While third world countries may be somewhat behind, todays technology encourages growth and innovation allowing global integration (De,Kluyver, 2010) for third world countries. However, Ghemawat, P. (1983) insist we are integrated only semi globally. Only a small percentage of integration occurs internationally. Similarities The interview and the course objectives substantiate one another. It was interesting to converse with someone who has physically practice and advocate lessons from the course one is actively taking. I believe Mr. Jackson strongly validated lessons from my last three classes. Dr. Lucas stressed the importance of CEOs and leaders to visibly interact with team members. No-one is that busy or untouchable that they are physically unable to interact with team members, regardless of their status. Likewise, Mr. Jackson has made a point of knowing all employees. He believes all team members should share the companys vision and values.

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Mr. Jackson provides training for new employees (B.E, 2012). Therefore team members embrace the mission statement. From the start team members adds value to the company. Members know their voice is heard. In the Deciding Delta factor one of the characteristics of analytical leaders involved setting certain set of standards the company expects from employees, developing their people skills preparing them to lead (Davenport, Harris and Morrison, 2010). Training new employees correlates with the article on Role of Leadership in Sense-Respond Organization (Davenport, Harris and Morrision, 2010). Overall Role of Strategy in Modern Organization According to Merriam-Webster (2005). strategy is a careful plan. An adaptation or Complex of adaptations that services or appears to serve an important function in achieving evolutionary success. The overall role of strategy in modern organization is to make certain an organizations goals are met and updated as the external environment deems necessary for survival. Knowing where the company is at any given moment. Why is the company in the position it is in. When it is time to take an organization to the next step, what that next step is. After achieving the companys objectives, strategies continue. Forever striving for excellence. When I think of strategy I think of over protective parents gearing their child in the right direction for long term sustainability. Only difference in the strategy process growing is that strategy never ends. It is important all control processes are in place, and monitoring this process never ends. The internal and external environment is constantly present and changing, therefore one keeps an a watchful eye on events that may necessitate the way objectives of the organization is approach. Continuous Quality Improvement, the question is ever present; what

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can we do to make this better, how will we make this better? The process is repetitious with improvements made along the way.

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References De,Kluyver, C. A. (2010). The globalization of companies and industries. Harvard Business Publishing., Boston, Mass.

Edmond, A. (2012). Black enterprise chats with automotive sales mogul Gregory Jackson. Retrieved from www.blackenterprise.com/.../automotive-sales-mogulgreogry-jackson. Ghemawat, P. (1983). Semiglobalization and strategy. Harvard Business Publishing, Boston, Mass. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D, Hoskission, Robert, E. (2011). Concepts strategic management Competitiveness & globalization. South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason, Ohio. Kouzes, J. M, Posner, B. Z. (2007). The leadership challenge. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. San Frisco, California. Margretta, J. (2011). The most common strategy mistakes. Retrieved from www.hbswk.hbs.edu/topics/strategydevelopment.html Merriam-Websters Collegiate Dictionary. (2005). Merriam-Webster, Springfield, Massachusetts Montgomery, C. A. (2012). The strategist: Be the leader your business needs. Retrieved from www.hbswk.hbs.edu/topics/strategydevelopment.html Swaye, L. E., Duncan, W. J., Ginter, P. M. (2008). Strategic management of health care organizations. John Wiley and Sons: West Sussex, England

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