Case Study Notes: Ms M Monahan – Axel Computers 2013
AXEL COMPUTERS
Q. What is the difference between a American Transnational Corporation and an Indigenous Irish company?
Transnational has no loyalty to Ireland, profits are sent back to America, organisation will close if economy is bad, if there are no order for their products/services.
Indigenous Irish, Irish owned, developed and operated in Ireland. Profits made stay in Ireland and the business is grown in Ireland.
Q. Identify the problems of Axel Computers:
Did not move with the times, technology changes, kept to producing old desktop computers, should have focused on laptops, tablet computers and Iphones/Smart Phones. Jobs in the business have fallen from 1,300 in 1995 to 500 in 2013, over a 22 year period. Axel Computer have announced that they will close in July 2013, as it is the main employer in the town the nock on affect is going to be serious. The local businesses that supply Axel, example hardware shops, food providers will loose business.
Q. A “Town Meeting has been arranged so that Locals can voice their opinions on developments”
How would Claragh Chamber of Commerce and Claragh Town Council get opinions from local people?
Survey – Questionnaire, ask locals to fill in how they feel about the business closing and any ideas of how to develop new businesses.
General Discussion through the Chairman on ways to bring in new business in the area and re-skill personnel that have worked in Axel Computers.
Note General Details on Research: Primary/Field and Secondary/Desk Research
Analyse the usefulness of each method used.
Telephone call, face to face meetings, talk to the school Principal and teachers and anyone else
involved in the activity - Primary Research.
It’s usefulness:
- Information can be requested directly.
- Answers are instant answers.
- Clarification can be provided if needed/questions explained.
- Easy to do.
Survey/Questionnaire/Suggestion Box – Primary Research.
It’s usefulness:
- It is inexpensive to carry out.
- Different types of information can be gathered easily.
- It is quick to administer and answers can be collated easily.
- Anonymous.
- Good response rate.
Internet – Secondary Research, information already exists:
It’s usefulness:
- A wide variety of information can be accessed.
- This can be done from your desk at any time of the day or night.
- It is inexpensive to carryout this type of research,* however information may not be specific
to the needs of the activity/hard to filter the information received for you needs.
Brainstorming/Group discussion – Primary Research:
- The entire class can be involved, putting ideas up on a board for review.
- Everyone can give their opinions on ideas being expressed.
- It is done quickly and can be done in a single session as a group.
Publications – Secondary Research, information already exists:
- Books, Brochures, Literature from library, free to access already exist.
- Different types of information can be accessed for reference.
*Also good to express valid criticism.
Q. Mark Ryan “Worried about that his lack of a third level qualification and lack of a varied work
experience, will make it difficult to find employment”
What would be the benefit of Mark getting Work Experience/Work Placement?
List steps Mark should take to secure a more varied work experience /shadowing.
Use his contacts in Business, call into FAS/Solas Office.
Call into the Enterprise Board, find out if new technology business could be starting in the area.
Review and update his CV with details of his experience to-date.
Research companies in the area, talk to careers guidance personnel to get their advice on the roles that might suit him.
Mark could e-mail business, telephone or call in, drop in his introductory letter to potential employer.
Mark should prepare well for any interview which he is called for, preparation is the key to success.
Q. Explain benefits of participating in work experience/shadowing for Mark.
Mark could see what is involved in the particular job.
Mark could make more informed career choices / decisions.
More details to write on Mark’s CV, have more referees and contacts.
Gain more confidence that he can do other jobs.
Mark could develop new skills in the technology area, he could expand on his knowledge of “installing microprocessors into PC’s”.
Perhaps Mark could get a part-time job from the work Placement.
Mark would be more motivated to go to College and get a Third Level Qualification, he would know the area he want to progress into.
Q. Outline other methods besides newspapers, by which job vacancies may be known by Axel Staff.
Websites.
Local Radio/Aertel.
Notice Boards in Library / FAS Centre / Shops.
Employment Agencies – Le Crème, Clarke Recruitment
Q. If Mark was to set up his own business, what skills would he need to become an entrepreneur
Enterprising characteristics that Mark would need:
- Being confident, they believe in what they are doing.
- Needs to be ambitious, they want to succeed/do better.
- Have to be innovative, explore new ideas and see how existing one could be better.
- Be decisive, they choose particular actions.
- Mark could be a risk taker, not afraid to try new things.
Q. What support is in place for Claragh Town to assist them in setting up new businesses?
Identify agencies which provide support for business start-ups.
County Enterprise Board.
Support offered: Mentoring Service, give advice to start-up businesses, give various courses
e.g. Start You Own Business. Assists with grants and capital for equipment /premises costs.
Enterprise Ireland.
Support offered: Offers grants, give advice to start-up businesses.
Other Agencies: Note State what support these agencies offer to Start-up’s in Claragh:
- Local Area Partnerships.
- Leader Plus.
- FAS/Solas.
- IDA.
- Failte Ireland.
- Teagasc.
.
Q. List methods a Clara Town could use to generate ideas for new businesses in the area.
1. Look at what competitors are doing.
2. Review Locals feedback from meeting and review suggestions.
3. Brainstorm among employees/surveys/Internet/consultants/County Enterprise Boards.
4. From own Research, ideas from Action Plan.
Q. Do out the Agenda for the meeting of Claragh Chamber of Commerce and Town Council:
AGENDA OF CLARAGH TOWN COUNCIL
The meeting will take place at Claragh Town Council next Wednesday evening 8 May 2013 at 8pm sharp.
1. Election of Officers* Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, working team from members of the local
Community, Town Council, Chamber of Commerce and workers of Axel.
2. Draw up an Action Plan to delegate tasks, to assist with ideas on job creating, training and community
enterprise development.
3. Discussion on how to research business ideas, to assist in retraining Axel Staff, organise relevant
Government Agencies to support the community, mentoring services from Enterprise Board, Local Area
Partnerships, Leader Plus, Leader II, FAS/Solas, IDA, Failte Ireland contact, etc.
4. Discussions of Activities, Roles and Duties of each member elected.
5. Arrange for guest speakers from the Enterprise Board, Solas/FAS, Training Agencies.
7. Arrange next meeting.
8. AOB (Any Other Business).
(Need to put information into each of these headings for Claragh)
Signed: Secretary – M Monahan Dated: 1 May 2013
Q. Explain “Minutes” as it relates to meetings.
Minutes are written record of what has taken place at the meeting/decisions made at a meeting.
What steps should be taken to ensure that a meeting is properly organised and run efficiently.
Ø Send out Notice of The Meeting.
Ø Have an Agenda.
Ø Book a room for the meeting.
Ø Make sure room is properly prepared.
Ø Have a Chairperson.
Ø Adhere to the items on the Agenda.
Ø Only one person allowed to voice opinion at a time during the meeting.
Ø Allow each item on the Agenda to be properly discussed.
Ø Appoint Secretary/Make sure a written record is being taken.
Ø Vote properly where/when needed.
Ø Decide on relevant actions from the meeting**
Ø Prepare an Action Plan based on findings from the meeting.
** Compulsory item.
Q. Information on relevant 3rd Level Courses, how would Mark research courses?
What courses are available to Mark to re-skill and other employee of Axel
Mark could go to open Days in Colleges, Institutes of Technology, get books and details from colleges during visits. Talk to tutors on courses available. Talk to a Career Guidance person to find out if the career would suit. Could be based on Aptitude Tests etc. Mark could research on-line courses available, he already has gained experience in “installing microprocessors into PC’s”. He has the experience of being a “Manfacturing Technician”. Mark wants to “achieve suitable qualification in Computer Software Development and Engineeering”. Mark focus is on technology, he could research on the internet Technology Courses, depending on his qualification already received “he has participated in training opportunities and courses”. As Mark has left school twelve years ago, he could start with a PLC Qualification Level 5 in Technology and then proceed to a Degree in Information Systems and Software Development Level 8.
Q. Prepare a “Plan of Action” to Deal with closure of the factory:
ACTION PLAN:
To Deal with the Closure of the Factory
Presented by the Claragh Chamber of Commerce and Claragh Town Council
Objectives:
· The Chamber of Commerce and Town Council to investigate the affect of the closure of Axel Computers.
· To devise a Plan of Action to deal with the closure of Axel.
· To discover ideas and startegies to minimise the negative effects of the closure.
· To focus on how Claragh town could create new jobs, retrain Axel staff and look at community enterprise development ideas.
· To find out what support is available to the employees of Axel, relevant government agencies.
· To investigate if there are any business, which could be started in the premises of Axel and retain some of the current Axel employees.
· To research contacts in Recruitment, to advise Axel employees.
Research:
· The committee members, members of the Chamber of Commerce and Town Council will contact Axel, The Enterprise Board, Solas/FAS, etc to see what assistance can be given.
· Research possible business which might me interested in starting in the area.
· Contact other businesses to see if they would be interested in opening a business in the area.
· Assist employees to research the possible of opening their own business in the area, Axel stated that they would “organise support for staff who wish to set up a business of their own”.
Analysis of Research:
· Plan of Action put in place; this gives roles and duties to Committee Members of the Claragh Chamber of Commerce, Claragh Town Council and Locals in the community.
· The team analyses the affect of the closure on the local community and employees of Axel.
· Research on possible new businesses, to enable job creation for the area.
· Retraining of employees and assistance from professional Recruitment Experts.
· Assistance given from Axel to Staff “wishing to set up their own business”.
Actions/ Schedule of Time:
· May 8th Meeting to Discuss Axel business with local people, organise for weekly meetings to discuss progress of plan.
· May 16th Guest Speakers from Axel, Enterprise Board, Recruitment Agencies etc.
Team Members involved, Resources Costs:
· Cost for Organising Guest Speaker Mr John Brown for 16th May € 200.00
Evaluation Methods of Action Plan:
· If employees are retrained into new jobs, the action plan will have proved successful.
· If researching possible new business for the area is successful and getting new business to start in the premises of Axel, then the plan has been a success.
· If the plan allowed for Claragh Chamber of Commerce, Claragh Town Council and the locals to identify the affects of the closure and to put measure in place was of minimising the negative affects, then the benefits of putting in a plan of action has been shown.
Signed: Date:
Miriam Monahan
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