Welcome to the second edition of Insight and
Innovation. This is a
quarterly publication
of THE
HILL
GROUP,
INC. as a service to our clients and
friends.
The purpose of this newsletter
is to share with you some ideas and thoughts that are
pertinent to running top-flight organizations. The reading
is light with substance that will stimulate
thought and action. If you do not wish to receive the
newsletter, please reply to this message with
"Remove" in the subject line.
Any suggestions to the format or content are very welcome. I
hope you enjoy the newsletter.
The New Year has dawned and while most of us still have the memories of the holidays playing on our minds, it is time to get to work once again. 2002 brings the possibilities and promise of a time to start over: new resolutions, new relationships, new customers, and a way of shaping your organizational strategy.
By Daniel L. DeMarco, Esquire
Vice President and General Counsel
A major accounting firm has been performing computer data entry services for a federal government agency for ten years. The data that is entered helps agency officials develop quarterly reports it must provide to the U.S. Congress related to the development of the federal budget. A supervisor in the data entry department of the financial institution witnesses several other employees shred what appears to be thousands of documents that contain data to be entered into Excel spreadsheets. The supervisor questions the employees about their activity, and they claim that they were told by a particular individual in upper-level management to shred the documents. The supervisor confronts an upper-level manager about the shredding of the documents. The manager listens intently, and informs the supervisor that the matter will be investigated immediately. The manager also instructs the supervisor to keep the matter confidential and refrain from speaking to anyone else about it. After the investigation is concluded, certain security policies are instituted, including the placement of security guards at various locations within the data entry department.
A predicament common to all businesses is how to leverage assets to maximize outputs. This situation exemplifies the most basic tenet of economics - how to create maximum value from limited resources. Whether these assets are raw materials, human capital, or liquid capital, the allocation of these resources to business operations boils down to similar principles of economics and mathematics. These principles can be utilized in resource allocation business models to optimize the usage of assets for optimal outputs. In these difficult business times, the same principles can be used to analyze scenarios for answering the ever-present question of business managers in times of recession:
"Where can I cut costs with minimal effects on core business
processes?"
Often, the answer to this question is a broad brush solution - 5% reduction across all business units or mandatory layoffs. Without documented business information to rationalize these measures, your business may or may not be better off from these "off the shelf" solutions.
By Daniel P. Henderson, Manager of Practice Development
Does the term "risk taking" make you just a bit jumpy when you hear it mentioned? Well, you're not alone if it does. By its very definition, risk is deemed to be hazardous, with the distinct possibility that taking a risk will result in negative consequences. In order to be successful, innovative and truly customer focused, however, a certain amount of risk taking behavior is necessary.
The other day, as I was speeding down the highway, I thought, what if I get caught? What will the fine be? Will I lose any points? Maybe I should slow down; it's just not worth it. Save a minute here and gain an hour there. Ah, the words of my mother entering my decision-making process.
During the brightness of a Monday morning, the same types of questions came to mind when I thought about the court system. What if the court system was found to be inefficient? To what extent do employees contribute to the court's mission? In what ways does the community provide input into the court's strategic direction? Is the administration of the court meeting client expectations?
THE
HILL
GROUP is proud of our relationship with AGL Resources.
AGL Resources, a major energy utility headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, has partnered with
THE
HILL
GROUP to develop and implement assessments and performance measurement systems to assess 6 aspects of their business.
THE
HILL
GROUP is employing an array of innovative survey
techniques to assess and measure performance as well as lead
business indicators. Over the next five years,
THE
HILL
GROUP will track employee feedback for all new hires at AGL by traditional paper-and-pencil surveys, and by on-line web-enabled surveys. These surveys will be complemented by "360 degree Feedback" surveys where employees evaluate themselves, their supervisors, peers and direct reports all in the same dynamic, web-enabled survey instrument. Finally,
THE
HILL
GROUP will administer employee separation surveys, internal service quality surveys, and pulse opinion surveys. By utilizing each of these inventive survey methods,
THE
HILL
GROUP will be able to deliver a well-rounded assessment of employee opinion at AGL Resources. This data will be used to improve
performance and ultimately innovation and customer
satisfaction over time.
THE
HILL
GROUP is pleased to announce its current engagement with Erie County and the Erie Conference on Community Development. Specifically, we are engaged in a Coordinated Transportation Study, involving the Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority (EWPPA), Erie Municipal Airport Authority (EMAA), and the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA). The
potential benefits of coordination are immense, ranging from integrated seamless services to enhanced economic development opportunities. In order to potentially achieve such benefits,
THE
HILL
GROUP will systematically examine existing organizational structures and operating practices, including money management, staffing/human resources, legal issues, administrative, risk management, and regional planning. Ultimately, the study will likely position the three authorities to a better understanding of coordination opportunities, enhancing service delivery and overall county impact.
Coordinated transportation efforts will increasingly play a role in the years ahead as governments are faced with resource shifts, demographic changes, and transportation alternatives.
THE
HILL
GROUP is proud to be in partnership with Erie County, the Erie Conference on Community Development, and the three transportation authorities for this very important endeavor.
These materials have been prepared for educational and information purposes only. They are not consulting
or legal advice or opinions on any specific matters. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, a consultant-client
or attorney-client relationship between The Hill Group, Inc. and any recipient of this material. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional advice.
