This section will involve the applicability of technology in making decisions regarding the hiring process of different people within the Chesapeake IT Consultants (CIC). The future prosperity of CIC depends on the intellectual capabilities of its IT advisors, utilization of the prescribed procedures and commitment in the delivery of high-quality IT-related products to their customers (Hicks, 2017). The table below shows the role and the decision making levels in regard to different positions within the CIC.
Role
Level
Decision in Support with the Hiring System
Senior/Executive Managers
Executive
1. The CEO will guarantee future growth and preserve competences in the firm.
2. Realigns the structural organization of the firm.
3. Safeguards high level of reputation and morals in the organization.
4. Employing the right workforce that will help in the fulfillment of the objectives and goals of the company.
Middle Managers
Middle
1. Ensures continuous submission of employees’ credentials that will ensure fulfilment of the HR needs in the firm.
2. Facilitates application screening, scheduling of the interviews, determining the most recommendable applicants and submitting a job offer within the firm.
Operational Managers
Low-Level
1. Channels the applications and other credentials through the interoffice communication systems such as mail to the hiring managers.
2. Developing the interview schedule in relation to the availability of the applicants.
3. Paperwork coordination between the HR and Finance office to ensure that all issues relating to the new employees are not affected.
B. Communication
Communication involves the process of conveying and acceptance of information. The hiring system will be essential for the improvement of the internal and external communication system within the firm. Through the application of internal communication systems, the company will develop a platform that it can use in employing the workforces, more so regarding the level of professionalism and competence that will be required of them (Hicks, 2017). The internal communication system had been previously determined as one of the most important elements that can be used to establish and protect the interest of the employees and encouraging professional advancements of the employees within the firm.
An efficient external communication system can be used by the CIC as a platform for encouraging the participation and coordination between different partners which form the formal external structure of the company. Therefore, it will be very important for the consultants to work in association with the Human Resource department since this will help in the establishment and identification of the best candidates for the advertised positions.
C. Collaboration
The recruiting agencies and individuals can always apply different types of approaches and tools during the assessment of the potential candidates that will effectively take up the positions that had been previously advertised (Hicks, 2017). In order to achieve a high level of competence among the applicants, the recruiting individuals can always assess their technicalities on different sites such as GitHub and LinkedIn. On such sites, the human resource department can look and assess the published project works by the applicants.
To ensure that there is no any form of inconvenience that arises during after the interviewing process, it will be important for the Human Resource department for foster a collaborative mechanism with the administrative department of the company (Hicks, 2017). Therefore, the establishment of the new hiring system will facilitate efficient collaboration between different departments of the CIC since it will provide a platform for the efficient interdepartmental processes integration. The hiring system has been determined as an effective tool that can be used reporting of the individual data and information transmission within the company.
D. Relationships
The ability of the different members of a given workforce to freely and efficiently relate to each other is one of the key determinants of the success of the company. In a situation whereby there is an introduction of new members into the system, it has been determined that such employees will feel lonely and hence could eventually affect their job output. In order to prevent such shortcomings from taking place, it will be important for the company to come up with the most important induction system that will help the new employees to be absorbed and adapt to the system as fast as possible (Hegebarth, 2012).
More importantly, the hiring system should establish the most recommendable relationship aspect with the new employees as a mechanism that the company can use in maintaining direct contact with the new recruits as well as their application status. The development of this system will be important in ensuring that the employees who will be employed in future develop a more respectful attitude towards the company’s recruitment process.
E. Structure
Different companies have different forms of structural organizations that will enable them to efficiently and effectively achieve their set goals and objectives, a scenario that can be used in explaining the diversity within the hiring system of the Chesapeake IT Consultant (Hegebarth, 2012). Based on the structural organization of CIC, at the top is the CEO that is mandated with the role of ensuring that the growth and competencies within the company are maximally achieved. In the course of overseeing the operational activities of the company, the CEO will also incorporate the most important individual opinions into the system.
The Middle Managers are the next after the CEO and are mandated with the role of ensuring that screening of the applications, scheduling of the interviews, identification of the most recommendable applicants and obtain the company’s job offers are done according to the organization’s specifications (Hegebarth, 2012). At the lower levels are the Operational Managers who have the duty of conveying the credentials of the applicants through the various communication systems of the company to the hiring manager and obtaining relevant feedback regarding those applicants who will be scheduled for the interviewing process.
F. Competitive Advantage
The information technology consultancy is a very competitive industry, hence the uniqueness of the products and service delivery of the company will determine its survival in the market (Hegebarth, 2012). The Chesapeake IT Consultant has been able to dictate large market share based on the fact that it is often focused on hiring highly qualified employees who will improve the quality of its products as well as maintaining the high level of competency among the workforce (Hegebarth, 2012). The application of the newly formed hiring system will enable the firm (Chesapeake IT Consultant) to achieve improvements in the mechanism which is used in the hiring of the employees as well as reducing the time spent during the recruitment process thus ensuring that the company achieves a competitive advantage. Furthermore, it has been established that the company is much concerned about its competitive advantage over the other company in the consultancy industry and that is why it pumps considerable resources in ensuring that the hiring system is cost effective to minimize organizational resource exploitation.
Stage 3: Strategic and Operational Outcomes
A. Strategic Outcomes
In order achieve the strategic goals of the Chesapeake IT Consultants (CIC), it will be important to develop the objective that should be realized for the purpose of meeting the standards of the set goals. The realization of the set objectives will largely depend on the strategic and detailed plan that provides the mechanism which will be used in the implementation of the objectives (Krylov, 2017). The table below shows the strategic goals of CIC, objectives and explanation on how the set objectives and goals will be effectively achieved.
Strategic Goal
Objective
Explanation
Increase CIC Business Development by winning new contracts in the areas of IT consulting.
Recruit 75 additional highly skilled consultants within a period of three months.
The development and implementation of the new hiring system will provide a mechanism that can be used by the company to selectively identify the most competent and highly qualified IT consultants from the list of applicants. Since the current manual recruitment process is not reliable, the implementation of the proposed new hiring system will enable the various departments within the CIC to become responsive and reliable on issues related to the hiring of the new additional employees.
Continue to increase CIC’s ability to quickly provide high quality consultants to awarded contracts to best serve the clients’ needs.
Develop and implement a more effective but reliable and easy to understand customer support service within a period of 12 months.
The complexity of the system is one of the key determinant for poor service delivery and poor client-firm relationship. The developed system will increase the rate of service delivery to the clients as well as ensuring that their relationship and trust with the company is strengthened. The electronic information transmission system will help in the gathering important information concerning the most qualified applicants as well as faster service delivery to the customers.
Increase CIC’s competitive advantage in the IT consulting marketplace by increasing its reputation for having IT consultants who are highly skilled in leading edge technologies and innovative solutions for its clients.
Increasing the number of highly skilled employees to 150 through the application of the new hiring system within the next three months.
The competitive advantage that the CIC has over the other firms in the IT consultancy industry is the ability to employ high qualified and competent employees. Increasing the number of consultants to 150 will enable the company to innovate and implement new technological strategies as well as provision of quality services and products to the clients.
B. Process Analysis
A process analysis involves a sequence of objectives that are to be fulfilled in order to realize a certain goal. Since the CIC has been applying a manual recruitment program, there was need to develop an electronic system that will improve the efficiency of employee recruitment (Krylov, 2017).
Hiring Process of Chesapeake IT Consultants
As/Is Process (Copied from Stage 1)
To/Be Process
Business Benefits of Improved Process
1.Recruiter receives application from job hunter via Postal Service Mail
The application are received through the employment website of CIC and stored in the applicant database.
An effective process of submitting the applications will lead to the development of a positive image of the company to the applicant as well as reducing the time taken to finalize the application process.
2.Recruiter evaluates application
Evaluation of the applicants’ credentials and shortlist the successful applicants.
Effective evaluation process of the applications will very important in ensuring that only successful and reliable applicants are shortlisted for the job.
3.Recruiter sends top applications to line manager via interoffice mail
List of the shortlisted applicants is sent to the human resource department through the application of the interoffice mail.
The interoffice mailing system is a very important application which will ensure that the process of interoffice communication takes place at a faster and convenient rate.
4.Mail is taken to designated office/ department
Specific transmission of the job-related application mails to the concerned department.
Sending mails specific to a given department will avoid confusion as well as promote the efficiency of carrying out the duties aligned to a specific department.
5.Admin Assistant receives Top Applications
The mail containing the list of the top applicants is received by the Admin Assistant.
The submission of the top applicants’ list to the Admin Assistant will be important in ensuring that the administrative mechanism of the process is effectively launched by admitting the applicants into the system.
6.Admin assistant delivers to Line Manager
The Line Manger is served with the listed of the top applicants.
The submission of the list to the line manager will provide an opportunity that will be used in determining the efficiency of each applicant using a technical approach.
7.Line Manager Screens Top Applications
The Line Manager carries out evaluation process on the Top Applicants.
The effective evaluation process is important in ensuring that the only the most effective and reliable applicants are absorbed into the system.
8.Management gives Admin list of Interviewees
Submission of the finalized list to the Administrative department.
The submission of the finalized list to the Administration will ensure that the interviewing schedule is effectively prepared.
9.Admin Assistant sets up interviews
Appropriate scheduling of the interview sessions.
The scheduling of the interview sessions will be important on ensuring that the applicants as well as the company are well prepared for the event.
10.Manager conducts interviews
The actual interviewing process.
The interview process will be important since it will provide the shortlisted applicants with the opportunity to defend their credentials and capabilities. Additionally, it will provide the company with the opportunity of obtaining firsthand information from the applicants.
11.Manager makes decision on candidates
Final decision regarding the fate of the applicants is made by the manager.
The made decisions by the interviewing panel, under the supervision of the manager, will be important in ensuring that only the most reliable and competent applicants are absorbed into the system of the firm.
12.Administrative Assistant prepares and sends Hiring Offer to Selected Candidate by mailing offer letter
The Administrative Assistant prepares the letters of employment based on the data from the recruiter and mails the letters to the successful candidates.
The recruiter determines the essential data from the applicants then transmit the information to the administrative assistant for subsequent processing of the mails and eventual sending of the mails to the applicants.
C. Requirements
The identification of the important components and requirements of the information system will play an important role it the determination of the effectiveness of the interdepartmental communication process (Zaremba, Bode & Wagner, 2016).
Requirement Number
Requirement
Source (individual) from Case Study – name and title
U-1
The information tracking system shall ensure easy tracking of competent skills.
Chief Information Officer – Fadil Abadi
U-2
The scheduling system shall arrange for the applicants’ interview.
Administrative Assistant – Ted Anderson
U-3
Automatic qualification system shall selectively select qualified candidates.
Recruiter – Paul O’Brien
U-4
The electronic transmitting system shall send information regarding the shortlisted applicants.
Administrative Assistant – Ted Anderson
UR-1
Automated Control panel shall verify the employee information.
Recruiter – Paul O’Brien
SS-1
Authorized access to the system to promote system security.
Chief Information Officer – Fadil Abadi
SS-2
New system secure in the server to ensure immunity from hackers.
Chief Information Officer – Fadil Abadi
SP-1
System compatibility in mobile phones.
Chief Information Officer – Fadil Abadi
SP-2
Infinite system durability.
Chief Financial Officer – Marianne Cho
SP-3
Enhanced compatibility between the old and new systems.
Director of Human Resource – William Bradley
Stage 4: System Recommendation
A. Benefits of an Enterprise Solution
An enterprise system is a form of a data-sharing platform that is composed of different components that are linked together to ensure effective and timely transmission and sharing of information among different terminals (Levinson, 2018). Therefore, it can be described as an open and efficient system that ensures easy coordination of events and sharing information (Karvonen & Conte, 2012). The ability of the enterprise system to store and organize the data has enabled it to be considered as the most efficient method for accessing information and decision-making process. Every element of the enterprise system can be easily influenced to operate in different ways in order to serve the set goals and objectives. Some of the most common types of the enterprise system solutions that are applied by different organizations include the supply chain management, enterprise resource planning and customer relationship management (Spathis, 2016). The enterprise system solution relies on the applicability of databases and various types of programming in order to transmit information to the intended external and internal client terminals.
The enterprise system will play an important role in ensuring that there is a faster, convenient and better communication system with the Chesapeake IT Consultants (CIC). The better communication system will not only ensure that the Chesapeake IT Consultants workforce is well coordinated but also improve the customer relationship with the company as well as increasing the ability of the firm to dominate the IT consultancy industrial market (Levinson, 2018). More specifically, the enterprise system solution will enable the Human Resource department to come up with a more efficient method to scrutinize through the large volumes of applications made by different potential applicants from different parts of the globe (Edson & McGee, 2016). Furthermore, the Human Resource department will be able to effectively select those candidates who qualify for the advertised positions hence leading to tremendous cutting down on the recruitment cost as well as time is taken for the finalization of the whole recruitment process (Spathis, 2016). The application of the enterprise system solution will enable the Chesapeake IT Consultants employees to focus on the best criteria which they can use to achieve the strategic plan of the company.
B. Proposed IT Solutions
The Software-as-a-Service (Saas) IT solutions have been used in many occasions used as the host centers for different state-of-the-art data centers that involves electronic protection of the system in a situation where there could be a system failure (Edson & McGee, 2016). There are very many types of human resource software that have been used by different human resource departments across the world in order to help them ensure that they provide quality and highly valued human resource related functions both to the organizations’ workforce or the clients (Karvonen & Conte, 2012). One of the most important types of human resource based software is the Cezanne Human Resource that has been largely applied in different countries such as in the United Kingdom (UK). Some of the major functions that can be performed using the Cezanne Human Resource software include compensative approach, recruitment process, employee absenteeism detection, performance appraisal evaluation among other fundamental roles that will enable the firms that uses it to remain on top regarding all the aspects of the human resource management.
Since the recruitment process has been one of the major problems facing the Chesapeake IT Consultants, the incorporation of the Cezanne Human Resource software into the human resource management system of the CIC will help the company to realize an increased efficiency during the recruitment of the highly qualified employees. Based on the continued support that the Cezanne Human Resource software has provided to the different human resource departments in the United Kingdom for the management of both large and small regional and international companies, the software has been purposely developed to reduce the issues related to cost inefficiencies and complexity (Spathis, 2016). The ability of the Cezanne Human Resource software to use the clouds has enabled it to be easily applied in the hiring process as an important communication and applicants’ status verification tool. The applicability of the software has been preferred to other types of human resource software since it offers an efficient and reliable approach that can be used to handle the recruitment of new employees on time.
C. How the Proposed IT Solution Meets the Requirements
The ability of the new system to fulfil all of the fundamental requirements shall determine whether it will be purchased or not. The new system will be able to address the requirements of the system as presented in the table below.
Req. Number
Requirement
(from Requirement table in Section III)
Explanation of How the Proposed System Meets the Requirement
U-1
The information tracking system shall ensure easy tracking of competent skills.
Storage of applicants’ data for easy retrieval when need arises.
U-2
The scheduling system shall arrange for the applicants’ interview.
Allows for the maximum utilization of the application encoding crossing point.
U-3
Automatic qualification system shall selectively select qualified candidates.
Allows for an up-to-date status of the candidates’ application.
U-4
The electronic transmitting system shall send information regarding the shortlisted applicants.
Allows for an up-to-date status of the candidates’ application.
UR-1
Automated Control panel shall verify the employee information.
Allows for all time availability and reliability of the support system.
SS-1
Authorized access to the system to promote system security.
Ensures all time security monitoring of the system.
SS-2
New system secure in the server to ensure immunity from hackers.
Ensures all time security monitoring of the system.
SP-1
System compatibility in mobile phones.
All time availability of vendor support.
SP-2
Infinite system durability.
Allows for all time availability and reliability of the support system.
SP-3
Enhanced compatibility between the old and new systems.
Prevent the occurrence of system intermission from the rebellious programs.
D. Implementation Steps
There are different feature and capabilities of a SaaS which should be examined and determined before its actual purchase to make sure that it will effectively and adequately address all of the needs of CIC.
1. Vendor Agreement
The Chesapeake IT Consultants must be connected to the internet connectivity or mobile Wi-Fi capabilities for it to effectively implement the application of this software. The overall cost required for a firm to acquire the services of Cezanne Human Resource software is around $700 per month, a price tag which is very effective and can be afforded by the Chesapeake IT Consultants easily.
2. Hardware and Telecommunications
The require system does not provide for the necessity of downloading and installing software before its purchase and use. Since the Cezanne is not a standalone software but rather as a web based application, its applicability will largely depend on the internet or Wi-Fi connectivity within the Chesapeake IT Consultants.
3. Configuration
Based on the simplicity of the Cezanne Human Resource software configuration, it can be easily installed on any device and run on any browser. This software does not occupy much space of the operating system hence can also be installed on the mobile phones. In order to ensure that the software configuration does not affect the operations of the computer system of the Chesapeake IT Consultants, it will be configured by the Cezanne technical support team.
4. Testing
The Track application system will be tested through making sure that there will be a designated employee in the Human Resource department who is mandated with the role of mailing the applicants in order to determine if they have able to access the necessary updates about the system upgrade from the Cezanne Human Resource software.
5. Employee Preparation
Leadership.
The upper management must be able to convince those in the lower ranks within the Chesapeake IT Consultants that this new technological advancement will have positive effects on the company by improving the daily human resource activities as well as service delivery to the clients. Creating positive impressions about the new system will help in eliminating the possible worries and fears that might arise within the workforce due to its installation.
Change management. The ability of any company to remain successful in the market depends on its ability to grow and expand its operations. The integration of the new system by the Chesapeake IT Consultants is one of the major development that can be put into practice to ensure that it dictates a larger percentage of the IT consultancy industrial market. The new system will increase the efficiency of the company to hire new employees as well as providing quality services to the clients located in different locations around the globe on time.
Training.
The training will be conducted on the Cezanne company website. The individual employees who will be using the system on behalf of the Chesapeake IT Consultants will be required to undergo training. They will also be provided with the Cezanne Human Resource software tutorial together with the incorporation of the custom-made help that is provided on the support site.
6. Data Migration
The support team of the Cezanne has been able to provide its clients with the data migration service as part of the purchased package. The information about the applicant, the proposed days of vacation, payroll information among other fundamental data can be easily transferred to the company’s website in order to make sure that the firm’s activities go on as usual.
7. Maintenance
Any form of remote repairs required to be the done on the software will be carried out by the Cezanne Company itself in order to prevent misconfiguration of the software database and settings. Even though the maintenance can at times be done on a free basis, the severity of the repair will influence the amount of cost that will be incurred by the Chesapeake IT Consultants for the repair and maintenance of the new system.
E. Conclusion
The is an urgent need for the Chesapeake IT Consultants to grow in order to fulfil all of the requirements of the new contracts that they won or are in the process of making every effort that will enable secure other new contracts. In order to complete all of the job details contained on the already won contracts, there is the need for the Chesapeake IT Consultants employ more employees as soon as possible. The extra employees will increase the ability of the Chesapeake IT Consultants to effectively serve its clients easily and with high quality products. Therefore, the chosen system should be able to enable the company select only those applicants who are competent and reliable. Following the implementation of Cezanne HR software, the CIC will be able to save time, workforce and operational cost. The incorporation of the new system will ensure a streamlining between the old system and the new system in order to improve on the service delivery to the clients hence strengthening the CIC’s competitive advantage over the other IT consultancy firms.
References
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