NEXFORD UNIVERSITY

BUS6140 MODULE 4 ASSIGNMENT

COMMUNICATION PLAN FOR
BUSINESS PIVOT
BY
SANDRA CHINENYE ASUZU
23RD SEPTEMBER, 2024
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Introduction

Now that Microsoft will be undergoing an organizational restructuring process,

effective communication is paramount in order to reach and provide information to

interact with the entire stakeholders all through the period of change. For the purpose

of this assignment, I will be identifying each of the stakeholders need and providing a

useful communication plan which will be specifically designed for each of the

stakeholders.

Analysis of Stakeholders Needs

The key stakeholders involved in the organizational restructuring initiative includes

the following:

 Shareholder

 Employees

 Customers

Shareholder

Needs: the need for transparent, clear and frequent information regards to the

restructuring process.

Interest: key interest in the company’s aim, objective and goals for long term growth

and level of allegiance to their shares and values.

Concern: Particularly concerned about the financial risk, economic inconsistency and

global market acceptance of the change.

Employees

Needs:Primarily in constant need of their job role guaranty, opportunity for career

growth and development.

Interest: Interested on how to succeed in their role while contributing to the success of

the restructuring initiative and growth of the company.

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Concern: Concerned about transparency in communication, benefits of working with

the company, ability of the company’s cultural values to align with their personal

values.

Customers

Needs: To understand how the restructuring initiative will promote user experience

and meet up with their ever changing need/demand.

Interest: Interested in the company’s ability to maintain quality of products, customer

service and engagement.

Concern: Major concern on increase in product pricing due to the restructuring and

subsequent changes.

Key Message Development

Shareholder: Based on Digital transformation, “our restructuring initiative will

promote the next generative AI to reshape every software category and every

business” (Microsoft, 2023).When it comes to promoting sustainable growth and

global empowerment, “our mission for this change is to empower every person and

every company on earth to achieve more [technologically]” (Microsoft, 2023).

Allegiance to Clarity and Transparency: We are proud to let you know that we will be

transparent and consistent in communicating with you about progress and

performance of the change.

Employees: When it comes to training and development, your career growth and skill

acquisition is important to us. We have already made provision to provide all the

necessary support, resources and career development opportunity.

In terms of communication, the company is committed in building transparency and

trust by communicating and engaging the employee throughout the change period.
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Customers: Because of the company is committed to serve you well while innovating

more valuable product and service.

The aim of this restructuring is to serve you better, while boosting the quality and

reliability of our products.

Communication Channels Identification

Shareholders

 Face to face Meetings/Shareholder Presentation: this channel of communication

will promote direct interaction, building relationship and create room for solving

complex stringent issues. This also creates opportunity for shareholders to ask

questions and receive immediate real time feedback and answers.

 Email: this will assist to constantly update and inform shareholders on the

restructuring progress, achievements and any event that occurs during the change

period.

Employees

 Phone Calls: This channel aides direct and immediate means of communicating

with employers by bridging the gap of distance for discussing urgent issues.

 Face to face/Virtual meetings: this channel of communication will promote direct

interaction, building relationship and create room for solving complex stringent

issues. This also creates opportunity for employees to ask questions and receive

immediate real time feedback and answers.

 Newsletter and Email: this will assist to constantly update and inform employees

on the restructuring progress, achievements and any event that occurs during the

change period.
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Customers

 Social Media: this medium encourages transparency and open interactions while

fostering honest exchanges, engagement, and inclusive culture among a diverse

customer reach. As this can be less formal, it further used to share timely project

updates and information to the global audience.

 Newsletter and Email: by alerting customers to subscribe to this, it will assist to

constantly update and inform customers on the restructuring progress,

achievements and any event that occurs within the change period.

Generally, a project Websites/Intranet can also serves as a central location for

transparent and up-to-date project information, which stakeholders can easily access

for more details into the change objectives, progress, milestone, and achievement.

This project websites will be providing a consistent space where employees can visit

throughout the entire change period (Laura, 2023).

Timing and Sequence of Communication

Shareholders

 Face to face Meetings/Shareholder Presentation: This must be done at the

beginning of the project. Subsequently, meetings can be fixed when there is a

major milestone.

 Email: Monthly email updates will do.

Employees

 Phone Calls: This can be done daily, as the case may require.

 Face to face/Virtual meetings: Weekly meetings is important to promote

consistency in communicating and monitoring the progress and every milestone

within the change period.

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 Newsletter and Email: This can be done daily or weekly, depending on the

importance of the message.

Customers

 Social Media: This should be updated daily, by posting on both social media

status and timelines. Doing this will build trust, customer engagement and

inclusivity.

 Newsletter and Email: A monthly update is necessary to update customers about

the latest update regarding the change.

In addition, the project website can be updated weekly for stakeholders to access

freely at their own convenient time.

Alignment and Consistency

Keeping Track of all communication: It is important to keep track of all the

communications, questions, and feedback gotten from stakeholders to promote

consistency and ensure the communication team have context for further stakeholder

meetings, conversations, and engagements (Laura, 2023). Having easy access to this

details will:

 Show how much attention you pay to the stakeholders.

 Help you keep your communication consistent and relevant
 Minimize the possibility of repetition of information
 Solidify the relationships with stakeholders
 Aide in monitoring stakeholders engagement:
Conclusion

To sum this up, it is important to note that efficient stakeholders communication will

not only build the bond and relationship between the company and stakeholders, but

will also promote the success of implementing the organizational restructuring

initiative.
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Reference

Aligntoday.com, (2022). Transparency, Confidentiality and How to Balance Both.

Transparency, Confidentiality, and How to Balance Both (aligntoday.com)

Laura Trappett, (2023). Choosing Communication Channels For Stakeholder

Engagement. https://www.consultationmanager.com/choosing-communication-

channels-for-stakeholder-engagement/

Leeron Hoory, (2024). What is a Stakeholder Analysis? Everything You Need to

Know. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/what-is-stakeholder-analysis/

#:~:text=The%20stakeholder%20analysis%20is%20conducted,and%20current%20or

%20future%20customers

Linkedin Community, (2023). How Can You Align Stakeholders Incentives in

Restructuring? https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/how-can-you-align-stakeholder-

incentives-restructuring#:~:text=These%20may%20include%20shareholders%2C

%20creditors,sources%20of%20conflict%20or%20cooperation

Microsoft, (2023). Annual Report 2023.

https://www.microsoft.com/investor/reports/ar23/