Opinions of Discussion Essay

The critical decision makers necessary for the development of an effective sales curriculum for a multinational company include the sales and marketing director, the financial director, the human resources director and the various country managers. The CEO will need to be kept abreast of all developments to ensure that it meets his approval. Similarly, the board of directors will also have to be briefed about the project so that it is line with the company’s vision and mission statement. The sales and marketing director’s input into the project will be to develop sales and marketing strategies that will be adopted for use by sales personnel. From the various methods of marketing are available, the director will have to enumerate the most effective ones and explain which strategy is best suited for a particular situation. This may include direct sales, sales promotions, mail orders or e- business. Market segmentation will be applied to target particular groups while profiling techniques will enable the sales team to correctly identify their customers. Proper planning of finances and budgeting will be the financial director’s docket. By developing budget plans and drawing up financial estimates, the sales curriculum will effectively guide the sales team in assessing their efforts in terms of money spent and results achieved. It will also reduce wasteful expenditure by explaining how to save money and still be effective in one’s duties. The human resources director will draw up a training program for sales staff to develop their skills and enable them to be more effective in their duties. As part of their training, the curriculum will incorporate successful techniques of interacting with the customers by focusing on the needs of the end user rather than on the company’s immediate goals. A remuneration schedule based on performance will form part of the curriculum. A summary of the code of conduct in force will form part of the annex. Different people have different norms and practices. The input of the various country managers will be important in identifying the peculiarities of certain nations. This will assist the sales staff in relating to their customers on local terms. This reduces misunderstandings arising from cultural conflicts. For any program to be successful it must have the support of the final decision maker. In this case the CEO has got to be involved in the overall design and development of the curriculum so that he can give his input. This factor is important when it comes to issues like training that involve the company spending a lot of money. By being involved in the process, the CEO will appreciate the curriculum and ensure that its implementation does not lack finances or materials. In a school setting and a business environment the stakeholders and decision makers are more or less similar. The head teacher and the CEO are the final decision makers. Both entities have a board of governors/director. The company has shareholders who have a stake in the company while the schools have parents who are actively involved in its welfare. Local authorities regulate the functions of both institutions while both of them have customers and suppliers that they attend to. Teachers are unique stakeholders in a school setting because not only do they mould the children under their care but also teach them. They are like surrogate parents and thus have a greater interest in their charges. Unlike employees in a firm, teachers’ concern over the ‘produce of their labor’ extends well beyond the school gates.