Notes on project management: Information construction under "Company Politics"

"Corporate Politics", which is almost never publicly mentioned, but who cannot ignore, has a decisive secret power. Company politics unconsciously change a business and a person's fate and future: Management of infighting, corporate strategy wavering, staff cliques ... Stories like this have happened in countless businesses, or are happening, or are taking place. Enterprise information Construction, it seems to be a "High-tech" "Object", but most of the time, did not flee the "corporate politics" vortex.

Said the white point, in fact, "corporate politics" can be summed up within the enterprise of the total number of interpersonal relationships. As long as the company exists the struggle of power, the distribution of benefits, there is the corporate politics. In the process of information construction, it is not necessary to avoid the power struggle, 2048.html "> Benefits distribution, and how the CIO from the" Corporate politics "in the vortex of the information ship's rudder, which test the wisdom of CIOs.

Jure the story of using "corporate politics" to drive ERP projects

I was fortunate enough to see the true story of an enterprise CIO who used "corporate politics" to drive ERP projects and ultimately to achieve themselves. This is a private enterprise, after more than 10 years of rapid development of enterprises, the total annual sales reached more than 3 billion. Previously the company had only an old mis system (Management information System, Management Information System), only responsible for the relevant business information records, and unnecessary process, but also meaningless control. At the same time, the company has set up more than 30 regional companies nationwide, the general manager of the major areas with the company grew up with the "army." Now that the wings are hard, the interests of the natural headquarters will have to be leaned back on the interests of the region and even the individual. As for the headquarters of the instructions, it depends on who under the, even the company's several vice presidents, but also to be divided into a measured.

The company's CIO, a pseudonym, did not come to the company for long, and there was not much background contact with the company, which was "airborne" here. At present, he is in such an environment to successfully promote ERP projects, it is difficult to imagine. In the old week to do research in various regions, the general manager said: "Welcome Headquarters to guide the work", and alcohol and tobacco constantly, attentive. But the real study to the storage plate loss of a large number of logistics damage, commodity planning and allocation is not timely and so on, the regional bosses seem to be not so enthusiastic, and for the implementation of the national "chess" logistics control, the big district mister is stressed that "we have a region of specificity, the system of things we are supporting , but consider the actual situation below. In this way, the old week in the investigation is also a touch of the ashes of a nose, back home to headquarters.

At the same time, the company's chief Financial Controller (alias) has also been in the region's various financial problems, it is worth mentioning that the party is always the veteran of the company, but also the board of Directors, the company's affairs are very say.

The old Zhou and Fang always understand when communicating, at present, the financial management of the major areas of the problems are: the accounting processing is not timely, inventory is not clear, logistics shortage and other issues resulting in damage to the company's interests, and the transaction between the agent is not clear, back to the paragraph, the regional managers according to the relationship between good and bad Every time the financial staff to go to direct shop inventory out of the phenomenon of plate loss; Moreover, the recent particularly serious problem is that company sales are on the rise, but profits have been falling, indicating that the company's cost control problems. These circumstances, making the company's financial staff is also distressed unceasingly, also introduced a number of measures, but how to improve these measures, due to the distribution of various regions throughout the country, the implementation of the policy is limited, the final problem is frequent, and then how to deal with the fire after the incident.

And old Zhou also learned that at present, the chairman of the company as President, to choose a suitable candidate from the board of Directors as President, to reduce the burden of their day-to-day management, so that the Chairman himself can focus on the company's strategy, investment and public welfare undertakings. And the party always competes for this position is Marketing Director Wu (alias), all major areas of the country belong to Wu general jurisdiction, and the Big district Mister is Wu General Army, in any case, the current two people's competition has also entered the white-hot, and the financial management of these problems also make the side of the total pale many.

Just in time, due to the recent period, the chairman of the Yangtze River Management College to study MBA courses, many of which are the content of enterprise information, the Chairman recently also called the old weeks to discuss the company's information technology issues. Originally, Old week based on the previous investigation, want to submit the report to the Chairman, but he thought, feel the current own in the company's voice is not enough, should let more weight of people to submit the report. At this time, the old week to the side of the general recommendations: two individual to the Chairman of the proposal, the launch of the company's information construction planning, and the company's business by professional consulting companies to conduct research, analysis of the company's existing problems, and see which problems can be solved by the information. At the same time, the old week also to the general guarantee: As long as the launch of the Information project, the general said the financial management problems can be solved in the system, but also can be deeply involved in the day-to-day operation of the major areas, breaking the current "vassal" situation. Fang's Old week's method is feasible, also agreed to the old week's proposal.

The next thing is: Lao Zhou and Fang always submitted a request to the Chairman of the information construction, the external professional consulting company to carry out the information Consulting report, and the two reports have also been the chairman of the MBA Curriculum advisor, a well-known domestic experts in the recognition of information, the company's information construction began.

Through the consultation results are: The company's current business development is good, but the level of information is still low, the company's business process randomness too much, control system needs to be strengthened and so on. The company set up the information leading group, the chairman of the leader, and the chief Financial officer as executive deputy leader, other finished people, such as members of the decision in 3 years to invest 30 million funds to carry out information construction projects, and was designated as ' 04 years of the project.

After a year of information construction, old Zhou finally also saw the results of the information construction, he was always promised to solve the financial problems, but also through DRP (distribution requirement calculates, distribution demand planning) system, The financial system, coupled with a number of processes and systems, has been settled, and he has established his position in the company. At the same time, because of the increased operational control capacity of the major districts, various regions of the self-behavior is also improved, the company also launched a "Human Resources consulting" project, the company's business units, the regional performance, remuneration, staff welfare reform, and no longer fear the emergence of "princes with business to the association headquarters" situation.

Last but not least, the party was promoted to be president of the group.

Second, after the story of thinking: "Corporate politics" of the two sides

In fact, some people may say, this is where the implementation of ERP, it is a political struggle. Yes, it is the political struggle, if summed up, we found: More than 80% of enterprises in the implementation of the ERP process, will complete a change of power----and not necessarily a person to take the stage/step down, but will allow a person's power or authority to change subtly.

In the domestic companies, ERP without exception is the "number one" project, because ERP on a large scale to reach different interest groups and be used by different interest groups, is a standard corporate political movement. In every movement, there will be a group of people's interests damaged, a group of people who are in the ascendant. Therefore, every such movement is an opportunity to eradicate the diehard or even "the".

Advanced Management concepts and management tools need to use such a number of wrist to smooth forward, it is really intriguing. Many of the company's ERP or management consulting project managers have finally been promoted, because the Boss Trust, the second is in the "movement" process did get the "political" on the exercise.

In fact, corporate politics is not all that gloomy. Everything has two sides, corporate politics is no exception, corporate politics in every enterprise is an objective existence, but to see the benign corporate politics or vicious.

Vicious corporate politics can be embodied in the following: the prevalence of rule of man, standardized management to become slogans, enterprise internal friction is serious, staff lack cohesion, personal interests, small group doctrine prevails, gliding, information is not smooth, even use "asymmetric information" for abuse of power.

Then, the CIO from the information reform involved in the company changes, ERP project to promote the interests of the redistribution, the introduction of information when the concept of promotion are related to "politics", CIOs have no reason not to pay attention to corporate politics, the above work is mainly done "people" work, as long as these work well Even if the problem of real encounter ERP, there is no "political factors" interference.

All this requires CIOs to build a team and build your Own "army". Control the pace of information construction, reasonable layout according to the enterprise condition. "Manage" your superiors and make them fully supportive of your work. The use of good external forces, such as consulting companies, software vendors, systems integrators, information technology experts ... These are the powerful resources of CIOs. At the same time, but also with the help of internal forces, as I said before the story, the old Zheng is the use of the total strength of the party to complete their own ERP cause.

The most important point is: in order to remain invincible in the company's politics, must be clean, self-discipline, remove selfish, dedicated dedication, all the long-term interests of the company, work is stable, fair and impartial. Personally advocate the good part of corporate politics and discard the bad parts of corporate politics.

For CIOs, corporate politics is still going on, CIO brothers, hang in there!!

Series of articles:

Project Management notes: How can it project managers be promoted?

Project Management notes: How to implement the DRP distribution system

Notes on project Management: Data governance in DRP projects

Notes on project management: A comparison of software system architectures in DRP projects

Notes on project management: My CIO's Road

Project Management notes: DRP project "Four into the palace", How to solve?

Notes on project management: Cultural output and marketing of DRP system