Express Newspaper Pvt. Ltd.: A Look Into Operations, Challenges And Solutions

Task Description

You are required to undertake an analysis of your organisation or team (or an organisation or team that you know well) in order to apply the theories and concepts you have been learning about in LMDP, as well as make recommendations for improvement consistent with your analysis.

Assessment Criteria

• Does the participant meet the requirements for number of referenced discussion forum entries?
• Does the participant demonstrate awareness of key issues and how they could be applied on a personal and organisational level?
• Does the participant show, through comments and discussion, the ability to analyse, discuss, critique, explain, question?

Background and Overview of Express Newspaper Pvt. Ltd.

Within business organizations, several processes coincide. Therefore, companies require good management strategies to oversee such operations and alleviate adversities that would otherwise result from the same. The base of this discussion is on Express Newspaper Pvt. Ltd. that is currently the leading publications company. Apart from that, the organization publishes mostly known newspapers within Tamil (Pew research center, 2017). Express Newspaper began in the 20^th century. However, with increasing modernization and changing situations, the internet has made several changes and had several impacts some of which the printing industry currently face. Besides, there is the issue of the packaging stream facing several hardships as a result of the presently deployed demat system advocating for an eco-friendly environment. However, the new technological inputs in the industry are vital in ensuring that concepts are taught, understood, and applied in companies to improve publishing (Thompson, 2014).

This activity describes the functionality of Express Newspaper as well as its team performs. Apart from that, the challenges faced by the company will be outlined alongside those that individuals face as well. Afterward, solutions are solicited towards improving and strengthening the organization's position. The LMDP strategy is adopted in this case to develop a strong market position for Express Newspaper. The paper will finally provide a recommendation on improvements to be made and conclude on the same.

As mentioned before, Express Newspaper started its operation in the 20^th century by then going with the Subramanian brand. As time elapsed, Express Newspaper acquired Virakesari, the second largest newspaper company in Tamil. The Subramaniam brand was launched to improve laborers' working conditions while ensuring that they are not exploited in one way or the other. Apart from that, the newspaper then became strongly linked with being outspoken on issues of equality with the motive to ensure that workers are justly treated (Azyan, Pulakanam & Pons, 2017).

Express Newspaper currently has a production team that is mainly concerned with collecting unique, informative information all over the country. Afterward, the data is authenticated, and its gist designed then decorated through fancily used words. Second, to that, the team in charge of production prints advertisements and then distributes the news to different desks such as sports portion, metro desk, political issues, business news, fashion sense, and education area among others. In each news section, the production team presents a researcher, scrutinizer, and an editor all of whom are charged with ensuring that the produced paper is full of quality news in a way that is clear (Express Newspaper, 2017). Express Newspaper’s production team is made up of three parts which include the pre-press, press, as well as the post-press. The first section which is the media is made of editors. In this section, the news is collected, and discussion is held regarding the entire information with crucial parts of such information picked. Afterward, the vitality of the newspaper is determined and space in the paper designated to the analyzed data (Weedon, 2017). The second section, the press, is further segmented into Lithographic and Impression stages. In this section, it is clear that technology is essential to the entire house. Such is because, in this section, a sophisticated kind of technological approaches in the names of Computer to Plate (CTP) and Computer to Machine (CTM) are employed. The last and final section and production stage is the post-press. In this section, finalization of processes like printing and distribution happens (Ben-Ner & Siemsen, 2017).

Operations of Express Newspaper Pvt. Ltd.

Several management issues tend to crop in organizations. Cultures are also different from one company to the other. Therefore, challenges that arise are also different. While some problems might be uncertain, others are likely to be sure as either legal or political and occur globally or externally. However, the general consideration of the printing and press industry provides a likelihood of complex challenges cropping with the advent of technological improvements (Long, Pan, Zhang & Hao, 2017). Some of such problems include:

The arrival of the internet: Currently, the newspaper printing industry is faced with one hurdle in the name of the internet. Since its inception, the growth of its usage has been steady. Accessing news and podcasts has been easy through the use of the internet. Before, companies had to pay a lot to have their brands advertised in newspapers. However, since the inception of the internet, many websites have been developed on which advertisements are quickly posted. To make it worse, retailing has also gone online since tasks like printing are not needed. However, it is not only the newspaper that is affected by the development of the internet but also magazines and scholar journals (Zimmerman, Tamir, Ihel & Tang, 2017).

Documentation of Demat: In this case, we view the fact that document printing faces problems associated with campaigns such as “no paper” as well as the initiation of demat. Printing entails the putting of knowledge on paper. Therefore, without writing, there is no chance that awareness and experience can be printed. In such a case, the campaigns and demat initiation mainly affects paper production and printing as a business in itself. Contrarily, web businesses and advertisements in the field of business are slowly becoming shortened. In relation, documents get scanned and saved in emails that reduce the risk associated with the safekeeping of records on shelves (Bennett et al., 2017).

Economic impact: The economy has a high impact on the industry. Such can be witnessed in the sense that organizations no longer go for printing hoardings and posters for purposes of advertising. In digitization segment, for instance, packaging no longer takes place. Long are the days when products were packaged using several layers of wrappers. Currently, package recycling and environmentally friendly processes are being employed in which only a single layer gets managed. The same gets done for printing processes were cut off operations are done a well (Brotchie et al., 2017).

Challenges Faced by the Printing Industry

Soaring cost: The printing industry yet faces another issue in the name of rising prices for raw materials. Apart from such a concern, companies that mill papers are faced with immense pressures some of which are from global sustainability campaigns on environmental friendliness. Also, there is the rise of expectations of clients for newspaper companies like Express Newspaper to fulfill their obligations (Scott, 2017).

Consequences of the highlighted challenges at a personal level and how to resolve them

Before, it was discussed that the internet has a crucial role in the present day development and discouraging print publications. In relation, Express Newspaper is strategically located at the declining section of the life cycle of print production. Further analysis of such the situation would provide that the company is in the position of a question mark on the BCG matrix. The company is otherwise, likely to face the dog situation if nothing unique happens or gets supported at the earliest time possible (Pattabhiramaiah, Sriram & Sridhar, 2017). The challenges’ impacts at personal levels are as highlighted below:

• In general, the internet came and took over everything as we know including the printing business. However, the individual level loss as a result of the advent of the same is that gathering credible, reliable information as before will be a difficult task for the professionals since many sites post fake information and news to gain traffic and make more money. Such acts result in manipulation of fast hand information and joking about to gauge the minds of the public. Apart from that, people create rumors and sites that populate such rumors gain fame. Nevertheless, such a situation could get resolved if news providing companies become specific in the kind of operations they do and printing activities pinned to a particular market niche in which just specific announcement is made available and not the entire range of global news (Graber & Dunaway, 2017).
• Second, to the initial opinion, weekly magazines provided much help to several households including homemakers and elderly individuals on how to perform particular tasks and live comfortably. The magazines also helped householders stay at par with the external world. As a result of such journals and magazines, individuals lived comfortably. However, online journals are even better, with a broad spectrum of information provided to almost everyone by a single click. Therefore, printed weekly journals became endangered. Such a problem could get solved by delivering weekly magazines and not daily postages. This should then be done door to door and cover a sizeable informational array including politics, entertainment, society, and law (Thames & Schaefer, 2017).

Some challenges occur at the corporate level. The same difficulties are likely to affect the entire industry as well. Some of the problems include soaring raw material costs as well as the invention of new technologies. With such techniques, people are given the power to access news and updates of news globally making the need for newspapers as insignificant as possible. Apart from that, new legal systems have been developed and tax policies revised. In relation, tax imposition in many countries has been revived resulting in numerous problematic outcomes for Express Newspaper and other related companies. It is also important to note that the environment as a factor has most likely encompassed other issues on the same to reduce print media popularity. Below are other related problems that Express Newspaper faces and how to curb the same.

• First, the company faces a significant hump on the rocketing energy and fuel prices. Therefore, to have its position in the market maintained, Express Newspaper would most probably; compromise on the quality of news it relays to the public to increase its traffic and make more profit to curb issues relating to energy and fuel. However, the situation could get rectified by having the company use its reserves effectively while income gets promptly allocated in investments. The organization could also develop new production strategies unlike the current ideas (Easley, 2017).
• The second opinion is that the technology anciently used in the newspaper print industry has become obsolete. Such is because the introduction of the internet came with new technologies to ensure that companies cope with new market opportunities. To solve such a problem, Express Newspaper is supposed to restructure and strengthen its development and research departments. The company also needs to make accurate analyses and evaluations on the aspects of world information and data. Such a review should include the strengths and weaknesses of data collected (Printing Impression world, 2014).

LMDP Concept

Proper organizational development requires the management of such an organization to ensure that employee retention and management strategies are appropriate. Such policies must be necessary because the most crucial aspect of management starts and ends with human resourcing. HR will most likely, also encourage the growth or fall of an organization including Express Newspaper Ltd. To ensure organizational growth and keep the company in its rightful market position, Express Newspaper Ltd has to create strategies and policies of training workers (Tsang, 2017). Having workers properly trained has positive impacts on the company. First, workers increase their level of confidence and thus, increase productivity. Second and most importantly, workers change their attitudes and perspectives towards business operations. Innovation gets increased as a result (Rees & Smith).

Solutions for Organizational Development Using LMDP Strategy

LMDP Theories

“Learning" is not only a process but also an effort made by an individual towards understanding new concepts and issues to increase innovativeness and general knowledge. For any learning process, there is a need for investing one's time and effort as well as energy and money. If more effort gets put in the process, business activities will register massive success. Apart from that, methods of learning depend on particular inputs that are already taught in associated processes. According to learning management, the argument on stimuli and behaviors records that knowledge is an area that is versatile as there is no particular subject attached to teaching and learning (Hodges & Grant, 201). Training and education are alike in many aspects and is one sure way of managing stakeholders in the organization. Both exercise and learning are also instruments of illustrating organizational criteria to stakeholders while clarifying job specifications to such stakeholders. From good management and learning processes, automatic policies on the training of employees and associated procedures occur. All the same, it is important to note that management and organizational learning are connected to ensure the development of stakeholders. Corporate training sources are numerous. The company could decide to employ instructors, mentors, or the World Wide Web. Such teachings include verifying and clarifying concepts of management and customer relations. Teaching modes, on the other hand, are peer-peer interactions, lectures, email notes, and tutorials among others (Heddy et al., 2017).

Applied Theories Context Discussion

Having discussed the theoretical concept of LMDP, it is essential to examine the practicality of such theories on organizations to develop a better understanding of the same.

1. Behavioral theory

The behavioral argument is not only based on processes of learning in the academic perspective but also encourages the understanding of personal reactions and boosting of personal skills of decision making (Seufert, Wagner & Westphal, 2017). Concerning the printing industry, this theory solicits a response on the already published news by the editors since they possess the necessary skills to point out the inappropriate use of language as well as a quote if data is authentic (Walker, 2017).

1. Cognitive theory

Both behavioral and cognitive arguments have the same argumentative principalities.  However, the cognitive approach mainly focuses on solving issues and coming up with new concepts. The application of this theory to Express Newspaper Limited's context falls on the problems of printing. With regards to publication, it got mentioned before that the costs of fuel and energy skyrocketed while the internet reduces the consumption of print media products. Therefore, the development of a cognitive learning process in the organization will help the organization come with alternative ways of curbing fuel price issues. For instance, Express Newspaper would come up with accurate analyses and evaluations on the aspects of world information and data. Such a review should include the strengths and weaknesses of the data collected. Secondly, the company would provide weekly magazines and not daily postages. This should then be done door to door and cover a sizeable informational array including politics, entertainment, society, and law (Duval, Sharples & Sutherland, 2017).

• Constructivism theory

This argument is different from the two previously discussed. Associated constructivism skills get obtained when an individual gains experience from previous situations. Since the process of learning is continuous, knowledge is mostly gained through the exploration of the area of interest. Therefore, the publishing and printing industry needs to put a lot of effort into research development field. Otherwise, success will be obtained when viewers and readers have themselves linked with the passed awareness and knowledge campaigns. Printing's primary motive is supposed to be intertwined with fulfilling ideas of news reporting to the audience. Finally, yet importantly, this argument is based on the creation of in-depth discussions as well as the proficient writing of journals and blogs through the employment of knowledge that was previously learned (Harasim, 2017).

Herein, it got mentioned that Express Newspaper started its operation in the 20^th century by then going with the Subramanian brand. As time elapsed, Express Newspaper acquired Virakesari, the second largest newspaper company in Tamil. The Subramaniam brand was launched to improve laborers' working conditions while ensuring that they do not get exploited in one way or the other. However, having considered the myriad of challenges that the company faces, it is recommendable that with increased modernization the organization needs to re-evaluate its internal and external environments. By doing so, it will be in a position to predict further changes and enact measures that would introduce the company into the dynamic environment. Apart from that, the organization could create its online sites and social media pages to increase its customer base.

Since the company also faces issues of increasing fuel costs as well as the introduction of demat printing phase, business has significantly dropped. Therefore, Express Newspaper could introduce the publication of papers that are environmentally friendly. The documents could also get recycled for reuse in different ways. Apart from that, news quality needs improving while presentation focused on productivity. The company may also decide to run a stand-alone e-news channel to create its stand in the market. Another concern put across is the packaging of products. Express Newspaper should have its paper packaging focused on modern-day packaging techniques and quality to reduce the entire packaging cost. The next level of an issue in association with the external environment of the company in the name of social and political deviation has significant impacts on the organization. The problem on social and political departure could then be managed by analyzing world issues then understanding such situations and critically providing solutions as well as extracting opportunities from such matters instead of vaguely looking into such matters.

As the final note, the company needs to accept its challenges and implement the LMDP model. The Learning, Managing and Developing People model is vital in the sense that it connects learning to management to ensure the delivery of organizational development. As mentioned before, learning and training are intertwined; thus, appropriate frameworks should be in place to ensure that workers are adequately trained to catch up with the dynamism of today's society and sufficiently attend to the need of customers. Otherwise, it would be proper to enhance stakeholder management skills and adopt a decentralization management model.

Conclusion

Conclusively, it is clear that Express Newspaper Ltd. and the entire printing industry face weighty issues that deteriorate the market worth. However, the focal point of this activity has been on Express Newspaper Pvt. Ltd. The activity has clarified on the manner in which the company's team of production carry out their obligations including choosing a particular event or news and covering the same regarding its volume and quality over other activities. Apart from that, it has been made clear that changing technology and passing the time has created many negative impacts on the printing industry. However, such negative implications concerning the case study have been outlined both at organizational and personal levels with regards to the company in question. Otherwise, this paper has recommended the adoption of an LMDP model as well as concepts and theories towards curbing printing issues that Express Newspaper faces. On the Learning, Managing and Developing People model, it is proposed that Express Newspaper needs to provide enough, appropriate staff training to encourage workers to employ their skills and get motivated. In turn, success and growth of the organization and stakeholders would be realized.

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