Nike Performance Gap Analysis

Nike Performance Gap Analysis

Consider an organization that has a well-developed strategic plan in place, but isn’t tracking performance to ensure that established goals are being met and aligned with the organization’s direction. Consider an organization where employees work diligently for a long period of time, only to wake up one day and wonder, where are we? This may be the time for a gap analysis.

To begin this Assignment, use the Walden Library, media, or other scholarly sources to identify and select a contemporary article that describes an organization with a performance issue. You may also use an organization with which you are personally familiar.

Then, to complete this Assignment, review the Learning Resources for this week, and other resources you identify in the Walden Library or online, and respond to the following bullets in a 3- to 5-page academic paper.

Prepare a gap analysis that includes a description of your findings and recommendations, along with the following components/sections:

Define a gap analysis and discuss how it is utilized related to Human Resources.
Define the current and desired state of the organization you identified.
Identify the existing resources, organizational capabilities, and performance deficiencies within the chosen organization.
Identify the alternatives that are available to close/eliminate the gap between the desired state and the current state.
Assess 2–3 performance management strategies available to the organization in working toward its desired state.
Formulate a solution, i.e., select 1 strategy and provide a brief rationale, including 4–6 action steps for implementing the strategy; and identify a post-implementation metric that can be used to track the performance of the strategy once implemented.

Nike Performance Gap Analysis Example

Define a gap analysis and discuss how it is utilized related to Human Resources.

Gap analysis refers to a tool that is used to evaluate the current organizational performance in relation to the set goals and standards (Tenhiälä, Giluk, & Kepes, 2014). The tool helps an organization to determine the progress that it is making towards the fulfillment of its strategic plan (Tenhiälä, Giluk, & Kepes, 2014). The human resources team plays a vital strategic role in many organizations as it is the department tasked with hiring and maintaining the required workforce for the achievement of organizational goals. Gap analysis in human resources entails assessing the skills exhibited by the workforce against the skills which are required to meet the organizational goals (Ain, Muhammad, Akhtar, & Ahmad, 2019). The skills to be assessed include both hard skills and soft skills to build a workforce team that fits in both the culture and talent needs of the organization (Ain, Muhammad, Akhtar, & Ahmad, 2019). The tool helps in the identification of skill deficiencies in the current workforce. Gap analysis aids in the development of vital insights to be used in proper alignment of the organizational needs and workforce skills.

Define the current and desired state of the organization you identified.

I identified Nike, Inc., for the completion of this assignment. Nike is a United States multinational corporation that specializes in the manufacture of athletic wear. The primary goal of the company is to provide athletes with outstanding sports products to help them boost their performance (Nike, Inc., n.d.) The company’s vision is “to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete around the world” (Nike, Inc., n.d.). Despite the company having expanded to many countries around the world, in the past two decades, it has been facing major reputation drawbacks, which have impacted its reputation negatively. Currently, Nike is often criticized for failing to increase the representation of the women and racial minorities in their workforce (Zhao, 2019). Gender and racial inclusion is a central consideration that should be made by the human resources team if the company is to attain its vision of being inspirational and innovative.
Identify the existing resources, organizational capabilities, and performance deficiencies within the chosen organization.

Nike has the infrastructural capacity to attain its strategic plan. Having been in the industry for decades now, the company has acquired the necessary equipment for the performance of the daily operations. However, the company lacks the human resources to ensure the required levels of innovation. Although the company has, to some degree, tried to employ individuals from different backgrounds, the composition is not yet enough for the required innovative levels. The diversity in the company is far much too low to guarantee the company’s success in innovation.
Identify the alternatives that are available to close/eliminate the gap between the desired state and the current state.

To close this gap, Nike could increase the existing workforce to include more women and racial minorities. This implies that the company will have to create both new job positions for the employment of women and racial minorities. This will be done not only in the United States but also in other countries where the company has branches. To make the efforts to increase representation more effective, the company will have to create some top positions to be filled by women and racial minorities. Alternatively, the company could lay off some employees as a strategy to re-align the company to its strategy. The company seems to have lost track of the innovation and inspiration of all athletes. The discriminatory picture, which has been created in the workforce, inhibits the company’s ability to innovate. Diversity is a critical aspect in all companies which seek to create products based on a range of consumer needs.
Assess 2–3 performance management strategies available to the organization in working toward its desired state.

For Nike to attain its vision to be innovative and inspirational, it must implement some performance management strategies which encourage inclusion. The company’s management must identify strategies to empower the workforce to boost its efforts to meet its strategic goal. To ensure that Nike is moving towards the desired state, the company must set clear goals for all its team. This will help in ensuring that all the members have a clear and strong sense of direction, which will limit the occurrence of any form of distraction (Jain & Gautam, 2014). Having clear goals will help in ensuring that the Human resource team hires the correct personnel likely to drive the company towards the achievement of the set goals. For more clarity of goals, the company should consider breaking the long term goals into various short term goals. The company should also consider reinforcing consistency in the existing teams. Consistency is an integral part of the achievement of goals. If embraced, consistency increases the chances of hiring and maintaining the required workforce for the required goals (Jain & Gautam, 2014). Inclusivity in hiring ought not to be a onetime thing in Nike. The company should strive to maintain it at all levels, not only through recruitment but also through promotion. Promoting women and racial minorities will reduce the future strive for inclusivity at Nike.

Formulate a solution, i.e., select 1 strategy and provide a brief rationale, including 4–6 action steps for implementing the strategy; and identify a post-implementation metric that can be used to track the performance of the strategy once implemented.

To solve the problem of inclusivity, which might inhibit the realization of innovation at Nike, the company needs to be more deliberate about their commitment to diversity. Despite outlining the importance of diversity in its website and its role in unleashing innovation, the company has not acted upon it adequately. Being more intentional towards the commitment to diversity will require the company to:

• Hire more women and racial minorities: This is the first step in welcoming new perspectives in the company.
• Train the hired personnel: Training the hired employees is an indicator of the company’s desire to realize the potential in its diverse, newly hired workforce.
• Review performance: After adequate training, the employees should be assessed on their ability to perform their skills.
• Reward exceptional performance: Rewarding excellent performance through either incentives or promotion will aid in maintaining high motivation and productivity levels.

To track the performance of the strategy after implementation, the organization should assess the number of women and racial minorities in the company’s workforce. Higher numbers will indicate that the company has made major steps towards the achievement of diversity. The numbers should be well-spread at all organizational levels. Both women and racial minorities should be represented in the company’s top positions.

References

Ain, N. U., Muhammad, H., Akhtar, H. M., & Ahmad, J. (2019). Intended-Implemented HRM-GAP effect on Organizational Performance: Moderation of HR-Uncertainty and Employee Participation. Business & Economic Review, 10(3), 85-108.

Jain, S., & Gautam, A. (2014). Performance Management System: A Strategic Tool for Human Resource Management. Business & Economic Review, 5, 28-32.

Nike, Inc. (n.d.). About Nike. Retrieved from Nike, Inc.: https://about.nike.com/

Tenhiälä, A., Giluk, T. L., & Kepes, S. (2014). The research‐practice gap in human resource management: A cross‐cultural study. Human Resource Management, 55(2), 1-11.

Zhao, H. (2019, April 4). Nike HR Chief says the company ‘has failed’ to hire and promote more women and minorities. Retrieved from CNBC: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/04/04/nike-needs-to-hire-and-promote-more-women-and-minorities-memo.html