Human Resources Management Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed Hafed

Group 2P

Midterm Exam

Time 2 Hours

Open Book Exam

Question 1:

As an Hr. consultant, prepare a succession plan for your department. Explain

A. let’s first understand what a succession plan is.

A succession plan means figuring out which employees can take important/strategic/key jobs
in each department/division within a company. It helps to see where there might be gaps in
skills or experience in the future and to help employees grow in their careers. It also lets you
talk with employees about their career goals.

B. Before preparing a succession plan, we need to digest why it is important to have it

within each department/division within a company.
Succession planning is important to keep any organization going strong. normally
organization loses people for different reasons, like personal choices or career moves or even
when they retire. That's why having a succession plan is important. It helps make sure that
any business can keep going smoothly even when good people leave.

It is important also to notice that Succession planning isn't a one-time thing—it's ongoing.
That means HR should always make sure that right people are ready for important roles.

C. Having a good succession plan for a department, several components of the process
are needed.

1- Identify Key Positions

We need to define what the critical positions within the department are those which driving
success and requiring specific skills, experience, and leadership qualities. (for example,
Account Managers and decision makers executives)

It is important to consider factors like complexity, impact, and potential challenges.

Also identify what and when would be the risks that the existing incumbent may leave his
position

2- Assess potential Talents.

Once we’ve identified the key positions, our next step is to assess the talents within the
department. This involves evaluating individuals based on their skills, knowledge, and
potential to determine if they are prepared to take on leadership roles in the future.

To recognize the timeframe of any successor’s readiness to take on the role, Answers to
important questions must be ready. Are those talents ready to commence development now?
In the short term? Or, in the long term?

That will help to identify areas for improvement and development for potential successors.
 3- Define and Implement Future Trainings and Developments
To prepare those potential talents, we need to make sure that the necessary trainings and
development plan are in place along the career path of the defined successors to enhance their
skills and make them ready for the future roles potentially identified for them.

This plan could involve enrolling them in formal training programs, job rotations, providing
coaching sessions, and assigning a mentor (maybe from existing leadership roles) to guide
them along the way.

4- Continuous Feedback Communication

Once the plan is ready, it is beneficial to communicate the significance of succession planning
to all employees, emphasizing the different opportunities for growth and advancement
available within the department.

By highlighting these opportunities, employees can better understand how succession

planning aligns with their career path and development goals. Also encouraging open
dialogue and feedback from employees regarding their career aspirations and development
needs a culture of transparency and inclusivity within the organization. This dialogue allows
employees to express their goals and concerns, enabling HR professionals to tailor succession
planning efforts to meet individual needs.

5- Track and monitor the succession Plan of High-Potential Pool

To ensure the succession plan remains effective, it's important to regularly track the progress
of high-potential employees through performance reviews and feedback. Adjustments to the
plan should be made based on this progress, along with any changes in the organization's
needs. Consistent communication within department helps reinforce the importance of
succession planning and its role in achieving organizational goals.

Succession Plan of Services Business Group @ Nokia

Organization: Network Infrastructure Services

Plan last updated by: Plan last updated on: February 2023
Purpose: The purpose of this succession plan is to identify roles critical to the business, analyze associated risks, and then to
create and capture plans to reduce those risks.

Readiness of
potential Risk of current Current Incumbent Critical Role
Required Trainings and successors Potential incumbent
Developments (Immediate / 6 successors leaving role
months / 1
year…)
Sales Skills Trainings 6 Months- 1 Year Hossam El Pasha Relocate desire Ahmed Hafed Regional
outside MEA Services Pursuit
Lead of Leader camp region Manager
Consultative Selling
Mentoring

Question 2:

How do you think the importance and practice of the HR function would change as a
result of the current conditions facing the Egyptian Economy. Explain

Given the current conditions, there is tough times call for smart H where it should play an
important role, following could be examples on how HR function can help in improving
productivity of Egyptian employees and in same time make sure that business is profitable
within a very challenging economic condition.

1- Keeping costs down:

When money's tight, HR needs to find affordable ways to hire, train, and keep good
employees. This might mean rethinking how the compensations and benefits, letting work
from home frames, and getting more work done with fewer people.
 2- Retain best employee:
As most of employees will start thinking either quitting their jobs for better opportunities or
feeling unstable cause of economic conditions which may lead to instability in the
productivity.

So, keeping good employees is more important than ever. And as HR, this can be done by
making people feel valued, helping them learn new skills, and creating a positive work
environment. Think training, rewards, and open communication.

3- Taking care of employees:

When the economy is bad, people can get stressed and worried about their finances. HR needs
to support their well-being by offering help with mental health, healthy habits, and money
matters. A caring workplace keeps people motivated and productive.

4- Government Regulations and Labor Laws:

Since the Egyptian Economic challenges lead to few changes in government regulations and
labor laws aimed at protecting workers' rights and promoting economic recovery. HR should
be always up-to date on those legislations and ensure compliance with regulatory
requirements..

5- Be ready for better times:

Hoping things will get better Insha’Allah, HR also need to plan ahead. This means figuring
out what skills a company will need, filling any gaps, and finding the best candidtaes to help
the company expand.

In short, when the economy is tough, HR needs to be smart about managing talents, keeping
them happy, and getting ready for the future. This will help any company stay strong and
successful.

Question 3:

Provide a job description for your own job. Explain.

Job Title: Regional Services Pursuit Manager

Job Family: Sales Strategy, Operations & Support

Business Unit: Network Infrastructure Services

Location: Cairo, Egypt

Summary

Network Infrastructure Business Group has recently consolidated its Services

organization across Fixed, IP and Optical Networks. A key objective of this
consolidation is to strengthen the NI services capability, and to enhance the value of
our overall services portfolio.

To capitalize on the value of the consolidated services organization, NI has created a

dedicated team of Service Pursuit Managers who will actively engage with Regional
Business Centers (RBCs) as well as Nokia Customer Experience (CX) to position and sell
advanced NI Professional Services. With a core objective to generate top-line growth
for our Professional Services business, NI Service Pursuit acts as a central link between
the demand for advanced NI service solutions (From Customers, CX and RBCs), the
development and innovation of the NI services portfolio (supported by Product Line
Manager (PLM) and NI Service Delivery.

Regional Service Pursuit Manager is part of small but dedicated global team. And will
become part of an innovative and forward-thinking team and will actively work to
enhance the NI Professional Services customer engagement lifecycle.

The core mission of NI Services is to accelerate customer time to revenues, whilst at

the same time improve the lifetime value of the NI technology solution. As part of the
NI Service Pursuit team, Regional Service pursuit role will be to actively support NI
regional RBC to engage customers and key internal stakeholders to achieve these
objectives.

Responsibilities:

 Develop the NI Professional Services business covering Business Development,

Pipeline management and deal closure.
 Support NI RBCs with dedicated business development and deal closure
 Articulate the Service value propositions for NI technologies, products and
solutions.
 Drive the development of key NI Professional Services opportunities in close
cooperation with Nokia CX and RBCs
 Engage with Nokia CX and RBCs to develop and enhance the NI Professional
Services Portfolio; coordinate portfolio requirements and feedback to NI
Service Business Unit’ Product Line Management.
 Performs market analysis, monitoring competitive activity, and identifies
customer needs and market trends.

Skills and experience

 Self-starter with the ability to work independently across large geographical

area.
 A degree in business management and/or proven experience in
service/software sales.
 Strong technical knowledge preferably in Optical networking and Automation,
and/or Fixed or IP Networks.
 Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to drive a
complex customer engagement narrative.
 Thorough understanding of CSP engineering and operational processes,
including the ability to translate common processes into active change
management and transformation programs.
 Market knowledge; ideally a blend of knowledge with NI, Mobile Networks
(MN) and Cloud Network Services (CNS) business groups.

Explanation of Job Description:

The Regional Services Pursuit Manager role is important within the Network
Infrastructure (NI) Services organization, as NI Services is going larger to include
additional business group related services (Fixed, IP, and Optical Networks).

This consolidation aims to sharpen the capability and augment the overall of NI
services portfolio's value.

Thus, NI Services has established a dedicated team of Service Pursuit Managers within
the Product Line Management team.

This Pursuit team is tasked with actively engaging Regional Business Centres (RBCs)
and Nokia Customer Experience (CX) to promote and sell advanced NI Professional
Services. The primary objective is to drive top-line growth for the Professional Services
business by acting as a central liaison between customer demand, service portfolio
development, and service delivery innovation. The Regional Services Pursuit Manager
will be an integral part of a global team focused on enhancing customer engagement
throughout the lifecycle of NI Professional Services.

Responsibilities Details.

Develop the NI Professional Services Business: This involves driving business

development initiatives, managing pipeline dynamics, and successfully closing deals.
The focus is on expanding the scope and reach of NI Professional Services to drive
revenue growth within the region.

Support NI RBCs: The Pursuit Manager will provide dedicated support to NI Regional
Business Centers (RBCs) in their day-to-day business development efforts and
facilitate deal closures. This collaborative approach ensures alignment between
regional objectives and organizational growth strategies.

These supports may include following activities;

 Expert commercial support for RBC Service Presales teams

 Direct customer engagement for key Professional Services Opportunities
 Early positioning of advanced Professional Services to create ‘Services Pull’

Articulate Service Value Propositions: The Pursuit Manager should communicate

effectively the value propositions of NI Services to prospective clients. This could be
through increasing the awareness of NI Services for RBC and/or CX colleagues (in form
of Sessions, webinars, events, etc) to more understand client needs and position NI
services as solutions that address those needs effectively.

Drive Development of Key Opportunities: Collaborating closely with CX and RBCs

colleagues, the pursuit manager will identify and pursue key Professional Services
opportunities. This proactive approach aims to capitalize on emerging trends and
customer demands in the market.
Engage in Portfolio Development: The Pursuit manager will actively engage with
internal stakeholders to enhance the NI Professional Services Portfolio. This involves
providing continuous feedback to Services Product Line Managers on portfolio
requirements and ensuring alignment with market trends and customer preferences.

Skills and Experience:

Self-Starter: The role requires a proactive individual who should be capable of

working independently across a geographically diverse area. This self-initiative is to
ensures efficient management of responsibilities.

Degree or Proven Experience: The required candidate should possess a degree in

business management and demonstrate proven experience in service/software sales.
This educational background or practical experience equips individuals with the
necessary skills to excel in this role.

Strong Technical Knowledge: A solid understanding of technical concepts, particularly

in areas such as Optical networking, Automation, and Fixed or IP Networks, is
essential. This expertise enables effective communication with clients and ensures the
delivery of tailored solutions.

Communication and Presentation Skills: Exceptional communication and

presentation abilities are crucial for articulating complex ideas and engaging clients
effectively. Clients here include internal (RBC and CX) and external (CSP customers).

These skills will facilitate the development of strong client relationships and
contribute to successful sales outcomes.

Understanding of CSP Engineering and Operational Processes: Familiarity with

telecommunications industry processes, including CSP engineering and operational
procedures, is advantageous. This knowledge enables the translation of customer
requirements into actionable strategies and facilitates effective change management.

Market Knowledge: A comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, including

insights into Nokia different business groups (NI, Mobile Networks (MN), and Cloud
Network Services (CNS)), is valuable. This market intelligence enables informed
decision-making and strategic positioning within the competitive landscape.