Quaker, a small-cap, specialty chemicals company, took bold steps to become a fully integrated global organization. Several years later, they had gained competitive advantages by working from a global mindset, but the structure was too cumbersome to manage successfully. So they restructured around regional lines, again.
When they made this move, they recognized they might lose the behavioral/cultural advantages they had gained and the open channels for sharing information globally which had been so effective. Rector Communications was hired to help them keep their “global glue.” We worked with key executives to create a formal global communications program—leading focus groups and brainstorming sessions with the international leadership team. We recommended a strong commitment to formal communications including the hiring of a full-time staff member to execute the plan. We developed a two-year plan with budgets for how to engage the full organization in the program.
