Improving Mount Everest summit success through climber preparation systems

System Redesign - Synthesis/Evaluation

Company and its climbers' preparation subsystem

Letter of transmittal to the person in charge of running the expedition on Mount Everest

The team at the T. Company

Executive summary / recommendation

The current document was created with the scope of supporting the team of climbers to successfully attain their objective of climbing Mount Everest. The scope is that of using our long existent knowledge and expertise in the field in order to provide the climbers with the safest and most valuable experience possible. In order to further enhance the value for the climbers, the current plan is flexible and it would be further adapted to fit the specific needs of the team of adventurers.

The underlying message of the plan is that of focusing on the importance of proper mental and physical preparedness. Up to 80 per cent of the people who annually set to climb the Everest do not make it to the summit. The T. Company strives to reduce these figures by better preparing the climbers to face the challenges and the risks of the mountain.

2. System logic and supporting narrative

1.2. How the system serves the larger system objectives

As it has been mentioned in the letter of transmittal, only 20 up to 30 per cent of all climbers in one year manage to reach the summit of Mount Everest (Adlers). This is mainly the result of insufficient mental and physical preparation. The preparation as such -- which would be addressed at the level of the current subsystem -- is an imperative ingredient in succeeding to climb the mountain. In other words, the subsystem lays the basis and the foundation onto which the other systems would be implemented.

1.5. How management should observe and adapt to the changing external environment

The external environment in the current scenario refers to two specific elements. The first is represented by weather conditions, which are crucial in climbing expeditions. The means to responding to this challenge is that of continually assessing the forecasts and advising the climbers based on them. Additionally, company supported climbing sessions would be suspended throughout periods in which the weather poses increased risks. The T. Company suggests late spring and early summer as the best time to climb the mountain.

The second set of challenges from the external environment pertains to the macro society. Some examples in this sense could refer to new trends in physical and mental training, new demands and characteristics of the climbers and so on. In order to address these, the first step is that of the identification through the sustained research and analysis of the climbing society. The second effort is represented by the adaptation of the company and its systems and subsystems to the new challenges in the society.

1.6. Other changes necessary in the larger system to make your system work

The currently discussed subsystem is in fact a newly added particularity of the entire system which strives to increase the chances of climbing success. The training of the climbers has always been present on the curricular of the T. Company, but it has only recently been emphasized as an individual subsystem which would be offered more attention. In this order of ideas then, the subsystem has generated the need for several changes at the level of the entire system. The most important of them refer to the following:

The reallocation of the resources in order to meet the new preparation needs

The hiring of more trainers to physically and mentally prepare the climbers

The acceptance of potential delays in the climbing activities

The acceptance of potential customer complaints

The overall change of the organizational culture from one focused on business gains to one focused on climbing success and safety.

1.7. Implementation plan

The plan for the so far mentioned subsystem would be implemented as follows:

a) the identification of all climbers

b) the assessment of the mental and physical preparedness of all climbers

c) the division of the climbers into groups. Based on their levels of physical and mental preparedness to climbing the mountain

d) the offering of physical training through various exercises, such as weight carrying or mount climbing; we believe that the best way to train for climbing the Everest is that of climbing

e) the offering of mental training by ensuring that the climbers are mentally strong and stable and they understand the risks of the mountain, such as hallucinations or health complications

f) the offering of environmental responsibility training in order to ensure that the expedition would not generate environmental damage

g) the offering of training sessions on any other climbing related issues, such as packing, weight carrying and so on h) the customization of the training sessions to the particular needs of the team members

i) Individual discussions with the climbers in order to identify any important elements which could impact the climbing activity

j) the retesting of the climbers and the construction of the final teams

1.8. Post system assessment and action to be taken

The control and monitoring of the preparation of the climbers would be ensured at all stages of the training processes. The success of the endeavor would be measured in terms of the climbing success rates. In other words, it would be expected that the number of people reaching the summit of Everest and who use the T. Company plan to do so is higher than the 20-30 per cent average of all climbers.

The action to be taken refers to the gradual perfection of the subsystem in order to ensure that the safety of the climbers is increased and that their chances of reaching the summit are also enhanced. The scope of the gradual development is also an organizational one of supporting efficiency.

1.9. Attachments

At this stage of the document, the system design would be revealed at the level of one of the most important subsystems, the preparation of the climbers for the trip:

The following lines reveal the points of importance at each f the subsystem components:

1) Higher objectives

Climbing the Everest

Keeping the team safe

Increasing the experience of the climbers

2) Lower objectives

Ensuring the satisfaction of the team with the services provided by the T. Company

Setting the basis for future collaborations

Supporting word of mouth publicity through the satisfaction of the current climbers

3) Standards

Physical and emotional fitness of the climbers

High levels of training and preparation of the team members

Technical standards, such as weight to be carried by each climber or the oxygen required

Environmental responsibility (Alpine Ascents, 2011)

4) Outputs

The climbing of the Everest

The safe return of all team members

The satisfaction of the climbers with the climbing experience as well as with the services provided by the T. Company

5) Feedback

The feedback received by climbers upon reviewing the plan and completing the training

Customization of the plan based on team features, such as size, physical fitness of the climbers and so on

6) Control

Initial control of the fitness, motivation and skills of each climber

Continuous controls of the state of each climber

7) Activities

Training of the team members

Physical checkups of all climbers

Packing supports

Raising environmental responsibility awareness and support

Mental preparation: understanding the risks, such as the potential for hallucinations or frostbite

Insuring the climbers against any potential risks associated with climbing (de Garis and O'Connell, 2003 de Garis and O'Connell, 2003).

8) Inputs

Personal commitments and desires of both climbers as well as T. Company staff

Long existent expertise of the staff at the T. Company

Financial investments. A trip to the Everest would generically commence at a minimum investment of $25,000 (eHow, 2011).

References:

Boukreev, a., DeWalt, G.W., the climb: tragic ambitions on Everest, St. Martin's Griffin, 1999, ISBN 0312206372

de Garis, K., O'Connell, D.., How to climb Everest, the Guardian, Edition of March 30, 2003

Everest, Alpine Ascents, 2011, http://www.alpineascents.com/everest.asp last accessed on February 23, 2011

How to climb Mount Everest, eHow, 2011, http://www.ehow.com/how_17485_climb-mount-everest.html last accessed on February 23, 2011

About climbing mount Everest, Adlers, http://www.adlers.com.au/aboutclimbing.php last accessed on February 23, 2011