An analysis on

management practice of
Grameenphone
Submitted to
Tasnim Tarannum (TNN)
Lecturer
Dept. of Management
North South University

Organizational Management
MGT212
Section 3

Submitted by
Group B
Mehraj Alam Abesh
2211065030
Anika Bushra
2221217630
Noorjahan Sharif Chowdhury
2232355630
Sabina Ansary Reshmee
2211940030

20th December 2022

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Grameenphone is a telecommunication company that started its journey in 1997 and provided
Sim cards in 1999. From 1997 to 2022, Grameenphone had to go through battlegrounds to
achieve and cherish the title of the market leader in telecommunication. Before 1999
communication over the mobile phone was a thing of luxury, which barrier was broken by the
Grameenphone and made it available for mass people. Moreover, Grameenphone contributed
both to the country's economy and communication sector. Because of Grameenphone,
Bangladesh achieved new heights with faster internet, call time, and a broad network. In the
dynamic company of technology, GP and its management team must constantly adapt and
learn new ways to stay ahead of the competitors to stay in the lead. As the market leader,
Grameenphone always brought products that revolutionized systems like any other company
in Bangladesh. Despite Grameenphone's going through legal, economic, environmental, and
political issues, the management of GP overcame every obstacle and made the company the
market leader. The whole journey of Grameenphone used to being a rookie company to
becoming a market leader projects a strong message that, going through and coming out
victorious needs a fine set of steering wheels and a clear vision of the finish line.
TABLE OF CONTENT

Title Page No

Introduction 1
Objective 1
Methodology 1
Limitation 1
Overview of Grameenphone 2
Mission 2
Vision 2
Goals 3
Company Organogram 4-5
Organization’s Culture 6
Situational Analysis 7-9
Internal Situational Analysis 7-8
External Situational Analysis 9
SWOT Analysis 10-12
Strategies 13
Corporate Strategy 13
Competitive Strategy 13
Functional Strategy 13
Management Action 14
Recommendation 15
Conclusion 16
Reference 17
4. INTRODUCTION
Grameenphone is the leading telecommunication brand in Bangladesh. How it improved the
lives of the people of this nation does not need an explanation. They believe in providing the
finest service to their customer and have been doing it since 1999.

Objective
This report aims to project the portfolio of Grameenphone, its journey, its ups and downs, and
how the company became a market leader in telecommunications.

Methodology
This report was
done with both
primary and
secondary
research data.
Mr. Habib
Ghazi, an
expert in Talent
& Employer
Branding, gave
an Interview.
The report was
done using the
data from the
Figure-1: Group Photo of the Interview
interview and
many other authentic online sources.

Limitation
This report only explores the managerial field of
Grameenphone and not more than that. It does not
contain any information about other departments
or functions of the company.

Figure-2: Visiting card of Habib Ghazi

Page | 1
5. OVERVIEW OF GRAMEENPHONE
Native Name গ্রামীনফোন
Type Public
Traded as DSE: GP
Industry Mobile telecommunication services
Founded 1997; 25yrs ago in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Founder Iqbal Quadir, Muhammad Yunus
Headquarters GP House, Bashundhara, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Area Served Bangladesh
Key People Yasir Azman (CEO)
Products Mobile, E-SIM, 5G
Services GPAY, MyGP, Bioscope, GP Music, EasyNet, MobiCash,
Ichchhe Tune, Music Radio, Vehicle Tracking, Smart Tracker,
Full Track, Call Block, GP Krishi Sheba, Unlimited Roaming,
(Many more)
Revenue US$ 143.07 million (2021)
Net Income US$ 34.13 million (2021)
Number of Employees 5995 (2022)
Parent Company(ies) Telenor, Grameen Telecom
Website Grameenphone.com
Total Subscriber(s) 83.26 million

Mission
We are here to help our customers.
We exist to help our customers get the full benefit of being connected. Our success is
measured by how passionately they promote us.

Vision
Empower Societies
We provide the power of digital communication, enabling everyone to improve their lives,
build societies and secure a better future for all.

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Goals
Customers satisfaction
Sales-oriented services are focused on the set of consumers they serve. So, GP aims to obtain
that satisfaction by creating consumer value.

Internet Access
As of 2022, the whole world spends time online more than anything, which is an opportunity
Grameenphone aims to grab by enhancing its digital presence.

Personalization
Grameenphone designs its products and services in such a way that will attract more
consumers utilizing their current subscribers.

Efficient Operations
GP constantly explores to find the best possible way of achieving the most efficient level of
productivity.

Digital Positions
As the virtual world is becoming meta, GP must maintain a digital position to keep up with
its dynamic market. GP aims to be a company of green management.

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 6. COMPANY ORGANOGRAM

Board of Directors
Grameenphone

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Company Secretary

Yasir Azman S M Imdadul Haque

Chief Marketing Officer Chief Financial Officer

Sajjad Hasib Jens Becker

Chief Technology Officer Chief Corporate Affairs Officer

Jai Prakash Hans Martin Hoegh Henrichsen

Chief Human Resources Officer Chief Business Officer

Syed Tanvir Husain Asif Naimur Rashid

Chief Digital & Strategy Officer

Solaiman Alam

Page | 4
Unlike before, Now Grameenphone tends to be more organic regarding organizational
structure. The whole company focused more on utilizing cross-functional teams, Low
formalization, and convenient & efficient ways of communication among the stakeholders.
The current chain of command focuses on being flat to maintain a wide span of control that
will inspire the employees to be more innovative and effective in their jobs.
As Grameenphone's culture encourages flexibility and freedom, the company maintains a flat
chain of command which consists of 3 layers of management. These layers are,
 Executives
 Directors
 Managers
Executives, or Chief Executive Officers and Company Secretaries, have the highest authority
in the company. Directors are responsible Cross hierarchical teams and their actions.
Managers are primarily effective in their maintenance of the information flow.

Grameenphone tries to maintain a competitive pay scale for all its employees. According to
GP, they give the same, if not higher, salary than their competitors like Banglalink, Robi, and
Teletalk. Based on calculated assumptions, the pay scale of the Grameenphone hierarchy
could be,

Page | 5
7. ORGANIZATION'S CULTURE
While a dysfunctional workplace culture brings out tendencies that can impede even the most
successful firms, a great workplace culture showcases beneficial features that result in
enhanced performance. As an organization of significant influence and impact,
Grameenphone has a set of solid cultures that everybody follows. Grameenphone's innovative
culture inspires and motivates employees through activities, celebrations, and specific
incentives. For instance, performance bonuses, rewards, service benefits, and yearly picnics.
Celebration of different occasions and wishing employees their birthday or anniversary to
motivate them.
The organization has a zero-tolerance policy against corruption that helps the organization to
keep and maintain a well-groomed reputation.
The organization strongly follows some cultures called the 4 behaviors of the company,
including team orientation and people orientation. The cultures are,

Teamwork
working in groups for better output and communication builds strong relations between
employees.

Being respectful
Employees must respect each other and maintain a hierarchy between seniors and juniors.

Keeping promises
The organization has a culture of keeping promises. They hold the promise if anyone
promises to complete the delivery by the next day.

Inclusivity
The company tries to include everyone in all operations to achieve the goal more efficiently.
The company works like a family.

Page | 6
8. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

Internal Situational Analysis

Employee skills
Emotional intelligence
It refers to the ability to manage emotions skillfully. It is a crucial skill when it comes to
working well with people.

Leadership skills
Good leadership skills mean having a high emotional quotient, making tough decisions, being
focused, and being great at problem-solving.

Negotiation skills
Negotiation skills require employees to be good at communicating, which employees of GP
possess skillfully.

Assets
GP was incorporated on 10 October 1996 as a private limited company. It was converted to a
public limited company on 25 June 2007. GP became stock listed and started trading at
Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchanges on 16 November 2009. The shareholding structure
involves two sponsor Shareholders, Telenor Mobile Communications AS (55.80%) and
Grameen Telecom (34.20%).
GP operates a digital mobile telecommunications network based on the GSM standard in the
900 MHz, 1800 MHz, and 2100 MHz frequency bands under a license permitted by the
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
Spectrum Bandwidth (MHz) Expiry
 900 MHz 2×7.4 2026
 1800 MHz 2×7.2 + 2×7.4 2026
 1800 MHz 2×5 2033
 2100 MHz 2×10 2028
As of December 2017, the company’s network covered more than 99% of Bangladesh’s
population with 2G services and more than 92% with high-speed 3G network. GP was
granted with license for 4G/LTE cellular mobile phone services on 19 February 2018. The
company has invested more than BDT 313 billion to build the network infrastructure. GP is
one of the largest taxpayers in Bangladesh, having contributed more than BDT 585 billion in
direct and indirect taxes to the Government Exchequer since its inception.

Page | 7
The shareholders
Telenor Mobile Communications AS (TMC)
TMC is an indirectly entirely owned subsidiary of Telenor. Listed on the Oslo Stock
Exchange, Telenor is the leading Telecommunications Company in Norway. TMC owns
55.80% shares of Grameenphone Ltd. In 1855 Telenor was founded and built on over 160
years of telecom experience from Norway. Telenor today has mobile operations with firm
market positions in Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe, and Asia through global
expansion. As of 31st December 2017, Telenor had 178 million mobile subscribers across its
footprint and 2 million fixed broadband, and 2 million TV customers in Scandinavia. Telenor
uses its experience in its markets to developing emerging markets like Bangladesh.
As part of the conversion of Grameenphone from a private limited to a public limited
company, Telenor Mobile Communications AS transferred 10 shares each on 31 May 2007 to
its 3 associate organizations which include Nye Telenor Mobile Communications II AS,
Norway; Telenor Asia Pte. Ltd., Singapore; and Nye Telenor Mobile Communications III
AS, Norway.

Grameen Telecom (GTC)

Grameen Telecom owns 34.20% of the shares of Grameenphone Ltd. It was established by
Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, in 2006.
As part of the conversion of Grameenphone from a private limited to a public limited
company, Grameen Telecom transferred 1 share each on 31 May 2007 to Grameen Kalyan
and Grameen Shakti.

Page | 8
External Situational Analysis
External situation is analyzed by using a tool called PESTLE,
Political
In a country of unstable politics, Grameenphone, a company of technology that handles the
nation's countless pieces of information, must be constantly alert about its actions and
agendas.

Economical
The nation's economy took a critical hit because of the global economic crisis due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, in which Grameenphone made less profit in 2021 than in 2020. In
2020 it did 37,187 million BDT, which is 3,058 million BDT more than it did in 2021.

Social
Even though Bangladesh has a literacy rate of 74.66%, most educated people are in urban
areas, making it challenging for Grameenphone to provide the rural regions with its products
and services because rural areas have more illiterate citizens.

Technological
As the technology field is vast and dynamic, GP needs to keep up with speed and adopt new
techs and ways. A significant example can be the E-Sim that GP provides to its customers.

Legal
Laws & Regulations set by the nation's leaders play a significant role in GP's business. On
June 28th, 2022, BTRC directed GP not to sell any new sim cards, which decreased the
company's profit.

Environmental
Due to global warming and frequent natural disasters, people are more sensitive towards the
environment, and its wellbeing, for which companies like Grameenphone and many more are
pivoting towards green management.

Page | 9
9. SWOT ANALYSIS OF GRAMEENPHONE

Strength
Broad and robust network coverage

Page | 10
Grameenphone has a network architecture that is very extensive in Bangladesh and reaches
99.6% of the population. Its strong network signal reaches the farthest parts of the nation.

Support from the sponsor companies

The significant advantages of Grameenphone are Telenor, which has been present in 12
countries for almost as long, and whose knowledge of the international market and enormous
financial assistance.

Brand value
Over the years, GP has developed a customer-centric brand through its creative marketing
initiatives and top-notch customer support. Customers think it is worthwhile to pay more for
its services.

Diversified product line

GP has expanded its operations into other industries and provided essential services. It has a
fully operational OTT platform, FinTech service, B2B products and services, and device
selling.

Weakness
Premium pricing strategy
GP's services and goods are a little more expensive than those of the other players in the
market. Even if it offers better and more convenient services, a sizable portion of the market
prefers the less expensive options.

Lacks differentiation
Both in terms of internet speed and the strength of the network signal, the service quality
provided by mobile network operators is essentially the same.

Not adhering to all laws and rules

Although the dominant player in the market, GP frequently disregards laws and rules
established by the BTRC and the government. NBR often created disputes with GP since it
failed to pay all taxes and VATs on time.

Reliant on a dangerous submarine cable network system

Bangladeshi network operators employ a submarine cable network infrastructure that is
subpar. These wires are frequently severed for unknown reasons. The internet is slower
because of this interruption.

Page | 11
Opportunity
Rapid digital transformation
In recent years, people's reliance on mobile devices has grown. There was 17.01 crore active
mobile customers, in Bangladesh at the end of 2020, which was more than the country's
population. The industry as a whole will grow as a result of this quick shift.

Post-epidemic purchasing patterns

People now routinely spend more money on online activities such as shopping, education,
and entertainment due to Covid-19. A vast potential has been created for GP's Bioscope,
GPAY, and GP Music by this new consumer behavior.

Consumers' increased purchasing power

As income rises, so do people's expenditures for a better lifestyle. In Bangladesh, the GDP
per capita is projected to reach $3,253 in 2026. The purchasing power and internet
consumption rates will rise due to rapid urbanization, work opportunities abroad, and jobs
with an online component. For future expansion, GP must take advantage of this.

Threat
More affordable and practical substitutes
Bangladesh placed 133rd out of 138 nations in a mobile internet speed test. Additionally, the
network signal is not strong but rather expensive. Due to these reasons, many individuals now
use alternatives like broadband data, IP call, and messaging.

Excessive government control

As a method of general population control, the Bangladeshi government frequently meddles
with Telcom providers' business operations. The government forces the operators to suspend
their services for days whenever any political issues arise.

Less use of public sector services

Grameenphone is not allowed to provide services relating to the public sector since only
state-owned operator Teletalk is given that responsibility.

High taxes and onerous regulations

Telecommunications businesses were subject to a 45% corporate income tax by the
government. The rate for other industries is 40%. In addition, corporations must pay BDT100
for each SIM and 5.5% of sales until 2030.

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10. STRATEGIES

Corporate Strategy
Grameenphone has established itself as a leading telecommunication company in
Bangladesh, and it would not have been possible without its corporate staff members. On the
Corporate level, GP followed only the growth and related and unrelated diversification
strategies. But after the recent events of BTRC banning the sale of new and old GP sims, GP
has started to implement a mixture of Growth and Renewal strategies. As GP is constantly
collaborating with Banks like Dutch Bangla Bank, Islami Bank, Mercantile Bank, and IFIC
Bank to gain profit from their Mobicash service, GP is being exposed to related and unrelated
diversification. Some of which not always bring the best results, for which GP uses the
Retrenchment strategy to eliminate easy weaknesses and overcome them by adjusting the
strong points.

Competitive Strategy
Assessing the portfolio of Grameenphone, it can be acknowledged that to gain a competitive
advantage, Grameenphone adopts a Differentiation strategy. GP offers services like
Bioscope, Mobicash, and other Talktime & internet offers, which provide the best value and
uniqueness for which consumers willingly pay a premium.

Functional Strategy
Each company has specific departments for their exclusive duties; GP is not unknown. These
functional departments are crucial for GP's prosperity.

Marketing Strategy
The Marketing team of Grameenphone persuades potential consumers through their
advertisements and mobile marketing. Moreover, they maintain public relations through the
24-hour helpline and other campaigns.

Financial Strategy
As GP follows a growth strategy, the company is keen on investing in new projects, and the
duty of finding profitable projects falls under the finance department.

IT Strategy

Page | 13
GP has to adapt to its dynamic and changing environment constantly. Even though these
situations can be complicated, the IT team of GP does a tremendous job maintaining the
server, information, and mainframe.

11. MANAGEMENT ACTIONS

GP's customer service, agent, and telecommunications services were in-house but have been
wholly outsourced since 2017. These services are provided by two-three companies, among
which Genex is prominent. In-house customer service could not provide quality service due
to the exponential growth in their customer base. Developing the My GP application has
helped solve many issues and answer many customer queries. Therefore, it has successfully
reduced customer or agent service dependency.

Competitive Pricing Policy

Grameenphone shares the market with Banglalink, Robi, and Teletalk, where the company
has to create prices that satisfy its consumers and shareholders. But as GP follows a
Differentiation strategy, maintaining a reasonable price for their premium products and
services is not feasible. This is why GP provides limited offers and other incentives to their
customers.

Scarcity in the Rural Areas

Bangladesh is a country of 171 million people, and many live in rural, remote areas where
Grameenphone cannot provide its products and services to their full potential. GP developed
more capable professionals and hardware to make these areas accessible.

Ineffective User-interface
Initially, MyGp app, Bioscope, and Mobicash did not have an attractive and user-friendly
interface. To address this problem, GP hired dedicated developers.

Political & Legal Issues

On June 28th, 2022, BTRC banned GP's new sim cards. The management team is dealing with
the Government of Bangladesh to solve this situation.

Lack of Original Content

Grameenphone's streaming platform, Bioscope, had a poor collection of exclusive content
minimized by heavily investing in media and content creators encouraging them to make
content for Bioscope.

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12. RECOMMENDATIONS
Market rivals in the telecommunications industry are fierce and offer nearly identical services
at less expensive rates. Therefore, some changes should be brought to keep GP in the market
as a leading brand.

GP must improve the quality of its services

Such as Internet Speed, Talk-time Rate, and Internet Price.

Alter its pricing approach to target a broader market

If GP wants to extend its dominance, they need to offer more value for the consumer's
money.

The business needs to spend more money on its digital services

MFS service GPAY and OTT platform Bioscope; since consumers are now switching to and
relying on these types of services rather than traditional ones, the pandemic and post-
pandemic periods would be the ideal times to grow these two enterprises.

Differentiation and diversity would soon be crucial to its success in the future
With time every market is changing and bringing innovation exponentially, and GP will have
to keep innovating to keep up with the demand.

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13. CONCLUSION
Grameenphone has been operating and thriving in Bangladesh for over 25 years, conquering
its obstacles. Despite going through so much endeavor, Grameenphone has built up a loyal
and solid customer base in Bangladesh and has achieved 83.02 million subscribers. Even
though Bangladesh has a fragile economy, Grameenphone and its business have constantly
contributed to it for the duration of its existence. Grameenphone has provided
telecommunication sim since 1999, and since then, Grameenphone has made communication
over mobile phones available, which was a luxury even in 1998. Grameenphone
revolutionized mobile telecommunication, and it has been leading the market ever since.

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REFERENCE

DhakaTribune- BTRC Bans Grameenphone [Nov 21, 2022]

Grameenphone- MobiCash

Glassdoor- Pay scale

Grameenphone- Organizational Structure

Grameenphone- Managerial Profile

Assignmentpoint- Organizational Structure

Grameenphone- Annual Report 2021

Blablawriting- Mission, Vision, Goal

Grameenphone- Our Brand

Comparably- Company Story

Page | 17
Grameenphone

Go Beyond

2022

Page | 18