Business Management Tasks - Essay Example

Task 1 a) Comparison of different organisational structures and culture There are various types of organisational structures, including: functional organisational structure, matrix organisation structure, projectized organisation structure, divisional organizational structure, flat organisation structure, and composite organisation structure. The kind of organizational structure that is used by Pizza Hut is divisional organizational structure. This is a kind of organizational structure that is appropriate for Pizza Hut owing to the fact that the company has multiple product lines. The decision making process at Pizza Hut is centralized, with authorities being narrowly defined. At the top of the structure is the CEO/President who oversees all the operations of the company he is at the top of the pyramid in decision making process. Company’s departments are categorized into either support or operations. Support include: human resources, finance, marketing, and property. Operation includes the other parts of the business. At Pizza Hut every division plays a different function making it easier for the CEO to determine whether or not the divisions are performing as per required. This is a kind of structure that encourages specialization as each division consists of employees who have the required skills, experience, and character that are required for the function that the division serves (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). The organization structure for Dal Corsaro consists of a president who seats at the top of the pyramid. The company is divided into departments each headed by a director. Every department has a specific function that is expected to perform a specific function the departments that are present in Pizza Hut are: marketing, human resource management, public relations, procurement, operations. This kind of organizational structure can be referred to as composite organizational structure because it is a blend of a hierarchical organizational structure and divisional organization structure (Mullins, 2013). Despite the fact that the organization has various departments performing different functions there are divisions within the department with the leader of each subdivision reporting to the head of department. If the two settings are compared it can be noted that there are a difference in the manner that things are done in the two situations. In the case of Pizza Hut it can be said that the division into department is necessitated by the need for the management to make sure that all the functions are catered and that there are people who are answerable for the functions. The same is the case for Dal Corsaro. However, Dal Corsaro makes the operation hierarchical so that they can be make work easier while at the same time making sure that the president has absolute control of everything that takes place at the organization (Mullins, 2013). There are various theories that are in existence in explanation of the various organisational cultures. The types of organisation cultures that are common in the modern business environment include: academy culture, normative culture, pragmatic culture, fortress culture, and process culture. The academy culture depends on hiring skilled employees whose performances are enhanced through training. Normative culture is a culture that is guided by strict regulations and policies with employees having specific roles given to them. Pragmatic culture is a culture that operates under the assertion that the customers are always right, thus all the activities are based on satisfaction of the wants of the customers (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). Fortress culture is a culture that is based on the performance of employees where job security is determined by the level of productivity of individual employees. Process culture has specific procedures that have to be used by all the employees in the organisation. b) Impact of organisation’s structure and culture relation on the performance of a business The culture and structure of an organisation is directly linked the performance of an organisation. Organisational culture dictates the manner in which people behave in an organisation. It determines some of the aspects that usually differentiate an organisation from others. However, it should be noted that the culture of an organisation determines how well an organisation can perform under a given culture, and vice-versa. Therefore the selection of the two will highly affect the manner in which an organisation operates and if such an organisation will be able to achieve their goals (Mullins, 2013). Organisational culture helps an organisation in the determination of how an organisation should expect their employees to behave and the attitude expected of every member of an organisation development of a structure becomes easier. Organisational structure enables organisations to maximize their output through making sure that all processes and activities within an organisation are structured in a given manner. An organisation might have the best employees that they can get but fail to maximize their productivity because they lack the appropriate organisational structure (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). If employees are not in touch with the processes, procedures, and policies in an organisation then it might be naïve for an organisation to expect employees to be at the best of their productivity in such a situation. c) Factors which influence individual behavior at work Demographic factors such as race, nationality, ethnicity, gender, and age can be of influence on the manner in which an employee behaves within an organisation. Most organisations will prefer people with good socio-economic background and young because researches have proved that they are always more productive as compared to the others (Mullins, 2013). However, older employees might be preferred under some circumstances because of their experience. An individual’s skills and ability might influence their performance. An individual is likely to perform well in an organisation if their skills and ability are in accordance with the job requirements (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). An individual employee’s perception can be of influence to the manner in which they behave in an organisation. Every individual can be able to interpret environmental stimuli on the basis of their reference. There are many factors that influence an individual’s perspective. A positive perspective usually means that the performance is most likely to be a good one (Mullins, 2013). Employee attitude can be of influence to their behavior. Family, culture, society, organisational factors, and peers can be of influence to the formation of attitude (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). An employee with a positive attitude will always perform better that those with negative attitude given that all the other factors remain constant. An individual’s personality has some influence on the manner in which they behave in an organisation. The personality of an individual can be influenced by factors such as heredity, society, family, situation, and culture. Difference in personalities explains the fact that different individuals might react differently to the same situation in an organisation (Mullins, 2013). The personality of an individual determines how well they can fit into the structure and culture of an organisation. This is always the most complex aspect of individual behaviour in an organisation. Task 2 a) Comparison of the effectiveness of different leadership styles in different organisations Different leadership styles are always appropriate for different organisations and situations. Aristocratic leaders are always authoritarian and takes little consideration of the contribution of employees in the decision making process. This is a type leadership that might be limiting to creativity and innovation as employees are expected to do as the managers want without questioning. The leadership style used at Pizza Hut is charismatic. A charismatic style of leadership will involve an individual who is highly gifted in motivation and would always involve employees in decision making whenever possible. This is a flexible style of leadership that enables a leader to respond to different business situations. Most of the managers who have been working at Pizza hub have always made sure that they create personal relationships with their subordinates and making sure that everything that takes place in the organization involves the contribution of the employees. David W Gibbs, the CEO at Pizza Hut is of the opinion that the employees are in a better position to be part of the implementation of a company’s strategy if they are of the opinion that they own the strategy. The only way through which this can be possible is through involving them in the decision making process (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). The style used by David W Gibbs is different from aristocratic because it does not involve making decision and making the decisions final, in that the employees have to implement them without rising any questioning. Gibbs’ style involve making the employees that they are part of the organization not just some labourers who are there to receive orders and act on them. This style is also far from bureaucratic because it is not based on following policies, but on making decisions based on the situation that the business is in and making sure that all the stakeholders’ interests are taken into consideration. This cannot be democratic because it does not necessarily giving all employees all they want, but taking their interests and opinions into consideration when making decisions (Mullins, 2013). 2.1. How organisational theory underpins the practice of management It should be noted that organisation theory is of high importance to management practice because of their ability to give guidelines on the manner in which aspects of an organisation can be streamlined in order to get the best from a business situation. Many managers strive to work in accordance with organisational theories so that they can become better managers. However, it should be noted that at point managers are always forced to drop their principles in order to make sure that are in a position to work in accordance to theory. This might be damaging to their identity and the identity of their principles as a person and as a leader. However, it should be noted that overemphasis on organisational theory might lead to a situation where leaders neglect some areas of the business (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). Organisational theories might also underpin an individual’s strengths and attribute, especially if sticking to theory denies someone the freedom of behaving and conducting themselves in a way that the best of their attributes can be put into use. This is an indication that organisational theories should only be applied in practical management if they actually suite the situation and the desired outcome of an organisation. 2.2. The different approaches to management used by different organisations The approaches to management used by different organisations include: human behavior approach, social system approach, decision theory approach, system approach, social-technical systems approach, management science approach, systems approach, operational approach, and situational approach (Mullins, 2013). Human behavior approach involves understanding of human of human behavior in order to be able to influence their performance through god human relations and motivation. The social system approach is based on the understanding of an organisation as a social system involving cultural relationships. This helps in fulfilling the demands of the society in which a business operates. Social-technical systems approach considers organisation to be a blend of two systems: the technical and social system. This approach involves using technical understanding of processes and social systems to get the best from organisations. The decision theory approach believes that management is all about being able to make the right decisions. The management science approach focuses on using of mathematical techniques and tools in decision making. The system approach asserts that a business organisation is a complex whole which includes various sub-systems which are interdependent and work together towards the achievement of the common goal of an organisation. Task 3 3.1. The impact that different leadership styles may have on motivation in organisations in periods of change The leadership style that is used by a manager determines their ability to influence the behavior of employees in an organisation and their ability to motivate employees. The most important role of a manager in an organisation is being able to manage and co-ordinate the resources of an organisation so as to achieve the goals of an organisation (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). Aristocratic leaders might have a hard time motivating employees because they focus on using their authority to influence the performance of employees. In such a setting, the only motivating factor might be the wrath of an organisation’s manager in case an employee fails to perform. This kind of situation can lead to mounting of pressure on employees. Furthermore, this is not the kind of leadership style that will motivate employees into going the extra mile (Mullins, 2013). In this setting all that an employee is likely to be interested in giving a performance that is satisfactory even if they are in a situation to do more than that. Bureaucratic might be able to come up with policies that are effective in guiding employees in performance that might lead to the achievement of the goals of an organisation. However, this might be ineffective in motivation of employees, especially in situations where the policies suddenly become ineffective for a particular situation (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). Democratic leaders have a high chance of motivating employees. The fact that they allow their employees to be involved in decision making means that the level of trust is high. However, the level of trust under a democratic leadership setting cannot be necessarily higher, especially in a case where the implementation of decisions that are made collectively usually (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). A charismatic leader is perfect for motivation. Apart from frequently involving employees in the decision making process, this style of leadership involves developing personal ties with the employees that might impact the level of trust that employees have (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). Personal interaction with employees of different levels and departments makes it easier for a leader to motivate employees because of the personalized relationship that follows. 3.2. Comparison of the application of different motivational theories within the workplace According to dual-factor theory asserts that there are two factors that can affect the satisfaction and motivation of employees in an organisation, namely: motivator factors and hygiene factors. Motivator factors are those that leads to motivation and satisfaction while hygiene factors are those that do not. This theory implies that for an organisation to do well all they have to do is increase the motivation factors while reducing the hygiene factors (Mullins, 2013). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs divides the needs of employees into five levels which are: psychological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization (Mullins, 2013). In order for an organisation to get the best from their employees they should make sure that all the levels of human needs are satisfied. This is because satisfaction always acts as a form of motivators and performance enhancer. The expectancy theory suggests that people usually choose the way they behave depending on the desirable outcome as a result of individual behavior. Therefore, people usually decide what to do depending on what they expect the outcomes to be (Mullins, 2013). The application of this theory in an organisation involves setting achievable goals and offering reward that are of the liking of the employees. The three dimension theory of attribution suggests that people usually attach meaning to other people’s and their own behavior. The main characteristics of attribution are: stability, controllability, and locus of control. This theory involves giving feedback that involves applauding good performance and giving advice on areas that can be improved in by individual employees. As a result, employees do not look at the lack of perfection as a result of lack of skills, but see the whole working process as a way through which they get closer and closer to perfection (Mullins, 2013). This is a theory that emphasizes in maximizing employees’ confidence in their abilities, thus pushing them towards achieving their maximum potential. It should be noted that this theory does not only focus on improvement but also acknowledgement of excellent performances. 3.3. The usefulness of a motivation theory for managers Motivation of employees is an important role in management. One of the ways through which motivation theory can be of help to a manager is helping them understand human psychology. Motivation is all about understanding how the human brain works and the manner that the thinking of a human being can be influenced. Emotions are also better understood through motivation theory, such as the expectancy theory (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). What should not be taken for granted is that satisfaction is very important when it comes to satisfaction of employees. In order for managers to make sure that their employees are satisfied they must first know what they need. This is the reason as to why a theory such as Maslow’s hierarchy is of high importance. Thinking of human needs without considering all the dimensions, then there is a high possibility of there being dissatisfaction among employees. There is a reason as to why every employee wakes up every working day looking forward to a busy day. For some it is about maximizing compensation, while to others it is about being a part of something. Whatever the reason, they are all explained by motivation theories. Therefore, through having proper understanding of motivation theory a manager can be able to come up with policies and corporate culture that will make employees look forward to coming to work. a manager should make sure that their employees see the workplace as the best place they should be. This kind of understanding can be costly to an organisation if it all came through practical experience. However, with understanding of theory a manager can be able to know exactly which strategy they can use to motivate employees, and exactly what to expect after implementation of the strategies (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). At the end of the day is all about being able to have employees give their best while at the same time being able to keep the best performers for as long as possible. Task 4 4.1. The nature of groups and group behavior within organisations In organisations, there are always various types of groups. The types of groups include: command groups, functional groups, interest groups, interests groups, and task groups. Command groups are usually composed of a supervisor or leaders, to whom the other members of the groups are supposed to report to. Task groups are always brought together with the purpose of achieving a given purpose. Functional groups perform a given function for a specific period of time. As soon as the purpose has been achieved, then the group is no longer needed. Members of such groups are included with specific roles that they are expected to play. Whichever the type of group is clearly evident that every group usually consists of people of different attributes, personalities, and skills coming together so that they can achieve a common goal (Mullins, 2013). In an organisation, group behavior is of high importance because it determines the level of cohesion in an organisation. An organisation should make sure that the behavior of groups within it is in compliance with the policies and regulations of the organisation. Most importantly, they should be of positive contribution to the goals of an organisation. Therefore, this is an assertion that the behavior of groups within an organisation should be in accordance with the culture of an organisation1. A group should be such as every member is driven by a common purpose. When driven by a common purpose and highly motivated groups might not necessarily need supervision, all they will need are set goals. 4.2. Factors that may promote or inhibit the development of effective teamwork in organisations One of the factors that can influence the effectiveness of a team is diversity. A team with diverse skills, cultures, and personalities can be highly productive if the differences are managed. However, diversity can inhibit the success of a group if not properly managed. Effective communication is important in teamwork. If people have to work as a team they need to have a way through which they communicate with each other (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). Therefore, good communication and interpersonal skills are very important for any person who intends to be effectively part of a team. Any team that lacks proper leadership will have a hard time doing well. A leader should be one who knows how to bring out the best at the same time doing all that they can to make sure that they prevent conflicts. This is a characteristic that is particularly important for a person in charge of a team with high diversity. Diversity makes it highly possible for conflicts to rise when people work together as a team. However, it is the responsibility of a leader to manage conflict whenever they erupt. A good leader should also be one with the ability to motivate members of the team so that they can give their best in the process (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). A leader should also be able to effectively delegate tasks. Cohesion is also a factor that can be of influence to the level to which an organisation is successful. This is because it is only through cohesion that a team can be able to work together towards achievement of a common goal (Robbins and Coulter, 2014). However, cohesion should start with the selection of members of a team with keen consideration of the traits of individual members and what they will be bringing to the team in terms of skills, experience, personality, and creativity. 4.3. The impact of technology on team functioning within a given organisation One of the ways through which technology might be of influence to the manner in which a group function is through enhancing communication. Through technology team members have been able to co-operate with each other through keeping in touch and being aware of the progresses being made by all the members of a team2. This is an indication that teams are no longer geographically restricted such that all members of a given groups usually have to be together in a single geographical location in order to work together. Technology also makes it easier for teams to plan through the creation of a virtual environment. It should be noted that planning is an important part of teamwork because it determines everything that a team will do so that they can be able to collectively achieve the goals that the groups is expected to achieve3. Mobile technology has also been helpful to many team members.one thing that should not be taken for granted is that geographical limitation is always a big problem to many teams. Furthermore, the time needed to travel from one geographical location to another can be used in doing some other tasks4. Therefore, a team member is not necessarily expected to travel from one place to another in order to effectively be a part of a team. References Mullins, L. J., Management and Organisational Behaviour, 10th edition Pearson Prentice Hall. 2013. Robbins, S. P., and Coulter, M.K.,Management,12th Edition Prentice hall. 2014. Read More