Analysis Organization of Maxim Fire and Rescue Service - Case Study Example

Purpose of the study Identify the various aspect of organisation applicable to fire and rescue business Company Overview Maxim fire and rescue service is based in Nairobi, Kenya and started operations in 2005. It has around 500 employees and faces strong competition from the government quarters who dominates the fire and rescue services. Maxim fire and rescue has grown and with the strategies followed this is bound to improve. PESTLE Analysis Analyzing PESTEL which deals with “environmental factors will help to find out how the external factors affect Maxim fire and rescue services and ways which will help them to stay ahead of competition”. (Aguilar 45) This deals with both “micro-economic and macro economic factors and analyzing those will help to find factors that can be controlled and used towards the advantage of the company”. (Aguilar 46) Political: The laws framed by the government affect the way a company performs. For example, a law has been framed regarding the use of fuel so Maxim fire and rescue service needs to ensure that that fuel is prohibited. Stability on the political front also affects the policies framed by the companies. When there is instability it affects the performance and laws are not followed. For example, in 2007 Kenya witnessed post election clashes and houses and business were burnt and due to lack of government policies even the fire rescue services were inefficient to curb those as safety was a priority. Thus the policies failed due to the political scenario. Economic: The growth rate of a company depends on the performance of the economy. The wage rate and the cost for maintaining a facility has to be decided before hand as fire is a once time event. So, deciding on this factor will be guided by the growth in economy especially for a developing company like Maxim fire and rescue services which is new into this line of business. Social: Social factors govern the growth of the company. Maxim fire and rescue services need to ensure that customer are treated at par and services rendered by them satisfy the customer. This will ensure customer using their service and also pay more for the goodwill it has created for its services. Technology: With changing times and technological advancement Maxim fire and rescue services need to be at their feet. They need to continuously research and come with new ways to douse fire and improve their fire fighting skills and match those with the growth in other countries. Environment: Maxim fire and rescue services need to protect the environment as the entire globe is looking for ways to reduce carbons so the company needs to follow it so that it earns a good reputation and people prefer those by having equipments which are eco-friendly and recyclable. Legal: Maxim fire and rescue services need to adhere to the legal requirements. For example, there is a prescribed limit on the number of person that can go on a rescue services so they need to adhere to it. Similar other laws need to be adhered to. Individuals’ and team role within organisation The following deals with individual and team roles within the organisation to ensure efficient services. Learning Cognitive approach towards learning helps toe individual to determine the things based on his own principle of what is wrong and right. Person’s behaviour needs to be understood and based on those the person be motivated. Reinforcement can act as a way where the person is rewarded for the good work so that such behaviour is repeated again. Negative punishment like reduction is compensation can act as a way to ensure that the negative behaviour is not repeated again. This will facilitate learning and develop the individual. Personality Managers need to evaluate the personalities of a person which will help to identify his strength and weakness and devise strategies based on those to avoid conflicts. Managers need to understand these personalities and they are four in total. They are as “phlegmatic who are thoughtful and calm, melancholic who are moody and pessimist and rigid and people avoid those, choleric who are aggressive and competitive and lastly sanguine who are liked by everyone and are good leader”. (Miller 33) Managers need to access the personality of each person and this can be done by visualising the manner in which the task is compiled by them. Communication Managers need to ensure that the communication process is complete. Care should be taken to ensure that information passes from the managers to employees without hindrance. This can be achieved by developing healthy relations. This will make the communication process to be free from barriers. This can be achieved be ensuring that “information is passed by talking directly with the person so that the reactions can be recorded and assessments made which helps to develop the communication process”. (Shawn par. 5) This will also reduce the over reliance on technology for communication. Maxim fire and rescue services should ensure that clear instructions are communicated to the employees to reduce confusion. Importance should also be laid on feedback. Maxim fire and rescue services should ensure that the members who return from a rescue operation provide their input and feedback is also provided from the management regarding to it. This will ensure that even the doubts are cleared and will lead to efficiency. Perception The perception of a workplace also determines the likeness for the job and his efforts towards it. Maxim fire and recue services should ensure that positive perceptions of the people are brought forward and people mix and socialize so that satisfaction is high. At the same time efforts should be made to ensure that bad perceptions are avoided as it will de-motivate the employees. Motivation Managers need to ensure that employees are motivated to work and perform their task. This is more for the fire and rescue services to see that the fire fighters are always ready whether at night or while partying to save the lives and perform their duties. There are many motivational theories which will help. One such theory is as follows The theory of Maslow Hierarchy theory of motivation founded by Abraham Maslow will help to motivate them. This model is divided into five levels each dealing with different needs. The first level deals with the basic needs. The basic needs are air, water, sleep and so on. The compensation package paid to the employee helps to achieve those so the package should be sufficient to ensure his basic needs. The second level is safety needs. Employees want safety in jobs and financial security. Managers should ensure that employees get the safety needs. This will arise when their level one need is met. So management must ensure that employees are motivated accordingly. The third level is social needs. Every person needs that people recognize them and at the same time love them. Maxim fire and rescue service needs to ensure that the efforts of people are recognized and this can be achieved by creating groups where people work together and recognize the efforts of individuals and satisfy their social needs. The fourth level is esteem needs. Employees want that people recognize their efforts. Maxim fire and rescue services needs to ensure that talent is recognised and responsibilities are entrusted to them to perform their duties. The final level is the self actualisation needs. This is the highest need. This will help employees take more responsibilities. Maxim fire and rescue services can ensure that employees whose highest level needs are satisfied are entrusted with more responsible jobs as they have better efficiency and the desire to prove their worth. Formal & Informal groups Organisations have a mix of formal and informal groups. Formal groups are those which are run by the organisation and informal are the ones formed on the basis of opinion and perceptions. Difference in perception makes it important that leaders take up the responsibility and bring everyone to a common platform. This makes it important for managers to demarcate the responsibilities and powers so that a clear understanding is created. Types of Team There are three type of team. They are Project team: created with the object of achieving a particular task Cross functional team: created with people from different department working together Self directed team: created with the monopoly to take decision Maxim fire and rescue services needs to ensure that they have a cross functional team. This will lead to making the fire fighters of different departments to work together. Role definition Management are of three types as stated below Upper management including directors and senior managers Middle management including managers and executives Lower management including officers The management needs to decide their leadership structure so that the decision taken flows easily and results in better decision. Organisational Process & development Organisation need to ensure that they change. They should encourage ideas. Management needs to have forums and discussions with the employees and management so that they are in tune with the developments. Management should also look forward to journals so that vital information regarding to the changes are taken control of. This defines in the term of Schein into culture of three types. They are Artefacts which is physical attributes Interacting which is personal and organisational values Tacit assumption about unseen behaviour (Schein, 36) Culture thus, shapes the society as one feels it and forms a very integral part of every organisation. Organisational Management Management have different leadership strategy to choose from like “scientific approach, the excellence approach, the value leadership perspective, the trust culture or the Whole soul approach”. Scientific approach deals with “strategy to achieve the objective of the business”. The excellence theory deals with perfection and delivering the best service and product. The value leadership perspective lays stress on “relationship between leader and his subordinates”. The trust culture relates to “leadership and colleague”. Lastly the whole soul approach states that “spiritual leads to proper management”. Thus, importance is laid on acceptance and attribute that contribute towards leadership. (Fairholm 578) Decision making also forms a very vital part. The management needs to ensure that tough decisions are taken by the top management and easier one by lower levels so that transformation can take place. Conflicts Management needs to ensure that conflicts between the employees and departments are well handled. Difference in opinions and ideas will makes conflicts to arise so steps need to be taken to reduce it. Management needs to do it is a competitive manner. Management should look to take the best decision which works for the good of most. Secondly, is the collaborative approach which looks into the needs of others? Thirdly, is accommodating who allows others to do what they feel and is acceptable to change. Fourthly, is compromising which looks into decision favouring both. Lastly, ensuring that conflict don’t arise by delegating responsibility. (Mindtools par. 4) Power & Politics Management needs to ensure that people don’t run after power and use their position to create an environment which results in politics and people acting for their own good. Management needs to guard against those. Conclusion Organisation need to look into the manner the management is performing and take steps to reduce failures. The internal & external environment needs to be evaluated and ensured that it helps the organisation to perform better. Read More