Reference no: EM131316445
Instructions :
•Use Microsoft word 2010 in formulating your answers.
•Write the answers in your language and avoid copying from the internet.
Answer the following questions:
1. What is management? Define it using your own words. What do managers do, discuss each briefly,
(a) Functions managers perform
(b) roles managers play
(c) skills managers Need.
2. What is an organization? Discuss the common characteristics of an organization. Why do we study management?
3. Define the term "organizational structure". List three features of a tall organizational structure. Briefly explain what is meant by the organizational hierarchy?
4. Darren is the manager of a branch of a well-known tool hire firm
• Anna is the assistant manager and she reports to Darren
• Anna delegates to the department managers - Jane, Tom and Omar
• Felicity, Matt and Ryan all report to Jane
• Rachel, Sally and Pete are accountable to Tom
• Omar is responsible for Jon, Mark, Sam and James Draw the organization chart for the tool hire firm.
(a) Who has the largest span of control and how big is it?
(b) How many layers are in this hierarchy?
(c) Who does Tom delegate to?
(d) Would you consider this to be a tall or flat structure?
(e) Why?
5. Read the scenario below and then write a report to the management of Webster's Water explaining the issues relating to organizational structure, making recommendations about how the organizational structure can be adapted to improve performance and competitiveness.
(a) Identify the problems with the current organization structure.
(b) Review the Specsavers case study to identify if any methods used in that organization may be adopted.
(c) Make any other suggestions about the organization structure that you think will improve the performance of the organization.
(d) Explain how your recommendations will improve performance.
Scenario:
Webster's Water is an organization that provides water coolers to businesses. It rents the equipment for a nominal fee to its customers who then enter into an agreement with the company for the replacement water bottles. Head Office is in Sheffield; however there are eleven regional offices around the UK. Each office has a manager, an assistant manager, an administration assistant, a sales team and a large number of delivery staff who takes the full water bottles to the organizations and collect the empties. There is a team leader in the sales team and a team leader for the delivery staff. Most decisions about promotional activities, recruitment and general operations are made by the senior managers at head office. Head office is also responsible for the procurement of the cooler equipment and water supplies. Buying in bulk allows them to benefit from economies of scale.
A recent worker satisfaction survey has uncovered that some staff are feeling demotivated,especially the delivery drivers and those in the sales team, although three of the managers also said they felt that they were not allowed enough responsibility. The main concern with the delivery staff was that they were overworked during the summer months because their customers were drinking more water and therefore needed it replenishing more often.
However, they were often ‘twiddling their thumbs' during the winter. Sometimes during the summer months there have been complaints from customers that their water deliveries were late.
In addition to this, the sales staff and delivery drivers feel very remote from the managers at head office. They have lots of ideas about how to improve the way the organization runs but don't think their suggestions ever reach the managers at head office who make the decisions. Senior managers are concerned about the findings from the worker satisfaction survey as they hadn't realized there were any problems and were expecting more positive feedback from their employees.
They have asked you to look into the matter for them.