Business Function Integration Paper - Assignment Example

Business Function Integration Paper Separate functional areas in a large organization are easily identifiable. This is because most of the business functions are divided into many departments that help run the large organization. These departments perform functions by people working together to attain the organization’s main objectives. These departments are managed by the different department heads that report to the main head appointed by the stakeholders of the organization. It is through such division that an organization can realise some of its weak, or strong points (Alexis 46).

This paper will review how functional areas in an organization integrate to drive firm performance. How functional areas drives firm performance directly There are a number of functional areas in an organization or business. These areas are the key areas that a business is heavily reliant on to ensure the smooth flow of operations. If one department would be left to take care of everything, not much would be achieved in the organization (Alexis 52). This is the main purpose of functional areas, to ensure that operations run smoothly in the organization.

The human resource department, for instance, is responsible for helping an organization attain some of its targets. This is by managing the employees in the firm, and dealing with issues that may rise in the organization. Human resource is linked directly to employees in a firm since it is responsible for how they behave and relate to each other. Professional behaviour creates a pleasant working environment for everyone, thus ensuring an organization’s exceptional performance (Alexis 56). Integration of functional areas to drive firm performance Functional areas that are usually integrated into others are the research and development department, and sales and marketing department.

Both these functional areas are responsible for seeing the firm attain some of its financial objectives. With the research department, the requirement will be to find out the market that is available for their products. In the marketing department, the task will be how to penetrate this market, thus increasing the sales the firm makes in a financial year (Alexis 60). This integration means that both departments are linked directly to finding the best possible way to maximise profits. If they manage to do so, then they are highly likely to attain the firm’s objectives.

These functional areas are bound together, and are meant to ensure that the firm is driven toward a certain objective (Alexis 66). This is what happens to most of the functional areas. The achieving of departmental success is usually seen as the organization’s success. How one functional area determines the success of another area In many cases, if one department fails to achieve the targets that are present in the organization, then all the functional areas are bound to fail. This means that all of them need to work together.

No one functional area is seen as being superior to another. The togetherness ensures that all of them work toward the organization’s goals. This also prevents conflict, in the long run (Alexis 70). Conflict that may emanate from employees who might presumably think their functions in the organization are above others. In conclusion, it is vital for organizations to realise that, in order to achieve success, it is best they look for functional areas that best suit them. The integration of these areas may mean that they will be better placed to tackle issues that may arise.

This enables an organization realise its main objectives, and maintain their place at the top (Alexis 75). This integration will determine this, and it is through proper management that success will arise. Work cited Alexis, Leon. Enterprise Resource Planning. New York: Bantam Books, 2007. Print.