Organizational Effectiveness in Entrepreneurial Firms - Assignment Example

Discuss 4 key factors that Operations Managers have to be aware of to be able to anticipate changes in products & services Different organizations operate differently. This does not mean that their working methodologies might not be the same but then again there are a lot of similarities in their work ethics, styles and ways and means. It brings us to the point that these different organizations have managers who work solely for the different functions within the various departments and it is up to these operational managers as to how they execute their undertakings and measures on a regular basis. The basic purpose is to bring the whole list of activities and tasks of the organization on a common platform, a place from where the top management is better able to draft its policies and eventually execute the manner in which these policies are basically run after the decisions are made on those very aspects of consideration. (Duke, 2003) In line with the proposition as to whether these operational managers discern ways of enacting responses from the relevant quarters when it comes to products, services and their related operations, we see that their role is immense and they have to bring about activities right from scratch. In other words, they are the actual fathers of different processes and activities which are going on within an organization and with which there are a lot of hopes and wishes attached. They bring with them a whole list of different undertakings and steps, though accountable at many different levels yet open for judgment on the part of one and all. With this, they ensure that the different policies and steps are in line with the organization’s basic values, core mission and vision statements and more than anything else, in line with the ethical and moral grounds in which the particular business operates. (Tannenbaum, 2003) The four different aspects that the operation managers have to take care of within an organization include their role at managing in an effective and efficient manner when there is discussion of the organization’s different departments, operational activities and so on and so forth. Then they need to uphold work and staff quality at all times which means that the work done by the workers and the employees alike should match some pre set standards and there is no alienation as far as this point of view is concerned. The third significant point of the operational managers is that they have to plan in a sound manner all the different things, control these activities and tasks and make them plot against short term gains rather than having a long run perspective and integrate all these activities so that there is a complete mesh in the related ranks and the synchronization is pretty apparent at the end. The last imperative basis holds on the part of the operational manager in the form of his lookout for constant changes that happen within the realms of an organization and which cannot be denied their due role in the proper scheme of things. This means that the change factor has to be studied in the light of the consistency basis since as the maxim goes change is the only constant, thus we have to understand the basis of change from that very point of view nonetheless. Operational managers have to see that the new products and/or services mark the very basis for an organization and it is because of these products/services that the company is moving in a swift manner in a forward direction. (Huy, 2002) This all their efforts have to be in line with the organization’s ever changing needs and desires, to get its products/services on top of the retail shelves or in terms of promotional activities. For this they devise routes which could lead them towards success and achieving benchmarks within the shortest possible time. However on the part of these operational managers, there is an earnest wish not to compromise on quality at the same time. These new products and/or services are very significant to the eventual basis of the business because they set forth the direction in which the business would actually shape up as well as the needs and wants of the business would also be fulfilled due to the very same. Now in order to establish as to how these new products and/or services are significant to the working basis of the operational managers, we need to study the four different aspects, which have been mentioned earlier, in detail so as to connect a link between their working boundaries and the effect the same has on products/services. The first task of an operational manager is with regards to the management perspective which means that an effective management can only lead to a complete synchronization activity within the realms of a business enterprise and hence all the roles that are played by this operational manager have to be in line with the desires of the new product and/or service. (Richter, 2006) What this actually means is the fact that the operational manager has to chalk down the exact mechanisms by which he would counter pressure and deliver goods when the going gets tough. This is just a single example of the tremendous other possibilities that might arise in the wake of hindrances that operational managers have to face every now and then. Having said that, the need is to ascertain the exact basis for their working regimes and then meshing the same along with the line managers so that they could deliver their respective duties and fulfill the goals which rest on their shoulders. Effective management is only possible when the manager prioritizes things accordingly and there is absolute connection between the different workflows and activities. There should not be any flaws in the system and as we may speak, the whole synchronization should be present in the operational basis of the system on which the operational manager is focused towards whilst delivering his best towards the organization and indeed the distinctive departments of the business. The deployment of an efficient performance management system policy within the organization would indeed help it to essentially tackle its internal issues in a better and more effective manner possible. Performance management systems will definitely ensure that the performance levels of all employees would exceed the expectations since it will guarantee them instant rewards and incentives. Their interaction with each other would develop in an informal manner and thus a competitive environment would sustain within the organizations. The ideology could literally backfire if there is a complete lack of commitment on the part of the people who are at the helm of affairs in the said organizations and were just interested with bringing the system to their respective organizations but not with their actual working methodologies. The companies which will benefit from the results of the performance management systems would indeed be the leaders in their business geographical zones and thus stand out amongst the very best. Operational managers need to make fast and accurate decisions in the best of times and for that they are accountable to each and every person in the company, not to forget the top management who keeps a note of all the dealings and processes that the managers undertake. For this, operational managers have to be sharp and visionary with the future in mind, both from the company’s perspective as well as that of the customers for which the company is actually striving to make some efforts. Operational managers also need to understand that the strategic options can be balanced alongside the tactical and short lived goals which are basically brought into play so as to meet some realistic goals and tasks. They need to align the same in the light of the mission and vision statements which are drawn up by the company when it was formed. The second factor that an operational manager does is to maintain and uphold quality level at all times and in doing so, it has to ensure that there are no such discrepancies. For this to happen, operational manager has to make giant leaps in order to forego the loopholes which usually arise from time to time. (Hall, 2002) The basic function that could be accredited to the role of an operational manager is the fact that he brings to the whole equation a sense of calm and smoothness when the processes are involved and there is discussion of the different tasks and activities. The products/services that are being introduced in the organization must definitely have to be seen in the context of the quality levels which are spoken of in very prominent and clear cut terms. More than that, the induction of these very products and/or services in the realm of an organization involves strict quality control levels so that there are no units or pieces of the product which are left at the scrap yard and thus owing to immense losses on the part of the organization. This is a major point of loss and distress when we see the same in the perspective of the operational managers. Both strategically and otherwise the roles and responsibilities of the operational manager entails that he must check for the inconsistencies which are present in the prevalent system and thus make sure that the new products and/or services are error free and pretty much in line with the quality control handbook, one that every organization must have since it brings out newer products and/or services every now and then. Competitive advantage is developed when there is a differential undertaking on the part of the customer. This could be in the form of lower prices than the competitors, better quality, efficient sales services and support and a number of other features. Thus customer satisfaction is something which cannot be measured by a standard set of parameters. It has to be experienced always with different set of offerings that are made available. These offerings could be in the form of better quality products, higher and more efficient services or a bundle of both high class product and state of the art service, in which case it would not be categorized under either of them rather as a mixture of both. It is pretty true that the market dynamics suggest that the competitive advantage can only be achieved when the customer is given what he or she wants but then again is there any limit to his or her wants? The answer would be no and quite rightly so. The customer expects value for money and thus the best possible product at the most effective rate, thus it would be correct to understand his point of view and then go about changing the product offerings, prices and the value thus provided. The third factor that accredits itself on the part of the operational manager encompasses that of the activities being planned, controlled and integrated in a fashion which only makes it look as a complete whole more than anything else. This means that these activities, tasks and processes are complete and they give a view of wholeness when we talk about the organization whilst looking at the products and/or services. (Gannon, 1987) For the induction of these new products and/or services in the market place we find that out that the synchronization process might just be a difficult process to undertake in the first place and it is because of the persistent efforts of the operational manager himself that the same becomes readily possible. The operational manager has to plan things accordingly and place priorities over processes either in s sequential manner or in the form of significance attached to the very same. When we talk about the activities in the whole related schema we find that the control aspect, as discussed before is pretty much significant and this has to be ensured even at the most feasible of times. The same is imperative since system breakdowns at any level can happen any time within the process and there could be urgencies attached with the whole ideology nonetheless. The integration of activities similarly is one significant aspect that has to be studied time and again because it brings together all the related processes, activities and tasks coming under the operational manager’s regime on a single platform and thus this forms as the point of focus and attention as far as the whole organization and its tilt is concerned. With respect to the new products and/or services that are being introduced under the organization’s umbrella, one has to ascertain as to the exact basis of their operating activities and then go along finding out the eventual patterns on which the change would be made in the realms of the very organization. All said and done, it is up to the operational manager as to how best he meets the needs of the system that is already in place and which control and planning activities he brings forward every now and then. The end result is something that holds a lot of significance and value. (Shiplett, 2000) The fourth and last factor of the operational manager is his look out for constant changes that happen in the system and how these changes could contribute to the products and/or services’ future. This means that the operational manager has to focus on the present whilst thinking about the future. Also what this means is that the vision is set in the path of the present activities, an aspect which holds a lot of weight when seen in the related context of things. The changes have to be both in terms of the company’s new products and/or services as well as on the lines of the operating costs, expenditures, different wages and salaries that lie on the shoulder of the organization itself and a whole list of operating costs which are there within the organization’s budget. In order to anticipate changes and the like within the operative boundaries, the operational manager has to keep a complete track of the new changes and inventions happening in the related industry and similar lines of business processes. Having said that it also means that there are a lot of other tasks and processes which must be taken special care of when one speaks of the operative and administrative needs of the business and this organization in particular. (Kelly, 2000) In the end, it would be pretty fair to rationalize the stance adopted in this paper where we discussed the four factors underlining the different aspects and work basis of the operational managers. We focused on their immediate concerns and what they need to do in order to set the ball rolling. More than that, we concentrated upon the exact basis which brings about the very tasks towards accomplishment and how the same can owe directly on the shoulders of the innumerable activities, processes and works. All said and done, a concerted and genuine effort is required by the relevant operational managers so that the new products and/or services could be studied upon with regards to their change aspects and different shaping up of the business needs and wants. BIBLIOGRAPHY DUKE, Shearlean. (2003). Managing Business Crises: From Anticipation to Implementation. Public Relations Quarterly, Vol. 48 GANNON, Martin J. (1987). Organizational Effectiveness in Entrepreneurial and Professionally Managed Firms. Journal of Small Business Management, Vol. 25 HALL, Mary-Jo. (2002). Aligning the Organization to Increase Performance Results. The Public Manager, Vol. 31 HUY, Quy Nguyen. (2002). Emotional Balancing of Organizational Continuity and Radical Change: The Contribution of Middle Managers. Administrative Science Quarterly, Vol. 47 KELLY, G M. (2000). Employment and Concepts of Work in the New Global Economy. International Labour Review, Vol. 139 RICHTER, Rudolf. (2006). The Art of Managing Everyday Conflict. Journal of Comparative Family Studies, Vol. 37 SHIPLETT, Myra Howze. (2000). Introduction: Workforce Planning and Human Capital. The Public Manager, Vol. 29 TANNENBAUM, Mark A. (2003). Organizational Values and Leadership: Learn More about the Importance of Aligning Core and Operational Values in the Strategic Planning Process and the Bottom-Line Benefits of Investing in a Performance-Oriented Organizational Culture. The Public Manager, Vol. 32 Word Count: 2,529 Read More