Organizing Function at Exxon Mobil - Essay Example

? Organizing Function at Exxon Mobil The essay aims to proffer an evaluation of Exxon Mobil’s organizing function of management, as it relates to physical assets and human resources. The discourse would likewise discuss an evaluation and justification of whether Exxon has optimized these organization resources for effectiveness and efficiency, as required. Organizing Function at Exxon Mobil Theories on management and organizational behavior are used in designing policies, processes and systems in any organization, particularly at Exxon Mobil. The conceptual design is generally consistent with the theoretical framework of management functions encompassing planning, organizing, directing and controlling. Specifically, the essay aims to proffer an evaluation of Exxon Mobil’s organizing function of management, as it relates to physical assets and human resources. The discourse would likewise discuss an evaluation and justification of whether Exxon has optimized these organization resources for effectiveness and efficiency, as required. Company Profile Considered as one of the world’s leader in the gas and oil industry is Exxon Mobil that boasts of being “the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, providing energy that helps underpin growing economies and improve living standards around the world” (Exxon: About us, 2011, par. 1). Its roots are traced 125 years ago with the drilling of the first oil well in Titusville, Pennsylvania (Exxon: Our history, 2011). The company is globally entrenched “holding exploration and production acreage in 38 countries and conducting production operations in 23 countries around the world” (Exxon, n.d., par. 4). Organizing Function at Exxon 1. Human Resources According to Higgin (1994), the organizing function is “establishing the internal organizational structure of the organization. The focus is on division, coordination, and control of tasks and the flow of information within the organization. It is in this function that managers distribute authority to job holders” (par. 7). Exxon Mobil’s organizational structure is designed according to a grouping of segments from units, sections, divisions, and departments that work harmoniously towards the accomplishment of organizational goals. The management team at Exxon is comprised of the chairman and chief executive officer, as well as four senior vice presidents, with one assuming the basic responsibility as treasurer. A total of eleven members of the board of directors, where 10 were considered “independent as defined by New York Stock Exchange guidelines, and all directors stand for election at our Annual Meeting of Shareholders” (Exxon: Our board of directors, n.d., par. 1). The global workforce that compose the organization’s executive and staff positions are revealed as “nearly 80,000 employees, of which about 37 percent were located within the United States and 63 percent internationally” (Exxon: Our diverse workforce, n.d., par. 1). Of this number, more that 3,600 collaborately form the management and professional group who were hired from diverse countries all over the world. Exxon’s organizing strategy in terms of its human resources is “to increase the number of national employees over the life span of a project and to train them in technical and professional skills necessary for working on existing and future projects and operations” (Exxon: Our diverse workforce, n.d., par. 3).The strategy is applicable to human resources functions of recruitment, selection, training, maintenance and development of personnel. As indicated, the long term goal of the strategy is to hone the skills of talented personnel who are deemed competent and highly qualified to meet global demands of future needs of the organization. 2. Physical Assets Exxon Mobil has recognized the crucial importance of securing the physical assets of the organization. The organizing function required management to design a comprehensive inventory of all assets and resources of the organization, to monitor their use, maintenance and repair or replacement, as needed. Further, security management is assigned concurrent with concrete design of security measures such as the construction of secure and sturdy perimeter walls with well guarded gates appropriately manned by professional security personnel. The physical assets are ensured of safety through the installation of emergency doors which were installed with highly technological intrusion detection systems strategically situated in the company’s premises. Diverse physical barriers and security installations include the following for the protection of the organization’s physical assets: security lighting, intricate locking devices, state of the art badging systems, and electronic access control devices. Furthermore, management ensured that company procedures and policies include explicitly defined entry and exit regulations, protection of physical assets and resources, particularly in highly restricted areas. In addition, as required, standards for risk management and emergency preparedness measures are comprehensively set and properly disseminated to all authorized personnel, in cases of emergencies, disasters, hostile threats or terrorism, civil disturbances, significant criminal action, and other crucial contingencies which could drastically affect the company’s operations. Evaluation of the Organizing Function The implementation of defined strategies to identify roles and responsibilities to ensure the smooth flow of operations, communications, and interactions among management and staff at Exxon Mobil attest to the effectiveness of the organizing function. Their Operations Integrity and Management System indicate that management has structured its internal organization consistent with the achievement of its goals. As indicated, “ExxonMobil is committed to conducting business in a manner that is compatible with the environmental and economic needs of the communities in which we operate, and that protects the safety, security, and health of our employees, those involved with our operations, our customers, and the public. These commitments are documented in our Safety, Security, Health, Environmental, and Product Safety policies. These policies are put into practice through a disciplined management framework called the Operations Integrity Management System (OIMS)” (Operations Integrity, n.d., 4). In this regard, management has effectively organized crucial aspects of its operations, particularly the physical assets and its human resources. Conclusion The discourse was successful in evaluating the organizing function of Exxon Mobil with focus on the physical assets and human resources, as needed. The review of the function is consistent with management and organizational behavior theories and applications as these encompassed significant aspects of organizational structure and human resources functions, as well as assessing organizing in terms of being related to organization of the physical assets of the organization. As manifested, Exxon has been effective in optimizing these resources to comply and adhere to its commitment to serve various stakeholders and to protect and preserve the environment, as required. References Exxon Mobil. (2011). About us. Retrieved 15 January 2011. < http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/about.aspx> ---------------. (n.d.) About us. Retrieved 15 January 2011. < http://www.exxonmobil.com/corporate/about_operations_sbc_principles.aspx> ---------------. (n.d.) Our board of directors. Retrieved 15 January 2011. < http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/about_who_board.aspx> ---------------. (n.d.) Our diverse workforce. Retrieved 15 January 2011. < http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/about_who_workforce.aspx> Higgins, J. (1994). The Management Challenge, Second edition, Macmillan. Operations Integrity Management System. (n.d.). Retrieved 15 January 2011. < http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/Files/OIMS_Framework_Brochure.pdf> Read More