The Structure of the Organization in the Functional Context - Research Proposal Example

Research and review of relevant theories write report on behalf of me 2 Contents Order 5 Introduction 5 2 6 3 6 Order 2 7 1Group overview 7 2Position analysis 7 2. Review Theories 10 Teamwork 10 Leadership 11 Commitment 11 Coherence 12 Impact on team performance 12 3. Quantitative review 12 4. Conclusion 14 Order 3 15 1.Introduction 15 2. Consideration of theories 16 2.1 Belbin team role 16 2.2 Honey and Mumford 17 2.3 Kolb learning cycle 18 2.4 VAK fundamental 19 2.5 MBTI four preference 20 2.6 JOHARI windows 21 2.7 Bloom 21 2.8 Conscious and Unconscious Competence 22 2.9 Anthony Gregorc’s Model 22 2.10 NASSP Learning Style Model 22 3. Reflection on personal development 23 3.1 Knowledge gained (KG) 23 3.2 Skills developed (SD) 23 3.3 Skill gaps 24 4. Relevance and value 25 5. Conclusion 26 References 27 Order 1 Introduction The GPR or Group Performance Review is a form of reflective report that highlights on the team performance and execution from the first round to the end that is round 6. The team CRIT is considered in the report so as to evaluate its performance with the support of academic frameworks and real life business models. The CRIT Company is operating in the intense competitive handset industry. The company in the current scenario has three rivals in the industry. The structure of the organization in the functional context comprises of R&D department, production department, and even comprises of finance and logistic manager who are responsible for setting forth the business plan at each of the rounds. The performance review in the initial stages is indicated by the activities and the results that are generated by the group. This also reflects upon the overall efficiency level and effectiveness of the performance of the team so as to achieve the objectives of the business. The quantitative and qualitative review examines the implemented theory for achieving the objectives. The qualitative review measures the performance of the group on the basis of management of cross functions and team play. The quantitative review on the other hand is based on the financial performance. It is not just considers the diagnosis of business review but also outlines the benefits of the dynamic teamwork in terms of changing the attitude of the team. 1.2 The report encompasses the business simulation performance as a part of the global business MBA program in the fourth semester. This was reflected upon by the team CRIT which was able to manage the entire system of operations in the handset industry within the time span of 10 weeks and in six rounds. The reflective report focuses on the business simulation of the US based company CRIT which operates in the handset industry with a total of 24 plants in regions Asia and USA so as to make their products accessible in Europe, Asia and USA. The reflective analysis of the report states the criteria for the management of the company during the six simulation rounds and also states that effective decision making can bring about diverse changes in the organization in terms of lower cost of production and increase in the total number of assets. In order to increase the overall performance of the team, the team has been divided into significant parts where each of the department has specific roles and responsibilities. The departments are that of finance, logistics, production, marketing, and R&D. The analysis that has been put forward in this report is both in context of an individual as well as that of a group and the kind of working skills and knowledge about conducting a business as reflected in the report with the support of theoretical frameworks would help me to succeed in the future career path. 1.3 The report encompasses a reflective diary in individual perspective, performance review of group and three CARs or critical appraisal reports. The CARs is a kind of reflective analysis that is conducted on the responsibilities and role of an individual in various departments and as stated in the report the decision making is based on two major elements that is simulation result interpretation and theoretical frameworks. The report majorly focuses on the group performance and its effectiveness in the business simulation. It also highlights upon the results that is generated through an effective teamwork. The reflective diary in the individual context focuses on my achievement in terms of what I have gained from this kind of simulation and the way the skills and knowledge as determined would be helping me in my career. The academic frameworks in the form of learning models and theories have further facilitated the discussions on the various aspects of learning on such business simulation. Order 2 1.1 Group overview CRIT Company is a company established in the United States of America. The main business of the company is to sell mobile phones in the markets of Asia, Europe and the United States. The company has 3 main competitors. These are the leader, Sanz Consultancy and Ping and Company. 1.2 Position analysis The company has certain competitive advantage over its competitors. One of these key competitive advantages is the presence of 24 more production plants as compared to the competing companies in the industry. Global market share The market share of CRIT is seen to be decreasing over the 6 rounds. Though the market share reaches a high on Round 4, yet the global market share followes a declining trend from Round 1 to Round 6. Profit and Sales Revenue Statement Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Sales Revenue 1250293 1117038 1160280 1150989 1275509 1342869 Profit after Taxes 98161 129342 138613 -35024 -36906 -143378 The profits of the company is decreasing at a steady rate inspite of the fact that the revenues for CRIT are increasing steadily from Round 1 to Round 6. The sharp increases in the costs and expenses for the company also supports the declining trend seen in the profit after tax values. These factors indicate that the company is becoming less efficient in retaining the earnings within the business as profits. The other key financial indicators for the company are given below. Ratios of CRIT Ratio Round 1 Round 6 Market capitalization(in USD) 8,391,186 3,977,782 Share price 270.68 120.54 Earnings per share (EPS) 9.19 -4.34 Equity Ratio 67.85 86.14 Global market share Round CRIT global market share   Position Round 1 27.41 1st Round 2 27.27 3rd Round 3 25.16 3rd Round 4 29.55 2nd Round 5 25.09 2nd Round 6 21.81 4th CRIT Profits Round CRIT Profits (in USD)   Round 1 284,883 Round 2 -21,712 Round 3 73,300 Round 4 -2,228 Round 5 -33,557 Round 6 -141,295 CRIT Share position Round CRIT share prices   Position Round 1 270.68 2nd Round 2 236.67 3rd Round 3 203.39 2nd Round 4 176.24 3rd Round 5 141.96 3rd Round 6 120.54 4th 2. Review Theories Teamwork The term teamwork can be stated as a process through which group of individuals work in collaboration so as to achieve the set goals or objectives (Maxwell, 2009).It is a coordinated effort that is put forward by a group who are acting together to solve problems or to achieve desired results (West, 2012). The Tuckman model stated the four stages that are involved in the group development process. (Source: Levin, 2005) Forming- In the first stage there were meetings that were held by the CRIT team so as to analyze the attitude of all the team members and also to identify the different roles and activities in the simulation process. Storming – In this stage the team members learn various styles so as to enhance more of teamwork as all the members belong to diverse backgrounds. The team of CRIT considered regular meetings to be an effective strategy so that all the members could effectively communicate with each other. Norming- The cross functional aspect in the team facilitated the team to work together and to generate desired outcomes. The meetings that were held also made the team members understand well the values and behavior of one another and also to identify the objectives of the company along with their individual roles and duties. Performing- The team members of CRIT enhanced positivity in the workplace through the dynamic teamwork and were aligned with the goals and objective of the organization. Leadership Leadership style is a style that is adopted by a leader so as to provide direction, motivate team members as well as implement plans (Bonnici, 2011). The democratic leadership style is form of leadership style in which all of the members of the team are encouraged so as to take active part in the decision making process (Iqbal, 2011).The members of the team CRIT were encouraged so as to express their thoughts and opinions that would beneficial for the overall growth of the team. All of the team members were give equal opportunity to express them and though there was a team leader who conducted the meetings but there were no such strict rules and regulations thus giving equal empowerment to all the team members. Commitment The communication level in a team needs to be effective so as to develop better team relationships (Klein, Becker and Meyer, 2012).The meetings which are conducted where members meet each other reduce the risk of misunderstanding amongst the members and enhance higher level of commitment towards the organization. The higher degree commitment facilitates more of team work and team creativity (Hammond, 2008). Coherence The coherence level in an organization is greatly influenced by the coordination and cooperation amongst the team members. Coherence is related to the constructive thinking of the team members (Childre and Cryer, 2000).The team strategies and the goals that were set forth by the team CRIT were monitored on a regular basis by the meetings that were conducted. After the review conducted during the mid-business stage the perceptions and understanding were implemented by CRIT (Rios, 2012). Impact on team performance The performance level of a team are greatly affected by the leadership styles that is adopted by the leader as that would have an effect on the motivational level of the team members and also on their overall performance. The team if formed as per stated in the Tuckman model then it would result into higher level of performance. 3. Quantitative review Financial performance Share Holder Return The shareholders’ returns have decreased sharply from Round 1 to Round 6. This indicates the weakening financial position of CRIT (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2011). Also, the share prices of the company have decreased at an accelerated rate over the selected rounds which is indicated in the graph below. Profit after Tax The profits for the round have decreased at an accelerated rate for CRIT. The company shows a loss in the last three rounds. Also, the initial profit in round 1 was high. In comparison, the high loss amount in Round 6 indicates much financial mismanagement of the company. Interpretation of financial performance The financial performance of the company is weak and is deteriorating from Round 1 to round 6. The profit levels and the shareholders returns in Round 1 and Round 2 were good while they have gone down starkly in the rest of the rounds. Contributory factors The exceeding costs and expenses incurred in the company can be identified as the factors which have contributed to the declining financial performance of CRIT. 4. Conclusion The financial performances of CRIT from Round 1-6 is indicative of the weak financial performance and financial management of the company. The company incurrs high costs and expenses, especially high production costs as compared to the revenues generated. As such, CRIT should consider decreasing the production costs by managing the expenses and activities of the company in a more efficient manner (Higgins, 2001). Order 3 1. Introduction The individual reflective diary is used to represent the individual performances and learning achieved in the process of simulation. The simulation process has enabled an improvement in both the personal earnings and academic skills. The development in my knowledge, skills and performances have been driven by the use of suitable learning theories and frameworks and through the appropriate application of these theories in the practical aspects of learning as well as in my personal learning processes. The whole simulation process has resulted in an overall personal as well as academic development on my part. The conclusion of the report is reflective of my academic and personal gains that I have achieved from this simulation process. These personal and academic leanings are expected to assist me in my future work and career. Also, they are expected to add value to my experiences in the practical life in the present as well as in the future. 2. Consideration of theories 2.1 Belbin team role (Source: Schmeck, 1991) Belbin’s team roles are structured on the basis of interpersonal styles and observed behaviours. Belbin has suggested that people tend to take up particular team roles when working in a group depending on their learning styles and their behavioural aspects. According to this model, there are nine key team roles that can be adopted by different people. These nine team roles can be further categorised under three main groups which include Action oriented group, Thought oriented group and People oriented group (Manolis, Burns, Assudan and China, 2012). This segregation is done on the basis of interpersonal strengths and characteristic behaviours. There are also key weaknesses associated with each type of team role. These characteristic weaknesses are known as allowable weaknesses as per the model. The aim of the use of the model is to identify the groups of team roles and identify and improve upon the allowable weaknesses of individuals. It is important to consider one’s own behavioural traits and interpersonal styles while implementing this model. This model would help an individual to identify his natural working style and also play a key role in efficiency and relationship improvement. 2.2 Honey and Mumford (Source: Sprenger, 2003) Peter Honey and Alan Mumford have jointly developed a learning styles model based on the Kolb Learning cycle (Honey and Mumford, 2006). According to Honey and Mumford, there are four distinct styles and preferences of learning. These learning styles are Activists, Pragmatist, Reflector and Theorist (Klein, 2003). The learning approaches of different individuals can be identified to be of any of these styles on the basis of the preference of the individuals and the behavioural traits of the individuals. According to this model, in order to maximize the personal learning benefits of any individual, he has to identify and understand his natural learning style and then seek to gain the opportunities of learning using their natural learning style. 2.3 Kolb learning cycle (Source: Stahl, 2002). Kolb learning cycle refers to the four stages of learning- Concrete experience which is a new experience of an encountered situation or the repeated interpretation of an old experience. Reflective observation which is a learning stage representing inconsistencies between understanding and experience, abstract conceptualization which is a stage in which the growth of new idea or the modification of an established concept is fostered, active experimentation stage in which the learner applies his learning in the tactical aspects in order to understand the implication of the learning (Kolb, 1999). 2.4 VAK fundamental (Source: Thomas and Hawk, A. 2007). VAK refers to Visual Auditory Kinesthetic Model. This model specifies that visual learners learn through visual skills and the use of visual mediums. Auditory learners learn more actively through audio skills and mediums whereas the kinaesthetic learners learn efficiently through movement and actual performance of any work (Sims, 2001). 2.5 MBTI four preference (Source: Walter and Milone, 2001). The Myers Briggs Type Indicators (MBTI) type indicators are a part of the MBTI personality inventory. This model is used to make the Jung theory of psychological types useful and incorporable in the lives of people. The essence of the MBTI theory lies in the random variations in the behaviour of people being actually consistent and orderly and supported by the differences that are seen in the way the individual uses his judgement and perception (Pashler, McDaniel, Rohrer and Bjork, 2008). 2.6 JOHARI windows (Source: Jackson, Hobman, Jimmieson and Martin, 2008). The JOHARI window is used to study the relations of individuals with themselves and other people. There are four quadrants in the window-Arena, blind spot, façade, unknown (James and Gardner, 1995). Arena represents the side of the personality of an individual which is known to all. The blind spot represents the personality which is known to others but not to the individual himself. Facade is the segment not known to other people but known to self. Unknown represents the personality traits that are not known to anyone including self. This model can be used in self-help exercises and in team building activities. 2.7 Bloom Bloom model for critical thinking is used for assessment of learning process of an individual. The five stages of learning are knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis and synthesis. Knowledge is the first stage of learning followed by an understanding of the gathered knowledge. This is followed by the practical application and analysis of the knowledge (Grasha, 1996). The last stage of learning in this model is the synthesis of the knowledge gained. 2.8 Conscious and Unconscious Competence There are four stages of learning in an individual as shown in the figure. This refers to the increase in the skills level and competency of an individual through conscious and subconscious learning competencies. 2.9 Anthony Gregorc’s Model This model is based on perceptions as an important part of learning. It describes the various styles of learning as a basis of the way in which individuals gather and process knowledge and information. Two perceptual qualities are identified in this model. These are concrete perceptual quality and abstract perceptual quality. Also, two key ordering abilities are defined which are random and sequential ordering qualities (Gregorc, 1998). A combination of these ordering abilities and perceptual qualities are used on the basis of dominance: Abstract Random, Concrete Sequential, Concrete Random and Abstract Sequential. These combinations help an individual to learn in different ways. 2.10 NASSP Learning Style Model This model is used to categorise the learning styles of individuals. According to the NASSP model, there are three main categories of learning styles segregated according to the characteristics (Stafford, 2009). These are cognitive style which represents preferred ways of organization, perception and retention, affective style which represents motivational aspects of learning and physiological style which are traits present in the individual like health, nutrition, gender etc. 3. Reflection on personal development 3.1 Knowledge gained (KG) I have gained much knowledge from this simulation especially with respect to learning styles and their application in the practical aspects. Working in a varied type of departments has helped to enhance my knowledge regarding various domains and aspects of business. I have gained much experience and knowledge related to marketing, logistics, accounts, and finance as well as related to operations and other key areas which are essential in modern day businesses. The simulation process involved providing practical experiences from each of the above mentioned fields. I have learned important and significant theories as well as their practical application in each of these fields. I have also developed a number of skills related to learning and business which I think would be immensely helpful in my future life. 3.2 Skills developed (SD) Interpersonal skill I have been able to develop a number of skills through my participation in the simulation process. One of the critically important skills that I have developed is interpersonal skills. I have learnt about many behavioural and learning models and theories and also have practically implemented them. I have not only become more confident with how I communicate but I have also developed new ways of communicating my ideas and influencing my peers and colleagues. This has considerably improved my overall interpersonal skills. Time Management Skill I have developed the skills of time management through my active participation in the simulation process. Since, I had to complete the simulation process within a pre-defined period of time; I decided to divide my time appropriately in order to be able to complete the process in the pre-set time while maximizing my learning from the simulation. I have learnt the importance of time management through the simulation. I had allotted specific periods of time for specific parts of the simulation which has enabled me to be able to manage the whole process efficiently as well as complete the process in proper time. 3.3 Skill gaps Leadership skill Since, I had to work in a group where there were few more team members apart from me. The whole simulation process has contributed positively in enhancing my leadership skills. I have learnt to motivate and guide people by understanding their key personality traits and learning styles. However, I have identified that there are scopes for improving my leadership skills. Developmental plan Learning Objectives Plan of action Resources needed Success criteria Targeted time period for completion Improve my leadership skills Try to motivate people thorough my work and behaviour Present my views in a justified manner Discussing with my peers and friends Ability to manage a diverse group of people Contribute effectively in a group End of the semester Improve my communication and teamwork skills Practice more presentations Get a grasp on language skills Improve knowledge Friends and peers Communicate effectively withy known and unknown people Ability to convince people of my ideas and opinions End of the semester Improve my time management skills Scheduling work properly Prioritising and segregating work Professors. Writing down plans Mange small and big projects in a timely manner Completion of task in or ahead of the pre-set time End of the semester 4. Relevance and value I have learnt many key theoretical models and propositions regarding learning which can be widely applied to a number of business practices. Working with a varied type of people and studying the personalities and behavioural traits of different people have helped me to enhance the ways in which I communicate with other people including my seniors, peers and subordinates. This is likely to help me communicate with people in a transparent and unbiased manner in the future. 5. Conclusion I have been able to gain more knowledge and improve my skills in a wide number of areas. The simulation has enabled me to enhance my knowledge in diverse business areas and has made me more capable of understanding and evaluating business processes in both theoretical and practical forms. I have gained specific skills like time management, leadership skills and communication skills. I am keen to enhance my learning from the simulation by developing certain abilities like my ability to work in team, my leadership and communication skills. For this, I have developed a suitable personal development plan as given in the report before. I expect to gain more from the learning and experiences of the simulation in my future career path. References Bonnici, C. A. 2011. Creating a Successful Leadership Style. USA: R&L Education. Brigham, E. F. & Ehrhardt, M.C. 2011. Financial Management: theory and Practice. New York: Cengage Learning. Childre, D. L., and Cryer, B. 2000. From Chaos to Coherence: The Power to Change Performance. USA: HeartMath. Grasha, A. 1996. Teaching with Style. Pittsburg, PA: Alliance Publisher. Gregorc, A. 1998. The Mind Styles Model: Theory, Principles and Practice. Canada: Gregorc Associates. Hammond, H. R. 2008. The Antecedents of Affective Commitment to the Team and Their Impact on Team Effectiveness. California: TUI University. Higgins, R. 2001. 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Kolb, D. 1999. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.  Levin, P. 2005. Successful Teamwork. UK: McGraw-Hill International. Manolis, C., Burns, D., Assudan, R. & China, R. 2012. Assessing experiential learning styles: A methodological reconstruction and validation of the Kolb learning style inventory. Learning and Individual Differences. Vol. 14(1). Maxwell, J. C. 2009. Teamwork 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know. USA: Thomas Nelson Inc. Pashler, H., McDaniel, M., Rohrer, D. & Bjork, R. 2008.  Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Vol. 9(1). Rios, J. M. P. 2012. Design and Diagnosis for Sustainable Organizations. New York: Springer. Schmeck, R. 1991. Learning strategies and learning styles. New York: Springer. Sims, R. 2001. The importance of learning styles. Portsmouth: Greenwood Publishing. Sprenger, M. 2003. Differentiation through learning styles and memory. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Stahl, S. A. 2002. Different strokes for different folks? Guilford: McGraw-Hill. Stafford, R. 2009. Differentiating Instruction for At-Risk Students: What to Do and How to Do It. Maryland: R&L Education. Thomas F. & Hawk, A. 2007. Using Learning Style Instruments to Enhance Student Learning" Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education. Vol. 14(1). Walter, B. & Milone, M. 2001. What We Know About Modality Strengths. Educational Leadership. Vol. 37(1). West, M. A. 2012. Effective Teamwork. UK: John Wiley & Sons. Read More