Main Aspects of Management Planning - Coursework Example

Management planning affiliation Management planning Introduction Management planning refers to the strategies developedby a management team to govern and guide the activities in an organization. According to Leahy (2012) management planning is the most significant task to be completed by a management team. The author further argues that management is the greatest determinant of the mode, quality and efficiency of activities carried out in the organization. Additionally, management planning is referred to as the process that creates a culture under which an organization will operate. In words by Nash (2006) planning of management systems ensures there is a perfect flow of ideas and strategies throughout a specific period of time and of the required consistency. The same sentiments are reiterated by Humby, Hunt & Philips (2006) who argues that consistency in the management team creates the whole difference in terms of excellence and success in an organization. Management planning involves all the factors and department in an organization. All departments in an organization have different objectives and goals set to them for achievement. For a good management team, all these objectives should be achieved within the specified timeline and by the required standards. In creating a good management planning systems, department heads should be included in the planning structure. In support of this suggestion, Vanessa (2010) argues that management planning involves more of incorporation of the whole organization rather than the top management team. The author further argues that employees should also be considered when formulating a management plan. The brief of the paper will be an inclusion of the factors that affect managerial performance. Additionally, solutions and suggestions to solve these factors will be provided. For a clear perspective, the paper will analyze the managerial performance of TESCO PLC Company. Tesco is a food retailer company located in the United Kingdom. The organization still has other branches across Europe and Asia (Datamonitor, 2004). The organization also holds an online subsidiary through tesco.com. The organization has its greatest market in the UK and it has maximized on the opportunity to reach full potential on its sale in the region. In its operation, the companies sell at least 40, 000 products in its stores. From its sales, their brand accounts for a total of 50% of the sales (Datamonitor, 2004). This fact has been made possible by the fact that the organization has been in the market for a significant period to gain a large competitive advantage and consumer support. The total accounted for customers of the organization add up 3.4 million people (Datamonitor, 2004). Apart from the external environment success, the internal arrangement of the organization is outstanding. The organization has a well formulated and compact managerial team headed by the chairman of the executive board. Beneath the chairman there are numerous executive positions that are aimed at subdividing the managerial responsibilities across the whole organization. The organization has seven executive board members in managerial positions and seven non executive board members in the other managerial positions. An inclusion to the management team is the company secretary who falls under the senior management team (Datamonitor, 2004). Explain how interpersonal relationships and communication skills affect managerial performance In any organization communication and relationships form the basis of the success of an organization. In words by Jordan (2008) interpersonal relationships in an organization shape the organizational culture. The author further argues that communication in an organization is a great determinant of the organizational culture in an organization. The effect of these two factors on the managerial performance is based on the specific requirements of the employees. For instance, the management team is provided with the obligation of providing instructions and working structures to the staff. This is only possible if there is a good communication system from the management team to the staff. If the communication mode or strategy is incompetent, the information reaching the staff would be distorted thus undermining the performance of the staff. In words by Armelini & Villanueva (2011) such a scenario is viewed as incompetency on the part of the management team. It is for this reason that management planning in all organization should be very considerate on the communication and interpersonal relationships in their organization. Tesco has 326,000 employees (Datamonitor, 2004). From an assumption of these large staff, the organization should implement a very strong communication strategy. With many branches across the globe, Tesco company should consider a vast and versatile management plan that would ensure employee under their umbrella operate under one leadership strategy through proper communication and effective interpersonal relationships (Datamonitor, 2004). The success of the organization mainly in the UK can be greatly attributed to the outstanding communication skills in the organization. The main branch in the UK has its staff mainly from the local population. Additionally, the long history of the organization has created an outstanding organizational culture among the employees. This factor has made employees believe more in team work that individual effort (Datamonitor, 2004). The staff mostly consisting of local employees does not have problems in how they communicate and relate to each other. In other major branches across Europe and Asia, the organization seeks to employ local employees from the top management team to the obsolete employees. In an argument by Morgen (2003) this strategy not only creates great interpersonal relationship, but it also creates an excellence in the employee output since its human psychology to relate to culture they are familiar with. Like any other strategy in an organization, this strategy portrays a competent managerial performance in Tesco Company. Identify barriers to communications and effective interpersonal relationships. Recommend 2 key actions that may be used to address these issues. Two of the most significant barriers to effective communication in an organization are An incompetent management team Biasness in an organization In this case incompetency in the managerial team may be connected to a poor human resource team. The HR in any organization has the responsibility of ensuring employees are comfortable and performing at the required level. Interpersonal relationships in an organization greatly depend on how effective employee can relate to each other regardless of their differences in terms of culture or working positions. It is the duty of a HR manger to ensure each employee is treated in the correct manner regardless of their working position. This creates and organizational culture that has respect and appreciation to all staff members. It is an obvious assumption that this strategy would create an outstanding interpersonal relationship in the organization (Loch, 2000). If the HR fails to provide these adjustments the way in which employees relate to each other would be poor. Biasness in an organization refers to unfair treatment and handling of the staff. Additionally, in terms of communication, it refers to providing information in different formats to different departments or employees. This shortcoming is usually based on sabotage attempts by members of the management team arising from board room wars or management disputes (Loch, 2000). At the end, the output of the organization is greatly affected since employees are fed with bad or no information on the organizational activities. To curb this shortcoming an organization need to create a compact managerial team which may be difficult to influence of stain. For instance, the management team in Tesco is led by the chairman of the executive board (Datamonitor, 2004). It is through this figure that the organization makes its final decisions. The management uses boardroom consensuses which require the approval of the chairman of the board. This binds the process of decision making and hence a good communication system from the top management team to the employees without any distortion or biasness. It is also an observable scenario in Tesco that employee have a great personal relationship based on their long time partnership in the organization and a competent HR team (The Times, 2008). Evaluate the various creative thinking techniques and how they could assist a company to develop new concepts to achieve such innovative products / services Innovation in an organization is based on several factors and instruments available for disposal. However, in the modern corporate environment development of new concepts has been a compulsory activity for an organization in order to remain of significance in the market. In an argument by Tompkins (2005) emerging trends and escalating consumer wants and demands have made it difficult for organization to implement constant operating strategies. One technique used in coming up with new ideas is looking for alternative ventures to creativity ideas. In implementing this strategy, one of the most significant strategies is outsourcing production activities (Rheingold, 2000). This entails employing the expertise of a related organization to partake some production activities on new basis and guidelines. This creates new ideas and approaches that an organization may not be able to come up with. In Tesco Company, the organization researches on the emerging trends and consumer needs. This is the most effective way of creative thinking in terms of coming up with new techniques. For instance, Tesco has come up with health and beauty products as additional provisions to their retail products. With an outstanding brand value and goodwill, this venture had a great consumer reception and the organization increased considerably their level of market significance. In words by Ardent Partners Research (2011) creation of new products under an outstanding brand line is the best way for an organization can create new concepts and still have a great market reception. In promoting creativity in an organization several strategies should be implemented. An organizational should be able to reward innovation by employees by giving them incentives and use of other rewards systems like promotions (Cooke-Davies, 2002). Additionally, an organization should value creativity, respect creative motives in the organization and allow for creativity to take place in the organization. Within your brief, you should evidence your appreciation of how a chosen company has developed an innovative culture within their organization In Tesco the organization has grew from producing a single product to a chain of products to the market. This is evidence of the creative nature of the organization. The organization supplied food products in the market before it could venture in the production of other products. In the current system, the organization produces 40,000 food products in its stores (Datamonitor, 2004). This is the main product Tesco produces. With the growth of its product line, the creative nature of the organization took advantage of this strength. The organization ventured into retailing petroleum in its vast located stores, production of clothing and offering of financial services and products. This innovative culture has greatly promoted the level at which the organization is willing to take risks in the market. With deliberation in board meetings the organizations has implemented great levels of innovative ideas that have been successful in the market. The latest creative venture in the organization was the launch of a beauty line. The company has become the fastest growing retailer line in skin care products (Datamonitor, 2004). The above achievements by Tesco can be greatly attributed to the fact that the organization promotes the ideas towards creativity. With proper deliberation of the suggested innovations to apply, the organization comes up with proper instruments and policies that ensure the ideas are effectively implemented. Identify the key corporate social responsibilities which are a major concern to the organization. Identify two recent examples of dubious corporate behavior and two philanthropic behaviors. What were their effects? In Tesco the community is of great significance in their performance. It is for this reason that the organization decided in 2006 to contribute 1.86% of its pretax profits to the development of the community (Datamonitor, 2004). Additionally, the organization launched ‘computers for school theme’ which aims at offering equipments to schools in return of shopping vouchers from people who shopped at Tesco. By 2004, equipments worth £92 million were donated to these institutions. In 2005 the organization also launched a football launched Tesco cup. Tesco cup is a football competition for youth full players that run across the entire UK (Datamonitor, 2004). The social responsibility displayed by Tesco has been significant in the growth of the brand. Among its all competitors, Tesco has the most valuable brand that has the greatest competitive advantage in the market. This can be greatly attributed to the fact that the organization appreciated the support of the community by involving themselves in some social responsibilities in the community. References Ardent Partners Research - CPO 2011: Innovative Ideas for the Decade Ahead" Armelini, G. & Villanueva, J. (2011). "Adding Social Media to the Marketing Mix". London: Deep Insight. Cooke-Davies T. (2002). The ‘‘real’’ success factors on projects. Int J Project Manage 2002; 20 (3):185–90 Datamonitor (2004). Tesco PLC: Company Profile. London: Author Humby, C., Hunt, T. & Phillips, T. (2006). Scoring points: How Tesco continues to win customer loyalty. London & Philadelphia: Kogan Page Jordan, D. "Tesco swoops on Dobbies Garden Centres". London: The Times . Web. June 8th, 2008. Web Leahy, T. (2012). Management in 10 Words. London: Random House. Loch C. (2000). Tailoring product development to strategy: case of a European technology manufacturer. Eur Manage J 2000;18(3): 246–58. Morgen, W. (2003). Fifty key figures in management. New York: Routledge Nash, B. (2006). Fair-Trade and the growth of ethical consumerism within the mainstream: an investigation into the Tesco consumer. Leeds: University of Leeds. Rheingold, H. (2000). The virtual community: Homesteading on the electronic frontier. London: MIT Press Tescco Express rolls into China". The Times (UK). 21 April 2008. Tompkins, R. (2005). Organization Theory and Public Management. New York: Wadsworth. Vanessa T. "Tesco sets up film studio to adapt hit novels". The Guardian (UK). Web. Jan 24th, 2010. Web Read More