Organizational Behavior of Norfolk Fire and Rescue Services - Case Study Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : Norfolk fire and rescue services Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Introduction Organizational behavior is the analysis of the behavior of individuals within an organization. It involves looking at issues such as performance, attitudes, productivity, employee commitment, job satisfaction and levels of the organization. The behavior of workers in an organization can be affected by factors such as the selected management style, leadership and corporate culture. (Baron & Greenberg 2008).Within the Fire and Rescue services, there are several issues that concern the behavior of people within such an organization. Through the evaluation of the Norfolk Fire and Rescue services various aspects of organizational behavior can examined. Case Study Norfolk fire and rescue service is located at the east England. It is a community service department established by Norfolk country council. The organization begun after the Fire service act was established in United Kingdom in the year 1959 when parliament passed the bill and amended the act on fire services. It has 301 whole time employees who are members of staffs who spend most of their time at the work place in order to serve the organization. The fire and rescue organization has 41 fire stations, 4 which constitute whole time employees and 36 for non whole time service employees. The organization is part and parcel of the Norfolk country council. The scrutiny and the overview of the service performed by the organization are made by 17 associates of the council. However there are no emergencies priories in the local area agreement. Relationships between internal organizational structures and external environmental factors The internal organization structure of Norfolk fire and rescue service in England was specifically entrusted to ensure that it provides the best services ever. These services included, providing a safe and good environmental condition for the employees and the community it serves. The fire rescue organization ensures that the internal structure which entails the workforce is well handled for instance by covering the employees under works men compensation. Works men compensation, is a clause which ensures that employees working within a stated organization are protected in the course of employment contract. Therefore if the workforce is properly kept safe, they can be able to effectively perform their duties to the larger environment or the community. The Norfolk fire rescue service has the best overall workforce of major activities within the organization. Its major responsibilities are to reduce the level for casualties from road traffic and fire across the state. In the year 2009, fire injuries dropped by 50% within the Norfolk County. Local communities had played an important role in achieving this through collaboration with the fire and rescue service. The role of Norfolk organization in dealing with emergencies was to send vital message to all individual aged 17-25. The purpose of this was to educate them on the importance of safety precautions to be taken where there is an incidence of fire. The number of reported fire injuries and death in the year 2008 was relatively high. The internal organization structure of Norfolk fire and rescue services made its analysis of what might have resulted to increased death due to fire out breaks. It discovered that most of the fires which occur are caused by cigarettes and electrical appliances. Therefore the Norfolk fire and rescue organization maintained its working service with the local community group, to try and put an end to frequent fire outbreaks. For example in order to improve on the safety precaution of older people at home, Norfolk fire and rescue department has taken the initiative of installing smoke detectors, ensuring that all vehicle have safety belts and alarm devices in most homes if not all. The Norfolk fire and rescue services have been the leading company in responding faster to emergencies call for assistance. Being, alert for major incidents that might occur. The internal organization of the Norfolk fire and rescue services has undertaken campaigns to make changes on the services sector. It adopted the national framework of rescue organizations in the 2005 mainly for governing its expectations and main concern for fire and rescue authorities. It also implemented rules and regulations governing both the internal and external framework. External factors are factors that affect both the organization and the entire community at large for example fire safety reform (Great Britain Parliament House of Commons 2005). Apart from those factors mentioned above, Norfolk fire and rescue services has formulated or employed an external auditor. External auditor’s responsibilities is to ensure that the accounts are in agreement with the books of account, the financial statement of Norfolk provides a true and fair opinion ,and that the sound accounting policies and procedures have been followed in the preparation and presentation of financial statement. The external auditor brings out the interaction between the internal structures of the organization with external. The organization has also set up an agreement between the public sector and them. The main idea behind the agreement was to reduce the number of death toll in the community at large. The role or responsibilities of individuals within the organisations The roles each member of the organization is clearly stipulated under the Norfolk policies. The chief fire officer The main role of chief fire officer within the organisation is to coordinate workforce. This is ensured through distributing and dividing work within the employees according to their skills and qualifications. Another responsibility of the chief fire officer is to allocate, recruit and plan how work should be carried out. Furthermore, the chief fire officer within the organisation ensures that he supervises all activities carried out by the employees to ensure that the organisations objectives and goal have been attained. He has the responsibilities of handling cash in the most appropriate manner to ensure it is not embezzled at any given moment. This can be ensured where the chief officer accounts for all transaction flowing in and out of the organisation. Deputy Chief Fire officer The role and responsibilities of the deputy chief fire officer is to recruit members who are required in the organisation based on their qualifications and experience. This is ensured through a thorough interview of the individual member. Another role is to assist the chief officer to supervise and coordinating workforce within the organisation. More so, the deputy Chief Fire officer has the responsibilities to assist the chief fire officer to carry out work in the most efficient and effective management within the fire rescue department, to assist the chief fire officer to provide guidance in the fire department regarding the underlying issues within the organisation. As a deputy chief fire executive his main responsibility are to deliver all the required instruments within the organisation. Furthermore the deputies’ responsibilities of administering an effective budget and capital expenditure within the organisation and ensure that all strategic objectives are set in accordance to the principle of the organisation. Assistance chief fire officer His main role and responsibilities is to work with the staffs of the fire authority, chief fire executive, deputy chief fire and rescue service officer and other assistant chief fire officers to plan how the delivery process within the organisations should be carried out based from the most important delivery to the least important one. As the chief assistant of the fire and rescue service in the Norfolk industry, he has the responsibilities of allocating tasks to the workforce at the fire industry. As a member in the strategic leadership team activities he has the responsibilities of formulating, improving and ensures that the policies within the organisation are followed by some members if not all. Structure of the Norfolk Management Structure Organization culture The culture of Norfolk fire and rescue service is to organize regular meetings in order to discuss challenges of their performance at work place and sharing the entire workforce experience across the organization. This has assisted the members of the organization to have more courage as they undertake the risky role of serving the community in emergency situation Culturally, the Norfolk organization has the potential of improving the activities so as to encourage more investors who are willing to invest in the company. The organization also carries out activities in the most appropriate manner to encourage new recruits within the organization. The main culture in Norfolk fire and rescue organization is mostly to improve on the investment area which is closely monitored. The creation of safe environment requires some special effort. This may be achieved through administering special training concerning with matters that may be required to facilitate good training to staffs and group induction process; this has assisted the employees to be much more competent (NFRS 2009). Strategies of Norfolk Norfolk fire and rescue service has developed its organisation in terms of creation of leadership and good management practices, thus providing a better opportunity for development, learning, and service improvement and encouraging workers within the organization. The organization acknowledges the fact that good leadership is the key to good organizational performance. Another strategies used by Norfolk is making connection with external partners to ensure all relevant information, guidance and support of the employees and management is well undertaken. Through the coordination with the local authority and other external organizations, the Norfolk fire and rescue service is able to coordinate its activities effectively. Another strategy is supporting organisational improvement in order to modify services through IRMP. In addition, Norfolk fire and rescue services ensure that all employees within the organisation are rewarded and motivated. In addition, the organization aims at building a competent, safe, diverse and motivated workforce through offering support at all levels for instance financial support (NFRS 2009). The policies of the organization also ensure that managers and employees are effectively and efficiently supported in order to deliver their services to the community as expressed in fire authority through an incorporated risk management plan( Baker 2007).This approach seeks to exploit employee work by ensuring that workforce is resourced and developed working practices are in place. To attain this, the organisation engages both the worker and trade union to generate an organisation where individuals from the entire background have the ability to develop their career interest and are happy to work within the organisation. These strategies developed through an annual plan, with establishing major priorities and effectively support the function. As a facility of Norfolk fire and rescue services, the strategy used within the organization evolves from the management. Most of the time, the government is usually responsible in stipulating the strategies used in Norfolk fire organisation if not. The government establishes a specific strategy to be used in the organisation; these strategies are usually stipulated in a hierarchical order. That is from the most priority to the least priority, and is handled in that manner. These strategies are developed through the national framework document, including the anticipation required for the development of both regional and managerial development in Norfolk fire and rescue services. However these strategies must imitate the current development and achievement of regional unification which must review the areas of evolving. Assessment of Norfolk fire and rescue services in regards to culture and conflict Culture is the back bone for every conflict within Norfolk fire and rescue services especially with regards to human relationship. An organisation culture has consequences when it comes to naming, frame, attempt and blame. Whether this conflict subsists at all is a cultural question. Culture is a factor when it comes to conflict within Norfolk fire and rescue service department, it does not matter whether the existing culture plays a central function. For any existing component of conflict that affects the organisation it is handled with seriousness it deserves within the organisation. Decision-making, conflict, power and politics The aspect of organizational management is centred on decision making (Baker 2007). The Norfolk fire and rescue services supervises and controls emergency situations, therefore the decisions made by the management of the organization have to be crucial and practical in order to meet the demands of emergency situations. Most decisions concerning situations of life and death are made by the fire chief and the company officers. It is also essential that all critical decisions are monitored. This is mainly carried out to enhance efficiency and effectiveness within the organisation. The purpose of this is to help the chief fire executive is to make vital decisions necessary for to prevent a serious error from occurring. Norfolk fire and rescue services are strong in terms of power within the organisation. Power within Norfolk fire and rescue services roles and responsibilities are clearly stipulated. This is mainly carried out to avoid conflict of interest within the top executive in the organisation. This has enabled the company to run in an effective and efficient manner. Conclusion Norfolk fire and rescue service situated in England has helped to curb a lot of risks in the country. Norfolk has offered its services and responded very quickly on emergency issues which might have occurred in the day to day life. The organization has been specifically honoured for its services and awarded on the same. Having considered the changes made within the organisation, Norfolk fire and rescue service in England has managed to provide the best services ever as compared to other service department. It has also managed to employ very many employees thus improving their living condition. Bibliography Baker, E, 2007, Fire Appliances of Eastern England, Jeremy Mills Publishing, United Kingdom Baron, A & Greenberg, J. 2008, Behaviour in organizations – 9th edition. Pearson Education Inc. p.248. Great Britain, Parliament, House of Commons, Public Accounts Committee, 2009, New dimension - enhancing the Fire and Rescue Services' capacity to respond to terrorist and other large-scale incidents: report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence, The Stationery Office. Great Britain Parliament House of Commons, 2005, Communities and Local Government Committee, The Fire and Rescue Service, the Stationery Office. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service organisational assessment 2009. Overall, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service perform adequately, Norfolk County. (NFRS 2009) Norfolk County Council, 2007, Norfolk Statistic. Read More