Management Styles of Dyson - Assignment Example

Name College Course Date PART I How the personality of Dyson influences the daily run of the organisation Dyson’s personality enables him to run the organization in the right manner and towards the accomplishment of the company’s goals and objectives. From the video, Dyson has encountered many challenges in coming up with the right product. He kept focussed and highly tainted to achieving his innovation plan, and at no time did he surrender when his product let him down. He believes in doing things differently whether in the right or wrong thinking. His passion and intelligence as well as his nature of doings things, makes Dyson’s personality effective. Due to his strong personality, endurance and commitment to his belief, Dyson managed to launch his innovation after fifteen years and more than 5000 prototypes. Despite rejection from his earlier partners, he has been able to maintain his enthusiasm about his innovation, worked severely on his own and taken risks many could have avoided. This is a demonstration of a great and strong personality an individual can attain. His personality, thus, can be said to improve the direction, and increase the scope of the organization. In addition, Dyson says that he had a lot of engineers marketing the company product rather than professionals because he believed in doing things differently. This also illustrates Dyson as a character who is willing to go through all odds in order to achieve a target (James, 2013). The management styles of Dyson Managers have to perform many tasks in an organization and the way the handle various situations depends on their style of management. A management style can be understood as an overall approach of leadership that is used by managers (Cole and Kelly, 2011: 20). Dyson management style is autocratic. In the autocratic management style, a manager makes decisions unilaterally without much regard from other parties. As a result of an autocratic management style, the decisions made on behalf of the organization reflect the personality and opinion of the manager, which in turn projects an image of confidence, and well managed business. This is shown from the video when Dyson entirely makes all the decisions pertaining to the business. He does not seem to consider the subordinates’ opinions, he rather believes in doing what he holds is right. . At one instance, Dyson goes for a loan from the bank, and when he is asked why he does not involve professionals in his business, he says that he does not need them. He concludes that instead of involving professionals, he would rather be naive and try things out on his own. The different organizational structures and the one that suits Dyson An organizational structure is the way in which an organization organizes its staff in order to reflect on how it operates. By structure, it implies to the framework around which the organization is organized, and the underpinning that keeps it functioning. Through the operating manual, members are informed how the company is put together and how it operates. In particular, an organizational structure describes how the members are accepted, the ways leadership is chosen, and how overall decisions are made (Smith, 1995: 27). There are seven different organizational structures that are used around the world by various companies. They include the bureaucratic, pre-bureaucratic, functional, post- bureaucratic, divisional, matrix, and horizontal structures. These structures and arrangements reflects a company’s stand on decision making as well as the ways the arrangement of employment affairs influence production. Most institutions are pre-disposed to applying one of these structures since they have been proved to lead to the best structure of command, which impacts positively on work performance (Smith, 1995: 37). The bureaucratic, pre-bureaucratic and post- bureaucratic structures are to a greater extent related. The pre-bureaucratic uses a centralized approach to management. Decisions in the pre-bureaucratic are largely made by a group of individuals working in a swift approach towards the quickly changing situations, or entirely by one individual. In this structure, the decision structure is not diversified and does not extend to branches or departments (Smith, 1995: 37). The bureaucratic forms are the most standard structures and are hierarchal and highly planned. The structure of authority is at the top with triangular level of command, taking a form of a triangle. Post-bureaucratic forms on the other hand, have a circular form of decision making power, which relies on equality and agreement. Post-bureaucratic management structure is widely used by cooperatives and non-profit organizations (Smith, 1995: 39). The matrix, functional, horizontally-linked, and divisional forms of organizational structures are applied in different types of manufacturing firms. The functional form of organizational arrangement puts decision structure at the bottom of the organizational map with functional professionals. The divisional structure uses a product structure in which groups that make decisions are divided through product lines. A matrix structure is also correlated to the divisional arrangement, but the employees are grouped by product and function. In the horizontally-linked structure, features of the other forms are used and linked by a horizontal sequence of authority (Smith, 1995: 41). The organizational structure that would best suit Dyson is the pre-bureaucratic, which employs a centralized method to management. Here decisions are to a large determined by a group of individuals or entirely by one individual. Moreover, the decision structure is not diversified and does not extend to branches or departments. This is the method that is portrayed by Dyson. He solely makes all the decisions of the company and personally influences the company’s operations. The emphasis of the company’s projects (cost/quality/time) and why Based on the video, I think the emphasis of the company’s projects is of high quality, cost effective and production of its products is timely. When it comes to the enterprises projects, the organization will put more emphasis on their practices that their employees need to adhere to. For instance, the institution will put more emphasis on rational factors such as the process itself and less on the emotional aspects that may affect the project performance. In Dyson’s interview, he mentions of striving to achieve high quality product, through an innovation that will cost less energy (James, 2013). I think that by forcing members to adapt to the company’s project processes and procedures, it will render the project a high likelihood to fail. The resulting cost from bad project will reach sky-high levels. Consequently, this will represent a significant waste of resources, and pose a threat to the organization. Instead of the company focussing on rational aspects, I think it should be all rounded in order to take all the aspects of production and employees into consideration. The kind of people they are looking in this company and why I think that the company is looking for innovators and people who can generate ideas. Dyson says that he did not need professionals because they could not bring anything new to his company apart from their routine. He needed naive people and those who could come up with new ideas. He believes in people doing what they regard as right. As an innovator himself, Dyson would like people like him in the company. In addition, the organization requires people with an outstanding record of perseverance and endurance even in the toughest of situations (James, 2013). If Dyson can find people who believe in his ideas and who would be willing to support him, then he would recruit them. PART II What market research is and how it enhances a better understanding of a company Market research is the process of gathering, analysing as well as interpreting information concerning a market, merchandise, or service to be provided for sale in that environment. This term also seeks to study the past, current and prospective clientele for a good or service. it entails an investigate into the features, expenditure behaviours, location and needs of the business target market, the industry in general, and the particular compotators in the market into which a product or service is sold. Marketing research helps to have a better understanding of the company in many ways (Birn & Forsyth, 2002: 78). The accurate and thorough information about the market characteristics of the business is the basis of all thriving ventures. This is because a marketing research would offer wealth information concerning the prospective as well as existing customers, the level of competition, and the trend of the business a broad-spectrum. It would allow the business to establish the viability of its business before putting significant resources in place. Marketing research also provides the relevant information to help the company solve its marketing challenges it would most likely encounter. In addition, critical strategies such as product differentiation and market segmentation will be impossible for the company without the help of marketing research (Birn & Forsyth, 2002: 88). The 3 years forecasted business plan, break-even point, and projected sales The break-even point The break-even point is given by the following formula: Break-even point= Fixed costs/ (unit selling price-unit variable cost) Break-even point= £8000/ (£20-£4) Break-even point= £8000/ (£16) = 500 units. Profit = Sales Revenues – Fixed Costs – (Variable Costs x Units Sold) Profit for 2nd year = (750*20)-8000-(4*750) Profit= £15000-£8000-£3000= £4000 Profit for 3nd year = (1200*20)-8000-(4*1200) Profit= £24000-£8000-£4800= £11,200 Comparing and contrasting CAD applications such as CATIA and Solidworks The term CAD means Computer Aided Designs. In concept, both CATIA and Solidworks imply the same thing. CATIA is mainly made for automotive and aerospace. It has many specialist modes, which focus on specific applications such as composites and ergonomics. In CATIA, one can only create a product through stimulation within a virtual reality. Solidworks is purely a product design machine and it is much friendlier than CATIA in terms of modelling. Solid modelling is a consistent set of principles for mathematical as well as computer modelling of three-dimensional solids. The principles applied in solid modelling forms the foundation of computer aided designs that support the creation, animation, visualization, and exchange of products. Prototyping is used to manufacture rapidly a prototype form, a computer aided design model. Jobbing is the process of producing one-off products for a specific client. This production is usually done by small and medium sized companies. In jobbing production, the manufactured good meets the condition requirements of a client. Continuous flow of production is a strategy or a process in which a product experiences a stage of production in sequence. The good usually remains in the first stage until another one is complete and then sent to the next stage. The flow is then repeated over and over. Quantity costs quantify the total costs of quantity related deficiencies and efforts. They comprises of prevention costs that help in preventing deficiencies or defects. Appraisal are costs which are the expenses incurred in identifying the defective products before they are delivered to clients. Failures are the costs incurred in removing defects from products before supplying them to customers (Khan & Raouf, 2006: 89). Explaining the term supply chain management, make or buy; bulk stock or just in time Chain management are sets of principles and approaches that are utilized to integrate suppliers, producers, warehouses, and stores effectively so that products are produced and distributed at the correct quantities, to the correct locations, and at the appropriate time, in order to reduce system wide expenses while meeting the service level requirements. Supply chain management takes into consideration every single aspect of facility that has an influence on the cost, and plays a role in making the product conform to the requirements of the clients. Supply chain management also seeks to be highly efficient and cost effective across the whole system. Make or buy in supply chain management are the acts of deciding whether to produce items internally or buying them from an outside supplier. Factors considered in the make or buy process include the costs, specialized knowledge, quality considerations, capacity availability and skills requirements. Bulky stock is the quantity of goods that are kept in the storage in order to safeguard against unforeseen shortages and demands. Just in time is an inventory control system that controls the material flow into assembly and manufacturing firm through coordinating demands and supply to the point at which desired materials arrive just in time for usage. It is also an inventory reduction approach, which feeds the production lines with products conveyed just in time (Chan & Lee, 2005: 105). Ethical and sustainability issues that need to be considered Business sustainability is the management of the triple bottom lines. It is a process through which businesses manage their financial, social and environmental risks, obligations and opportunities. Sustainability can also be extended to capture more than just accounting for social and environmental effects. A sustainable business should be resilient, create economic value, healthy environment and strong communities. When an enterprise achieves all these, it survives all the external shocks because it is intimately connected to healthy social, economical and environmental systems. The corporate social responsibility is a managerial obligation of a business to take action that protects and improves the entire welfare of the society as a whole as well as the interests of the business (Hunnicutt, 2009: 56). Ethics are the principles that individuals use to distinguish what is morally right or wrong. Moral considerations such as contributing to the society in terms of quality life and society’s welfare are necessary (Chryssides & Kaler, 1996: 91). In producing goods therefore, a company needs to consider the overall impact of production to the society. If the production process impacts negatively to the society, then the company should not incorporate the production of such commodities in the design process. Ethical issues are designed to guide a business in its production in order to create a greater good for the entire society. Reference list Birn, R., & Forsyth, P. 2002. Market research. Oxford, U.K., Capstone Pub. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=66793. Chan, C.K., & Lee, H. W. J. 2005. Successful strategies in supply chain management. Hershey, PA, Idea Group Pub. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=121653. Chryssides, G. and Kaler, J. (1996) Essentials of Business Ethics, McGraw-Hill Book Company. Cole, G. A. and Kelly, P. 2011. Management Theory and Practice.  Cengage Learning EMEA 7th edition.  Hunnicutt, S. 2009. Corporate social responsibility. Detroit, MI, Greenhaven Press. James, D. (2013). Innovation, bringing new products to market and more. Available online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzCU7fiTXEw. Khan, W. A., & Raouf, A. 2006. Standards for engineering design and manufacturing. Boca Raton, FL, Taylor & Francis. Mangan, J., Lalwani, C. and Buthcer, T. 2008. Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Smith, G. S. 1995. Managing to Succeed: Strategies and Systems for Manufacturing Businesses. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall Read More