Management at De Costi Seafood Company - Case Study Example

SEAFOOD MANAGEMENT – De Costi Seafood Company INTRODUCTION De Costi seafood Company was established in 1981 at the Fish Markets in Sydney Australia. It deals with the sale of seafood both in wholesale and retail. For the over 30 years for which it has been in existence, climbed heights to become the most popular seafood name in the whole of Australia. The company operates as a wholesale and retail shop that offers its products in both raw and cooked forms to individual customers as well as businesses including restaurants. Roles and objectives of the management The manager has several roles which he needs to fulfil in the organization. The objectives he has fall under the respective roles. They are; Decisional role– the manager is entitled to make the decisions that facilitate the normal running of the organization. By being a decisional maker, he should be well versed with the current market standards and the business set up (Huss and Ababouch, 2004). Interpersonal role – it is the objective of the management to ensure that the interpersonal relationships between him and the company have been ensured. Through the fostering of relationships, the company is able to have lasting cordial relationships that are essential for the progress. Informational role – it is the role of the management to receive and pass information to the other staff making up the organizational setup. Such information is such as the methods to be used in the management and the expected performance of tasks from them. It is through the relaying of such information that the organization is better able to attain its set goals and objectives. The expectations of the management are also relayed through such information. The management is required to undertake several tasks in order to facilitate the effective coordination of activities in the organization. The objectives of the manager include; A. ensuring of utmost professionalism – it is the objective of the manager to ensure that the staff stick to the code of conducts of the company and undertake their activities with utmost due care possible. B. hiring and selection of staff –it is the job of the management to hire new staff to work for the company. It is the management also which checks for the relevant qualifications to by the new staff to make them fit to work for the company (Seafood Management Corporation, 1984). C. preparation of staff training It is the objective of the manager to ensure that he organizes for staff training sessions and motivation sessions. Through this, the quality of the services that are rendered by the staff will be improved. Staff training also involves the planning of sessions aimed at equipping them with adequate skills for the undertaking of their daily routine D. undertakes routine checks on the general sanitation in the preparation area. It is still the responsibility of the manager to see to it that health adherence standards are ensured. This is to foster good hygiene for the business place. Random checks are necessary so as to demonstrate control. E. handling of customer complaints and complements It is also the duty of the manager to receive and address the complaints that are raised by the customers. This pertains to the general business administration. He has a duty to recommend changes in a bid to address the complaints raised in order to meet the specifications of the customers. F. It is also the objective of the management to see to it that a proper work schedule has been put in place for the staff to follow. This helps eliminate the time wastages that may be persistent in the undertaking of certain tasks by the staff. It also helps facilitate adequate division of labor. INTERDEPENDENCIES – INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL The management of the entity also has some interdependencies that help facilitate the effectiveness of his duties in the organization. Such are effective doe to the fact that they help in increasing the quality of management. Inside the Shop Chef Kitchen manager Waiter Cleaner Outside the Shop - External Farm produce suppliers Sea components supplier Meat and fish supplier Gas and water supplier Government and Local Council – they examine and audit organizations for Hygiene Standards Principle characteristics of key personnel Kitchen manager Gender: male Age: 43 years Personality: disciplined and soft spoken Responsibility It is the duty of the kitchen manager to undertake the tasks that are prescribed of him. . They are; A. supervises the undertaking of activities inside the kitchen area. This is so as to bring order in the undertaking of activities. B. confirmation of the records of supplies that are received from the suppliers. Through this, he will be sure of the quantity and quality and the costs of all. C. ensures the clean disposal of waste materials in order to prevent occurrence of pollution to the environment. This is in a supervisory capacity due to the fact thatthere are people who are given the task. Head chef Gender: female Age: 33 years Personality: hardworking Responsibility With the help of other staff in the kitchen working area, she undertakes the chores of preparing the delicious dishes served by the shop and food store. It is her duty to undertake certain duties. They are, A. supervises the juniors in the food preparation process – this is in the process of pre-preparing the food to be served to the customers, to cook the food and to serve the food to the customers visiting the business premise. B. ensures hygiene levels are maintained in the kitchen area. This is through setting of strict kitchen guidelines and rules to be followed by the other people in the kitchen area. C. subordination of duties and responsibilities to the subordinates in a manner as to create efficiency and reduction in time spent on chores. This is also in order to ensure that quality is adhered to in the whole process. D. writes down the list of the different items that are required in the kitchen area to facilitate the preparation process. This includes the ingredients that are required and other kitchen tools. It is her job to check them and write down a list of the required commodities before liaising with various suppliers to supply them. In this regard, interdependency exists between her and the suppliers who the company relies on to supply superior quality products. This ensures that the company’s reputation to its customers is well guarded at all times. Waiter Gender: female Age 37 years Personality: outspoken and friendly Responsibility It is the duty of the waiter, to serve the customers with the dishes prepared. By being a friendly and an outgoing person, she is able to introduce and facilitate rapport with them. This gives them a content feeling and the urge for more of the services is built. Her main duties are the receipt of orders from the customers and attend to them with their requests. This is with the support of other waiters in the shop. She oversees the management of the shop front area. Through this, cleanliness of the dining table and floor and the environment is ensured. Farm produce suppliers Age: 50 years Gender: male Personality: soft-spoken and jovial Responsibility This person brings farm produce to the premisesof the shop. The commodities include agricultural produce such as cereals and other inputs used in the process. His main duty is the delivery and the preparation of invoices to the company. He has assistants who aid him in his duties and the obligations set for him. The creditors They are comprised of people who the company owes certain amounts of money to them. These are amounts that arise from services rendered and supplies made to the company. Some of the creditors to the company include the farm produce suppliers, sea components supplier, meat and fish supplier, gas and water supplier among others. The relationship between them and the company is essential for the continued growth and development of the company. Other creditors other than the suppliers include also the money lending companies and institutions. They provide cash resources for that are needed for the continued progress of the company. The government The government is an important factor in the undertakings of the activities of the shop. This is because it sets the standards that are required to be followed by the standards including in the hygiene levels in the organization. The government also ensures the utmost professionalism in the firm by putting in place such regulations and standards that must be followed. The company also has the responsibility of paying taxes to the Australian Taxation Office in accordance to the relevant laws in a bid to ensure continued operations. As such, there is interdependency in that the government depends on the company for revenue while the government provides a good working environment for the company. The management of the seafood department is a tricky undertaking. It as a result calls for maximum expertise and professionalism in order to achieve the desired outcomes. It is in response to this that the management seeks to employ the highest levels of technology and creativity to have handsome results from the undertakings. According to George Costi, who is the founder and manager of De Costi Seafood, much has taken place before the ultimate success of the company has been achieved.Success has been achieved through constant relationships with people who are crucial in the organization. Some of the relationships are as shown below. The manager with the supervisors The supervisors appreciate and at the same time respect the manager of the shop. They respect and dutifully honor the assignments that have been schedules for them. They work in a bid to attain the set organizational goals and objectives. It has over time developed to be a schedule that the supervisors communicate to the manager on a daily basis. Through this, they are able to be at par in the development process of the company. The supervisors also seek advice from the manager on some critical issues in the business running. The complaints the customers raise which the supervisors receive are also addressed to them. They discuss them out and come up with a solution that is best fit to address them out. The manager and the suppliers of commodities External relationships include those that are with the suppliers and fellow business partners. Such relationships are essential for the information and ideas that come with them. The manger is able to know of the latest and beneficial market trends that are being used by the colleagues. The manager has the ability to receive details of the inventories in the business. Through this, he is able to communicate with the suppliers from an informed perspective. He is also in contact with the invoices that are sent to the company and the receipts that have been issued to meet the demands of the invoices. Through this, they are able to discuss on the prices of the commodities with the suppliers. Through interactions with them, they are able to best to know the best in terms of quantity, quality and pricing of the materials supplied. The manager is also able to give his personal opinion in regards to the purchasing of raw materials to be used by the company in its daily undertakings. They are also able to build a specification schedule of the goods they need and which will help reduce the overall workload. With the parties involved, both internal and external, the manager expects several aspects from them. The first aspect is timeliness in the supply and the undertaking of activities. The manager also expects the full use of professionalism by the partners in all aspects. This is in order to increase the quality of work that is done by the shop (Yearsley and Ward, 2003). The manager also expects complete trustworthy, honesty and due level; of care in the activities that are undertaken. On the other hand, the parties have the expectations that they rely on the manager. The first is that theyexpect exemplary decisions to be made by the manager in regards to the work to be done. Good decisions result to good outcomes and they hence expect good decisions from him. They also expect timeliness in terms of pays that should be entitled to them (Kane, and Queensland, 1994). Delay may result to the deterioration in the quality and they seek responsiveness from the manager in regards to the receipt of their pay. Good deeds are reciprocated with good deeds. Good performance of the manager is reciprocated to the subordinates and this may eventually turn out to be an important factor in the success of the restaurant venture. Supervisors Suppliers Subordinates / staff Government creditors The management of a firm is involved with several relationships that must be ensured to facilitate the continued growth and development of the firm. The interdependencies are both internal and external and they are key to the continued effective management. (Nielsen, 2005) The internal relationships include those with the staff and the supervisors in the organization. On the other hand, the external relationships comprise those with the suppliers, the creditors, the customers and the government. It is the duty of the management to see to it that they have been improved and ensured for the continued success of the business. The interdependence in this organization is sequential. This is because the output from one department such as the supplies becomes the input of another. As such, it is a sequential process. This is where one department depends on the other to facilitate the continued flow of activities. Recommendations and conclusion The maintenance of the relationships with the sectors is crucial for the success of the business. The government management relationships exist in the tax payment procedures where the shop stores pay taxes to the government. That with the creditors is on the payment of debts. The management should strive to its level best to see to it that the relationships have been improved and fostered. Through the improvement of workplace relationships, there will be an atmosphere that helps see to it that maximum returns have been made by the business. It should also be the duty of the manger to see to it that the requests and grievances of the customers have been received and well dealt with. The most crucial thing for any business is the maintenance of customers. This is developed through the creations of strong bonds between them and facilitates their satisfaction. Meeting of the individual customer needs make a business to have a loyal group of customers who can be relied upon for the success of the business (Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre, 2011). Time management is also important. A manager who is well able to manage his time is more successful as compared to one who is not. Through the observance of this, the business will be on an upward trend and the returns will be massive. The benefits arising from the interdependencies are far and wide. They have fostered good relationships among all the parties. This has ensured the continued growth and development. They have acted as motivating factors for even better work quality. The best way to improve the relations is to even foster the interdependencies and through this, the company will be assured of continued growth and development. References Huss, H, Ababouch, L2004, Assessment and management of seafood safety and quality. Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Seafood Management Corporation, 1984, Surimi: The explosive blended seafood market. Cos Cob, CT: Seafood Management Corporation. Nielsen, M 2005, Linkages between seafood markets, fisheries management and trade liberalization: theory and applications. Odense, University Press of southern Denmark. Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centre, 2011, Australian SeaFOOD. Kane, J&, Queensland, 1994, Australian seafood catering manual, Brisbane, Queensland, Dept. of Primary Industries and Fisheries Research and Development Corp. Yearsley, G&, Ward, R2003, Australian seafood handbook: An identification guide to imported species. Hobart, Tas: CSIRO Marine Research. Read More