Business Functions and Organisation BDI3C

Business Functions Human Resources Sales and Marketing Research and Development Production/Operations Customer Service Finance and Accounts Administration and IT

Human Resources Recruitment and Retention Dismissal Redundancy Job descriptions Person Specifications Dismissal Redundancy Motivation Professional Development and Training Health and safety and conditions at work Liaison with Trade Unions

Sales and Marketing Market research Promotion strategies Pricing strategies Sales strategies The sales team Product – advice on new product development, product improvement, extension strategies, target markets

Research and Development New product development Product improvements Competitive advantage Value added Product testing Efficiency gains Cost savings

Finance and Accounts Cash Flow Preparing accounts Raising finance Monitoring income/revenue Monitoring expenditure Preparing accounts Raising finance Shares Loans Links with all other functional areas

Production/Operations Acquiring resources Planning output – labour, capital, land Monitoring costs Projections on future output Production methods Batch Flow Job Cell Efficiency

Customer Service Monitoring distribution After-sales service Handling consumer enquiries Offering advice to consumers Dealing with customer complaints Publicity and public relations

Business Organisation Organisation by type Global businesses – complex organisation structures National – organisation possibly stretches throughout the country Regional – could be through a county or wider area (North West, South East etc) Local – small organisations serving local area or community

Business Organisation Authority – the right to make decisions and carry out tasks Span of control – the number of people a superior is responsible for Chain of Command – the relationship between different levels of authority in the business Hierarchy – shows the line management in the business and who has specific responsibilities Delegation – authority to carry out actions passed from superior to subordinate Empowerment – giving responsibilities to people at all levels of the business to make decisions

Administration and IT Managing estates – cleaning, health and safety, maintenance, security Reception Clerical work – reporting, recording, record keeping, communication Overview of quality control Use of IT systems

Organisation Charts Hierarchical Structure Managing Director Marketing Finance Director Sales Director A B C D Market Research Strategy Purchasing Manager Sales Manager Accounts Manager

Organisation Charts Pyramidal Structure MD Senior Management Middle Management Pyramidal Structure Workers

Organisation Charts Centralised/Entrepreneurial

Organisation Charts Collaborative

Organisation Charts Circular/Flat

Organisation Charts Matrix Structure Marketing Sales R&D Project HR Production Finance

Organisation Charts Changes to business structures Linked to new thinking on leadership and management Less hierarchical Emphasis on communication and collaboration between sections Global businesses – more complex structures