The Office in a Changing Business World Chapter 1 Topic 1-1 Topic 1-2 In this unit, you will lean about various types of offices and office workers. You will also gain an understanding of typical goals and structures of businesses, not-for-profit entities, and governmental agencies.

What is an Office? The office is a place of work for many categories of workers a place in which the affairs of a business, professional person, or organization are carried out The office as discussed in this course reflects a focus on the many workers who need to understand office practices and use a variety of office skills. Regardless of what you plan for your life’s work, you will benefit from studying the topics in this course and rom the competencies you will develop. What office tasks have you observed being handled by a manager in a grocery store, a nurse in a dental office, or the principal at Morgan High School? Office skills are valuable not only in the operations of an office or business but also in everything from managing your personal life to handling task related to many different types of jobs.

Offices Are Information Driven: Creating information Letters, reports, presentations Making decisions based on information Searching for information Accessing databases, the Internet, the company intranet Using reference manuals and books

Offices Are Information Driven: Processing Information Opening incoming communications, photocopying, preparing spreadsheets, orders, invoices Managing Information Maintaining calendars, databases, files, financial records Communicating Information Answering telephones, greeting callers and visitors, delivering presentations

Thinking Critically What do you think a bank president means when he says “…we are completely dependent on …office employees?”

Who Needs Office Competencies? EVERYONE! Professionals (white collar workers) Blue collar workers

State-of-the-Art Technology Exists in Modern offices Includes Intranets (within the business ONLY) Includes the Internet (world wide web and beyond) Includes computers, fax machines, scanners, security systems, etc.

Why do you think that being part of a world-wide business activity now is easier than it was even a decade ago?

Traditional Offices Permanent Located where the company does business Hoteling Assigning temporary office workspace to workers as needed Non-territorial workspace: Area not assigned to a specific person or task What about a business that goes to where the customer is and/or isn’t permanent?

Alternate Choices: Telecommuting Virtual Offices the practice of working and communicating with others from a remote location. Virtual Offices the capability to perform work activities away from a traditional office setting; has no physical form but allows you to perform work activities as you would in a traditional office setting.

Thinking Critically: What are some problem that could a telecommuter possibly encounter in their day to day career? What are some possible technology that might be critical for effective and efficient telecommuting? Do you know of any offices that continue to use technology of an earlier period, such as typewriters? Why might the latest technology no lead to improved productivity?

Examples of Alternate Choices Mobile offices like those found at construction sites. Home offices for those who need to be at home, run the business from the home or who are self-employed (freelancers).

Thinking Critically Why would a company choose to have non-territorial workplaces? Do you know someone who works in a home office? What type of work does that person do?

Questions 2, 6 and 7 What kinds of employees need office competencies? EVERYONE, blue and white collar workers, office workers, factory workers, etc. How does a traditional office differ from a virtual office, a mobile office, and a home office? A traditional office is permanent, a virtual office has no physical form but allows you to work as if in a traditional office setting, a mobile office moves when the work conditions move and a home office is space which allows you to remain at home and be productive. What makes telecommuting a feasible way of handling office work? Allows employees to be at remote sites but share necessary information through alternate means.

Topic 1-2 Understanding the organization to help make sound decisions requiring judgment to successfully complete the work.

Types of Business Organizations Single Proprietorship Partnership Corporation

Single Proprietorship Also known as a Sole Proprietorship a business owned by one individual may be of any size sole legal and financial burden business usually ends when the owner dies or sells An example of a single proprietorship in McConnelsville might be Ginny’s flower Shoppe, Huck’s Furniture, JoAd’s.

Partnership a business that is not incorporated and has two or more owners legal and financial burden shared must be legally recreated each time a partner leaves or is added An Example of a partnership in our area might be the Christie, Christie Law firm. Can you think of any advantages of having business Partners? Disadvantages?

Partnership a business that is not incorporated and has two or more owners legal and financial burden shared must be legally recreated each time a partner leaves or is added An Example of a partnership in our area might be the Christie, Christie Law firm.

Corporation a business organized under the laws of a particular state for which a CHARTER* was secured (*written grant of rights from a government) many owners in the form of stockholder legal and financial burden fall to the business not individual owners may be publicly or privately owned may be for profit or not-for-profit McDonald’s is a corporation

Governmental Units National State Local Department of the Treasury Bureau of Labor Environmental Protection Agency State Department of Commerce Occupational Safety and Health Division Local Board of Education Marriage License Bureau Morgan Local Schools In groups of 3, please look in the phonebook and identify at least 1 a local office from the National, State and Local levels in our area.

Goals Not-For-Profit For-Profit Provide necessary services to meet the needs of the people To stay in business For-Profit To make money To meet the needs of the clients To stay in business

“The Bottom Line” Profit and Loss Statement or Income Statement shows the financial condition of a business Revenue: income, money or other gain Expense: financial cost, fee, charge Profit: the difference between revenue and expenses shared among/distributed to owners

Balance Sheet Presents the financial condition of a company as of a specific date Assets: goods and property owned Liabilities: debt; money owed to creditors; creditor equity Owner’s equity: owner’s share of the worth of a firm; owner’s claim to assets; capital Accounting Equation: Assets = Liabilities + Owner’s Equity

Structure of Organizations Hierarchical: in order of rank or authority Different types of employees at various levels of the organization Organizational charts help visualize the structure

Sample Organizational Chart Board of Education Superintendent High School Principal Teachers Junior High School Principal East Elementary Principal South Elementary Principal West Elementary Principal Treasurer Assistant Treasurer

Management Structure Board of Directors Senior Management Establish the guiding policies of the business Senior Management Carry out the policies of the board of directors Chief executive officer Middle Management Direct the day-to-day activities of the organization Department Employees

Employee Empowerment Enabling employees to make decisions for the business without review by higher-level managers Movement toward working in teams with all employees involved in the decision making process