This report was written at the request of Mr.Guillermo Merelo, Organisation Management tutor, to interview and analyse management in an organizational in the context of current management theory.
1.2 Scope and Methodology
The following report gives a range of organisational issues, researching key aspects of management within the organisation. The organisation management structure and process are analyses and evaluate in relation to current theory.
The following sources were consulted:
Website.
Hand written.
Oral queries.
The notes provided by the tutor.
Some verbal information from its employees.
1.3 Acknowledgements:
I am very thankful to Mr. Ranjit Singh to give me the opportunity to spare his valuable time in regards to the completion of the Organisation Management project assigned by my tutor.Without their immense knowledge and expertise it would not have been possible.
Thanksto our tutorMr.Guillermo Merelofor supporting and providing us with all the help and knowledge towards the completion of the project.
1.4 Executive Summary
The following aspects of the Countdown's management were investigated and analyzed, and these conclusions were drawn based on which the recommendations are suggested.
Type and size of the organization:
The 2,950sqm Countdown store is located at 227 Browns Rd, Manurewa, and will be officially opened on Wednesday 7 November at 8:00am by Louisa Wall, MP for Manurewa. The store is open to the public at 9:00am to 10pm. It is employing over 110 people full time as well as students working over there. Theyare planning to invest more capital over the next couple of years to better serve our customers. It is providing everything to the customers through its wide ranging products. It is a place where everything is available for everyone whatever the age group of the person is. Also, the stores are very well located throughout the country.
In fact, by 2015, our company progressive 40% reduction in carbon footprint is committed to helping achieve.
Organisational Structure:
Countdown is a part of progressive enterprises, a subsidiary of Woolworths limited, publicly listed Australian company. Besides to Countdown, progressive enterprises are also the coordinator for the fresh choice & SuperValue banner groups. Under that manager there are managers for regions as Auckland, wellington and Christchurch all these regions are divided into several areas. So, according to me all the area managers should manage their respective branches & area with full care & potentiality because any loss to the branch may be financial or property damage will surely affect the company's brand image which in turn will reduce the no. of stakeholders for investing money in the long run.
Environmental Factors:
New Zealanders throw away 3.6 million tones of rubbish every year. This is equivalent to more than 1,000 buses every day
We're as concerned about this as anyone, so we've been looking closely at ways to manage our resources more sustainably.
All waste paper from the printing process is shredded, bailed and recycled into cardboard, packing and building materials.
All Countdown catalogues are printed on paper with at least 50% recycled content. Overall, the paper is produced as part of a closed loop concept, allowing for maximum recovery and recycling of materials. So wood is sourced only from sustainably managed forests, the mill uses chlorine-free bleaching process and the printer uses an after-burner that converts solvents to air and water vapour.
Eco-friendly catalogues are one step we're taking to help use the planet's resources in a more responsible way and cut down unnecessary waste.
Planning and Control system, process and strategies:
Countdown developing corporate purchasing policy with new and legacy global system. The main aim of the countdown is to achieve profit and saving through applying sourcing strategy. Countdowns check the staff member ability time to time. They change the product according to public taste. If people do not satisfy with the product, countdown doesn't get profit. There are many things to review the countdown processing:
Staff management, role creation, staff performance review.
Put customers' always first is there first proity.
Planning and managing cost center, personal and other resources to budgets and time-scales
Communicating with people of various levels and cultural, often under difficult circumstances
Team structure and dynamics:
They are passionate about what they are and where they live. The team works with the structure of all staff involved. Staff and managers, assistant managers reporting to managers report. Therefore, be sure that the right level of communication between employees and management is high. Also, if a major project for the entire project team is being formed and where there is no need. Workers work under a project manager.
2. Discussion
2.1 Type and size of organization:
Finding and Analysis:
Countdown Manurewa Store Manager Ranjit Singh said the supermarket would be a welcome addition to the local community. "The feedback we've had from locals has been wonderful," Mr. Singh said. "I think the Manurewa community is looking forward to having some healthy competition in the area, and we're committed to bringing our customers Countdown's fantastic range of fresh food and great value."
Countdown Manurewa will include a large in-store bakery baking fresh goods daily from scratch, as well as a butchery and seafood department, and expansive produce section.
The store will also feature a walk-in beer chiller, a Lotto outlet situated in the foyer and 255 car parks. It will have 16 checkouts in total, including four express checkouts and six self-serve checkouts so customers can scan and pay for their shopping themselves.
The store has been carefully designed and constructed to reduce its impact on the environment. It features energy efficient CO2 refrigeration plant systems, night blinds on refrigerated cabinets, sliding covers on freezers, heat reclaim off the refrigeration coils and energy efficient lighting to help minimize the store's carbon footprint.
Over 2,000 applicants applied for approximately 100 full-time and part-time positions at the store. Mr. Singh said the Manurewa Community Board and local kiwi had commended Countdown for employing locals. "We're pleased to have made 66 new hires from the local community, and many of our senior team members who have transferred over to the new store are also from Manurewa," he said.
Countdown Manurewa will also offer an extension to Countdown's successful online shopping service at other South Auckland stores, with a new Click and Collect service. Launching at the store on 12 November, Click and Collect allows shoppers to order online and collect the items themselves from a dedicated collection counter in store.
Mr.Singh said despite some tight time frames, the store was ready for opening day. "We originally anticipated opening in early December, but we've worked really hard to bring opening day forward for the Manurewa community, and the store is looking great," he said.
Countdown online, including Click and Collect, is at www.countdown.co.nz. The store will be open Monday through to Sunday from 7:00am to 10:00pm.
2.2 Organisational Structure:
HRM policies of countdown:
In every Privatecompany, they have HRM policies to manage the employee's performance and internal environment of company. In countdown they assist the general manager of human resources. Management gives many responsibilities to HR manager. In countdown HR manager look on the different area of company which is divided by products. They recognize the employees according to companies demand. HR manager has responsibilities of recruitment of employees. They hire the skilled people for company and look their performance at workplace. They also judge the employees work. HR manager has remuneration policies of the employees. They also give rewards to employees. HR manager has remuneration policies about the issues of wages, salaries and benefits which they give to employees according to their performance. They have other HR operations about health and safety issues of employees in the line of company. It also includes the creating good internal environment at work place.
Findings and Analysis:
Store operations Major Progressive Enterprises Mangere, Auckland head office is handled. Reserves are divided among the 10 regions. Each area is an area manager, and all areas are supported by a national operations manager. Previously, the area was divided into North and South, with all 5 sectors.
In Countdown bread, bakery items, various vegetables, seafood, apparels and even drugs, including all domestic and even the basic needs of all food products are sold.
Countdown has an equal opportunity employer, embracing and promoting diversity. This is our basic values, dignity, courtesy, and respect for our culture is one of doing business with.
Our top level, policies and plans it is important to help build. Middle and lower levels, plans and programs prepared by top management are explained and executed. Countdown, through the leadership and guidance of subordinates plans and execution time is used. Here, the manager of the company's representative. A store manager of the store to the public represents how the company cares about them. In the store, it leads to all employees and makes decisions. A manager assistant, intelligent, mature and experienced him / her to provide positive results. And if possible then we invite them to plan and implement the organization's programs. He should be a problem-solving approach. They listen and try to solve the problems of the employees can. So every level manageris leader.
It is a multi-cultural workforce we have here. It's really important for us to achieve the company's goals and to do that, I need the full support of its people. So what we are communicating with employees at all levels of management focus. As I personally observe with the cultural differences on the issues. People from different cultures have different ways of thinking. As a fact, sometimes they don't agree on a particular point. So I talk to both parties and resolved. Then, we have for our co-worker norms, values, culture and speak about respect.
E-mail is mainly used for official work. Communication between head office and stores is completely based on e-mails. We humid and fax facilities in all stores. We use only the government has the Internet and Intranet.
Employees to use all these techniques to get the proper training. So it is for selected employees. Using public announcement system and telephone system inside the store, the employee has received appropriate training. This training learning jargons, telephone, etiquette etc.
Informational security is very important to us. We have in store for all electronic servers, installed and maintained by a third-party service provider.
The company has a customer care center. In addition, we help our customers online shopping feature their shopping via the Internet. Therefore, when a customer shops online, manage our customer care shopping. The shopping list, the transaction process and to ensure that the closest countdown gets to meet and shopping.
2.3 Environmental Factors:
1- Cultural-Culture is the part of every society and is the important cause of person wants and behavior. The influence of culture on buying behavior is different by nationality to nationality therefore marketers have to be very careful in analyzing the culture of different groups, regions or even countries. For example: Countdown's main competitors are Foodstuffs-owned full-service supermarket New World and discount supermarket Pak'nSave.
2- Social-Social effects are considered as the effect of people living in society by different segment, our products are much likely for the young middle class people and the persons who are working hard at their job place more over the student are also like our product because it is not too expensive in price then our competitor and its price is affordable too. So people from different segments of society effect differently on market strategy of our products.
3-Economics-The economic condition of a country has a huge impact on the marketing strategy of a company and it matters a lot in sale volume of a product because if a country has a poor economy due to poverty population and unemployment. Countdown targeting the middle class living persons who are working on $12.50 to $18 per hour salary. Moreover in New Zealand many students and other people working on low cost salary and they are also our target so for them we have to decrease date of our product because they also need our product. Because our margin is good in each products.
4- Technological-
Technological advancement made far easy to communicate with each other and travel from one place to other place and more assessable to the customers. Due to advancement of world Countdown is also devolving technically. We have online website to get more information about our product and services. People can gather each and every sort of knowledge about our innovative products by visit our online website moreover, nowadays almost everyone is using facebook due to advanced interacting technology. We have a fan page on facebook and twitter where can join us and remained up to date with our products and offers. These are technological factors effects on our marketing strategy.
5-Demographic-
Demographic profile means to select your target audience according to sex, age etc so that's a demographic profile for customers. There are different segments of people according to sex age occupation nationality and etc. Countdown is also having products according to demographic segmentation of people.
6-Competitive-
Where as competitors are concern more the competitors harder would be the competition so whereas consumer are concern they will get the choice if you have competitors in your business so to attract the consumer you should offer some promotions. Countdown has 60 % market share in New Zealand but it has a big competitor which is known as Super Market and Pak'nSave.
In terms of pricing, Countdown generally places on par with New World or in between the two. In a September 2009 Consumer magazine survey, Countdown was placed third in Auckland, with a basket of 40 brand items costing $136, four dollars behind New World and $21 behind Pak'nSave. A year earlier in September 2008, a Consumer magazine survey placed Countdown second in Auckland, with a basket of 15 private label items costing $38.24, only $0.91 behind fellow Progressive brand Woolworths (the Woolworths store in question has since become a Countdown), and $1.87 ahead of the nearest rival, Pak'nSave.
7- Ethnics-Ethnic means a group of people from distinct cultures and regions. Ethnicity is considered as nationality or cultural and regional identification of a person and it has a huge effect on market strategy of every product and marketing strategy. People from different parts of world have their own choices. In New Zealand there are many people living from many different regions and cultures. They effect on Countdown marketing strategy. Because for example peoples from India and some part of Asia do not know much about Countdown because most of them didn't went before. So have to make its marketing strategy according to ethnics of customers.
8-Political-Political factors are considered as including laws, agencies and group that influence and limit organizations and individuals in a given society. The dimensions being evaluated include the government attitude to foreign markets, the stability and financial policies of a country and government bureaucracy. Now Countdown is a multinational company because they are exporting their products to United Kingdom, Netherlands, Maldives and Argentina. Government made different to laws export the product in different part of world.
9-Legal- Legal included the rules and regulations in a country and these rules are different in different countries. Each country has their own legal system and when a company internationalizes then it must keep within these legal systems. In New Zealand is there is also rule of fair trade act. Countdown drink is following these legal rules by providing all right information about product on its label.
10-Natural-The climate and physical terrain of a country are important environmental conditions which have a significant effect on the demand and the type of product made available. Countdown is producing their products according to natural condition of New Zealand like humidity and attitude. If the environment is not have humidity then the expiry period of a product of v will be very small. That's why we are producing our product according to the environment.
2.4 Planning and Control system, process and strategies:
Findings:
The media and investment news sources have a tendency to talk about the taxes changes and the stock market at a macroeconomic level. Family financial planning occurs at the microeconomic levels. What that means is that families, with their Advisors, need to look at these issues and what it means for them specifically. This starts with an investment and cash flow plan which looks at a family's specific goals and objectives. Then the plan needs to take into account a family's cash flow, liquidity needs, risk tolerance, and family dynamics. The planning considerations should be discussed and monitored in relation to the overall investment plan.
Head accessories and thorough communication between stores is based on e-mails. We humid and fax facilities in all stores. But the government has access to the Internet and Intranet. Telephone in every department in the cafeteria through which communication is done without speaking. Countdown technologies are fully up to date. Third party service providers who basically supply and total telephone and fax system according to contract and maintain the system. Their service is very efficient and we get the answer within 24 hours. Countdown group mailing system and maintains the server and is managed by directing email between us.
Public announcement system and inside the store using telephoning system, all employees receive the appropriate training.
Information about safety and security and our third party company has already been employed to ensure that data and information assurance. Countdown in every branch of the electronic server installed and maintained by a third-party service provider. In addition, a separate Customer Care Centre countdown. Each week they serve customers all over New Zealand about 2 million.
Analysis:
Countdown store about 18,000 employees around the Kiwi is proud to employ. In addition, communication between head offices and shops are completely based e-mail. Countdown to the technologies used is completely up to date. Third party service providers are fairly efficient response for 24 hours. It is true that a self-serving Czech Countdown - out but no operator. Czech - out of the operator is less than expected. If they cannot increase in the future, for the benefit of customers in your store self serve checkout operator.
2.5 Team structure and dynamics:
Countdown is very independent and basically everything the team manager / supervisor in charge and depends on staff. For day to day operations of all departmental heads to receive instructions from managers. General Staff supervisors get it work all the time.
Schedule works for a general manager or assistant manager will report to the department. He / she reports to the supervisor as a supervisor or manager or assistant manager will get instructions. On the other hand, if the employee is working in a project if he / she does not need to be reported to the departmental head. All store managers, area managers and regional managers to get directions.
Countdown time to time promotions to run on a variety of products. Countdown to design one of the staff people also need to calculate the estimated results. I have carried out similar operations before the data is reached.
Team structure:
• Part of a high performance team
• Long-term and short-term objectives and implementing new business plan.
• High pressure and dynamic workplace with strong management skills.
• To improve the efficiency of customer care.
2.6 Leadership:
Leadership has been described as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task ".Leadership is "organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal".
It also refers the different things to different people to identify its purpose, establishing direction, gaining commitment, and motivating others towards success. While a leader's influence and control may be imposed on others, it is often connected to the needs and objectives of his or her followers. Power is the capacity to affect the behaviour of others. It includes the notion that leaders influence and exercise control over others. Some suggest that leaders act in the general long-term best interest of a group or organisation. Power is the capacity to affect the behaviour of others.
Types of leadership:
Autocratic:
The autocratic leadership style allows managers to make decisions alone without the input of others. Managers possess total authority and impose their will on employees. No one challenges the decisions of autocratic leaders. Countries such as Cuba and North Korea operate under the autocratic leadership style. This leadership style benefits employees who require close supervision. Creative employees who thrive in group functions detest this leadership style.
Democratic:
Leader share problem with followers, get their consultation and takes decision. But decision may or may not reflect ideas of followers. Leader takes decision and persuades other that the decision is correct. It is useful where followers are skilled and their consultation is important.
Laissez Faire:
A laissez-faire leader lacks direct supervision of employees and fails to provide regular feedback to those under his supervision. Highly experienced and trained employees requiring little supervision fall under the laissez-faire leadership style. However, not all employees possess those characteristics. This leadership style hinders the production of employees needing supervision. The laissez-faire style produces no leadership or supervision efforts from managers, which can lead to poor production, lack of control and increasing costs.
Paternalistic:
Often called the democratic leadership style, participative leadership values the input of team members and peers, but the responsibility of making the final decision rests with the participative leader. Participative leadership boosts employee morale because employees make contributions to the decision-making process. It causes them to feel as if their opinions matter. When a company needs to make changes within the organization, the participative leadership style helps employees accept changes easily because they play a role in the process. This style meets challenges when companies need to make a decision in a short period.
3. Countdown Scam Warning:
There is currently a scam email in the market where by completing a survey for Countdown you are told you will receive a $50 credit. The survey asks five questions about Countdown and then for all your contact details, Drivers License number and credit card details. This offer is a scam and not a legitimate Countdown promotion. Countdown will never ask for this level of information online and we strongly recommend that you do not respond to this survey.
4. Refrences:
Business dictionary. (2013). Business profie. Retrieved fromhttp://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/stakeholder.html
Countdown. (2013). Business profile. Retrieved from http://www.countdown.co.nz/
(n.d.). Retrieved from New Generation Countdown: http://www.countdown.co.nz/our-stores/new-generation-countdown
About us/our policies. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.countdown.co.nz: http://www.countdown.co.nz/about-us/our-policies