Abstract
This paper will explain the apparent culture at Kudler Fine Foods, and how the organizational structure at Kudler Fine Foods impacts the overall profitability to have an organization reach its goals; the leadership style has to be effective and motivating. This paper will also examine and analyze Kudler Fine Foods organizational performances which can be traced to the leadership style evidentially reflected in the employee motivation at Kudler. This paper will also discuss what is happening external to the organization that drives change at Kudler.
Kudler Fine Foods
Kudler Fine Food’s sole owner was Kathy Kudler who started her first store in 1998 and has opened three stores since then. Kudler Fine Foods has been successful to develop a genuine organizational culture. Kathy has an open line of communication with her employees and she communicates with them regularly. This communication builds ownership, team spirit and respect for the company. Due to low payroll at the clerk and cashier level, Kathy allows them to take home groceries to their friends and families. This builds loyalty. Kathy occasionally runs the store or the cash register to interact with the clients to understand their needs and to make sure that they were satisfied. She also asks her employees to be friendly to the customers and help them with anything they need help with. These are some of the visible, espoused and core values of Kudler Fine Foods that Kathy Kudler is successful to accomplish.
The Term Paper on Kudler Fine Foods
Kudler Fine Foods wants to deploy a Frequent Shopper Program for its valued customer, while still capable of meeting the desires of the company. As with any new system which must be developed, the scope and goals of the project must be properly outlined, measures by which we may determine the success of the project must be defined, an analysis of the total feasibility of the project must be made, ...
Organizational Culture
Performance of an organization is dependent on the alignment of the constituent resources and the ability of the resources to adapt to the change. “Organizational culture is a system of shared values, assumptions, beliefs, and norms that unite the members of an organization”, (Gomez−Mejia & Balkin, 2002, p. 108).
It basically describes the states and unstated rules, how certain procedures tend to occur normally and the overall personality of a company, these three levels of culture in a company: the visible culture, esposed beliefs, and core beliefs. Culture can be visible, something that people can see or feel or based on espoused values, or based on core beliefs. Some of the examples are an organization that adapts employee dress code, management decision to lay off employees to reduce cost, and organization culture based on innovation and creativity. Culture helps managements to meet the objectives and goals of the organization. Culture promotes a sense of stability among employees, and helps employees to accept and adapt to organizational changes.
Organizational Structure
The organizational structure of Kudler Fine Foods (KKF) has been divided into six elements that are work specialization, departmentalization, chain of command, span of control, centralization & decentralization, and formalization. The first element of KKF organizational structure is departmentalization in which jobs are grouped together into manageable units. The company has different departments such as department by product, department by function. The department by products includes bakery, meat & seafood, cheese & dairy and wine. The department by function includes production, marketing and finance department. The managers are grouped with similar expertise and skills. KKF organizational structure is set up in a hierarchal manner where upper management delegates to lower management who then delegate to staff and clerical employees. KFF coordinates information throughout the company with an organization-wide reward system and meetings to coordinate all store activities.
The second element of KKF organizational structure is chain of command in which employees rank from executives to store baggers; however, despite this structure the company promotes open communication and interaction between all employees within the company. Employees are encouraged to speak their ideas and give feedback to their managers regarding ways to improve Kudler Fine Foods.
The Essay on What Affect On "Organization Culture"?
Metaphor is a fundamental force through which humans create meaning by using one element of experience to understand another. Metaphor becomes a tool for creating an understanding about what we now recognize as organization and management. Gareth Morgan suggests a way of thinking and a way of seeing organizations as multiple of metaphors e.g. organizations as a machine (mechanistic approach), ...
The third element of KKF organizational structure is specialization in which departments are separated into sections and those employees who specialize in that particular area are placed in that appropriate department. This approach allows employees to become specialized and efficient.
Influence of Leadership at Kudler
organization structure is a formal system of relationships that determines lines of authority (who reports to whom) and the tasks assigned to individual s and units (who does what tasks and with which department).
The vertical dimension of organization structure indicates who has the authority to make decisions and who is expected to supervise which subordinates. The horizontal dimension is the basis for dividing work into specific jobs and tasks and assigning jobs into units such as departments or teams, (Gomez-Mejia & Balkin., 2002, pg. 6).
There are several elements of the vertical dimension that includes the unity of command, authority, responsibility, and accountability, span of control, centralization and decentralization, and formalization. The three approaches of the horizontal approach are functional, divisional, and matrix. Every organization whether it or big or small has some form of organizational structure because without it a company would be unable to operate effectively.
Kudler Fine Foods is a small company that operates in three different locations. Each location has a store manager and the structure of the store is divided into departments. Four department managers oversee their corresponding department assistants and floor associates. The organizational structure that Kudler Fine Foods demonstrate is of a horizontal dimension. The work of Kudler is clearly divided by the jobs performed and those jobs are then broke down into departments. Kathy Kudler is the final decision maker because she is the President but she does allow her staff to make major decisions within their designed locations because Kudler offers a, variety of products and services to their customers, Kathy demonstrates the divisional approach of the horizontal dimension throughout her organization. The departments are separated into sections and those who specialize in that particular area are placed in that appropriate department.
The Essay on Organizational Culture Change Organization Company
"The way we do things around here" is the key phrase in defining organizational culture. Culture is comprised of the pervasive attitudes, values, and norms of a company. According to Hagberg and Heifetz, the people who can truly identify an organization's culture are outsiders- new hires, consultants, et cetera ("Corporate"). This occurs through a process called nor ming, where employees are ...
Organizational Changes
Organizational changes are very significant to an organization whether it is internal or external. Companies across the world are constantly making changes within the organization from adopting a new computer system to restricting management. The same internal and external drives that affect a large company also have an impact to small companies such as Kudler Fine Foods. Organizational changes affect companies of all sizes and within any industry.
The one key internal factor that is affecting Kudler Fine Foods is that the majority of the organization staff is relatively young. Having a younger generation in so many positions could possibly lead to higher turnover rates. The younger employees could be using their current positions as a stepping stone in order to achieve personal goals. There is more stability in a position if the employee is older because they are settled into doing what they like to do whereas the younger employees will master their job and eventually move on to perhaps a larger company. Retirement plays a major role in organizational change as well because now the company is left to hire someone for those positions which in turn leaves entry positions open to be filled too. There is a retiring and hiring cycle that continues to spin for the organization, leaving the top executives constantly making decisions that will ultimately impact organizational change.
The Essay on Change: Indispensable Organizational Act
Whenever change takes place, good and bad things happen in an organization. The management has the dice to roll on how to deal with such changes. People’s motivation will be affected especially those individuals who assumes that the management will get rid off them (Lawler, p. 157). When a company faces reduction in force, proper selection and guidance must be set. Result of reduction in force ...
Just like there are internal changes affecting Kudler there are external changes that affect the organization as well. One major external factor that could cause organizational change is cost. The cost of products and services are on the rise which could cause them to avoid making unnecessary purchase orders. The cost of products could also cause them to increase their prices eventually. The introduction of other stores similar to Kudler will also have an external impact on the company because the competition will be tougher. The economy could also have an impact on Kudler too. The fluctuation of the economy makes it hard for any company to prepare for a recession or just slow profits. A recession could possibly lead Kathy Kudler having to make a decision on whether to one or two locations in order to save money but make a profit too.
Conclusion
A review of the different areas discussed in this paper makes it apparent that Kudler, as with any other company, needs talent management and succession planning. After researching and understanding the culture at Kudler, this paper explains how Kudler as an organization attracts, keeps and promotes based upon the guidance from their leadership. The leadership at Kudler has implemented a plan and careful evaluated their talent, competencies, and the company’s mission to create an atmosphere for enjoyable employment that is rewarding for the employees.
References
Connor, Patrick E., Lake, Linda K. (1998) Managing Organizational Change New York: Praeger
Chase, Richard E. Jacobs, Robert. Aquilano, Nicholas J. (2006) Operations Management for a Competitive Advantage 11e. New York: The McGraw Hill Companies.
Gomez-Mejia, Luis R. Balkin, David B. (2002) Management 1e. New York : The McGraw Hill Companies.
