Business Operations and its Response

Business Operations Responses

1. Mass customization of products has become a common approach in manufacturing organizations. Explain how mass customization can be applied to service firms as well.

I appreciate your insight on the issue of mass customization. With near-scale operational efficiency, mass customization aspires to succeed in the industry that best matches customers' demands. It calls into question traditional product innovation and supply management practices that demand mass-production methods to support a wide range of products and low volume production (Harmsel,2012). I agree with your point that mass customization is mainly employed in the industrial sector to make goods. Mass customization, however, adds a lot of value to the provision of services. For many service organizations, customers are an essential part of the production process, and offering increased value to them provides the organization with a competitive advantage.

2. A top executive claimed that superior management is a craft technology because the work contains intangibles (such as handling personnel, interpreting the environment, and coping with unusual situations that have to be learned through experience). If this is true, is it appropriate to teach management in a business school? Does teaching management from a textbook assume that the manager's job is analyzable and, therefore, that formal training rather than experience is most important?

The choices and actions made by company executives are defined by how they define objectives, motivate people, coordinate activities, and allocate resources. Because many people regularly react to intangible aspects such as knowledge, insight, and expertise, performing duties necessitates considerable skills and support (Daft,2016 p,280). Some parts of management are analyzable, such as management's role in achieving organizational goals and employees' reliance on experience rather than training in the event of a problem. I agree with your point that management and leadership philosophies should be taught in the school of business. However, just because they know how to run a firm from a textbook doesn't mean they're ready to be managers. Teaching in a school setting gives more formal training than on-the-job experience. Questioning and unearthing theoretical underpinnings and shortcomings in an individual's reasoning is a result of formal instruction. (Seggelen-Damen&Romme,2014).

3. Do you believe that technology will eventually enable high-level managers to do their job with little face-to-face communication?

Innovation, particularly communication and information technology, alter how businesses produce competitive advantages and how and where employees engage and connect. I admire your perspective on how technology will allow high-level executives to perform their duties with less face-to-face interaction. As technology advances, it transforms global company organizations by removing the need for high-level managers to communicate because various methods for data analysis are being established. It allows for greater control, coordination, and collaboration across various operations at reduced prices (Cascio &Montealegre,2016). I concur with your argument that you cannot build a successful team without showing your face. With the recent technology, different apps such as zoom, skype, and google meet enable face-to-face communication.

4. Look through several recent issues of a business magazine (Fortune, BusinessWeek, Fast Company, etc.) and find examples of 2 companies using approaches to busting bureaucracy. Explain the techniques that these companies are applying.

I appreciate your insight on the techniques of busting bureaucracy. Although bureaucracy is seen as a danger to economic rights, it is perhaps the most efficient organizational method. With the recent changes in the business environments, rules and standard procedures are implemented to ensure administrative activities are performed predictably and routinely (Daft,2016 p,356). Each employee has a specialized duty. Many firms are pursuing various other, lesser spectacular efforts to decrease bureaucracy, which senior executives generally lead. Many companies are removing levels of structure, maintaining head office employees small, and allowing lower-level workers more decision-making authority. Software Company Menlo Innovations utilize techniques to ensure the team takes charge, implements an open floor concept, and works in pairs(Hu,2013). I concur with you on how the Funding circle uses various methods of busting the bureaucracy(Hill,2016). With the growth of the two companies reducing bureaucracy is essential. However, the firm's processes for leading and directing the corporation remain a crucial duty.

5. Do you believe that a no-growth philosophy of management should be taught in business schools?

Eighty-four percent of organizations survive the first year, then later collapse after five years because they cannot move from the introductory phase (Daft, 2016, p354). According to Gerber Why, Most Small Businesses Don't Work, and What to do About it,(1995) believes that small business does not work; the people who own them do. People with small businesses do the wrong work making most of their enterprises end in chaos. With the high failure of a company, a management philosophy of no growth should be emphasized in universities since it helps the organization focus on its core competencies. Students to have a well-rounded view of all life cycle crises. I appreciate your insight but understanding the no-growth philosophy helps the leaders understand problems facing the organization. They can respond to the cycles positively as they have formal training on such an occurrence.