Report on problem definition

Business report

Introduction
Recently, there have been some complaints raised by the government in regard to our operations. The report seeks to explain the nature of the problem that is being experienced in the company and its symptoms. It shall also critically and comprehensively analyze the problem to come up with effective methods of unraveling the problem and a broader implication of the problem on our management functions and practices. I will culminate the report by coming up with relevant recommendations that if applied will solve the problem that has already manifested itself, any other problem within and without the organization and reduce the prospect of such problems reoccurring in future.
Our branch is located in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. The branch is basically concerned with the selling and distribution of no jazz to its consumers in and around Kuala Lumpur.

The major problem being faced by the company is that the government wants to sue one of its branches due to failure to meet employment quotas for national employees within the prescribed duration. Due to the company’s failure to implement the passed legislation, the government threats to impose economic sanctions on the company. The intervention of Kate, the new CEO and the threat of hiring new General Manager, and the decision of Wen Lu to violate ranks and report directly to the manager signify that there is a serious problem within the management of the organization. Such failure to abide with government regulations that are meant to control business activities in a country, lack of effective communication between the managers are serious problems that if not addressed may significantly hamper the operations of the organization and subsequently result to its failure or termination (Starling, 2000).

Problem analysis

Part 1
The first aspect of management that I would use to investigate the symptoms of the problem would be is a controlling aspect of management. Controlling involves four-step process that includes various systematic approaches to ensure that performance standard are fully attained, and in most efficient way possible. In other words, controlling involves procedures that are developed to enhance efficiency or safeguard assets, or ensure implementation of the problem. In the case of the No Zzzz company, this aspect of management would to analyze whether policies in the human resources management are fully implemented. The presence of the problem’s symptoms would therefore suggest that the policies are not efficiently implemented.
Using the behavioral control, it is easier to determine and emphasize on the monitoring and training systems. The behaviors of the employees can be determined by their capacity to carry out certain tasks or activities. Through this method, the manager can be able to determine the duties and responsibilities of the employees according to their salaries. As a result, since the general manager and the CEO of the company are threatening to fire the branch manager over employment quotas, this suggests a symptom of inabilities of the employees to facilitate the assigned tasks (Barone & Franco, 2012).
Normative approach of controlling is another method that I would use to derive the symptoms of the problem. These are unwritten patterns of the behaviors that are generally accepted by a company. Therefore, I would use this approach to analyze how the employees are governed to accomplish what is appropriate in the organization. A symptom such as the government authorities complaining of the company’s failure to meet standard of employment quotas illustrates how inappropriate employees are. The expectations of the company are not met that the reason why the government is complaining of the employment quotas.

Part 2

Planning is the second approach of management that will be used as an approach for investigating the symptom. During planning, the top executive is required to evaluate the current stance of the company. In additional, there is also the need to predict and evaluate the future of the company. This enables the top management to develop an appropriate course of actions that will assist the company in attaining its goals and objectives. The process must be ongoing so that it can point out the major issues that arise during implementation.
The problem associated with the company might have been caused by poor planning. There are chances that both the top management and the employees were not focused in meeting requirements in planning. The goals and objectives that were set may have been unrealistic and not comprehensive. Poor planning resulted to an improper timeline and it may induce a lot of pressure to the employee making them unable to meet the set goals within the set deadlines.
Planning is associated with environmental scanning technique. The No Zzzz company branch manager may have failed in evaluating the large chunks of information in anticipating and interpreting the changes in the environment (Balkaran, 1989). Environment scanning is associated with the aspect of competitor intelligence; this is where by information about competitors is gathered. When it fails, it becomes very hard for the employees to fully meet the standards and regulations as required by the government.
Proper planning will have enabled the survival and growth of the company in a manner that complying with the set standards would have been possible. The manager could have met the employment quota since there are chances that many of the employees had not qualified in the positions. The beautiful part of planning is that it helps the management to face the hurdles that arise as well as develop the market growth. In satisfying employment quotas, there was need to review the qualifications of the employees and assess the needed number as required in the law to avoid overworking the workforce.
The available resources will be utilized to avoid wastage in any way. When resources are utilized, the human efforts will not go to waste and mostly, the goals and objectives will be met. Monitoring and control is also an associated approach that when well adhered to will act as a powerful technique to check the loopholes during employment. The ghost workers will be sacked and the ones that fit will be employed. Proper utilization of resources will help the company to employ more employees and satisfy the regulations (Lopez, Robertson, & World Bank, 2012).

Part 3

In an economy, there are various environmental factors that can affect or influence the operations of an organization. The impact of such factors may be positive or negative (Robbins & Coulter, 2005). The branch’s failure to meet employment quotas for national employees and the various symptoms were largely influenced by the following factors.
– Social environment: the social environment that the branch operates in is composed of people from various tribes. Unfortunately, only one tribe is educated and skilled enough that can provide labor to the branch. The region also lacks women who are ready and enthusiastic to work in the branch (Melvin, 2011).
– Financial constraint: within the stipulated 12 months period, the branch was experiencing financial problems due to the fall in sales. However, we did not find it reasonable to report to the CEO since we were still strategizing on how to boost the sales.
– Leadership: the leadership of the branch terribly failed in their obligation. The branch manager failed to effectively manage the labor resource and report any matters that arose within the branch in good time. The human resource department also conducted the staffing process at a slow pace due to the need to employ only those employees who are competent enough to meet the new challenges that are presented by the contemporary economic environment (Starling, 2000). Besides, it was also necessary to ensure that employees hired are only those who are morally upright to avert scenarios that employees will taint the good image of the branch.
– Organizational organogram: the branch lacked a well-defined structure that would allow effective allocation and delegation of duties (Miller, 1998). Important managerial functions were therefore undermined.
– Government policy: the government provided 12 months for the implementation of the employment quota. It failed to consider the unique needs of various organizations. Considering the branch that operates in a fairly serene environment, the period is too short since it had to reshuffle its entire workforce (Melvin, 2011). This process is comprehensive and calls for a lot of care and attention. It could therefore not be completed in such a shorty duration.
– Competition: in the preceding few months, the branch has witnessed lots of competition in the region. Various companies were coming up with similar products that were aimed at substituting our products. We therefore though it wise to allocate most of our attention to countering the efforts of our competitors and retain our market share. Every department was eventful maneuvering on how to remain relevant in the market.

Conclusion

Controlling as an aspect of management used the behavioral approach as well as the normative approach as the techniques in analyzing the underlying problem. The behavioral approach helped in determining the needed capacity that will be used to carry out the delegated functions. The normative approach was utilized in analyzing the governance of the employees and how their activities are regulated so that they can achieve the objectives and goals set.
Planning used two techniques; environmental scanning and monitoring and control approach. Environmental scanning involved the utilization of accumulated pieces of information that could interpret the environmental changes. It could also help in gathering the competitors’ information that will be used to determine the type and number of employees needed (Office, 2003).

Recommendations

I will recommend the management to always be equipped with the budget and work plan. The budget plan will ensure maximum utilisation of resources as it will eliminate the wastage of available human and material resources. The budget plan will allocate funds in various activities therefore money for employees will be easy to manage. The budget will determine the number of employees and their salary in the financial year. The budget will help the C. E. O to determine any need to increase the funding to the specified branch. When this is met, the company will automatically comply with the employment quotas as required by the government. (Balkaran, 1989).
There is also need to come up with set procedures that will act on favour to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. The set procedures will target the safeguarding of assets and will enable the implementation of the government standards. The procedures will ensure that goals and objectives are met in accordance to the set timeline. The procedure will outline the way recruitment of the work force will be conducted as well as the specific time.

References

Balkaran, L. (1989). Managerial control techniques. Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Barone, S., & Franco, E. L. (2012). Statistical and managerial techniques for six sigma methodology: Theory and application. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley
Lopez, A. G., Robertson, R., & World Bank. (2012). Sewing success: Employment, wages and poverty following the end of the multi-fibre arrangement. Washington, DC: World Bank.
Melvin, S. P. (2011). The legal environment of business: A managerial approach : theory to practice. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Miller, D. (1988). Relating Porter”s business strategies to environment and structure: Analysis and performance implic.
Office, I. L. (2003). Employment of People with Disabilities – Sri Lanka Country Profile, March 2003: The Impact of Legislation (Asia and the Pacific). Geneva: International Labour Office.
Robbins, S. P., & Coulter, M. K. (2005). Management. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Starling, G. (2000). The changing environment of business: A managerial approach. Boston, Mass: Kent Pub. co.