INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FACTORS
Internal And External Factors.
For an organization to engage, perform and meet its core objectives as a business in length, there are specific functions that the organization adopts strategically. These functions describe in detail the unique activities that an organization undertakes in order to provide its services, produce its product or otherwise achieve its objectives. Hence, business function refers to a process or operation that takes place within an organization as part of its mission and vision. Often an organization’s structure defines the essential activities to be carried out by a single organizational unit or a whole unit of the same.
Business operations functions include all those activities that transform inputs into final outputs with the result being either services or goods. Business analysts have often indicated that in most cases, all the business functions measured as operations often associate with the organization’s code of activity or establishment that is most directly attached with the organization code.
The production of a good or the provision of a service in any organization is observed to be the most vital function that should always relate to that specific industry. Thus, examples of operational functions include; providing relevant and satisfying services, producing quality goods, fabricating components, managing specific services, managing an organization’s production capability and systematically performing quality control or quality assurance.
The Finance Function:
Most of the organizations consider this as one their most significant function. Organizations view it as their main stream of income when it comes to covering up their bills. It is an organization’s finance department that undertakes the task of recording all the monies spent or earned. This makes it easier for the senior managers to know how each unit of the business makes profits or losses and how much of the same monies are being held by the business at that specific time. Essentially, it helps make critical decisions accurately and more rapidly in relation to accurate information. This function in most cases can determine the main difference between the success and failure of a business as a whole.
Employment Relations:
The human resources functions of any organization are its employees. Potential organizations often look carefully after their staff, mainly on the basis that if they are well committed and trained to meet the core objectives of the business; the organization is bound to be successful. The employment function is responsible for the recruitment of new employees into the organization and ensures that each of the vacancy within the organization gets the best skilled and experienced person. The process is very important, as the recruitment process is very expensive and exhausting for many organizations. Again hiring of the wrong individual can cause tremendous problems for both the organization and the individual. It is under this function that an organization retains good and experienced employees while at the same time defining their rights and responsibilities as employees. Again, the function is also associated with guiding and supporting employees for the purposes of professional development.
The Marketing Function:
The marketing function entails all about the meeting and identification of customer needs. Many of the organizations usually refer to this function as their most important as they are said to be marketing – led or oriented. It is through this function that everyone in the organization becomes customer oriented through vigorous training. The marketing staff ensures that they specifically identify the future customer needs. Structures intended to develop services or products that meet the customer needs immediately become the organization first priority. The management hence understands that if this process is brilliantly accomplished, it gives the organization a better edge over its competitors. Marketing therefore is a vital tool that is responsible for the promotional activities that notify the customer of the main products available within the organization. They conduct market research responses and advise the most senior managers of the impending results and implications.
Factors Affecting the Four Business Functions Internally and Externally:
Globalization:
Globalization is of significant importance in influencing the organizational functions. Planning is required to meet the demands of the customers and encourage further business operations. The Hershey Company is North Americas largest manufacturer of confectionery products. It has over thirteen thousand employees and its revenues range close to five billion dollars. Thus, it is a highly globalized company. While at the very planning process, managers need to distinguish between whom they want to serve and from where. The company appreciates its employees through empowerment and in decision making hence, its re-known success. There is an impressive show of leadership for all employees globally.
Technology:
The integration of technology with business functions currently has accurately simplified the global organizational activities. The Hershey Company uses current and emerging technology in many different ways. The marketing, production of their main product the chocolate and even their amazing chocolate tour all over America are said to be excellent examples of technological advancement.
Innovation:
Globally, the company is one of the most aggressive in terms of scientific innovation and development in the market. The company has seen its technical department upgraded over the past few years to enable better technical research to take place. The company’s research involves packaging, chocolate processing, analytical services and other tests that are of benefit to the company’s aim of achieving its objectives. Moreover, the Hershey Company has proved that investing in innovation is vital for the growth and profitability of an organization.
Diversity:
It is important to understand that the term diversity refers to more than a person’s ethnic background or race. The variety of differences that people have within their organization results to workplace diversity. It encompasses of ethnic group, race, tenure, organizational function, background, education and more. The effects that arise from diversity largely affect an organization’s managerial activities in length. Different cultures upheld by different personalities may eventually result to different kinds of management systems within an organization. Thus, it is vital for managers to hinder to diversity while conducting their duties in the workplace. The managers associated with the Hershey Company have acquired the art of selecting employees to perform on specific jobs in relation to their diversified traits.
Ethics:
Through ethics, managers and employees in an organization tend to act consistently. It is an essential factor that is very critical during organizational moments of fundamental change. The Hershey Company has made it a priority to practice ethics in all its business undertakings. It is only through ethics that an organization effectively achieves teamwork and efficiency resulting to sound integrity, honesty and openness.
