Introduction
Any virtual organization requires a clear link between its components. Like any other formal organization, Kudler Fine Foods main objective is to make profits out of not only satisfied customers but also satisfied workers, stakeholders and other counterparts in the same fields. In order to ensure their dreams are realized, various mechanisms were laid down and implemented prior to taking the lead in the market of food industry. Considering the sensitivity, and seriousness with which foods have on human safety, the food industry has put forward stringent measures to ensure that products availed in the market for human consumption are up to the expected standards. These standards are set by the food and drugs Acts of various relevant authorities mandated to ensure safety and quality of products sold to the public. That is why the paper seeks to shade light on a descriptive analysis of a firm in the food industry. The focus of paper will not only refer to the description of the general out look of the management of Kudler Fine Foods but also analyze the efficient functioning of different constituents of Kudler Fine Foods.
The people
Kudler Fine Foods engages many people in its day-to-day errands. These people are distant geographically, and they meet or reach each other through various means. For example, through mutual lateral relationships and by electronic means like the e-commerce in case distance is a limiting factor. This food firm brings together people from culturally diverse backgrounds, different gender and age, different academic qualifications and people of unique taste and preference (Kudler, 2005). All these peoples’ views should be respected, and the business is thus obliged to modify its operations to conform to the demands posed to it. The rationale behind it is that the firm is aware that it can only be ahead of its competitors if it focuses on consumer-oriented service delivery.
Employees
For a company to expand its location, meet its short and long-term goals, look forward to reduce operational costs, it must assign its duties and responsibility to diligent, and qualified human resource, which has a passion for their work. Kudler Fine Foods has employed personnel in various fields like administration officers, marketing teams, sales department, public relations officers, human resources departments, production department, bakery department, cheese and dairy workers among other employees. This also includes the cleaning and janitorial department as well as the transport and delivery department (West & Turner, 2009). Each of the mention department or sector of the organization has persons who are responsible for handling of their product in one way or the other from the production stage to the consumer. This is a typical organization structure, which ensures all employees in the organization in different departments perform set of tasks, which sums the operational efficiency of the whole group (Balkin & Gomez-Mejia, 2002).
Clients or stakeholders
Kudler Fine Foods Company has many clients or simply the relevant stakeholders, who are responsible for influencing the decision making process of the entities daily operation. They include potential customers and investors and the outside environment that has complimentary competitors in the food industry (Kudler, 2005). The customer relationships management system gathers crucial information on demographic and psychological data on Kudler’s customers. This data not only infers on the strength and weakness of Kudler’s competitors but also enhances marketing strategy, plan on public campaigns, sufficient stocking, and store operations. Online ordering and shipping services for distant customers and prepackaging of food for customers in a rush is Kudler’s way of attracting clients from far regions as the expands business (Kudler, 2005). Other stakeholders in the food industry include suppliers of various necessities, relevant authorities that enact food policies and law enforcers and other bodies allied to Kudler Fine Foods and the food industry at large.
General public
The public holds Kudler Fine Foods at high esteem. This is because of the crucial products and services they offer the market. This is the reason why the company is thriving amidst stiff competition and the healthy lifestyle that people have opted for- to eat healthy and maintain shape. This challenge has forced the company to modify its operational strategies to support healthy lifestyles. The packaging also enables the consumer to know exactly the composition of what they are consuming. This helps consumers to adhere to a specified nutritional and dietary plan. In this context, the public is perceived in terms of the current demographic trends and changes in their taste and preference. The population size, composition in terms of age, gender, and distribution of income, ethnic make-up and their geographic distribution are factors that determine the prosperity of any kind of business venture (Balkin & Gomez-Mejia, 2002). The public response to significant changes in the product helps to strengthen their products in the market. The location of Kudler Fine Foods is central in relation to the population it serves; this further enhances accessibility to the industry.
The tasks
All levels of management are responsible for accomplishing certain duties and responsibilities that come with the authority bestowed in them by the offices they hold. Every departmental head and supervisors have key roles to perform to ensure that all activities are synchronized and focused towards a common organizational goal. Since Kudler Fine Foods is autocratically managed, rules and operational procedures are made by Kudler and implemented by other employees. Kudlers’ oversight role is to ensure that planning, organizing, staffing and directing, controlling, leading and budgeting roles of strategic, tactical and operational managers are carried out in an effective and efficient way possible (Balkin & Gomez-Mejia, 2002).
Products or services
Kudler Fine Foods offers not only a wide range of food products but also services. Its main reason for existence is to provide consumers with affordable and the finest choice of foodstuff from different parts of the world, all under one roof and at their convenient time. These goods range from organic products that are highly preferred for healthy cooking unlike consumption of fast food, which is detrimental to healthy in the end. They include meat, seafood, and dairy products, wine and related needs .For example, gourmet-cooking tools. Services they offer include but not limited to catering, prepackaging, blending, deliveries, online services, and consultation.
Relations of products, services, and organization to the community
According to Abel, the community is at liberty to choose what to consume from the wide range of goods availed to them (Abel, 1990). A group that perceives a certain product as profane restricts or discourage its people from consuming such products or the suppliers will be advised to change their marketing routes. The sales indices of registered by Kudler Fine Foods’ products imply that the community has accepted the goods provided by the company.
The organizational communication system of Kudler Fine Foods
Virtual organizations have highly structured system of communication between different managerial levels, departments and line supervisors. Since relaying information is the key to ensuring that the policies made and are implemented as agreed, the firm has highly sophisticated information management system with software’s programmed to ensure efficiency. Discussions and meeting in the firm take various forms; for example, through brainstorming and Delphi techniques, which are employed in boardrooms and face-to-face meetings. This happens when top management employees are having decision-making meetings. Other forms of information communication technology are like departmental intranets and memos, which help to fasten the transfer of information to needed areas. Mostly, Kudler’s Fine Foods management uses this mode of communication when sending an official message to junior employees. (West & Turner, 2009).
E-mails, telephones, internal memos, personal documentation, faxing, and other acceptable formal means of relaying information aid expounding further, internal communication system. The firm takes advantage of these forms of communication to relay their vital messages to the external world. External communication systems encompass the use internet services to reach out or answer questions raised by their clients and other stakeholders. Communication whether internal or external can be influenced by various factors that will cause distortion of information or pose an obstacle to relaying of the intended message. Cultural diversity in a workplace simply means a collection of professions who comes from different regions and understands different languages. Hence, coordination of activities can be impaired if language barrier and other impediments are not resolved.
References
Abel, M. J. (1990). “Experiences in an exploratory distributed organization”. Intellectual teamwork (pp.489-510). Norwood, NJ: Erlbaum.
Balkin, D. B. & Gomez-Mejia, L. R. (2002). Management. New York: McGraw Hill Companies.
Kudler, K. (2005). Virtual Organization Portal: Kudler Fine Foods. Retrieved on September 14th, 2012, from University of Phoenix, Week One, rEsource. MBA 502 Web site.
West, R. L., & Turner, L. H. (2009). Introducing communication theory: analysis and
application (4th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
