Different Strategy Development At Harley Davidson Business Essay

Different Strategy Development At Harley Davidson Business Essay Harley-Davidson used Myerson game theory to gain a competitive edge over its Japanese competitors. This theory is concerned about the interrelationships between the competitive moves by a set of competitors. Hence the move by Harley to partition the US government to impose a 40% tax on imported motorcycles. Global Strategy Harley-Davidson has been a major US maker of motorcycles and the countrys top seller of heavyweight motorcycles. With a product offering of in excess of 30 models of touring and custom built Harleys, through a global network of more than 1,300 dealers. The company manufactures and markets five families of motorcycles: Touring, Dyna, Softail, Sportster, and VRSC. Additionally, their strong applied research and development strategies have allowed them to manufacture three-wheeled motorcycles. Harley sells attitude and culture with its brand-name products which allow customers to feel a greater part, ownership, belonging and empowered when they use their products. Harleys distribution network allows for their products to get to the market quickly. This strategy has determined Harleys future opportunities and strategies for example, their entry into the India market. Their design and manufacture of motorcycles which appeal to women coupled with their additional and diverse product line in clothing suited for bikers as well as other products which can appeal to a diverse market which includes persons who do not own and may never own a Harley. Acquisitions Their acquisition of Buell Motorcycle Company was also a strategic move as it allowed the company to enter a segment of the market which was untouched by them, through Porters low cost strategy, low maintenance motorcycles which were appealing economically and environmentally. As a result Harley was poised to enjoy economies of scale since they were able to increase production while lowering the cost per unit of production as Harley and Buell was able to enjoy synergies from the acquisition as surplus engines from Harley was able to be utilized by Buell. By acquiring Buell, Harley was able to build rather than buy market share. However, as a result of the global recession of 2008 the synergistic alignment enabled the company to continue to manufacture their low-cost single-cylinder Buell Blast. Harley benefited from the integration as they were better able to respond to the market need and demands. As they were/are able to adapt to market changes and improve efficiency in the manufacturing, design and safety features. Consequently, Harley divested MV Augusta which they acquired in 2008, this divestment can be credited to the effects of the recession as the company was also experiencing a financial crisis. By selling title and ownership they were poised to focus and implement strategies which would allow them to maintain competitive leadership. Through Ansoffs product-market growth strategy matrix, Harley-Davidson penetrated new markets as they sought to expand by partnering and engaging with dealers throughout the world, to capture new markets with the Buell product offering. Through the acquisition of MV Augusta Group Harley-Davidson was further allowed to capitalise on Ansoffs product development strategy where they entered new markets with a new light weight motorcycle. This product was particularly appealing to women cyclists since they were better able to independently control the machine. To survive the depression of the 1930s Harley-Davidson diversified to motorcycle engines in order to capture new untouched segments of the market. Diversification according to Ansoff refers to a strategy by which is pursued by an organisation through its new product offerings which allows them to enter new markets. This strategy enabled Harley-Davidson to increase their market power and gain greater efficiency as sales increase there was more profits which enabled them to invest in more efficient technology, research and development. In 1907 Harley captured the emergent market being the police department as they were venturing into motorcycle patrol as a result they were able to penetrate this market which in the past did not exist. ENGINE TYPE YEAR DETAILS FLATHEAD 1909-1936 Had a displacement of 45 cubic inches (742 cc) and produced about 22 horse power KNUCKLEHEAD 1936-1947 The Knucklehead was mainly developed and used during the wars. PANHEAD 1948-1965 This vehicle engine was 60 cubic inch (990 cc) and 74 cubic inch (1200cc), which produced 50 and 55 horse power. SHOVELHEAD 1966-1983 Displace 74 cubic inches (1200 cc) and produced 60 horsepower. EVOLUTION 1983-1966 The Evolution was the first motorcycle in a series which manifest improved quality after the acquisition of AMF. These vehicles did not leak oil and the displacement was 81.8 cubic inches (1340 cc) and produced 70 horsepower. TWIN CAM 88 1999-PRESENT The Twin Cam 88 has an engine of 88 cubic inches (1450 cc) displacement, producing 80 horsepower. These engines remain air cooled and overhead valves are used. REVOLUTION 2001-PRESENT This engine is presently being used in only one Harley product, the VSRC. It is 60 degrees, with overhead cams, fuel injected and only 69 cubic inches (1130cc) production 115 horsepower. Through the process of diversification Harley-Davidson was able to reengineer their products to meet and satisfy the changing needs and demands of the market and as a result they have been able to penetrate and capture new markets which were once untapped. Harley have been able to overcome their once tarnished reputation of unfair business practice as a result of their application to the US Tariff Commission for a 40% tariff to be imposed on imported motorcycles into the US. Harley utilizes personnel selling and advertising for their promotional mix in getting the product to their customers. They also target various segments of the market by advertising in national magazines such as Road Track, Popular Science, and Fortune as well as specific motorcycle magazines such as Easy Rider. Additionally, Harley uses personnel at their 595 dealerships located throughout the United States to get the product to the consumer as a when they are required. Harley uses publicity and public relations to gain a more positive image for the company. Celebrities such as Jay Leno and Wynonna Judd are engaged in the companys promotions enjoying riding motorcycles and wear Harley-Davidson apparel. The conduct of a SWOT analysis would reveal Harleys customer loyalty to the companys brand which was strength for Harley and a threat to their competitors. Harley offers all its products on-line where they can be delivered through-out the world. Online skilled rider courses are also offered, parts are customized to suit the needs and taste of their individual customers thus creating the ultimate ride. CORPORATE-LEVEL STRATEGY Their Corporate-level strategies focused on the strategic scope of the entire enterprise. Harleys strategies included the companys decision to enter niche markets, acquisitions and the entry into new geographic markets with new and innovative products. This also includes their staffing issues were 440 employees were retrenched, their decision also to outsource also contributed to the companys cost leadership position. In addition, their market diversification to strategically penetrate the India market over a period of twenty to five years which were protecting their local Indian Tata Nano market. Their corporate strategies implemented under the companys leadership of Richard F. Teerlink the former CEO, Harley has also been able to sell gift items suitable for women, men, youths making them a one-stop gift shop. The underlying premise of Harleys focus strategy is that the firm is better able to serve its segment than its competitors serving a broader range of customers since they are better positioned to determine, anticipate and satisfy the changing needs of their customer. Harley has been able to differentiate them based on meeting customer needs through their differentiated, low costs and competitive pricing for specialty goods. Their corporate strategies represent the long-term direction for the organization which has been to become the top motorcycle manufacture in the world. Why have Harley-Davidson been more or less successful in their strategic planning approach? Portfolio Matrices Growth/Share (BCG) Matrix Issues addressed as part of a companys corporate strategy includes diversification, acquisition, strategic alliances, and formulation of new business ventures. The corporate strategies implemented at Harley incorporate their plans for the entire organization and change to be industry specific market such as manufacturing motorcycles that are light-weight and suited for women. The BCG matrix classifies business-unit performance on the basis of the units relative market share and the rate of market growth. Products and their respective strategies fall into one of four quadrants. The typical starting point for a new business is as a question mark. If the product is new, it has no market share, but the predicted growth rate is good. What typically happens in an organization is that management is faced with a number of these types of products but with too few resources to develop all of them. Thus, the strategic decision-maker must determine which of the products to attempt to develop into commercially viable products and which ones to drop from consideration as Harley did with the Buell Blast. Question marks are cash users in the organization. Early in their life, they contribute no revenues and require expenditures for market research, test marketing, and advertising to build consumer awareness. If the correct decision is made and the product selected achieves a high market share, it becomes a BCG matrix star. The Harley-Davidson company is made up of multiple business units, its corporate strategy focused on decisions which can increase sales and allow the company to gain competitive advantage by maximizing the potential of their core competencies and the resources both financial and non-financial. As stars have high market share in high-growth markets they generate large cash flows for the business, however they also need large inputs of finances to maintain growth. They required large expenditures for advertising, research and development continuously improve the product which would enable it to establish a dominant position in the industry. The companys strategic arrangement with the US Army together with the exceptional features and capabilities RoadKing and Sportser allowed the company to gain high market share and high market growth. The diversity of their products is considered in terms of its related and unrelated diversification. However, performance at the business level of the company suffered leading to workers striking as a result the company was then sold to thirteen investors strategically lead the company. The Fat Boy though in the 1990s was a market leader and cash cow for Harley however, its market share was high and low-growth as the product reaches its maturity stage of the product life cycle. This product was a well-established product with wide consumer acceptance and as a result sales revenues were high. The strategy for such products is to invest little money into maintaining the product and divert the large profits generated into products with more long-term earnings potential, i.e., question marks and stars which Harley did with their FXR models. Dogs are businesses with low market share in low-growth markets. These are often cash cows that have lost their market share or question marks the company has elected not to develop. The recommended strategy for these businesses is to dispose of them for whatever revenue they will generate and reinvest the money in more attractive business such as into the Fat Boy. A more stringent approach, but still one with weaknesses, is a competitive assessment. A competitive assessment is a technique for ranking an organization relative to its peers in the industry. The advantage of a competitive assessment over the BCG matrix for corporate-level strategy is that the competitive assessment includes critical success factors, or factors that are crucial for an organizational to prevail when all organizational rivals are competing for the same customers. Porters Diamond Porters Diamond suggests that the reasons are inherent why some countries are more competitive than others, and likewise why some industries within particular nations are more competitive than others. This is evident in Harleys case as the US army chose to support their local industry to supply them with motorcycles during the world war. They also have what appears to be a lifelong contract with the police department to sell motorcycles to them. Trade embargo was also imposed by the US government to protect Harley from competitive rivalry from their greatest competitor Japan and this helped Harley in building brand. Harley also created a false demand for their product by creating an artificial shortage. Global sourcing Global sourcing refers to purchasing services and components from the most appropriate suppliers around the world regardless of their location. Harley source it component parts where the cost is cheaper and more affordable and as a result they were able to provide motorcycles at affordable and cost efficient prices. Due to global sourcing of component parts Harley was able to ensure that parts were always available when and where they were required. The internationalization is potential of Harley is clearly determined and measured by the following factors. Harleys market has been diverse, comprising of a wide global demographic, their products have been design for the comfort, safety and enjoyment of both their male and female customer base. Harley has developed and implemented a differentiated strategy where their prices and product offerings have been attractive and affordable to all income brackets. The company has had the favor of the US government and the loyalty of their customers, based on the support which they have given to the US during the war. However, countries such as India have imposed tariffs to protect their own local industries from large multi-national companies. However, to strengthen their competitive ability, Harley diversified its products to attract new markets, acquired other companies which allowed them to gain financial strength by capitalizing on the financial resources and gaining access to markets which the company were unable to before. Internationalization according to Barlett and Ghoshal relates to the different structures for multinational companies. Harleys global strategy and its sources of competitive advantage that Harley gets from being a transnational company are its efficiency through its manufacturing processes which enable it to enjoy economies of scale and develop a reputation to be envied by its competitors. The internationalization of Harleys motorcycles has an uncertain relationship to financial performance as foreign exchange rates may fluctuate resulting in a lost to the company if the exchange rate is decreased in the company which they export to. To acquire and maintain first-mover advantage Harley has been able to continuously revitalise its products to meet and satisfy the changing need and taste of their customer base. Through research and development the company has been able to keep one step ahead of their competitors, placing at a better off than their competitors as a result of being first to market with a new innovative product. Harleys global strategy works because they have a strong global distribution network which ensures an efficient and speedy distribution of motorcycles to customers. With the emergence of the internet a customer can stay in Trinidad and purchase a motorcycle from anywhere in the world. GROWTH STRATEGIES Harleys growth strategies are designed to expand performance which is usually measured by the degree of sales, profits, product mix, market coverage, market share due to trade embargoes. Diversification strategy involved the company entering different markets by adding different products to its marketing mix. Harleys products are targeted towards all members of the family and are related to existing product offerings. RETRENCHMENT STRATEGIES Harleys retrenchment strategies involve a reduction in the scope of the organizations staff number by 440 in 2007 and the sale of assets associated with discontinued product or service lines, as a result Harley sold MV Agusta in 2010. FUNCTIONAL-LEVEL STRATEGIES The functional-level strategies of all organizations are concerned with the coordination of the functions of the organization which are marketing, finance, human resources, production, research and development, etc. This area upholds and contributes to individual business-level strategies and the overall corporate-level strategy as it ensures that set goals and objectives are achieved. At Harley employees involvement are critical to the accomplishment of the companys vision and mission and as such Harleys has cultivated the creativity of their employees. Employees are not treated as machines but allowed to be innovative and involved in the creative development of the company. This Accenture Human Capital Development Framework (HCDF) was first implemented in 2004 and reintroduced in the company in 2006. Harley also partnered with the union and this strategy allowed for change to be flexible, this was a key component in motivating employees and encouraging them to buy-in to any change in strategy which management wished to implement at Harley. Â  The strategy resulted in a motivated workforce who felt a sense of belonging and ownership. The company encouraged a democratic style leadership instead of a dictatorship, through greater employee participation and collaboration as stated by: Teelink (2003) The biggest takeaway [to my experience in a circle organization] is that [positive] change will happen as long as you don try to force it your way. If you lead participative change, it will work. Harley fosters a culture of team-building which ensures that employees are focused and motivated towards achieving the corporate goals and objectives of the organization. Employees are also motivated and encouraged to produce as they have stock ownership this strategy gives employees a sense of belonging and that they are very important and involved in the organization and are willing to embrace changes within the organization without resistance. These initiatives were adopted because the companys new management recognized that to survive in a highly competitive and global market it was critical to make the company a continuous learning and improving organization where communication is open and free throughout the hierarchy of the organization. Employees must recognize and fully comprehend their job functions and its importance to the efficiency in the manufacturing process as well as to the long-term survival of the company. Harley made significant progress at surpassing their internal benchmarks with the implementation of HCDF as employees performance and output improved and increased. Thus performance can now be measured by a balance scorecard. Balance Scorecard Balanced Scorecard is a system used to measure a companyHYPERLINK http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/analysis-of-companies/analysisofcompanies.phpHYPERLINK http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/analysis-of-companies/analysisofcompanies.phps activities in terms of its vision and strategies, as a gives managers a comprehensive view of the performance the business. This approach to strategic management was developed in the early 1990s by Kaplan and Norton. This system allows organization to visually clarify their vision and implement strategies which can improve organizational functions. Harleys study the logistics of building and selling motorcycles in the early 1980s, when it was near bankruptcy. Harleys balance scorecard review the procurement process, inventory stock theory and practice, and the parts marketing process to ensure a holistic, end-to-end supply chain management to supporting the company vision which ensures that the companys products reached its customers. Through performing a thorough study of their entire supply chain, Harley Davidsons logistics personnel have been able to define, measure, and improve their processes in order to improve efficiency in manufacturing process. A prime corporate decision was introduced to reduce the number of suppliers from 500 to 200. A smaller supplier base made quality improvements easier to implement and facilitated the detection as there was increase standardization of process and procedures, tracking, and resolution of quality problems. Conclusion The success of Harley can be contributed to the executive management team which has taken strategic initiatives such as the investment in their human resources, by empowering them to address the weakness associated with the Company. This investment has also given Harley a competitive advantage in the motorcycle industry. The Company has exploited the opportunities in its external environment to create new revenue streams for itself.

International Financial System Essay

There are some assumptions that the United States faces different economic â€Å"reality† than the rest of the world. The speech given by Governor R. S. Kroszner given on September 1, 2008 is about the United States in the International Financial System. He argued â€Å"against the decoupling hypothesis† and talked about the â€Å"two puzzles in the international financial accounts† of the United States. The situation with the housing slowdown in the United States in the summer of 2007 affected also European money markets. It became harder to sell the houses for their original prices. â€Å"Then turmoil emerged in financial systems around the world in the late summer of 2007. † The mortgages taken in the United States were backed with another loans like car loans or student loans and then reinvested again. A lot of foreign investors bought those securities that created difficulties in money markets in Europe. At the beginning of 2008, the financial system in the United States weakened the growth of gross domestic product and affected many emerging markets economies, reducing their growth and prospects for growth. Stock market declined sharply. The food and energy prices increased, and it created a concern of inflation. In other words, Governor wants to show that there is a connection between economies of different countries. It appears that a shock of one country is affecting the economy of many others. According to him, â€Å"the global economy remains closely connected by both trade and financial linkages. † He summed up in short that â€Å"one country’s imports are another’s exports. † The weakness in one economy affects the demand for the imported products that are the stimulus for the economy of the other country which exports these products. Financial account which consists of purchases and sales of assets is a major account. â€Å"Global Financial linkages include not only the net international investment positions but also the sizes of gross cross-border claims and liabilities positions. † There are enormous investments made by US residents and by foreigners. According to Kroszner, â€Å"US liabilities to foreigners totaled more than $20 trillion, exceeding $140 percent of US GDP. US claims on foreigners totaled $17. 5 trillion, roughly 130 percent of US GDP. † This statistics reveled by the FED stuff, indicates that there is a financial linkage between the countries around the world. As a result, â€Å"more than two-third of U. S. liabilities are in the form of debt instruments, while half of U. S. claims are in equity securities and direct investment. † In other words, foreign investors find attractive U. S. markets because of many factors like the Rule of Law, social and political stability, the respect for private property, the uniform commercial code with the court system that can help to resolve disputes, the reliable open market, the safety and soundness of banking system, and finally the transparency in pricing of securities. The next point of the Governor’s speech is about two puzzles. There is an assumption that the United States has the unknown ways to have the higher returns on its investments. The U. S. residents have income of $90 billions more than the foreign investors on their investments in the United States. According to the governor, â€Å"the answer lies in the returns, composition, and size of U. S. claims and liabilities. The return received on U. S. direct investment claims on the rest of the world is much larger than paid by U. S. on its direct investment liabilities to the rest of the world or any other assets. † In short, direct investment appears to be a greater share of U. S. claims than it is of U. S. liabilities. Moreover, the United States is not the only country that has a positive net investment income. United Kingdom has also a larger difference in the rate of return on direct investment claims and liabilities comparing to other countries. This fact proves that the U. S. residents allocate their investments with a greater risk premium and make more physical investments in other countries. Kroszner suggested that difference of $90 billion can be partially explained also by favorable tax laws that â€Å"reduce their overall tax burden† on their direct investments in other countries. Another puzzle was about the U. S. ability to borrow on better terms than the other countries do in order to finance their ‘external deficit. † The United States has huge account deficits over $3. 8 trillion. To finance the deficit U. S. needs to borrow abroad. According to the governor, â€Å"U. S. net liabilities increased by only $600 billion, which is $3. 2 trillion less than the cumulated current account deficits. About $2. 4 trillion of this amount is because of valuation adjustments (capital gains) favoring us claims. † The adjustments constantly occur because of the changes in asset prices and the U. S. currency which is considered to be the major medium of exchange on the market, about 66%. Besides the fact that the United States has the deficit since 1980s, the foreigners are still willing to invest in U. S. market. They can find it more attractive if the United States has the higher real interest. They observe such relative facts like the real sustainable economic growth, the relative inflation rates, and Purchasing Power Parity in the long-run exchange rates. They might also choose to invest in certain securities because of personal preferences and tastes. All these facts influence their decision making to invest in the U. S. market, but the key to resolve the second puzzle lies in differences in portfolio returns, composition, and size. â€Å"Most U. S. liabilities are debt securities, which realize small capital gains, while a large fraction of U. S. claims on the rest of the world are equity securities, which realize much larger capital gains. † In other words, the U. S. residents are taking more risk when invest in the new emerged markets while the foreign investors make safe decisions to invest in the U. S. securities with lower risk and lower return like U. S. bond and bills. Because of global trading and financial linkages, all the countries are bounded together.

Introduction to Organization Structure

Introduction to organizational structure An organization structure refers to an arrangement of people, relationship and responsibilities in carrying out company activities to achieve goal. In addition it also can define as how a people in the organization are group together and to whom they report. Formal structure is needed for larger organization that decisions have to be made about the delegation of various tasks. In an organization structure clearly indicate and separate between the work activities which define by their job role.In good organization structure should explain the relationship of authority who reports to whom and for managers, who reports to them. An organization structure usually illustrated graphically in an organization chart. There are several types of organization structure such as functional organizational structure, geographic organizational structure, matrix organizational structure and product organizational structure. Functional organizational structure re fers to a group of people in the organization or department that hold similar position and perform similar task. It also indicates that who reporting to whom.The traditional way to of the organization, this is organizing people by function. A Geographic organizational structure is typically found in companies with operation spread over a large region. This includes national and international office. It will have internal structure and management layers depending on each location. While matrix organizational structure combine two or more types of organizational structure usually is product organizational structure and functional organizational structure to create a unique blend of work environment. Product organizational structure is the departmentalization based on product and.Employee work in difference unit where by each unit holds the responsibilities of producing the product or service. This structure also known as a division structure. Base on this organizational structure ever y product structure will lead by division. Each division will responsible for each product. 1. 0 Functional Structure According to O’Toole. S â€Å"The term organizational structure refers to how the people in an organization are grouped and to whom they report. One traditional way of organizing people is by function. Some common functions within an organization include production, marketing, human resources and accounting†.Base on this definition we can say that in functional structure employee are grouped together into department and hold similar position also perform similar task. Chief Executive Director Human Resource Manager Finance Manager Account assistants Manufacturing Manager Engineering Manager HR officer FOL Manager EOL Manager Test Engineering Equipment Engineering HR Assistants Payroll officer Supervisor Supervisor Engineer Enigineer Appendix 1. 0: Sample of Functional Structure for Company ABC Referring to above chart, it clearly divided the task and re sponsibilities by function.Example for this company has four main functions which are finance, human resource, manufacturing and engineering. Every department has a difference roles and responsibilities. Finance department focus on accounting and payroll, where by manufacturing can concentrate on execution in order to deliver a good result by divided into two main focus which is FOL and EOL. Both were lead by area manager to ensure the efficiency of the result. For engineering department also separate into two main focuses, they are test and equipment engineering. Each 2 function plays a role in order to achieve the company goal.Base on their expertise the result given will be very fast, efficiently and effectively. 1. 1 Advantage of Functional Structure The advantage of functional structure is employee can communicate and share information easily as they are grouping together according to similarities in their position. Beside that escalation process also can be done fast as and ef fectively. In terms of management, especially manager it easy for them to monitor subordinate performance. Another benefit of functional organization structure is coherent chain of command. For example, referring to above chart Account and payroll fall under purview of Finance department.A clear chain of command is needed, this is because it creates standard operation procedures, besides established consequences also enhanced accountability. Another advantages of functional structure is it cans expedited decision making. This is because normally group decision making will slow down progress on project due to the diverse perspectives involved. But in this structure because people have similar professional and educational background the decision making process will be much easier. In addition functional structure also allows work to be done by qualified and skilled individual in the area concern.Hence, another advantage of this structure is that it reduces cost by reducing duplication and use of resource in the organization. 1. 2 Disadvantage of Functional Structure Functional structure also have disadvantage. The disadvantage of functional structure is because functional structure separate by function, as a result employee having a very little understanding or concern for other area instead of their own area. Because of this separation there is a barrier in communication and overall cooperation and coordination. Beside that in this structure individual focus is rather than a company focus. 3 2. Geographic Structure Geographic structure often use by large company that operate in many area. The main function of this structure is to co-ordinate the work and employee from difference unit and responsible for conducting business in certain geographic locations. Each location will have its own internal structure and management layers, allowing them to run the operation. Below is geographic structure for Open University Malaysia. From the chart Open University Malaysia has divided the organizational base on geographic which is northern region, southern region, and central region, east coast and Sabah and Sarawak.Each region will cover certain state in Malaysia. For Northern region it covered Perlis, Kedah, Pulau Pinang and Perak. For southern region represent Johor, Negeri Sembilan and Melaka. Kuala Lumpur and Selangor is in central region. For Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang indicate as East Coast area. Last area is Sabah and Sarawak region that cover Sabah and Sarawak. Headquarters can easily monitor the performance of each area and might not need to go through every single state to check on the academic progress or activity happened at the particular centre. Open University MalaysiaNorther n region Perlis Kedah Pulau Pinang Souther n region Central region Kuala Lumpur Perak Negeri Sembilan Melaka Selangor East Coast Kelantan Terengganu Pahang Johor Appendix 2. 0 : Geographic Structure of Open University Malaysia 4 Sabah Sarawak Sabah Sarawak 2 . 1 Advantages of Geographic Structure The advantages of geographic structure are cost saving. By locating resource close to customer it will help organization to reduce the cost such as travelling expenses. Using a geographic structure allows companies to use local, experienced individuals to run the company’s operation.This is the most beneficial in international locations, where companies need help transitioning their operations to specific international markets. 2. 2 Disadvantages of Geographic Structure There are some disadvantages of geographic structure such as companies may find it difficulties to run this because it does not allow for centralized decision making. Another disadvantage is that it creates duplication of work also the use of the organization’s resource. Hence, due to the geographical area that located far from each other it will create the difficulties in coordinating between departments in organization. 3. 0 Matrix Structure Matrix structure refe rs to a hybrid structure that combines two or more departmentalization together at one time to create a unique blend of work environment. Usually matrix structure is a combination of product and functional structure. This structure created when there is an assignment or project need to carry out. In this structure employee are reporting to two difference supervisor or manager. This is the differences of matrix structure from other structure. Example is several engineer might be hired carry forth a similar function by pooling in their expertise.In addition, a single company producing two types of product with the same team in professional. For effective and smooth functioning, it is mandatory to share the information in matrix structure. Each project will have a project manager and difference team members will report to him. The matrix structure, if implemented effectively, may increase the ability to react the new customer demands. It also may potentially decrease lead times of new product. Usually employee involve in this structure have to report to 2 manager which is immediate manager and also project manager who is the person to monitor the progress of the project.When work is accomplished, the project team may get dissolved, and the workers from different functional areas may get reassigned to other project and task. Chief Executive Director Human Resource Manager Finance Manager Manufacturing Manager Engineering Manager Division of project manager FOL Manager Test Engineering manager Project manager Account assistants 1 Payroll officer 1 HR officer Account assistants 2 Payroll clerk HR Assistants Account clerk Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Engineer HR clerk Legends: The hilted boxes represent staff engage with project. Appendix 3. :Sample of Matrix Structure of Company ZZZ 6 Appendix 3. 0 represent matrix structure for company ZZZ. From the chart there is a project conduct by project manager from project department. To ensure this project success the project has involves staff from other functional structure such as finance, human resource, manufacturing and engineering. For this structure usually employee need to get agreement from immediate manager before they can proceed, this is because it will impact their regular job and employee also must has a strong commitment and dedicated to perform the task.There is an opportunity for them to learn a new thing that not in their job scope. The staff involve in this project will report to 2 manager which is project manager and their immediate department manager. Progress of the project will monitor by project manager while their immediate manager play a role to encourage the employee to perform the task with professionally. 3. 1 Advantages of Matrix Structure The advantages of matrix structure are allowing the organization to effectively and efficiently manage the project that is large scale and complex.The specialized employee can be chosen base on the merit of their work and functions that t hey carry forth. Involving in this structure will give chance to employee to success because of the work load and a lot of difference thinking forces is working on the project and therefore the stress, authority and problem solving skill become stronger. Another advantage of this structure is a cost saving. This is because the people working in the project is hired as a part one team also work under other teams.Meaning to say that the employee involve in the project will do the 2 difference job at one time. In addition this matrix structure will provide opportunity for both functional and product skill development. Thus it will reduce barriers between departments and increase the integration of functions. 3. 2 Disadvantage of Matrix structure Even though there are advantages of matrix structure, there is certain disadvantage as well. The disadvantages of this matrix structure are requiring higher level of management skill compare to other type of departmentalization.It will impact t he company in terms of increasing cost if there is a lot of project manager hired for the job. Another disadvantage of matrix structure is increased conflict levels. This structure also may cause participants to experience 7 dual authority, which can be confusing and frustrating. Very important in this structure is require participant to have a very good interpersonal skill. 4. 0 Product Structure Product structure define as an organization base on organizing employee and work in difference units, while each unit hold responsibility of producing a product or service.For example if company produce 4 difference products, there will have 4 difference divisions for these product. Below is a sample of product organization. In other words product structure divides the company into divisions that bring together those employee involved with a certain type of product or market service. Chief Executive Secretary Product Division Division A Beverage Division B Ice cream Engineering Division C Training Manufacturing Purchasing Division D Cereal Milk powder Infant 6 years plus 3 years plus Adult Appendix 4. 0: Sample of product Organization of Company XYZ.Referring to above chart from company XYZ can see that this company has produce 4 products which is beverage, ice cream, cereal and milk powder. For each product will have a difference division to control. Each division within a divisional structure contains all the necessary recourses and function within it. 8 4. 1 Advantages of Product structure The advantages of product structure is company has a better control for the product as each product has manage by difference division and each division can act as a separate profit centre. Hence, this structure also can create a positive competition between divisions.As every unit own and produce a difference product it will allow manager and employee to expend their expertise and experience that are related to the overall activity of the product. Beside that these structures al so allow management to evaluate the work performance of each division easily. Another advantage of this structure is, because of clear focus on market segment it help to meet customers’ needs. 4. 2 Disadvantages of Product Structure Product structure may also have some disadvantages. For example manager may only focus on their product to the exclusion of the rest of the organization.Due to each product having own functional area expert it may lead to increasing in cost. Beside that will have duplication in terms of process and material also will increase the company cost. Management may facing difficulties to coordinate across department also one of disadvantage of this structure. 5. 0 Conclusion In conclusion organization structure is important as it is a system that control and drive company performance to achieve goal. Difference structure has a difference functions, but the objective is the same which is to ensure company running with smooth and achieve the goal.Functiona l structure is a basic structure and it applies for all organization. It still relevant and can be use for any company and organization. Geographic structure is mostly use for multinational company which has many branches at other country. It also applicable for domestic company and organization such as Open University Malaysia. Matrix structure is a hybrid structure that required commitment and skill especially interpersonal skill to perform the task. For product structure basically is a organizing people base on the product.

Men And Women s Basketball Essay - 1448 Words

Although men and women’s basketball are closer to being equal than softball and baseball, the leagues are still separate. America has a women’s league and a men’s league and never the two shall meet. A woman is not allowed in the NBA since she has the WNBA. The separation is strong, obvious, and seemingly permanent. Like basketball, they created softball to play indoors during the winter. The game earned the name softball and due to its easier properties was often â€Å"regarded as baseball’s stepchild† (Ring, p. 60). They passed the game down to women, as it seemed safe enough to limit the risk of injury. And so the separation began. Astonishingly, sexism still exists and in 2002, columnist Stephen Moore expressed, allowing women to play in March Madness is â€Å"annoying† and the tournament would be better without them (McDonagh Pappano, p. 237). He believes women in sports intrude and ruin â€Å"precious moments of bonding† (McDonagh Pappano, p. 237). 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