Capwell Millers Company employs vertical communication whereby each function of the entire organization performs a unique function. For instance, this structure recognizes the production, human resource, and marketing, accounting and purchasing functions of the firm. This is the section that does requisition and receipt of all the raw materials required for the production process. The human resource function deals with the invitation, shortlisting, selection, training, induction, vetting and employment of the company’s staff. The Accounting function deals with the maintenance and updating of financial records of the firm, the safety and maintenance of movement schedules of plants and machinery, and equipment of the company in order to know the rate of depreciation of each asset.
The functional structure of this organization is different from the divisional organizational structure because the latter involves division of the organization based on the line of products, the geographical area, or the markets that suit the various departments.
In addition divisional structuring leads to horizontal communication within the organization whereas functional structuring has got vertical communication according to the hierarchy existing. Furthermore, there is the utilization of human resource in functional structure, whereas there is wastage of this resource in divisional organizational structure. This owes to the fact that in divisional structuring, each division has its own personnel in the field of accounting, human resource, marketing, manufacturing and purchasing there is hence duplication of effort.
Matrix communication structure involves both functional and divisional techniques and designs. However, reporting to the seniors is a problem because authority has been fully delegated to the heads of every division, unlike in the functional and divisional organizational structures.
The marketing function influences the choice of a communication process structure for the company because it is a medium sized company that does not have subsidiaries. In addition, this function is a determinant in the profitability of the company because there are many rival companies in the market. The Finance function should be centralized for the sake of proper accountability of Capwell resources and assets. Therefore, this favours the functional communication process structure.
The human resource function also influences the choice of functional structure given that the company does not have many employees. This helps in saving on cost of doubling of efforts when there is more than one human resource division. The operations section also plays a key role in the selection of the functional structure. The operations section of the company is not broad enough to justify split of the section.
The company operates on increasing returns of scale. Therefore, the appropriate function is a functional communication process structure (Resource development International ltd, 2012).The communication process structure involves the reorganizing of the structures put in place in an organization in a bid to realize growth and development of a firm. This contributes in the choice of organizational structure to be employed in any organization.
For instance in Capwell Company, this variable informed the company’s decision in selecting the functional communication process structure because the company lacks branches gives its scale of operations. Moreover, the company has embraced virtual sales and marketing techniques so that a large and broad market is accessed in order to increase company sales (Resource development International ltd, 2012).
The communication process structure engulfs the functions of an organization into the required number of functions within an organization. This design determines the selection of a functional organization structure because of the efficient utilization of resources associated with this structure. This also guarantees career development and advancement because the personnel succeed each other according to their ranks in Authority. Furthermore, this design is the one that gives an opportunity to the employees to work as a team in order to achieve the overall organizational goals of profit maximization and wealth creation.
Matrix-based communication process structure constitutes of two structures, which are different in operation. It constitutes of both functional and divisional organizational structures whereby every division has got its own personnel and head. This design was not appropriate for the company because it is a medium-sized hence it required a functional structure which realigns its activities as per the budgets and work schedules set by the operational, accounting and finance functions.
Marketing channels refers to the processes involved in the delivery of the products and services to the final consumer. This includes the manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and the final consumer. The company employees both channels hence the functional organizational structure is the appropriate structure (Resource development International ltd, 2012). This also entails the structuring a firm with regard to the various types of products the company intends to manufacture. This calls for the creation of divisions for the manufacturing of each product.
Existing approach to the collection, formatting, storage & disseminating of information within HR Department of the company
The human resource department of Capwell Company will realize improvement in communication through Departmentalization of organizational design as shown in this diagrammatic representation:
Departmentalization organizational design is a design of organization’s structuring based on the departments expected to exist within the firm. For, instance, there are various departments within each functional unit, in Capwell Company.
Therefore, this design played a pivotal role in choosing of functional organizational structure (Resource development International ltd, 2012). A communication improvement within the organization entails the manner in which people feel about each other in the course of holding a conversation. This confirms the fact that most people succeed in communicating processes which are appealing and accommodative. For instance, climates which are objective and supportive tend to boost communication between concerned parties. This owes to the fact that such a climate enables the parties to be free and open to each other hence bombarding on many issues subject to the conversation.
The chapter explores various forms of communication like confirming and disconfirming communication. Confirmation communication entails messages which show that the parties in communication favourably value each other. This human resource functional unit is charged with the responsibility of providing the company’s board of directors with financial performance reports and on ad hoc quarterly basis. This structure will enhance communication between the department of human resource and other departments in the operational and managerial levels of Capwell Company.
This function has the obligation of finding new market niches for the company’s produce. In addition, this section carries out the competitive analysis of the company with regard to other companies in the same industry of food manufacturing. It is an important function of the company as it determines the volume of sales made on a daily basis. The purchasing function deals with the ordering and purchasing of raw materials and other tangible assets of the company. It is charged with doing market price analysis of various items before granting tenders to prospective clients (Resource development International ltd, 2012).
There is need for different personnel who possess different expertise and skills to share with other fellow employees in related tasks in order to boost the quality of service delivery across the board (Boddy et al, 2004). In the case of the company in quest, the product produced is one though few chemicals are added to produce a fairly different product. This is manifested in prompt feedback and receiving of calls made by the counterpart. Conversely, disconfirming communication indicates that either of the parties in conversation does not positively regard his partner. This can take the form of ignoring of calls made by the other party.
Communication processes are developed from the time two parties meet in preparation for communication. This can be a physical meeting or online meeting. Confirming at this point in time culminates in positive communication process whereas disconfirmation results in a negative communication climate. The communication process can be self-perpetual when the communication is dominated by a single party. A communication process can also be in the form of escalatory conflict spiral whereby the parties communicating attack each other and consequently an argument ensues. The communication process can also take the form of de-escalatory spiral whereby the parties involved in an escalatory conflict withdraw from the relationship and quit. There can be defensiveness in a communication process in order for either party to salvage self-image.
However, it is prudent to avoid retaliation in a communication process given that reprisals exacerbate the situation. The aggrieved part in a communication can resort to sarcasm as opposed to verbal aggression because the latter evokes violence and direct provocation. The communication process can also be improved through emphasizing on strengths in one area in order to ignore weaknesses. In addition, there is need to mentally block information, which will hurt the other party in a conversation. The other party can also ignore disparaging remarks by the counterpart in order to continue with a conversation. This will indicate intellectual maturity and understanding for such a party. A communication process can also be improved through avoidance of defensiveness given that it leads to a apathy. In addition, the parties can also avoid personal judgement on issues because this culminates in disagreements and arguments .Instead the parties should discuss issues which concern both of them.
This will enable them to identify with each other and communication will improve. Furthermore, either party ought to accommodate the other party’s perception pertaining to various issues of discussion. This will lead to increase of knowledge and understanding. The personal ego should be controlled in a communication process in order to succeed in accommodating the other communication party’s position (Slack et al, 2009). In this regard, empathy is indispensable and inevitable .however, it is also prudent to disclose facts with regard to the issues being discussed in order for the receiving part to appreciate the in a communication. In case, an argument ensues in a conversation the critic’s submissions should be accommodated and analysed with regard to facts. In fact, performance of people increases when the communication process is satisfactory.
References
Boddy, D., Boonstra, A. and Kennedy, G 2004, Managing Information Systems; An Organizational Perspective. 2 edition. Financial Times/ Prentice Hall.
Resource development International ltd, 2012. “Information and Knowledge.” RDI online Courseware.
Resource development International ltd, 2012. “Business information environment.” RDI online courseware.
Slack, N. et al, 2009. Operations Management, 6 edition. Financial Times/Prentice Hall.
