Controlling

Complete the purpose statement and performance standards sections of strategic alignment worksheets for two functional areas of a fictional organization. Then write a 2–3 page summary analysis of the strategic alignment work you did.

Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence. In this assessment, you are required to complete the SAWs you began in Assessment 1.

The four principal elements of management are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. This assessment focuses on the dynamic relationship between the third and fourth of these elements: leading and controlling.

Your job as the department manager is to lead your teams so that organizational and department goals can be accomplished. For this assessment you will develop purpose statements for the two functional areas that you have chosen for the case study scenario. You will also establish performance standards for both functional areas.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

• Competency 4: Evaluate how leading influences the role of a manager.
  • Explain how the purpose statement for a human resources functional area supports people leadership.
  • Explain how the purpose statement for a declared functional area supports people leadership.
• Competency 5: Evaluate how controlling influences the role of a manager.
  • Create a strategically aligned purpose statement for a human resources functional area.
  • Create a strategically aligned purpose statement for a declared functional area.
  • Identify strategically aligned performance standards for a human resources functional area.
  • Identify strategically aligned performance standards for a declared functional area.
  • Explain how the performance standards for a human resources functional area reflect strategic alignment with the organization.
  • Explain how the performance standards for a declared functional area reflect strategic alignment with the organization.

 

For this assessment, consider that you were asked to continue assisting an executive of the organization by completing the remaining sections of your strategic alignment worksheets (SAWs) for the human resources functional area and the additional functional area you selected for Corporation. To complete this, your executive manager and you agreed that you should use the two strategic alignment worksheets you submitted for Assessment 1, and complete the following:

1. Conduct independent research to familiarize yourself with the process of developing a purpose statement and performance standards. You may find the materials listed in the Suggested Resources helpful, or you may refer to other resources.
2. Update the SAW for the human resources area by completing Section 2: Purpose Statement and Section 3: Performance Standards.
   • In the Section 2: Purpose Statement table, provide thoughtful answers to the four questions to arrive at your purpose statement for each functional area. Explain how the purpose statement will help produce effective results.
   • In the Section 3: Performance Standards table, identify at least three strategically aligned performance standards that will be used to measure the performance of the functional area team. Provide a rationale for each identified performance standard and explain how managers can support the team through measuring performance and taking corrective action.
3. Update the SAW for the additional functional area you selected by completing Section 2: Purpose Statement and Section 3: Performance Standards.
   • In the Section 2: Purpose Statement table, provide thoughtful answers to the four questions to arrive at your purpose statement for each functional area. Explain how the purpose statement will help produce effective results.
   • In the Section 3: Performance Standards table, identify at least three strategically aligned performance standards that will be used to measure the performance of the functional area team. Provide a rationale for each identified performance standardand explain how managers can support the team through measuring performance and taking corrective action.
4. Write one 2–3 page summary analysis on the sections you just completed for your SAWs. In your analysis, address the following questions:
   • For each SAW, explain how the purpose statement for that functional area addresses the people leadership aspects of management by promoting trust, motivating employees, and supporting collaboration. Assess potential management challenges associated with the purpose statement.
   • For each SAW, explain how the performance standards reflect strategic alignment with the organization, through support of the other sections of the SAW (the goals and activities and purpose statement) and your revised organizational charts.
   • Indicate the research you used to support your work.
   • Describe the current or past experience (if any) you used as the basis for this activity.

Based on an executive audience, your summary should be well organized and written in clear, succinct language. Follow APA rules for attributing sources that support your analysis and conclusions.

Use the following transcripts

1

 

Most of us have read the Herzberg’s motivational theory and know that it suggested that satisfiers like recognition, achievement, and personal growth are what people positively respond to.

As managers these satisfiers allow us to lead employees. Anyone who has ever led a group of volunteers knows that you cannot motivate people to do what they do not want to do.

This is largely because we as managers cannot motivate anyone. People can only motivate themselves. It is our job as managers to find out what motivates them and provide them with an opportunity to motivate themselves.

Moving employees from “dissatisfied” to “not dissatisfied” is a place to start. Reflecting on the Management Cycle, we can see that Lead is the third of the four elements. Leading is difficult to do unless you know where you want to go, which is part of the Plan element. Figuring out what resources you have available to get you there is part of the Organized element.

You must give careful attention to the first two elements in order for the third to be effective. As a leader and a manager you influence your department’s potential for success by identifying the strengths needed for each position and then staffing those roles with the right people, find the right fit.

The hiring and training functions of management often reside in the Organized element. Ultimately, the manager must decide if he or she has the right people in the right positions to optimize performance.

Finally, the most important element of leadership is communication. It is essential for a manager to be able to convert department goals into clearly understandable objectives.

transcript 2 :

 

By control, we mean using the score keeping system that will determine how we are doing.

As the final element of the management cycle, control is the inspect what we expect part of management.

Imagine a solid wheel rotating forward, revolving three quarters of the way around, only to hit a flat spot. That is what happens to an organization if it completes the plan, organize, and lead elements of management, but it fails to control, measure, and report the results. The forward momentum stalls and a great deal of effort is required to get the organization moving forward again.

You will establish appropriate performance standards, or controls, to inspect what you expect from your department’s activities. In order to insure alignment of the goals of your department with the organizational goals, you will need to provide feedback to your employees. This feedback can assure them that they are moving forward like the wheel, with the least possible amount of resistance.

Remember, you cannot improve what you do not measure. Focus on creating alignment between company goals and your area of responsibility.

Atha Corporation

 

 

Executive Department Management Instructions

Atha Corporation owner, Mary Atha has declared a goal of doubling the company’s current $5 million in sales in the next year. Atha markets its product, unique lighting products (wall, pendant, floor, table, and nightlights) made of 50% recycled materials, through as series of regional distributors and directly online. It is currently the end of the third quarter and you have three months to complete your planning and execute your strategy in order to have your functional areas prepared. There is no time to waste in meeting the goal. Plans have to be developed, current employees retained, and new employees hired. Company communications must be clear and concise and the management cycle must be followed throughout the process.

You will serve as the department manager for two functional areas. One is the human resources department; the other is your choice of one of three other areas: accounting and finance, marketing and sales, or operations and production.

Ms. Atha has assigned specific goals to the vice president of your functional area. The vice president has determined what your department needs to do to help the entire functional area succeed. Those goals are in alignment with the overall company goal of doubling sales. Your responsibility is to break those goals into activities and tasks for your department.

You have one or more supervisors in your department. Each supervisor has several employees to lead and control. Each individual must know what he or she is to do, how or why to do it, what the quality and performance standard is, and how well he or she is doing. It is your responsibility to align the work of your team with the company goal. You will provide your team members with the information they need, and ensure that they complete the work on time while meeting performance and quality standards.

Functional Area Background

Planning: You have been assigned additional employees and (possibly) new assets in order to meet your goals. You must determine what skills, strengths, and talents they must have. How will you retain and motivate your existing employees and attract, hire, train, and retain new ones with the help of human resources? How will you break down your functional goals into departmental activities? How will you measure success? What is the frequency of your activities?

Organizing: You have the old department organizational chart. Create a new organizational chart for your functional area, showing how you will allocate your employees efficiently in order to achieve your department goals. The company has made a decision not to hire based solely on industry experience. Can you identify non-traditional industries or positions in which employee skills can be effectively transferred to Atha?

Leading and Controlling: What are the purpose statements for both of your functional areas? How do these reflect strategic alignment with the organization? What are the performance standards? How will you measure and report the performance and quality standards? How do these support the people in your organization through promoting trust, motivating employees, and supporting collaboration?

Additional Resources Available to Each Department Manager

Additional resources have been allocated to each manager. Below is a list of resources for each department. Include this information in your planning, organizing, leading, and controlling functions.

Accounting and Finance: Three additional employees, one of whom is a financial analyst, have been approved for your department. You have as much technical budget as reasonably needed to support a world-class computer system.

Sales and Marketing: You can hire seven new employees. Position them in your department as necessary to meet the company goals.

Human Resources: You will be helping department managers to hire 30 new employees for the company. Executive management has authorized you to hire two new human resource generalists for your department. They will begin by assisting in the screening, interviewing, and hiring of new employees. Be sure to discuss how their role will transition once new employees have been hired and trained.

Operations and Production: In order to double your sales, you must first increase your production capacity. Therefore, the company will add a third shift to maximize the production capacity of the existing production line. You will need to hire 18 new employees to fully staff the three shifts. Further consideration is under review to purchase a second production line.

 

Resources	Functional Area
	Accounting and Finance	Sales and Marketing	Human Resources	Operations and Production
Current number of employees:	8	12	4	34
Total employees needed:	11	19	6	52
Employees to hire:	3	7	2	18
Supervisor tenure:	New	New	10 years	New
Existing organizational chart:	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes