A comparative evaluation of the management functions & skills used in CS & City Shoes.

A Comparative Evaluation of the Management Functions

& Skills used in CS & City Shoes

In my task 2, 4 and 5, I have made some comparison between city shoes and CS with regard to the management functions and skills used in both businesses.

Generally, city shoes use a more autocratic style of management, whereas CS uses a democratic approach to their management style. However different situations in the businesses do occur, which can change both companies’ management styles according to the situation. For example, if a quick decision needs to be made by both managers, then they will use an autocratic approach so that the situation can be handled efficiently and quickly. If the managers (especially the CS managers who tend to use a democratic style) uses a democratic approach to a quick decision situation, the businesses can miss an opportunity, make a problem even more to worsen or make the businesses inefficient. This can affect the businesses achieving their objectives and it also shows that different situations can change the styles of management that is used in CS and city shoes.

When both businesses are planning as a function for their company, they both use similar skills to make their planning effective and efficient. For example, both city shoes and CS would use communication skills to plan for the business because they need to show that they can present information clearly to other members in the business so that the planning can be effectively achieved. This also shows that both managers would need to use political skills so that they can interact with their employees, which will again make it easier for the subordinates to clearly understand what is needed to achieve the planning. For example, both managers communicate and interact with their employees so that their plan can be completed with out any constraints. However as there always is constraints in the businesses functions the managers from both companies would also need to have good problem solving skills so that constraints can easily and quickly managed. For example, if the plan to set a target of number of sales for a particular product and the business doesn’t achieve this target, the managers would need to make a decision to how to cover the loss of profits and to get back in track. This would be done by planning again and making sure that this time the products do achieve its objectives for the businesses. This shows that both city shoes and CS use the same skills to plan, however they both use a different approach to achieve the aims from the plan. For example, if a plan for setting objectives to get a particular number if sales for a product weren’t achieved by the businesses, they would use different techniques to try and achieve the targets for the plan. CS would use the marketing tools to help them achieve sales for their products (e.g. they would advertise their product on television so that a wide range of people will be attracted to the product and help CS to get a increase in sales), whereas city shoes would call their customers, attend to exhibitions and would use the facilities of the internet to promote their product, which will see them get a increase in sales. However some people just don’t like the product at all, even though the businesses have used these tools to help them to get an increase in sales. This is were both businesses use different approaches towards innovation. CS would innovate new products not on a regularly basis because changes in taste in the confectionary market doesn’t change quickly compared to the shoe market, were the market for the ‘trendiest’ shoes changes very quickly. This shows that city shoes would use more innovation towards their business compared to CS because city shoes have to supply customers with the latest shoes in the market so that customers remain satisfied, whereas CS would innovate new products mainly when rivals produce a new range or there is a demand for a product (e.g. the public demanded more healthier products). Also city shoes needs to innovate to survive in the market and remain competitive so that they are able to achieve their objectives, whereas CS have many present products to survive with because of the popularity e.g. if CS produce a range of chocolates and the launch of the products were unsuccessful, they wouldn’t be hugely affected by it because they have products, such as Dairy Milk to fall onto whereas city shoes don’t.

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Motivation and developing staff is very important for both businesses because this function can help them to achieve the company’s objectives. As I said before, city shoes generally uses an autocratic style of management to motivate their employees because the company director thinks differently towards his employees (he thinks the employees are lazy and are only committed to do work due to money), especially the lower level of management and the workers. Whereas CS uses a more democratic management style because the top level of management (the top level of managers think that employees are committed to do work and achieve the company goals) need input and discuss things with each other. The two businesses are completely different and have different approaches to motivate and develop employees. As city shoes is a much smaller business compared to CS, the company director and managers would have to use a democratic approach because if the employees are the way that the managers think they are then using a democratic approach is the best way to motivate and develop the employee. Whereas CS uses a more democratic approach towards the employees because they believe that the employees will be motivated and develop by using this style of management. Also CS are heavily trained to think and use a democratic management style because it helps them to achieve their objectives, which has happened of the years because CS are now competing with the top companies in their market. City shoes way of style has helped them to expand over the years and become a well known business, however if city shoes do arrive at the stage were the business is a internationally known business, like CS, then the management style will need to be changed to more of a democratic style because employees working for large businesses prefer to be treated in a democratic approach so that they are able to show their full potential towards the company. This also shows that both businesses uses a tactical and strategic role to make sure that the employees are motivated, so that they are committed to do their work and develop their skills towards the businesses.

As I have described earlier on, both businesses uses different methods of marketing because of the size difference between the companies. CS has millions of pounds to spend on market research, promotion, analysing, improving, whereas as city shoes has a budget, which they have to stick to. For example, CS is able to afford to advertise on national televisions, whereas, city shoes advertise by catalogues, the upcoming Internet and word of mouth. This shows that managers in the business have to use their skills to stick with their budgets and be very organised so that the businesses don’t get into debt. Also the managers for both business will need to use political skills for marketing because it is important that the managers get all the views from the rest of the managements so that the marketing aspect will be successful.

Another function that both businesses heavily depend on to remain competitive and survive in the market is the profits that the companies generate. Both managements need to be ensured that their company is generating profits, so that they will know if their objectives are achievable, what needs to be improved and to compare them with their competitors. Ensuring profitability will help both managements but they both will use different ways to ensure that the business generate profits. CS sets long term and short term objectives, which has to be met so that they can achieve those objectives. This is done again done by promotion so that it will attract consumers to the product that CS are promoting and it will increase sales for the product, whereas city shoes have sales managers who are the employees that city shoes depend on heavily to generate profits. The sales employees have to attend to many exhibitions, take many phone calls from customers who make orders and phone potential customers who buy large amounts of shoes and persuade them to buy the products. This requires the sales employees to have good communication skills because they will be verbally talking to a lot of customers who buy goods of them. It also requires them to have good technical skills because they need to know about the shoes so that they can answer any questions that the customers give. But most importantly the sales employees need to have good interaction skills with the customers because having a good bond with the customers will mean that they are happy with the service and will do regular business with city shoes, which will help them to generate profits. CS will use fewer skills on a particular employee because they don’t heavily depend on one or two employees to generate profits. Instead the top level management delegate their work through effective employees who will ensure profits fir CS.

A comparative evaluation of the management functions & skills used in CS & City Shoes.

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