Assignment 1
BMW
Gerrick Jackson
BMW builds and sells more than one million vehicles every year, employing approximately 110,000 people worldwide.
The company begun during the Second World War and built it's first motor vehicle in 1928. BMW is the only German automobile manufacturer to have shown a consistently positive balance sheet over the last 30 years, by focusing on engineering excellence and delivering consistently popular, in-demand products to a discerning customer base.
BMW Mission statement
BMW's aim is to be the most admired and respected service company in the UK.
Company purpose:
BMW (GB) limited and its subsidiaries from a sales and marketing organisation dedicated to adding value to the products of its parent company BMW AG.
Together with the BMW dealer network, the company seeks to promote brand values and customer service above all else.
The aims and objectives:
The aim of BMW is to be the most admired and respected service company in the UK.
The company intends to achieve this by providing top high quality motors at a value- rated price.
The company wants to keep a high reputation and most of all survive in the motor world.
BMW want to provide the best car manufacturers to develop their cars.
They want their customers to have value for money.
To brake down BMWs aims it would be as to Make profit, provide goods to local and wider communities and Survive as a business in order to expand.
The company also aims to improve the quality of their products and Provide highly competitive service.
The Objectives of the business are as follows:
* To sell more of its products than a competitor
* To provide more goods this year than it did last year
* To improve a product or service so it meets the needs of customers more closely.
The products:
BMW have a range of motoring products, which are all performance saloon cars. The 3,5,7 and Roadster series ranges include many different models. Also BMW produces high specification motorcycles and aero engines.
It's 3 series consists of The 3 series compact (316i 318tds, 318ti), 3 series saloon (316I, 318I,etc), 3 series convertible and many more. The 5 series however has large types of cars rather than stylish. It offers unprecedented progress to the last detail such as the 5 series saloons, which range from elegant road cars to fast sports cars. There is also the 5 series touring which holds a range of off road jeep and 4x4s.
The BMW 7 series offers both comfort and technology to its driver with its saloon (728I, 735I, 740I etc).
BMW also produces both motorcycles and aeroplane engines, which are specially made to have a lightweight and plenty of character.
The Functional areas:
Finance
Businesses receive money in return for the goods and services they sell. This is their revenue. From this, BMW must pay for those goods and services they use in running the business and producing the goods and services they supply. This is where the finance department comes in.
At BMW the finance department deals with the management of the money coming into and going out of the business.
The activities of this department are as follows to prepare accounts for the business, to pay wages and salaries of the staff and employees in the business and to obtain capital and resources to be used within the business.
The job roles in BMW for this department are to prepare accounts Pay wages & salaries. The finance department also must Obtain Capital & Resources. Pay of all amounts owing to suppliers and Keep all the financial records.
Human resources
Human resources, is one of the most important functions in the business, As department deals with the recruitment and welfare of people who work in the business.
This is why being a highly recommended and top quality company such as BMW the company must take care to ensure that they higher the best possible staff and provide the best facilities and treatment for those who work there.
At BMW this department has a number of activities which are to recruit, retention and dismiss employees. Keep the best possible Working conditions, which are both Healthy & safe. This department also specialises in Training, development and promotion. But best deals with employee and trade union.
The job roles of this department are to advertise a job look at application forms and
Hold interviews. Human Resources also takes on the roles of contacting the person,
Sending details and application forms to whoever contacts for the job.
At BMW this department handles the employees and employee needs.
Production
At BMW The production function is responsible for making the goods that are provided by the business. This is also a very important part of the business as this is where the cars are actually made and handled this function ...
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The job roles of this department are to advertise a job look at application forms and
Hold interviews. Human Resources also takes on the roles of contacting the person,
Sending details and application forms to whoever contacts for the job.
At BMW this department handles the employees and employee needs.
Production
At BMW The production function is responsible for making the goods that are provided by the business. This is also a very important part of the business as this is where the cars are actually made and handled this function involves the use of capital and resources.
The activities of this function at BMW are to manager and provide the equipment, materials and vehicles for the people use and purchase.
The job titles of production:
Production director: is responsible for the entire production function and its operations.
Operations or works manager: responsible for the production of all goods as scheduled and to the quality required.
Purchasing manager: responsible for the acquisition of raw materials.
Engineers: responsible for carrying out equipment maintenance.
Marketing and Sales
Marketing is said to be looking at the business through the customer's eyes'. This is the basic purpose of marketing. At BMW the main aim of the marketing and sales department is to identify what the customer needs and provide it.
Marketing at BMW is considered to be much than just a separate function. It is seen to be the whole philosophy of the company. This means that everyone is highly focused on fulfilling the customer needs no matter how small or how big a need. So to put it another way at companies like BMW the marketing and sales department is seen to be one of the most important departments of the business.
The activities of the marketing and sales department includes
Market research, to find out what customer's need and customer opinions on proposed and existing products or services.
Promotion, the job of promotion is to inform he customers that their particular organisation can fulfil these needs.
Sales, The job of the sales department is to provide the goods or service the customer now thinks he or she needs.
The roles of marketing and sales are as follows:
Marketing Director is responsible for the overall marketing function and its aims and objectives.
Sales Director is responsible for the sales function.
Market researchers, the job of these individuals is to find out consumer opinions on current and proposed goods and services.
Advertising manager, this person is in charge of advertising and liasing with agency staff over publicity campaigns.
For BMW the contribution of Marketing is vital in that it directly influences the number of sales that are made at the company.
Health and Safety at Work Act
The Health and Safety at work act is an important health scheme, which was set up to protect and ensure the safety of employees and staff when at work.
The (HASAW) of 1974 places responsibilities on employers to provide a workplace that is safe and healthy for employees to be in and to carry out all safety procedures that are necessary to different circumstances such as fire drills, and display safety notices and indicate fire exits.
Employers are also placed responsibility to provide machinery and equipment that is very safe to use and properly guarded. They must provide trained safety staff and have a written statement of health and safety policy, which is available to all employees.
But the Health and Safety act 1974 also places responsibility on employees to follow health and safety procedures carefully and in an orderly fashion. To use machinery and equipment in a safe manner, which includes using any safety devices and guards.
Employees must always act in ways that will not endanger themselves or others and not misuse any safety equipment provided or deface safety notices.
So the (HASAW) requires both help from the employer and employees.
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations1988 (COSHH)
This health regulation covers the storage, handling and use of substances that are hazardous to health, such as chemicals and cleaning materials.
Minimum wage
There are set wages for people who are at work and over a certain age.
The minimum wage for those over 18 is £3.60 and the minimum wage for those over 21 is £3.70
So if you are at work and one of these ages this is the lowest you are able to get paid by right.
Equal opportunities
The Employment Rights Act 1996:
This rule confirms the statutory (legal) rights of employees and covers the contract of employment, payslips, guaranteed payments, Sunday working, time off work, suspension from work, maternity rights, termination of employment, unfair dismissal and remedies for unfair dismissal, redundancy, lay- offs and short time working, and the insolvency of an employer.
The Employment policy at BMW
BMW apply selection processes for both internal and external applicant, which ensure the appointment of the highest quality staff. Our selection events are designed to give applicants every opportunity to demonstrate their skills and abilities in a variety of relevant activities and learn as much as they can about our organisation and the role they are applying for.
BMW actively encourages its employees in the development of their careers. Generally, vacancies will be advertised internally and wherever possible a current member of staff will be recruited into a position. Only if an internal appointment is not possible will BMW consider external recruitment.
BMW operates an equal opportunity policy.
Sex discrimination
This is a rule against discrimination on the basis of sex or marital status. This makes it illegal for anyone to be discriminated against on grounds of gender (or gender reassignment) either directly or indirectly. In employment this applies to recruitment and selection for jobs and promotion, training, the way you are treated in a job, dismissal and redundancy.
Equal pay act 1970
This means that jobs where the work is of 'equal value' must be paid at the same rate for men and women. This is a law which brought out to ensure that women and men were all paid at the same rate as there position not by the fact of whether you were a man or a women. So this law made it unlawful (illegal) to do so.
Race relations act 1976:
This act makes it unlawful for anyone to be discriminated against on the grounds of colour, race, nationality or ethnic origin. Indirect and direct discrimination apply e.g. 'only white people need apply' or only those who speak English as their first language need apply. There is also other Indirect discriminations such as a restaurant for authenticity, which is relatively rare.
The disability discrimination act 1995:
This Act is concerned with discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, when obtaining goods and services. The disability may be physical, sensory or mental but must be relatively long-term.
This act Gives additional rights to disabled people and provides for a code of practice aimed at ending discrimination.
Communication
Oral communication (word if mouth)
This includes meeting someone face-to-face and talking to him or her, e.g. serving a customer in a shop, taking part in a meeting. Having a formal interview, when applying for a job. Talking to someone on the telephone e.g. answering a customer enquiry and leaving someone a message on voicemail (answerphone).
Face to face
The advantages:
You get the opportunity to talk to the person face to face and you get to meet the person. Is seen as the best way of communication as you get the chance to witness everything.
Disadvantages:
Someone else may over hear your conversation. It can make things a lot harder as you may have to travel to find the person you want to speak to. You may not feel comfortable by the appearance of the person you wish to speak too.
Telephone
Advantages
Its almost as good as face to face as you still get chance to say all of what you want to say
Disadvantages
There could also be interference on the phone lines if your using a phone.
You also may not have enough money to make the call.
You may not have a phone
Meeting
Advantages:
You get the chance to say what you want to say to more than one person.
Your point can become stronger with the backup of others
More people listen.
Disadvantages:
In a meeting too many people may be speaking and you might not have the opportunity to say all of what you want to say. Also in an interview situation you may also be too nervous in front of so many people y to say what you want to say.
Written communication
The most common types of written communications are letters and memos.
Advantages:
If you feel embarrassed speaking face to face you have the opportunity to put it in writing.
Safes you the stress of walking to deliver the message in person.
The reader can determine his or hers own thoughts from the letter
It's a nice way to communicate.
But most of all it looks more professional
Disadvantages:
It has the possibility of getting lost.
The reader could determine the wrong thoughts from the letter
It takes time, as you would need to spend time writing and producing the letter.
This method is a basic way of communicating in a business but in general this is not a better way of communicating than orally.
Communication in BMW
Communication in a business is the most important thing the way a business communicates with its employees and customers is the major fact of all business. BMW is very large organisation and like most big businesses it uses the professional forms of communication, which are letters, and even the adaptations of technology such as e-mail and Internet. But it seems that its main forms of communication are by letters and in special situations communication is handled orally.
Organisational structures
The main reason for business failure is bad organisational structures.
People work in a business to achieve common goals. A business must have job roles so people know what to do. The structure helps the aims and objectives to be met and shows who is in charge of what in the company
They're 3 main types of organisational structures:
Span of control
The span of control of an individual is the number of people he or she manages or even supervises directly.
The diagram below shows an organisation with a narrow span of control. No one member of this organisation is directly responsible for more than two subordinates
(narrow span of control)
Hierarchy
The advantages of this structure are that it is a clear structure easy to see who does what. The disadvantage of this structure is that it can be very difficult to communicate.
A hierarchical organisation is taller than a flat structure. It has many levels. The word 'hierarchy' means a system whereby grades or classes are ranked one above the other.
Hierarchical structures are sometimes called pyramid structures because at each level downwards there will be more employees. If you draw this, you will make a pyramid shape. The more hierarchical the structure, the steeper the pyramid.
Flat structure
In order to overcome the disadvantages of hierarchical structures while retaining the advantages, many large organisations have reduced the number of levels of management, so bringing the most senior managers closer to operatives and support staff. The removal of levels of management gives a flatter organisational structure.
The advantages: of this structure is that it is easy to control and easy to operate.
Also the flow of information between upper and lower levels is much faster, enabling quicker decision making and faster response to problems.
The disadvantages: is that it can become a work overload.
Matrix
The matrix structure is more flexible than the hierarchical structures. This type of structure is often used for running specific projects, such as developing a new product.
In a matrix structure, specialists are brought together from different functions or departments within the organisation, to share their knowledge and give advice about various aspects of the project. This structure therefore tends to be based on functions or key processes that may cross the more traditional departmental boundaries of hierarchical organisations.
The advantage: of this structure is that it set so only the specialists are involved in doing the work and it is easier to find out who is in charge of what.
The disadvantage: is that it does not last long and
It can also get a little confusing.
Hierarchy matrix flat Structure
Many large business
Use this structure
Production project leaders Modern le-organised
Specially set up for a project business
I.e.: building a motorway
Employment laws and employees
The employers must try their best to make sure they provide their workers with safe working conditions, fair wages and salaries in order for the workers to return the favour for hard work.
BMW give their workers full information on their rights and about the job in hand.
They provide the staff with all information concerning their rights and a choice of whether or not they would like to join the trade union. BMW state to provide their staff with the best possible treatment.
Employees
All workers of any organisation have to be ready and willing to work by providing personal service.
At BMW workers are very competent they work very hard and take care of each other's property. The employees follow all rules and regulations, work and perform all duties and also comply with health and safety procedures giving the company full effort and devotion to reach all aims.
How departments work together
If BMW wants to expand by opening new stores all departments will work together to achieve the aims and objectives of the company in the following ways.
The finance department will budget the amount to be spent on the building of the store and the equipment's, the amount to be spent on wages, on advertising.
The production department will take care of building the store and the equipment's necessary.
The marketing and sales department will take care of the new store by. Advertising through newspapers, television and posters. This department also deals with the pricing range.
The Human resource department deals with the recruitment and training of new staff for the shop.
The Administration department is in charge of the filling and also security.
The production department will work with the market and sales department by giving it the budget of how much has to be spent on the advertising and promotion.
The production department will work with the human resource department by giving them the amount of employees to be employed and so the human resource will retain and train them.
Business co-operation in every business co-operation is vital in order to survive. If everyone com
BMW organisational structure
Bibliography
HEINEMANN GNVQ intermediate business Carol Carysforth
INTERNET www.bized.ac.uk
SEARCH FINDER www.yahoo.com
SEARCH FINDER www.google.com
INTERMEDIATE BUSINESS Michael Fardon
Glynis Frater
John prokopiw
LIBRARY John Ruskin College
