1.4 Aims in general
All businesses have aims that they want to achieve. Aims are the overall goals and purposes that the business was set up to fulfil. One of the main aims of most businesses is to make a profit, or at lest to cover its costs. However, some businesses aims are simply to provide a service to the public. This applies especially to organisations in the public sector. Businesses that are owned and run by local or national government such as a school or college.
1.5 Aims of McDonalds
McDonalds has three basic aims. These aims are:
1.6 Objectives in general
All businesses have objectives to help them plan what they have to do to achieve their aims. Objectives are specific targets that must be achieved if the business is to fulfil its aims. The objectives of a business are closely related to its aims and should fulfil two essential criteria. They should be quantifiable and achievable.
- Objectives of McDonald’s
In order to achieve these aims, McDonalds has several objectives. First of all they have to keep up with their cash books so they can see what they sell. There is an inspection a few times a year; someone from the head office is going to inspect everything to see if everything is in order with the McDonalds policy. Sometimes those inspections are announced beforehand, but sometimes they come without an announcement. They also check the staff; if they get their breaks regularly and if 16 and 17 years old don’t work too many hours.
Also there are a few bacteriological inspections during the year. Just like the inspections from the head office, these bacteriological inspections are sometimes announced and sometimes unannounced.
A few times a year a mystery guest is visiting McDonalds, either through the McDrive or in the restaurant. This guest is going to order something, and is then checking whether of not the service is up to the McDonalds standards. After the visit of the mystery guest, he or she is going to write an assessment of the results. No one knows when the mystery guest is coming, if it is a man or a woman, old or young.
CHAPTER 3: EMPLOYEES AND LAW
- Rights and responsibilities
All employees have a right to be paid at an agreed rate, treated fairly, provided with equipment that is safe to use, receive appropriate training and not to be asked to do anything that is dangerous, unethical or illegal. Employers have responsibility to their employees to fulfil these expectations, and the degree of cooperation between employers and employees depends on their fulfilment. In return, employers have a right to expect their employees to work conscientiously in accordance with the agreed terms of their employment, maintain standards of quality, cooperate in trying to achieve the objectives of the business, follow established procedures and comply with health and safety regulations.
- Equal opportunities for employees
All employees and prospective employees have a right to be treated fairly and without prejudice with regard to disability, religion, sex, or sexual orientation, or race, by the employer and by other employees. There is no legal requirement for an employer to have a formal equal opportunities policy, but all employers must conform to the relevant employment legislation.
The Equal Pay Act 1970 states that women performing comparable tasks to men should be treated equally, including receiving the same rates of pay.
The Sex Discrimination Acts 1975 and 1986 rule against discrimination on the basis of sex or marital status.
The Race Relations Act 1976 makes it illegal to discriminate against employees or potential employees on the grounds of race or ethnic origin.
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 gives additional rights to disabled people and provides for a code of practice aimed at ending discrimination.
The Employment Rights Act 1996 confirms the statutory (legal) rights of employees and covers the contract of employment, payslips, guarantee 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.
- Safeguarding the equal opportunities by legislation
The collective labour agreement of McDonalds is very good, it is comparable with the hospitality collective labour agreement, but it is better paid. Safety is also very important, a few times a year there is an inspection if the employee rights are fulfilled. McDonalds has a good image, so they can’t fiddle with the collective labour agreement because if it comes out, McDonald’s its image is ruined.
CHAPTER 5: ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
5.1 Organisational structure in general
A business consists of people working together in different departments or functional areas to achieve common overall goals. In order to achieve these goals, and to ensure that employees are working together effectively, the goals must be communicated to employees, jobs must be allocated and the individual activities of employees must be coordinated. If employees are unsure of what they are working towards, jobs are not allocated, or their individual activities are coordinated, the employees will not know what they are supposed to do or what is expected of them.
A business must plan and organise the work and functional activities of its workforce. When more that one person is working in a business, the business develops an organisational structure that establishes job roles, levels of authority and channels of communication.
The way a business is structured depends on the specific functional areas and needs of the business. Some functional areas such as production will be focused on a single department while others such as administration may be spread across several departments.
5.2 Organisational structure of McDonald’s
McDonald’s is using a hierarchical structure. A hierarchical structure is based on levels of authority and responsibility, with each person in the organisation having a clearly defined position that sets limits on the amount of authority and responsibility they have.
Hierarchical structures are usually shown in the form of a pyramid. At the top of the structure is the most senior manager of the business; this is usually the owner or the managing director. Below this are levels of less senior managers, middle managers, junior managers, supervisors, operatives and support staff. Employees at each level, except the top and the bottom, are responsible to a supervisor or manager at the level above and have authority over a number of employees at the level below. For example, a middle manager reports to a senior manager and may have authority over three junior managers.
The advantages of a hierarchical structure are that the control of the organisation is kept in the hands of the person at the top of the organisation; it is easy to maintain a particular identity or standard of service and quality in the organisation. Everyone in the organisation knows their role within the organisation, who they are responsible to and who they have authority over.
The main disadvantages of a hierarchical structure are that there is no limit to the numbers of levels of management between the top decision-maker and the bottom of the pyramid. Decision making can be slow or delayed as it takes a long time for information to flow upwards, for decisions to be taken at the top and communicated downwards. At each level, information and instructions may be interpreted differently so that information passed on, or action taken, may be biased by the attitudes of individual managers.
5.3 The hierarchical structure of McDonalds
5.3 The different communication flows
In McDonald’s they use single point of contact, which means that all communication flows through the manager. If there are any problems, questions, remarks etc. you have to talk with the manager.
They also have an intranet which is called mcnet. On mcnet you can find everything that has to do with procedures, new promotions and things, happenings etc. There is also a forum where the staff can logon to see their rota online and announcements.
