P4    Describe the functional activities, and their interdependencies in two contrasting organisations

M2   Compare the factors which influence the development of the internal structures and functional activities of

      two contrasting organisations                   

 

Unit 1 - Assignment 4 (download in word)

 

Use this link for help with explanations and theory (page 28 onwards)

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a) Briefly state what the purpose of an organisational structure is.  Draw an organisational structure for each of your contrasting businesses.  If you cannot obtain a real one for your business you can draw one based on what you know about the company.   Click on the links below for examples to use:

b)  State the meaning of span of control and levels of hierarchy and mark these on your diagram                    

 

c) Briefly explain how the work is divided up in each organisation.  This could be by:

  • Function (departments such as sales and finance)

  • Geography (the company might have organised the company by region e.g. Europe or America)

  • Product or service ( e.g. in a soft drinks manufacturer by product or brand or by service e.g. in the local council)

  • Customer( e.g. in banking by business or personal banking customer or in Royal Mail, business, consumer or government department)

  • By team (a matrix structure means that people work together on project in teams with people from different departments/specialisms coming together)

d) Explain each of the key functional activities in your two businesses.  This means If some of the functions are the same in in both businesses, there is no need to repeat yourself.  Just give examples relevant to each business in your work.  Functional activities could be:

  • finance               

  • human resource management

  • research and development

  • production

  • service delivery

  • marketing

  • procurement

  • information technology services

  • sales

  • customer service call centres

  • management information systems

  • logistics

  • how range of functional activities are managed in
    small and micro businesses

  • Fundraising

 

e)  Explain how each of the functions (departments) are dependant on each other.  This means give examples of how each department may need to work with other departments.  Show how the different functional activities work together.

 

f)  Explain if there is any outsourcing of functions.  This could be through:

 

        Call centre work            Administration            Delivery

        Production                    Supply chain