Discussion Questions 1&2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion Questions 1 - Assignment Example Organizational behavior can be used to develop groups or teams in the workplace. Teamwork in the 21st century has become extremely important due to the fact that individualism is no longer a desired trait in the business world. OB can also help managers deal with diversity in the workplace. Diversity can help improve the problem solving abilities of organizations. Managers can use organizational behavior to implement change management techniques in order to adapt the business to the needs of the marketplace. If a manager has problems such as stress in the workplace managers can use organizational behavior in order to solve these types of problems. Managers can also use organizational behavior to implement innovation in the workplace. Power and politics are two topics associated with organizational behavior that managers must use in their dealings with stakeholder groups. For example a manager might negotiate labor agreements with unions or suppliers. The use of expert power can help managers control the behavior of others based on knowledge, experience, and judgment (Schermerhorn & Hunt & Osborn, 2003, p.313). How are organizations similar to living things? Just like the cells in a body make up a living organism the group of people that work in a business make up the organization. Organizations have many similarities with living organisms. The most common organizational setup is the corporation.

Starbucks Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Starbucks - Research Paper Example SQC is divided into descriptive statistics, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and acceptance sampling (Reid & Sanders 2011). In the case of Starbucks the most appropriate statistical method is SPC which is used to determine whether an operation or a process is running as it should or not. The quality characteristics of the service will be monitored by SPC so as to determine any discrepancies in the processes that will impact the quality of the service. Also, it will measure the present quality of the service. The process involves the setting up of an upper and lower control limits and the inspection of a random sample. The sample is then measured for the specific characteristics. A process is said to be â€Å"out of control† if its average value of the characteristic is greater than the upper limit or smaller than the lower limit. The identification of variations by SPC allows the determination of causes due to which the processes is not functioning as required. These variati ons are not built-in but are caused due to various circumstances. Some variations might include turnaround time, cycle time, takt time, the taste and aroma of coffee, declination in sales of a particular product and so on. ... Keeping the changing demands of the environment, the available technology, and the skills and abilities of the workers in consideration, jobs should be designed such that it enhances employee motivation (Robbins & Coulter 2012). Starbucks’ operation involves diverse job characteristics. Its employees play a significant role in the completion of tasks and are therefore the most important resource for the organization. The process of a Starbucks coffee starts from the farmers who grow the beans. Next, the bean selection is done carefully to keep consistency in taste and quality. Then these beans are transferred to roasters where these beans are roasted to enhance its flavor. Finally the coffee arrives at the counter where the barista serves coffee to its customers. The tasks at each stage involve a wide skill variety and task identity. Its retail jobs include a regional manager, after which comes district manager, then a store manager, assistant store manager, shift supervisors, and baristas. Employees are able to gain knowledge as a result of feedback provided about their performance which provides a way to evaluate their performance. One feature of a Starbucks barista is that they are trained to prepare the different beverages that are sold. This allows Starbucks to get an economical advantage as it allows it to sell the coffees at a lower price. However, the choice of drinks may be limited. The 24 hour service provided by Starbucks outlets also provide them with an advantage as customers might want to drink coffee at anytime. Its work design has enabled it to manage numerous stores at various locations thereby allowing market dominance in the sector. However, competitors are emerging which is why Starbucks needs