managing change & tqm

Question 1

employee empowerment

Answer 1

•involves giving the staff decision making authority
•this increased decision making responsibility increases accountability and provides a challenge for employee
•with increased responsibility comes increased enthusiasm for the job

Question 2

benefits of employee empowerment

Answer 2

•decision making
•preps staff for mgt roles/promotions
•increased motivation/moral

Question 3

decision making
(benefits of employee empowerment)

Answer 3

•decision making and control in have of employee who use their greater skills & knowledge to benefit business/decisions wuicker
•employees more responsive to customer needs, come to with ideas to solve issues, more satisfied customers

Question 4

preps staff for mgt roles/promotions
(benefits of employee empowerment)

Answer 4

•empowerment trains staff to be decision makers
•staff gain valuable experience in making decisions & judgement calls
•preps staff for promotions/mgt roles which decreases need for training

Question 5

increased motivation
(benefits of employee empowerment)

Answer 5

•employees will be empowered, allowing them to make decisions, increasing trust from mgt & allowing them to satisfy esteem needs (maslow)
•benefit for a manufacturing business would be more energized and productive staff, lower staff turnover

Question 6

strats to manage change

Answer 6

•training and development
•teamwork
•rewards
•communicate with staff
•employee empowerment

Question 7

training & development
(manage change)

Answer 7

•staff must be provided with skills needed for use of new technologies, adapt to changes, etc to achieve efficiencies and provide better service to customers
•training increases staff ability to cope & eases staff fear abt new changes
•off the job or on the job

Question 8

teamwork
(manage change)

Answer 8

•employees arranged into teams, can lead to discussion, innovation & change. increased staffs familiarity to change
•can ease reluctance to changes mgt introduce

Question 9

rewards
(manage change)

Answer 9

•provide rewards to employees, behaviour can be influenced as they try to achieve those rewards
•may include a profit sharing scheme, so employees encourage to work as they’ll achieve portion of those profits

Question 10

communicate with staff
(manage change)

Answer 10

•mgt explain need for change and consequences of not taking any action to ensure survival of them firm. communication should be honest and open
•benefits of change should be explained to staff, reduces uncertainty and tensions among staff

Question 11

employee empowerment
(manage change)

Answer 11

•staff should ben involved in decision making process, gives sense of ownership in process of change
•encouraged to come up with ideas which will be taken into account
•with increased responsibility comes increased enthusiasm

Question 12

impact of new tech in business costs and business opportunities

Answer 12

•impact on staff
•impact on communications
•impact on marketing
•import on security

Question 13

impact on staff
(impact of new tech)

Answer 13

•new tech could reduce costs for business as they might be able to make staff redundant if tech is their to do their job
•Eg. tesco self scan aisles
•also may be higher training costs to up skill staff to be proficient with new tech eg new computer software introduced

Question 14

impact on communication
(impact of new tech)

Answer 14

•opportunity to get quicker decisions due to availability of large amts of data already collected on websites or stored in their databases or spreadsheets
•or quickly collecting data using Google Forms to create surveys & get instant feedback from staff or customers, can improve decisions

Question 15

impact on marketing
(impact of new tech)

Answer 15

•using online advertising like Google Ads & online sales through e-commerce on their own website by promoting it on social media like facebook
•businesses have opportunity to increase the reach they have over potential customers

Question 16

impact on security
(impact of new tech)

Answer 16

•using virus software like MacAfee can reduce system breakdowns & prevent security breaches, reducing potential costs

Question 17

quality assurance

Answer 17

•a system that guarantees customers that detailed systems are in place to govern the quality at every stage in production from design to sales
•there’s attention put on each stage

Question 18

quality symbol

Answer 18

•shows consumer that product can be trusted, quality has been approved, product meet industry standards
•should result in increased customer satisfaction

Question 19

adv of quality symbol

Answer 19

•can be used as marketing tool to increase sales and gain comp adv
•allows business to export more easily and can improve rep eg ISO 9000 recognized internationally
•able to charge higher as associated with high quality so higher profits
•save on costs as less wastage & mistakes

Question 20

risks of employee empowerment

Answer 20

•if introduce empowerment w/o adequate training for staff can lead to mistakes
•employees may not want extra responsibility and/or lack of training & stress lvls increase & can cause démotivation
•lack of control & day to day supervision can encourage employees to make unnecessary risks & lead to bad decisions

Question 21

benefits of teamwork

Answer 21

•greater job satisfaction
•communication skills improve
•easier to make decisions
•less ir problems

Question 22

greater job satisfaction
(benefits of teamwork)

Answer 22

•all members efforts taken into account
•better motivated as participation in teams satisfies their social need

Question 23

communication skills improve
(benefits of teamwork)

Answer 23

•working in groups and dealing with diff personalities
•good experience as effective communication skills help prep employee for leadership roles

Question 24

easier decisions
(benefits of teamwork)

Answer 24

•when working in isolation employee may find difficult to make tough decisions
•with mutual support & protection of team, tough decisions made easier eg decision on making workers redundant

Question 25

less ir problems
(benefits of teamwork)

Answer 25

•successful teams progress through team development stages of forming, storming, norming and performing
•successful team will mean less ir problems and less conflict, saving employee stress of industrial action

Question 26

edi

Answer 26

•automated method of processing transactions between suppliers and customers
•eg ordering stock, invoicing, payment, etc
•edi is dépendant on supplier and customer having access to compatible edi software

Question 27

impact of edi on ICT

Answer 27

•faster method of processing transactions
•cost effective method of processing transactions- labour costs, stationary, time
•stock lvls may be reduced
•scope for human error reduces as transactions are automated

Question 28

stock lvls may be reduced
(impact of edi on ICT)

Answer 28

•automated processing ensures speedier stock re order/fulfillment of order- more effective stock control system leading to reduced stock holdings costs eg insurance, storage

Question 29

internet

Answer 29

•global network of computers facilitating the transmission of data & communication between users
•all computer users who’re networked to internet can access info via world wide web eg Irish Times accessible through www.irishtimes.com
•users can communicate via email, broadband fastest means of internet access

Question 30

impact of internet on ICT

Answer 30

•faster, more cost effective method of communication- consumers can communicate directly with business
•website may be effective marketing tool- provide global market
•business can conduct market research via website eg amazon profiles interests of users & reminds them each time log onto website of new books, etc that may interest them
•customer relationship mgt supported through online customer support services and online market research

Question 31

video conferencing

Answer 31

•meeting between two or more ppl from diff locations, facilitated by use of video conferencing technology (telephone line, camera and monitor needed in each location)
•all members can be seen and heard

Question 32

impact of video conferencing on ICT

Answer 32

•cost effective- no need to travel, save time & cost
•fast easy to set up video conference call
•meeting can be conducted in real time from two different locations
•environmentally friendly- reduces air miles

Question 33

total quality management

Answer 33

•a process which tries to ensure quality in all aspects of a firms operations
•puts efforts of firm into meeting present & future needs of customers
•employees given responsibility to ensure products meet requirements of consumer. quality assurance & teamwork central to tqm approach

Question 34

3 basic principals of TQM

Answer 34

•focus on customers
•continuous improvement
•teamwork

Question 35

benefits of TQM to a manufacturing business

Answer 35

•improved quality
•reduction in cost- less wast
•workers motivated- see mgt are committed to quality
•job satisfaction- sense of achievement
•increased sales- rep for quality goods, increase sales

Question 36

how tqm changes the role of managers

Answer 36

•mgmt shows the way by making sure atmosphere is created that helps located weaknesses and apply solutions
•mgt ensure no fears of staff in exposing problems. fear & mistrust will be present if managers don’t pay lip service to TQM
•everyone in firm must be respected
•education & learning make up core of successful TQM. continuos learning provided by addressing enterprises training needs

Question 37

forming

Answer 37

•refers to team members coming together for first time
•lack of trust may exist between team members. team leader attempt to build relationships and outline the objectives of the team

Question 38

norming

Answer 38

•when rules have been established for how the team will behave, what standards are expected, etc
•conflicts that might’ve occurred in the storming stage have been overcome
•trust has developed between members and roles established