Business Questions Answers

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Business Questions-Answers
QUESTION 2
Contingency planning is a managerial activity which involves identifying potential risks followed by developing a plan for threat response. A comprehensive plan helps in restoring business operations. It is a strategy which focuses on more or preparation than response. On the other hand, crisis management is a reactive strategy which responds to a threat. It is more inclined towards response than preparation. An assumption presented by Eriksson and McConnell (91) indicates that a successful contingency plan is more likely to produce a successful crisis management. Companies need to incorporate both contingency and crisis management. The effectiveness of a contingency plan and crisis management plan depends on the type of events and circumstances. Incorporating both strategies empowers the company with strong elements of foresight and certainty using a contingency plan. Events which create a high level of uncertainty can be dealt using a crisis management plan.
QUESTION 3
Chain of command or organizational structure is a way in which a company organizes senior management, departments, and employees. SUSF Fitness Group features the functional organizational structure. The organization is headed by an executive director followed by an executive assistant. Directly below are Elite athlete program manager, high-performance manager, marketing and communications manager, finance and administration manager, programs and participation manager, funding and development manager, operations and infrastructure management, legal and human resources manager and human resources, legal consultant.

The athlete program manager oversees activities by a senior coordinator, casual’s coordinator, administrator and academic counsellor. Two employees in the high-performance department and 2 employees in the physical preparation department are under the high-performance manager. Four employees report to the marketing and communications manager. Two employees report to the finance administration manager. The programs participation manager oversees activities by 6 employees. Four employees report to the funding and development manager. Below the operations and infrastructure manager is an assistant manager followed by 9 service managers and 9 supervisors and 31 service staff. Two employees report to the legal and human resources manager.
QUESTION 6
I prefer being a manager in a large organization with high levels of decentralization. This is because a decentralized structure allows for better decision-making and adaptability in the business jurisdiction. In a large organization, decentralization improves efficiency since activities don’t need approval from the overall manager like for the case with centralized organizational structures. The advantages of a decentralized structure to a manager include delegation. Here activities are allocated to delegates who are aware of standards, expected results and performance measures. As a subordinate, I will still prefer working in an organization with a decentralized structure. This is because I can be groomed for management positions by gaining experience and knowledge. As a delegate, I can be able to see a significant contribution and amount of value added to the organization.
QUESTION 8
Directing is a management function which deals with guidance, leading and overseeing employee activities. The manager is responsible for motivating employees, offering leadership and making decisions. According to Schraeder et al. (53), motivation and influence require the manager to be an exceptional leader and a skilled communicator. Directing and leading play an important role in employee attitude. For example, the manager may emphasize the vision of the company which keeps employees focused. This function also deals with organizational changes. Controlling is a management function which deals with monitoring organizational and employee performance. The manager can employ strategies like peer reviews to regulate employee activities, improve performance and make an organizational progress. This function aims at reducing risk, delegation and using systems to monitor employee’s performance.  

Works Cited
Eriksson, Kerstin, and Allan McConnell. “Contingency planning for crisis management: Recipe for success or political fantasy?” Policy and Society 30.2 (2011): 89-99.
Schraeder Mike, Dennis Self, Mark Jordan and Ron Portis. “The functions of management as mechanisms for fostering interpersonal trust.” Advances in Business Research 5.1 (2015): 50-62.