Outsourcing constitutes one of the fundamental sourcing strategies that organizations can adopt. Outsourcing entails an approach whereby certain business processes are undertaken by an external entity. Thus, outsourcing is based on a contractual relationship. The concept of outsourcing has gained remarkable significance over the past few decades. Traditionally, outsourcing was limited to peripheral organizational tasks. This trend is changing as evidenced by the high rate at which outsourcing is being integrated into diverse organizational activities. Organizations perceive outsourcing as an essential strategy in their commitment to value addition. Some of the industries that have adopted the concept of outsourcing include aviation, manufacturing, and medical services. Firms in the oil and gas industry are also adopting the concept of outsourcing. Organizations’ motivation towards this strategy has been spurred by the need to attain competitiveness concerning high return on assets and better and quality service delivery. Secondly, the pressure to outsource has Continue reading
Management Concepts
7 Key Elements of a Business Plan
The aim of venturing into a business is to make profits. In this case, all elements of a business plan should be aimed at creating a successful entrepreneurial venture. A business plan is a document that indicates a plan on how an investment is to be conducted. It includes among other elements; generation of ideas, financial and market analysis, strategic objectives, cash flows and profits and loss forecasts. Other elements that may be included in the business plan are a balance sheet projections, competitive strategies and scenario analysis. All these elements contained in a business plan give an understanding of the current and future expectations of the business. They identify the business and give a rationale of investing in the said business. In this case, these elements should be comprehensive and a faithful representative of the actual situation of the business venture. If well drawn, the elements of a business Continue reading
Post-Fordism – A Critical Evaluation
It is widely argued that the era of Fordism began with the development of the model T motor car, the world’s first successfully mass-produced car, at Henry Ford’s Piquette Avenue manufacturing plant in Detroit, Michigan. From this, a new age of production developed, changing both the economic and the political landscape of manufacturing globally, and establishing the progression to a new form of capitalism. The key characteristics of Fordism center around the major industrial paradigm of mass production that involves production of standardized goods by unskilled labor through the use of assembly-line techniques. This principle of ‘continuous-flow production’ as a new regime of accumulation inherently involved a rise in mass consumerism, that was encouraged by the supply of relatively cheap products, intelligent advertising and, arguably most importantly, through changes to social conditions of low-skilled employees. This originated from Henry Ford himself, who notoriously raised minimum pay to $5 a day Continue reading
Art of Prioritization – A Must Tool for Effective Business Management
Setting an agenda, reviewing activities, and allocating time and effort in such a manner as to provide maximum value in a short amount of time is essential in thoughtful prioritizing. Addressing the emails with the various situation also requires certain prioritization and strategic approaches. Because low-priority work may need to be stopped to accomplish urgent tasks, prioritization should also be flexible. We should keep in mind that no matter how carefully focused, there is only so much that can be accomplished in a single day, and certain unpredictable variables are unavoidable. Setting objectives and prioritizing work should both be practical, and the emails have to be addressed in a similar fashion – first, the most urgent and the most potentially valuable case. It is vital to remember that the goal of prioritizing is to spend time on the most important activities, the ones that will matter in the long term, Continue reading
Views on Business Model: As a Business System and Profit Model
A business model creates a picture of how an organization operates to provide quality services and value to customers. Therefore, the business model assists the company to beat their competitors in the markets. Consequently, the model enhances the value of the company to rapid profits and revenue growth. Therefore, a business model comprises of two elements such as a profit model and business system. The business model does not only work as a system of works but rather as behavioral indicators of customers and suppliers. A successful business model integrates the profitability level of a company and its operations. As a result, it can realize the strategic objectives of the company. When an individual conceptualizes a business model as a system, he/she focuses on delivery and production of the company. Therefore, the system has several interdependent activities to go beyond the boundaries and focal industry. As a result, the business Continue reading
Entrepreneurship – Meaning, Definition, Need and Importance
Concept and Definition of Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is an elusive concept. “Entrepreneurship is based on purposeful and systematic innovation. It included not only the independent businessman but also company directors and managers who actually carry out innovative functions.”-Schumpeter In the above definition, entrepreneurship refers to the functions performed by an entrepreneur in establishing an enterprise. Just as management is regarded as what managers do, entrepreneurship may be regarded as what entrepreneurs do. In other words, entrepreneurship is the act of being an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a process involving various actions to be undertaken to establish an enterprise. It is thus, process of giving birth to a new enterprise. Entrepreneurship is composite skill, the resultant of a mix of many qualities and traits- these include tangible factors as imagination, readiness to take risks, ability to bring together and put to use other factors of production, capital, labor, land, as also tangible factors Continue reading