Executive Summary
The Junction Hotel case study presents a number of issues and challenges that the management team needs to identify and address in a timely manner. Sections like organizational design, communication, bureaucracy, and organizational effectiveness form the foundation for improving the way the hotel functions on a day-to-day basis. This report presents a broken-down analysis of the issues Junction Hotel is facing and how they continue to affect performance. Finally, the report presents the best recommendation that could help solve the identified predicaments and promote the best behavior.
Introduction
The hospitality industry is characterized by unique factors that can affect the overall performance of different companies. The issues of organizational design and human involvement are critical in any given firm in this sector. The case of Junction Hotel explores a number of functions that managers need to take seriously. By the time Simon Chance arrives at this company, it becomes clear that a number of activities and approaches are inappropriate and incapable of delivering the much-needed results. Most of the employees in senior positions appear to pursue their roles in a casual manner. The targeted customers find it hard to receive much-needed services or support. The level of disorganization is affecting the overall level of coordination and the implementation of proper mechanisms to improve productivity.
Without the relevant strategies and organizational attributes, any firm in the hospitality industry will encounter numerous challenges. Most of the followers will be unaware of their specific roles and accountability. Such workers might become demoralized or disempowered, thereby affecting the speed at which desirable results are recorded. Chance has decided to analyze the existing challenges and barriers and how they affect organizational management. The emerging observations have triggered a number of organizational changes and designs that have the potential to improve the level of performance. These insights form a powerful case study for learning more about the strategies for supporting workers and ensuring that sustainable goals are eventually recorded. This report examines the concepts of organizational design, bureaucracy, and organizational effectiveness from the lens of Junction Hotel.
Analysis and Discussions
Rational Organizational Design
Successful business firms are usually associated with sustainable and attractive organizational designs informed by the number of workers, departments, and the anticipated objectives. Snow (2018) identifies the rational organization theory as a model that guides companies to design their operations and strategies in such a way that they can deliver the defined objectives. From this perspective, the involved company will develop a formal structure in such a way that all people are aware of their unique roles. The entry of Chance at Junction Hotel exposed a number of weaknesses in regards to the rational organizational design. The individuals performed their roles casually and without following a clearly delineated chart. These existing issues increased chances of the hotel’s poor performance.
Having realized that things were disorderly and mismanaged, Simon Chance decided to dig deeper and identify the casual factors. It emerged that Junction Hotel lacked an organizational chart to help define roles. He also found out that Mortimer delegated most of the activities to her deputy by the name Linda Wilkinson. Her roles extended to responsibility of the cleaners, waiting staff, fitness center, and even the reception. She was also required to process stock orders for the hotel, something that she did in a rush. Mortimer was also observed to interfere in all aspects of decision-making (Snow, 2018). Additionally, Mortimer was found to engage a friend, David Hunter, in providing part-time accounting services to the hotel. Mortimer always sought or followed Hunter’s advice. These issues presented a sense of disorganization and absence of clearly defined rules.
As the new leader, Chance developed defined roles and responsibilities, thereby representing them same in an organizational chart. The workers were informed and guided to take their positions. The chart dictated the manner in which individuals pursued their tasks or reported to the right seniors. This model promoted a sense of organizational design (Gallagher, 2016). Departments were disassociated while being allowed to cooperate to deliver the much needed results (see Fig. 1). The designed model was in accordance with Taylor’s theory of organizational design (Awofeso, 2019). Specifically, Chance was keen to ensure that the roles were assigned following a scientific approach. This approach made it easier to ensure that individuals pursued their duties in a time-efficient and cost effective manner. The model would become the best tool for achieving the outlined goals.
Bureaucracy
The notion of bureaucracy has captured attention of many organizational theorists in the past. It focuses on some of the best approaches for developing formal organizations that are capable of addressing the recorded challenges. The case of Junction Hotel reveals that a sense of bureaucracy was lacking by the time Chance chose to complete his analyses. Specifically, the company could be studied as informal since there were different leaders completing a wide range of roles (Lunenburg, 2017). The level of disorganization remained high with most f the employees being overworked in comparison with their counterparts. Some of the existing procedures allowed individuals to complete their roles without any form of authority. Such issues made it possible for some of the leaders to yell at their followers. Such malpractices remained the norm at Junction Hotel.
Chance was keen to present a sense of bureaucracy and ensure that behavior remained standardized. Specifically, the approach entailed the inclusion of new rules, procedures, and positions (Serpa and Ferreira, 2019). The hotel would become standardized while presenting a sense of managerial discretion. The use of paperwork would be discontinued in favor of electronic methods. Leaders would monitor the activities and engagements of their followers. The ordering approach would be appropriate to address most of the existing challenges and set the stage for continuous improvement.
The insights and approaches Chance presented at Junction Hotel appear to be in line with Max Weber’s thoughts. This scholar is believed to have pioneered the bureaucratic managerial theory. According to this model, the existence of bureaucracy is appropriate since it sets the stage for positive and continuous development (Serpa and Ferreira, 2019). Those in leadership positions at Junction Hotel would be aware of the best approaches to stamp authority. They will require their workers to remain responsive, offer timely support, and complete their tasks in a timely manner. The approach is capable of promoting a new organizational strategy for empowering employees, solving emerging problems, and taking this company closer to its outlined objectives.
Organizational Effectiveness
Different scholars have presented powerful models and frameworks for guiding companies to remain effective and pursue their goals diligently. For example, Fayol succeeded to present a workable strategy that outlined the core functions of any form of management. He indicated that leaders had a role to plan, coordinate, command, control, and organize their firms (Lunenburg, 2017). At Junction Hotel, the existing approaches and practices failed to meet the threshold of effective management. Each of the outlined functions appeared to be poorly implemented. This malpractice created numerous gaps, including the absence of direction and inefficiency. Most of the workers remained overburdened and other unaware of the best approaches to deliver sustainable results. These issues would guide Simon Chance to make the best changes and prevent the hotel from recording losses.
Without these core functions, the selected hotel was affected significantly by the issue of organizational ineffectiveness. The incompetency of the leaders in charge discouraged most of the workers from completing their tasks more efficiently. The professionals failed to provide room for the core functions to drive organizational performance (King and Lawley, 2019). Additionally, the existing conditions were not in line with Elton Mayo’s management theory. According to the matrix, the individuals lacked a sense of motivation or empowerment (Emmanuel, 2021). While there were monetary rewards, the workers found most of the tasks burdensome or unfulfilling. The absence of attention reduced the overall level of employee involvement and communication procedures. Consequently, the hotel was finding it hard to deliver the much needed results.
After Chance introduced new changes, a sense of direction was evident with the core functions of many clearly defined. Unfortunately, the leader realized that there were some barriers to change. Most of the followers became uncooperative and even pinpointed some of the arising concerns from the transformation. The level of effectiveness was not high as Chance could have expected. The time had come for this manager to combine the concepts of bureaucracy and organization design to improve overall efficiency (Lunenburg, 2017). The inclusion of proper mechanisms for empowering the workers in accordance with Mayo’s theory was necessary. Such measures would set the stage for improved performance towards the future.
Conclusion
The presented state of Junction Hotel appears pathetic, old, or incapable of delivering sustainable results in the long-term. A new strategy is needed that has the potential to change organizational design, business model, mission, and vision. Chance is presented as a resolute leader who understands what needs to be done if the existing barriers are to become a thing of the past. The hotel is finding it hard to deliver high-quality services to the targeted customers. The use of paperwork, absence of defined roles, inclusion of informal employees, and the absence of a sense of direction compelled Chance to think of a better design. He redesigned most of the functions at the firm and identified key people to complete such tasks.
The case is a clear indication that the adoption of the theories associated with Fayol, Mayo, Weber, and Taylor made it possible for Chance to focus on the best design. He went further to create additional positions and roles that could promote performance. He would be involved to monitor the activities while guiding those assuming new managerial roles to be aware of their unique roles. The new environment would benefit from additional motivational strategies and a clearer focus on the anticipated goals. Despite the nature of such considerations informed by practical theories, it became quite clear that some gaps or barriers still existed at the facility. Junction Hotel was at crossroads after a new organizational design. Chase was still wondering the most appropriate strategies that would help support and sustain the implemented organizational change.
Recommendations
The introduction of a new organizational design at Junction Hotel was an evidence-based approach for promoting future performance. However, some issues remained unaddressed that could delay the realization of most of the goals. Chance and his team can mitigate these issues by applying an effective change theory to help the company transition and overcome the recorded barriers (Awofeso, 2019). This approach would empower the workers and ensure that they are not resistance to the new working arrangements. The involvement of all key players needs to become a priority to support the delivery of meaningful results. Proper guidance and leadership would also be appropriate throughout the process.
Chance can go further to borrow numerous ideas from Mayo’s theory of management. This practice will help the leader identify some of the best positions, work weeks or arrangements, and resources that can empower all followers. The professional will provide a sense of direction and conduct a detailed research to learn more about the unique needs and expectations of the targeted customers (Lunenburg, 2017). The inclusion of these aspects will deliver a coordinated strategy for guiding Junction Hotel to achieve its business aims. The concept of continuous improvement will trigger the much needed changes and eventually make Junction Hotel more attractive to all potential clients.
Reference List
Awofeso, O. (2019) ‘Managing formal organizations in the 21st century: a critique of Fredrick Taylor’s scientific management theory’, Journal of Public Research, 5(2), pp. 1-11.
Emmanuel, O.O. (2021) ‘The application of Elton Mayol’s human relations theory and Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Y to achieve organization objectives’, Arabian Journal of Business and Management Review, 11(4), pp. 1-7. Web.
Gallagher, K. (2016) Essential study and employment skills for business and management students. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
International Journal of Social Science Studies, 7(2), 12-18.
King, L. and Lawley, S. (2019) Organizational behavior. 3rd edn. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Lunenburg, F.C. (2017) ‘Organizational structure and design’, Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 1(1), pp. 21-43. Web.
Serpa, S. and Ferreira, C.M. (2019) ‘The concept of bureaucracy by Max Weber’,
Snow, C.C. (2018) ‘Research in journal of organization design, 2012–2018’, Journal of Organization Design, 7(1), pp. 9-18.