Internal Factors Affect the 4 Functions of Management free essay sample

External/Internal Factors of an Organization Team B has decided to do our paper on the United States Postal Service. The reason for this is that this service utilizes each of the functions such as globalization, the newest technology, the best innovations, and diversity and ethics combined all in one great service we each use on a daily basis in one way or another.During the reading of this paper, one will find that the following has been researched and discussed: the explanation of the four functions of management, also how the following factors affect the four functions of management: Globalization, Technology, Innovation, Diversity, and Ethics. As we look at these factors, we will learn how the Postal Service gets the mail from point A to point B and keep happy employees for years. When the United States Postal Service does the planning for the next fiscal year, the United States Postal Service must make sure that all of the employees know and understands how the company works and is run. In this, the USPS has a schooling that the employees must go through in order to teach all the employees be the employee a mail carrier, electrician, maintenance individual, and even management what is expected of the individual and enlighten the individual as to how to do his or her job better. In the organizing of the company, the upper management needs to keep up on all the changes from the United States to the Unites Kingdom and all over the globe. Another thing with the organization this company has to make sure that the company is on top of the changes that need to be made in order to keep updated and up to date.In the leading portion of the United States Postal Service, this is important because if the upper management does not know how to lead the employees then the management will need to go back to the books and re-learn how to be the management and lead the company or be demoted to a lower position in the company. In the controlling part of the company this is where the co mpany needs to make, sure that the upper management has time to check on the control of the price of equipment and products at all points in the company.Therefore, the company will have control of the service and products that all of the employees give to the customers that are in need of the service or product. The United States Postal Service can also control how the prices go up and when the prices go up on the products that the company produces and sells to the consumer. The company controls the employees on where he or she can go and what kind of mail is carried and even when the particular pieces of mail are carried.Ranked 92 out of the 500 largest corporations worldwide, the United States Postal Service reaches billions of customers daily with national and international mail (CNN Money, 2010). The massive amount of business USPS operates necessitates successful implementation of the four functions of management. Two such factors (i. e. planning and organizing) of maintaining business is reaching out worldwide to deliver packages. According to the USPS web site, packages scheduled for international delivery contract with FedEx on a global scale reaching 190 countries (USPS, 2011).The service named Global Express Guaranteed or GXG offers customers options like date certain delivery and track and confirmation information. Contracting with FedEx is a prime example of globalization. An organization such as USPS which is not worldwide fills their customers’ needs by joining forces with an organization that can facilitate delivery all over the globe. Strong leaders must be in place for a connection like this to come to fruition. USPS exhibits tight controls over the entire process by handing off their customers’ needs to another organization. The United States Postal Service is dated back to 1775† (USPS) and it has experienced many changes throughout the years. One of the biggest factors that the Postal Service has had to face is with new technologies. A couple of new technologies that has affected the postal service in recent years are the internet, and cellular phones. The internet lets people communicate instantly whereas writing a letter and dropping it in the mail will take days. It is the same with having a cell phone now people can text and sends an instant response which in turn, less people are using the postal service to communicate with friends and family.This is also where the external factor has affected the United States Postal Service which has led the post office to make changes internally. Even with new technologies the postal service is still needed there are still many people out there who are sending packages to their families such as gifts, care packages or just ordering large items through the mail, so the postal service has had to make internal changes such as â€Å"Dedicated rate-shipping tools which are put in pla ce to save money and beat out competitors such as UPS and Fed-Ex. † (J. Crouse, 2009) Jeff Crouse Vice President of Marketing states: â€Å"If the cost-savings, convenience, reliability and unparalleled reach are driving you (like many others) to switch to the Postal Service, don’t be surprised to find that the technology available will make the transition easier than you might have imagined, as the Postal Service aggressively takes market share in the parcel market, state of the art, easy to use technology is one of the best weapons in its arsenal. † â€Å"The Postal Service has grown and changed with America boldly embracing new technologies to better serve a growing population. (USPS) As described by Bateman and Snell (2009) innovation is the introduction of new service and goods. This is a constant factor of the USPS as they have a retail area of sales to bring in revenue. Planning is the first step to incorporate innovation into the USPS retail environment. Executives must decide what type of materials they want to sell, who they wan t to contract or team up with and determine sales prices. The organizing process of retail sales in USPS stores involves collaboration between executives, managers, and postal workers that sell the items. The process must be fluid so stock are available and new areas of innovation can be incorporated. The customer demands must be met and USPS needs to adapt to changes and the introduction of new competitors. (Enter George’s submission here for Diversity and Ethics) Delegation is the assignment of authority and responsibility from an manager to his/her subordinate. It give the subordinate Delegation is an important tool managers should be able to use for the internal and external factors of Globalization, Technology, Innovation, Diversity and Ethics.The reason delegation is so important is because it creates a peaceful and good working environment. If an organization has a good working environment then the employees have respectable work ethic and are productive employees. In turn if the company has employees with those qualities then the company is more successful. If a manger fails at delegation employees seem to have more stress, low morale and the organization then is not as successful. When a manager delegates he or she can then measure the time and cost of performing certain duties however, the Postal Service also uses an operation called Work Sampling.The Post Office Department has to determine the cost of handling and delivering the mail in each postal class. They then compare it with the parallel postage or additional revenue earned by class. This information then goes in front of congress to endorse postal rate changes. When the work which the employees are performing is observed they are more productive and in turn the United States Postal Service is more successful.