Reflection On Business Management Course

The following will be a review of the first 3 learning units of the business management course. The equivalent chapters are 11, 12 and 13 taken from the textbook. The first learning unit deals with operations management and refers to the 11th chapter of the textbook. The learning unit covers the following:

• Primary functions of operations management
• Different types of process types used by manufacturers and service providers
• Operations planning and improvements.

Business organisations transform environmental inputs into outputs and the operations function executes the transformation process. Operations management aim to do things better the first leading to higher quality. Doing things cost effectively leading to lower cost. Doing things fast leading to shorter lead time. Doing things right every time leading to lower variability. Doing things better leading to better service. Changing things quickly leading to greater adaptability. Inputs can be in the form of materials, information and customers. Inputs that are used for the transformation process include human resources (workers), technology and equipment and facilities.

Business organisations use different types of process to manufacture or provide their products and services. These process can either be project, jobbing, batch, mass or continuous processes. The various designs for operations processes include fixed position, product, process and cellular layout.

Operations planning and control involves all the processes done to ensure that the operations process is put into action on an ongoing basis resulting in the manufacturing of products and services to satisfy consumer needs.

For me personally this learning unit has taught me a lot about the operations side of the business. I now know more than I did last year. The knowledge that I now possess is beneficial for me I have learnt how businesses manufacture their products. This learning unit however was not of great interest to me as it dealt with operations management which will not be my line of work.

The second learning unit is all about Human Resource (HR) Management and the South African Labour Legislative Framework and refers to the 12th chapter of the prescribed textbook. The themes covered in this learning unit are as follows:

• HR management in the organisation and its role
• Recruitment, development and motivation of employees
• South African Legislation.

The HR management function mainly focuses on being a strategic partner to the organisation thus it clearly should demonstrate organisational strategy in terms of overall effectiveness, profit and people.

HR planning involves using the organisational goals and strategy in order to forecast the human resource needs of the organisation by means of finding, keeping and developing competent and qualified human resources. Once planning has been done HR then goes through a process of recruiting qualified employees. They can either do this internally by promoting employees to vacant positions or externally by hiring new employees from outside the organisation. Recruited employees can be developed using on the job training or away from the job training. Examples of on the job include job rotation, coaching and mentoring. E-learning and seminars are just some examples of away from the job training. There are certain motives that motivate employees in the workplace. T

here are 4 motivational theories that explain these and they are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Two-way Factor Theory, Alderfer’s ERG theory and McClelland theory of Needs. Mentioned at the end of the learning unit is South African Legislation dealing with different Acts that help promote fairness within the workplace. One Act in particular that does this is the Labour Relations Act.

This learning unit has taught me a lot about how to interact with fellow employees in the workplace. I have seen the motivational factors that influence worker performance. Although I am not going to become an HR manager specifically, as a future manager I will be using one of the motivational theories mentioned in this learning unit to motivate employees. The Labour Relations Act has made me aware of the rights I will possess has a future employee. I feel protected by this Act. The Act has also made me aware of how employers should treat employees. One day I will run my own business and I would have to abide by the rules set out by the Act on how to treat employees. The third learning unit is all about marketing management and refers to the 13th chapter of the prescribed textbook. The themes covered in this learning unit are as follows:

• What marketing is
• Aspects considered in marketing
• Marketing communications.

Marketing focuses on meeting threats and opportunities in a dynamic environment by providing need satisfying products and services to consumers in a way as to achieve the objectives of the organisation, society and the consumer. The marketing concept consists of customer orientation, profitability, organisational integration and social responsibility. Marketing management use the 4 P’s (product, place, promotion, price) to make decisions when conducting the marketing process.

When an organisation makes marketing decisions it bases those decisions on market research. Market research involves getting information about the market. Marketers need to be aware of consumer behaviour. Studying this behaviour will allow them to target consumers effectively and sell them the right products and services effectively. Determinants of consumer behaviour include individual factors (learning ability, motivation, perception, attitude, personality and lifestyle) and group factors (family, reference groups, opinion leaders and cultural group).

Businesses may use various forms of marketing communication methods such as advertising, direct marketing, public relations, sales promotion and personal selling to market their products and services. They may also use different channel distributions to distribute their products.

This learning unit was my favourite of them all as it focuses on my future line of work, marketing management. What I have learnt in this has prepared me for what I will be dealing with when I am working. This learning unit was very beneficial to me as it gave the knowledge I need to become competent as a future marketing management. Personally this learning unit has motivated me to reach my goal of becoming a successful marketing manager and has also fuelled my passion for marketing. Furthermore I have learnt that there is more to marketing than just advertising and selling. A huge amount of planning is done by businesses to ensure that they market their products and services successfully. This has been a great learning experience.