Managing Activities to Achieve Results Essay

Structure of an organisation is the way the people and different departments are set out. XXX School’s structure is shown in Appendix 1. It’s is widely split into Thai and foreign areas with different departments that interact daily to fulfil its processes and functions. There is evidence to suggest it uses the matrix model. For example XXXX the Head of English Kindergarten department is also responsible for undertaking the project of improving the schools website. Mullins (2005:a) notes culture as ‘the collection of traditions, values, policies, beliefs, and attitudes that constitute a pervasive context for everything we do and think in an organisation’. Due to the being both foreign native speakers and Thai teachers present in the school, a divide in beliefs, values, policies, traditions and processes is present. The two ‘sides’ maybe well undertake tasks in a different way, however there is one belief that is clearly paramount throughout the school. The most important belief is the service and relationship provided to the customer (customer being the student and their parents) is everyone’s number one priority. Whether you are a native English or Thai teacher the attitude fed down from the top is the strong value and belief that the student’s education is most important. Processes are the series of links that define  the function. Within every organisation functions have to be performed. Fig 1. Examples of functions carried out at Varee School Fig 2. The processes involved in planning a lesson. Planning a lesson involves relatively few departments and people. It’s mainly an individual task that is easy to complete and can be repeated easily, something that is important to keep the business efficient. Certain processes that involve more people and more departments are not so efficient. Most obvious problem being the Thai/foreigner cultural difference. There are problems with language barriers, different attitudes and beliefs. For example, Thai people don’t like to ‘loose face’ or cause somebody to ‘loose face’. This can cause problems as often they would rather mislead people than be honest and accept they can’t do something. Business process transformation and TQM would be able to improve the interrelationships between the different process and functions and this is talked about later in the report. Taken from the latest school magazine, published December 09 it states the mission statement as: ‘In order to maintain high standards of educational development, the school follows and emphasises three main goals which are to maintain a progressive curriculum, a proficient management and a highly productive teaching staff. XXX School strongly believes that if these goals are carried out, our students will gain various skills which are crucial in life such as intellect, communication skills in foreign languages, technology and moral development. Our students will mature into good citizens physically and mentally. Over all they will develop social skills enabling to and learn harmoniously in society. ‘ Within this mission statement three main goals are given, lead to its overall objective: * to maintain a progressive curriculum * a proficient management * a highly productive teaching staff. The overall objective being: * to maintain high standards of educational development The mission statement along with the aims and objectives have meant that a structure designed for the most effective teaching possible has been developed as well as providing the customer (the student and their parents) with the a path of education they wish to take. They can study their subjects in 80% Thai or can study on the English programme where they will be studying mostly in English. Along it could be suggested the mission statement is a little long, there can be no doubting that it has created a sense of direction and the main belief that is comes down through the management in the school to all the staff. Evidence of this is seen in not only my personal objectives but many other teachers’ also. XXXX, Head of Mattayom for foreign staff states in the school magazine â€Å"Our goals are simple; to give every student the best education available; to foster creative thinking and a global outlook; and to instil a love of learning in every student. (Teachers at Varee love teaching and genuinely care about their students.† In addition XXXXX, Mattayom Teacher in the native English teaching department says â€Å"My goal is to give the children the confidence and tools required to expand their English abilities so that they can interact in an increasingly global English Community†. The school is of course a business and there for wants to make a profit. By carrying out these aims and objectives the school is providing the customer with great service, meaning the school will continue to grow thanks to an enhanced reputation. If the school continues to grow, with good business management to, the school will continue to make a profit. How does the school carry out its functions to meet its objectives? A curriculum for example is crucial to providing quality teaching and obviously quality teaching is the school’s main objective. According to my seniors, Fig 3. , shows the  communication process they will follow in updating a curriculum. One of three people can decide that change in curriculum is required; The Head Mistress, Director of foreign staff, Head of Department. Reasons for a change can be due to results, government changes, private tests changes, or parent’s requests. In this example we will assume that the Head Mistress has requested the change. Fig 3. Communication process XXXXX School will follow when updating a curriculum Happy with the curriculum? No Happy with the curriculum? YES Finished curriculum Happy with the curriculum? No Happy with the curriculum? NO Happy with the curriculum? YES YES Happy with the curriculum? YES Finalised and continuously monitored Head of Department (Will make the improvements) Curriculum is provisionally taught Director of foreign teachers Head Mistress The methodology used in this process is carried out by four levels of the organisation. It’s very much based around completing the task and then checking, discussing and improving if possible. Once the Head Mistress is happy it is provisionally taught and again checked. Again, if any improvements can be made they are, if not its taught and continuously monitored. With every process there is an output. The schools main and ultimate output to the customer is the education of the student. The Head of departments work has to be referred back to higher authority to be checked and this means the quality is checked before being moved onto the next  stage. By continuously carrying out processes, such as improving the curriculum, the standard of education, the final output, will be strong. As with any businesses, weaknesses and improvements can always be found and that’s why it’s important for the curriculum and other such areas to be continuously developed and improved using all areas of the organisational structure. Bibliography Mullins, L.J, 2005a. Management and Organisational Behaviour. 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Varee school Magazine Mullins, L.J, 2005b. Management and Organisational Behaviour. 7th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited. Hall,D, Jones, R, Raffo,C, Anderton, A, 2008:a. Business Studies. 4th ed. Harlow : Pearson Education Limited