Running head: Overview of Management
Overview of Management
University of Phoenix
MBA/502
Instructor: Susan Craver
19 Feb 07
Overview of Management
From a management perspective, what are the key elements that not only help a company
stay competitive in the business market, but also secure future success? In essence, the
practice of sound management functions that include planning and strategizing,
organizing, leading, and controlling play a very important role in this endeavor. Kudler
Fine Foods, a company established in 1998 with the opening of the La Jolla store has
grown to the capacity of three stores through the hard work of Kathy Kudler and her staff.
In addition, through sound management practices, they have been able to continue to grow
tremendous over the past decade. In this selection, I will identify the primary functions of
management, describing who is responsible for each at Kudler, explain how technology
and the Internet are utilized and how it affects management, and cite an example using
Kudler organization that illustrates the five forces from Porter Model.
In identifying the primary functions of management being practiced within the Kudler
organization, planning and strategizing, organizing, leading, and controlling are widely
used throughout the organization. Planning and strategizing encompasses setting future
objectives, thus mapping out the necessary activities in achieving these goals (Gomez &
Mejia, 2002). Within the Kudler organization, Kathy Kudler the founder and president of
the company is the sole individual responsible for this aspect of management with input
from some of her management team. In this capacity, she sets direction and guidance, thus
planning for the future in accomplishing the mission and creating an environment that
facilitates clear direction. Her philosophy is to educate, inform, and facilitate the strategic
direction of the company in ensuring success.
Organizing, the act of specifying how a firm resources are arranged and coordinated in
performing tasks in accomplishing the desired goals, is carried out by a number of
individuals within the Kudler organization (Gomez & Mejia, 2002). Specifically, from the
top Kathy is responsible for arranging and coordinated resources with her direct reports in
carrying out the mission. Beneath her are her store managers and directors of appropriate
divisions that include Finance and Accounting, Operations, and Administration and human
resources that exercise organizing functions of resource management as well. Moreover,
the middle management level of Assistant Store Managers and Departmental Managers
perform this function as well. For example, the role of the Store Manager for the Del Mar
