BMP3004: Functional Areas and Employee Skills Report

This report analyzes the functional areas within a business organization, using IOM Electronic (IE) Ltd. as a case study. It explores key departments such as Human Resource Management (HRM), Customer Service, Finance, Research and Development (R&D), Sales, and Marketing, detailing their roles and importance in achieving business objectives. The report also identifies the essential skills required for employees to work effectively in each functional area. These skills range from communication and adaptability in customer service to analytical abilities in finance and creativity in marketing and R&D. The report concludes by emphasizing the interconnectedness of these functional areas and the importance of skilled employees for overall business success, offering valuable insights for aspiring business professionals and students seeking to understand organizational structures and the skills needed to succeed.

FUNCTIONS AREA FOR
BUSINESS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY..............................................................................................................................................4
Describing various functions areas of business operations......................................................................4
Describing types of skills needed by employees to be effectively work in functions areas.....................5
CONCLUSION...........................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
A business is defined as an entity that is engaged in commercial activities such as
producing, selling goods & services. The current report is based on IOM Electronic (IE) Ltd.
which is local company that is owned and managed by John. It is also known a regional
organization that has 200 employees. In addition to this, case study will give emphasis on
different function areas of business that refers to organizational activity that is performed,
managed and controlled by separate departments of firm. The main purpose for dividing business
practice is to attain specialization that can lead firm to success. Key areas will also be discussed
in details which are R&D, sales, finance and HRM and customer service.
MAIN BODY
Describing various functions areas of business operations
There are several functions of organization that depends upon scale, type and nature of
firm. The most important for IOM Electronic Ltd. are mentioned below:
Human Resource Management
Wise organization believes to train and develop employees as it is likely to make firm
more successful. The role of HR department is to ensure that all positions of company are filled
with right candidate that has essential skills, knowledge, experience and personality (Delery and
Roumpi, 2017). With respect to this it allows firm to get smooth functioning of all departments
as roles, responsibilities, policies, pay structure, vision, mission, goals, etc are introduce &
explained by HRM. IOM Electronic Ltd. will get more accuracy and efficiency in efforts of
workforce that in turn provide productivity, higher profitability, larger market shares (Stewart
and Brown, 2019).
Customer Service
It is crucial part of business practice in competitive world. It becomes essential for firm to
look after for customers that the sold product and services is matching with clients’ expectation
or not, do they have any query, problem, etc. With changing time customers expectations have
reached to higher level and due to competition seller must ensure that clients are happy
(Sheehan, Jin and Gottlieb, 2020). IE should also focus on this area of function to retain existing
customer as well for attracting potential prospects. It gives chance to consumer for providing
feedback regarding products. Organizations get opportunity to make improvement in lacking part
of business through review mechanism.
Finance

This is considered to be backbone part of firm by various businesses as it performs
activity of recording, summarizing and analyzing monetary transactions. Finance function plan,
organize, allocate, control funds of company in effective manner. It helps firm to be ready for
unforeseen changes occurring in industry like technological advancement, product development,
etc. additionally, critical decision can be made accurately and rapidly with help of this data
(Mohsin and et.al., 2020). Accountant implements various financial and managerial strategies to
obtain desire position in sector. Utilization of this function will help IE to allocate its funds in
effectual manner so that maintains status of solvent business.
Research and Development
This function is concerned with development of new goods, making modification in existing
commodity as well designing product mix. The company success depends on level of research &
development practices conducted. It includes market analysis, product development, targeting
new customer segments. To achieve competitive advantages these function is very useful (Silva
and et.al., 2019). EI can use this to compete against its competitor, to know customers changing
taste and preferences, pricing strategies, distribution channel, etc. these advantages can be
achieve by EI for gaining profitability and sustainability for longer duration.
Sales
All objectives of business like high revenue & profit and many more are dependent on
sales department. It is pointless to have excellent product when there is no one to buy. It is the
duty of sales staff to assure that services, products of the company are sold (Kruteleva and Kara,
2020). Generating sales is biggest difficult task, company’s potential success is also measure in
terms of upcoming sales forecast figures. It is considered to be representative of company as end
result of all efforts presented by sales function. Furthermore, it is essential to set sales targets in
turn can enhance growth of EI firm. The company will be able to achieve more success in terms
of market share, customer base, etc when it has effective sales team.
Marketing
It is one of important part as this promotes the produced goods in market. EI can utilize it
to get connected with customers directly. Additionally, it allows company to make clients aware
about their available products and services. In modern era, marketing power is base for winning
customers attraction.
These are important function areas of organization that helps company to run its
operations in effectual manner. Moreover, developing all departments and coordinating all
practices of business leads to achieve company’s objectives.

Describing types of skills needed by employees to be effectively work in functions areas
There are several skills that are needed by employees for performing their roles and tasks.
Attributes, knowledge, skills, experience require in each type of job role differs from each
function area.
Customer service
This function area is very important for building good image among customers. It
requires skills that can fulfil purpose of getting connected with clients. The person working as
customers’ service representative must have adaptability of under stable language, empathy, self
control, communication skill. The 3 most import requirement for this candidate is people first
attitude, patience and professionalism (Adam, Wessel and Benlian, 2020.). This type of services
varies from customer to customers. Another type of skills that EI must look for this position is
attentiveness, emotional intelligence, and problem solving spirit, creativity, resourcefulness,
product knowledge, time management skills and many. The bundle of such attributes help
employee to answer queries and obligations of clients in appropriate way.
Marketing
Qualities like knowledge of trends, communication, creativity & innovativeness, risk
bearing, problem solving are some of main areas. Interpersonal skills, confidence, positive
attitude will aid EI to get better responses from its clients. It can provide assistance in making
customers alert about new products that can give them more satisfaction.
Sales
This employee should be able to adapt different personality types by understanding needs
and requirements of each buyer (15 skills sales representative need, 2021). Attributes that can
assist employee to perform better are establishing trust, acting on customers actions,
demonstrating expertise matter, using marketing strategies of various kinds, knowledge of sale
technology & trends in market (Vladimirovich 2020) . Successful sales person has ability to gain
faith and trust of clients that makes them to buy products in continuous basis. Customer driven
responses creates perspective that their problems are taken into consideration. EI should focus on
these requirements for developing productive sales force.
Research & development
To be a successful representative of this business area, workers should have ability to
think for long term as R&D is always conducted for forecasting. In aspect of this, having a keen
ability to pay attention towards each small step help manager to get accurate results (What are
the skills required to become a Research and Development Engineer? 2021). Leadership,
managerial, well communicating method to lower staff, strong creativity power aid to flow
process of development smoothly. Analytical attribute for solving complex engineering issues,

team work spirit so that whole procedure of research & development can make more productive.
Combination of all these skills aid manager to become more active in doing his job. EI would be
beneficial in case of utilization of such manager that provide assistance in new product & market
development, diversification implication, etc .
Finance
The scope of it is so wide that an exact amount of qualities required to perform becomes
difficult. The basic set of requirements are analyzing data, decision making, economize,
estimation, financial planning, forecasting, problem solving, risk evaluation & management,
valuation (Cihak and Sahay, 2020). Another quality that makes whole mechanism of functioning
easy is technological software knowledge, equipment which allows firm to save cost, time, and
efforts. Manager of EI in this area function is expected to give advice to employer at each point
of time where critical monetary decision needed to make. Knowledge of best investment that can
increase both wealth& interest of shareholders are necessary.
Human resource
HR professionals need different skills to do their work well. The most often attribute is
communication as this department conveys all roles, responsibilities, policies, procedures,
organization structure, etc. are explained to workforce (Brewster, 2017.). Making a creative
working environment that enhances productivity & profitability by motivating employees’
morale to share their full potential. Being proactive, coaching, intractable sensitivity & language
which formulates structure of a proper talent management team. With respect to this, human
resource manager of EI must have capability to influence workers’ behavior in positive way that
develops enthusiastic spirit among them for sharing their best efforts. Various training &
development, performance management, appraisal, retention, reduction of employee turnover,
feedback mechanism assist manger to lead organization towards success.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that there are various functions areas that form
a proper organization structure. The areas of function that are essential for effective operation of
business are human resource management, finance, sale, research & development, customers’
service. Each department plays important part to make it successful. In addition to this, HR is
crucial for managing different types of workforce by encouraging them to contribute their
efforts. The skills mentioned in report are proactive, problem solving, etc. The report has also
given emphasis on finance function allocate & monitor funds which requires knowledge of
analytics, critical decision making and many more. Furthermore, current case study has
explained sales department that is responsible for selling products of company for which
employee need to have good personality, trustworthy communication style, etc. Present case has

elaborated development and research requirement in firm that in turn assist organization to get
demand analyze, forecast customer preference, etc.
REFERENCES
Books and journal

Adam, M., Wessel, M. and Benlian, A., 2020. AI-based chatbots in customer service and their
effects on user compliance. Electronic Markets. pp.1-19.
Brewster, C., 2017. The integration of human resource management and corporate
strategy. Policy and practice in European human resource management. pp.22-35.
Cihak, M. M. and Sahay, M. R., 2020. Finance and inequality. International Monetary Fund.
Delery, J. E. and Roumpi, D., 2017. Strategic human resource management, human capital and
competitive advantage: is the field going in circles?. Human Resource Management Journal.
27(1). pp.1-21
Kruteleva, L. and Kara, Z., 2020, August. Characteristic features of the life-meaning and value
orientations of sales department employees during the transformation of professional activity.
In E3S Web of Conferences (Vol. 210, p. 20002)..
Mohsin, M. and et.al., 2020. Developing low carbon finance index: evidence from developed and
developing economies. Finance Research Letters. p.101520.
Sheehan, B., Jin, H. S. and Gottlieb, U., 2020. Customer service chatbots: Anthropomorphism
and adoption. Journal of Business Research. 115. pp.14-24.
Silva, D.S and et.al., 2019. Lean Startup, Agile Methodologies and Customer Development for
business model innovation. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research.
Stewart, G. L. and Brown, K. G., 2019. Human resource management. John Wiley & Sons.
Vladimirovich, K. M., 2020. Future Marketing in B2B Segment: Integrating Artificial
Intelligence into Sales Management. International Journal of Innovative Technologies in
Economy. (4 (31)).
Online
15 skills sales representative need. 2021. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/inside-sales-representative-skills>
What are the skills required to become a Research and Development Engineer? 2021. [Online].
Available through: < https://www.edureka.co/community/33498/what-skills-required-become-
research-development-engineer>