Introduction to Management: Imperial Hotel Problem 5 Report Analysis

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the management challenges faced by the Imperial Hotel, specifically focusing on the issues within the back-of-house staff, including housekeeping, kitchen, and maintenance. The report identifies key problems such as poor operating and control procedures, stock pilferage, and staff non-compliance with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which result in unusually high operating costs. The analysis delves into the causes of these issues, including imperfect time management, negative work culture, deficiencies in training, faulty communication skills, low motivation levels, high stress levels, and high labor turnover. The report proposes solutions such as implementing formal structures with clear lines of authority, promoting equality and rewards, and fostering specialization and impersonality. These solutions are then justified through the application of Max Weber's Bureaucratic Management Theory, highlighting principles such as formal hierarchical authority, management by rules, division of labor, achievement-based advancement, efficient operations, and an impersonal environment. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs.

Introduction to
management
Assessment

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Causes that originates the problems are:.....................................................................................1
Solution to the problems:............................................................................................................3
Applying Management Theories to justify solutions:.................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
References........................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Management is defined as managing the business activities to achieve targets. Such tasks
includes positioning the firm's tactics and synchronizing the responsibilities of staff to fulfil these
actions with the maximum utilization of resources available (What is Management?, 2020). The
Imperial Hotel was founded in 1931. It's features includes rooms with latest televisions, bars,
tea/coffee making facilities, free Wi-Fi. Upgraded rooms consist multiple bedrooms, offices and
living rooms, dining area, tubs with room services facilities. Parking is free. Moreover it consist
5 restaurants and 2 bars with cafe or a bakery. Exclusive facilities they provide are spa, outdoor
pool, business centre and conference facilities. The following discussion is based on the problem
related to back of house staff which includes housekeeping, kitchen and maintenance mainly
facing poor operations and control procedures. This is because of maximum staff turnover after
every five or six months. The purpose of this report is to define the number of causes related to
this problem, finding solutions out of it by applying management theories and justifying them at
the same time. Here management theory is applied for the solution to this problem is Max
Weber's Bureaucratic Management Theory which can help the firm to cope up with all these
issues that they are facing. This theory consist six principles which are clearly associated with
the problem given, these includes: A formal hierarchical authority, management by rules,
division of labour, achievement based advancement, efficient operations and impersonal
environment (Bryson, 2017).
MAIN BODY
Problem Statement: Back of house staff includes housekeeping, kitchen and maintenance
facing poor operating and control procedures in place with stock being regularly pilfered and
evidence of staff not meeting basic Standard Operating Procedures (SOPS) resulting in unusually
high operating costs (Anderson & et. al., 2018).
Causes that originates the problems are:
Imperfect Time Management:
It is a very important cause because it results in ineffective management operations. It
occurs when managers are unable to schedule responsibilities of the workers timely. And it leads
to inefficiency in doing their jobs. Managers are not enough responsible to make the realisation
of importance of work to their workers that their work should be on time without any delay.
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That's why it is hugely effecting the business operations. Other cause like a negative work
culture amongst the staff with high levels of sick leave and poor attendance gives rise to a
problem. Because if they will not take their job seriously then the problem will definitely arise in
the management system of Imperial Hotel.
Deficiency in Training:
Inefficiency occurs if workforce is poorly skilled and not trained. Unfamiliarity of
employees results in inefficiency in working. Unskilled workers give less productivity to the
firm. Other cause which is giving rise to a problem is front of house staff which includes
reception, conference and banqueting, restaurant and bars have poor team working and
inefficient use of IT systems including the reservation and property management systems. This
clearly seems the lack of training by the management team to their workers. Back office
operations facing the problem due to inadequate training by their mentors (Araújo e Sá and
Pinto, 2020).
Faulty Communication Skills:
Communication is a very important tool to convey message to employees in a more
understanding manner. Communication can be effective if listener has that power of listening the
concepts which is taught by the manger. Workers of housekeeping are being rude to the
customers. Reason behind this is lack of communication between workforce of the hotel. Either
this occurs due to selection of wrong communication channel or occurrence in barriers of
communication. Choosing wrong way of communication is a result for ineffective
communication. Management operations cannot be sorted out if firm didn't focus on this cause.
Low Motivation Level:
Motivation refers to the set of actions among the employees which makes them to work
in a more positive and willing way. There is a lack of motivation among the workers of hotel that
is why they are facing back-end operations problem. Their attitude towards customers are not
positive so customers are complaining about their low satisfaction level. Poor guest satisfaction
is another cause which is giving rise to the problem. This is resulting in the poor performance of
manager, workers and back office operations as well. decrement of motivation level is leading
deficiency in the staff of the hotel (Averina, Avdeeva and Perevalova, 2018).
High Stress Level:
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This cause is generated due to not meeting deadlines of work or peer pressure with other
staff members. Spanish staffs are given more importance as compared to the normal staff, this
creates stress among employees and low job satisfaction level. It results in bad job performance,
absenteeism, and health problems. Which ultimately leads to poor operations management either
in back office or front office. Hotel is lacking in looking into this cause because the problem is
purely from the manager's end rather than the workers. This can lead to large number of
employee turnover which can be a huge loss for an organization (Bullock, Haddow and Coppola,
2017).
High Labour Turnover:
This cause is a big issue because it leads to skilled worker to leave a job. Which
ultimately results in reduction in efficiency and productivity for the firm. If firm declines in
quality staff then it can be very difficult for the owner to manage it's sales and revenue. Another
cause is high staff turnover with 80% of the staff leaving within the year. Existing problems are
giving rise to the new one is a major issue that hotel is facing because until previous problems
are not being sorted out and it can be difficult to solve the new one.
Solution to the problems:
Formal structure with norms:
There is a huge requirement of formal line of authority for the right flow of
communication from top to bottom or vice versa. There are various communication channels
available to impart a message but choosing right one according to the situation can help
organization in it's improved operations part. This can result in good behaviour of the workers
towards their customers. Moreover, time management is necessary for the workers and this can
done by imposing rules and regulations on them. So that they can feel the importance of their
work and manage their less sick leaves as possible. Managers should look into these solutions for
better Communications among staff members and proper time management can be done in the
hotel. So that cost of operations can be lowered than revenue generated (Diklić, 2018).
Equality and rewards:
Firm should possess equality among all it's workforce so that they can work with
satisfaction. Treatment with every employee must be equal either they are Spanish or of any
other origin, black or white, low class or high class, rich or poor, educated or uneducated.
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Everybody should be same in the eyes of manager. It is important to give them a job satisfaction
because satisfactory level of employees leads the operations in a efficient way. Managers should
look into their stress level because of inequality happening in the hotel. More relaxed the
workers more will be the effectiveness in their working. Moreover, managers must also focus
into their motivation level for more productivity. By compensating, giving rewards, paid
holidays and many more so that their negative and rude behaviour transforms into positive one
towards their customers. Customers will also gain satisfaction by good services provided by a
workforce. This solution can help the hotel in reducing stress level and increasing motivation
among employees for better back office operations (Dyck, 2017).
Specialization and impersonality:
Manager is responsible in the training and development of employees. There is
technology in a firm which needs skilled workers to operate the system. This can be achieved by
proper training of the workers. Because training supports overall operations of the firm either
front or back office work. This can never lead to poor operations if right skills are developed in
the right employees for the right work they have to handle. Moreover, reduction is required in
employee turnover so that hotel won't looses a skilled and trained workers. This can be done by
providing them the environment which is suitable for them that is formal environment because it
is equal to everyone who is working there. Informal place leads to more conflicts and employee
turnover. So this solution can be beneficial for solving the problem.
Applying Management Theories to justify solutions:
Max Weber's Bureaucratic Management Theory
Max Weber is a German scientist given this theory of bureaucracy in management. He
defines the theory as highly arranged and designed for the formal organisation. He also stated
that a firm should possess a formal hierarchical authority, rules and regulations, division of
labour, achievement based advancement, efficient operations and impersonal environment
(Bureaucratic Theory by Max Weber, 2020).
Principles of the theory:
A Formal Hierarchical Authority:
This principle states that an organization must set line of authority for maintaining
decorum and discipline among all the levels of management from highest to lowest and vice
versa. This is justifying the solution of formal structure, as because of communication gap in the
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hotel is resulting in poor operations. So by applying this principle with solution can sort the
problem out for the hotel.
Management By Rules:
This principle states that until a firm don't have any strict norms, rules and regulations,
operations cannot be improved. This is justifying the solution of maintaining the norms in the
hotel, as increased number of sick leaves and no time management leads to more of informal
organisation which can create a great loss in the hotel. So by applying this principle with it's
solution can result in more of discipline in the hotel for better operational systems (Gambetti,
Melewar and Martin, 2017).
Division Of Labour:
This principle states that equal work should be divided among equally skilled employees
so that equality can be maintained within an organisation and every task can be done in it's
efficient manner with employee satisfaction. This is justifying the solution of equality in the
hotel, as some workers are not at all satisfied due to unequal treatment between Spanish and
other workers, this is leading to employee dissatisfaction and operational mismanagement. So by
applying this principle with it's solution can help the hotel in improvement of it's operations.
Achievement Based Advancement:
This principle states that organization must look into advancements to motivate their
employees as it generates employee willingness to work in a firm. This is justifying the solution
of rewards, as workers in the hotel are highly demotivated due to negative environment they are
facing which is strictly leading to incoordination between them. So by applying this principle
with it's solution can assist managers, workers as well as customers to gain motivation and
satisfaction level of services provided, operations can also be managed by adopting the principle
(Hislop, Bosua and Helms, 2018).
Efficient Operations:
This principle states that efficiency in operations can be gained by giving proper training
to employees so that it leads to increase in productivity. This is justifying the solution of
specialization, as workers are not trained in the hotel for operating IT systems which has proven
ineffective operational management. So by applying this principle with it's solution can lead to
gain skills in the workers for managing IT systems to better operate across all it's branches and
within an organization.
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Impersonal Environment:
This principle states that an organization must possess more of formal environment rather
than informal so that everybody should have strictness in their working time. This is justifying
the solution of impersonality, as informal environment leads to more conflicts and dissatisfaction
that results in increment of employee turnover. So by applying this principle with it's solution
can minimize the employee turnover and helps manager to tackle the problem (Navarro-Miró &
et. al., 2019).
CONCLUSION
It is concluded that every organization faces various problems in terms of operations,
marketing, production, human resources and so on. These problems always have solutions, but
important is that how it can be analysed and how it can be sorted out. In context of Imperial
Hotel, problem is of lacking efficiency in operations management in back office. So this report
has deep observations and analysis of the arising causes of problem, solutions given and
justification through management theory. This can help owner to study the reason behind
occurrence of problem and solutions they can apply to it. It assists the proper, effective and
efficient operational management from both the ends, managers as well as their subordinates.
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References
Books and Journals
Anderson, D.R. & et. al., 2018. An introduction to management science: quantitative approach.
Cengage learning.
Araújo e Sá, M.H. and Pinto, S., 2020. Introduction: language management, ideologies and
practices in scientific research. European Journal of Higher Education, pp.1-8.
Averina, T., Avdeeva, E. and Perevalova, O., 2018. Introduction of management innovations in
the work of municipal organizations. In MATEC Web of Conferences (Vol. 170, p.
01121). EDP Sciences.
Bryson, J., 2017. Effective library and information centre management. Routledge.
Bullock, J.A., Haddow, G.D. and Coppola, D.P., 2017. Introduction to emergency management.
Butterworth-Heinemann.
Diklić, K., 2018. Introduction, change management and teacher attitudes. International Journal
of Economics & Law. 8(22). pp.25-36.
Dyck, B., 2017. Reflecting on 25 Years of Teaching, Researching, and Textbook Writing for
Introduction to Management: An Essay with Some Lessons Learned. Journal of
Management Education. 41(6). pp.817-834.
Gambetti, R.C., Melewar, T.C. and Martin, K.D., 2017. Guest editors’ introduction: ethical
management of intangible assets in contemporary organizations. Business Ethics
Quarterly. 27(3). pp.381-392.
Hislop, D., Bosua, R. and Helms, R., 2018. Knowledge management in organizations: A critical
introduction. Oxford university press.
Navarro-Miró, D. & et. al., 2019. Energy flows in European organic vegetable systems: Effects
of the introduction and management of agroecological service crops. Energy, 188,
p.116096.
Online
Bureaucratic Theory by Max Weber. 2020. Available through
<https://www.toolshero.com/management/bureaucratic-theory-weber/>./
What is Management?. 2020. Available through <https://www.managementstudyhq.com/what-
is-management.html>./
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