BUS-FPX3011 ASSESSMENT 2 INSTRUCTIONS: PLANNING AND ORGANIZATION
Name
Capella University
BUS-FPX3011 Fundamentals of Management
Prof. Name Date
Introduction
The corporate landscape often demands periods of rapid, strategically planned growth, and for Atha Corporation, that moment has arrived. Mary Atha, the Chief Executive Officer, has issued a decisive mandate to all department managers: double the previous year’s $5 million in sales, achieving a challenging but attainable $10 million target. This significant increase necessitates not merely incremental adjustments but a comprehensive overhaul of one of the company’s core functions.
The Sales and Marketing department, as the revenue-generating engine, has been identified as the primary focus for restructuring, enhancement, and optimization over the next three months. This period will be defined by rigorous planning and effective organizational design, ensuring that every resource, process, and personnel decision aligns directly with the ambitious financial objective. The success of this three-month initiative hinges on the management team’s ability to transition from reactive operations to proactive, strategic execution. The managerial functions of planning and organizing will be crucial in laying the foundation for execution, leadership, and ultimately, control and evaluation of the project’s success, which is the focus of this BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
The immediate task for departmental leadership is to analyze the existing structure, identify weaknesses contributing to the current sales performance, and systematically implement changes that boost efficiency, morale, and capacity. The following analysis details the necessary characteristics of effective managers, the strategic goals driving the departmental reorganization, the supporting activities required, a concrete timeline, and an overview of how the reorganization will be managed to mitigate disruption.
Characteristics and Behaviors of Effective Managers
Achieving a corporate goal of this magnitude—a 100% increase in sales—requires management to exhibit characteristics that go beyond simple task administration. The managers overseeing this change must embody transformational and servant leadership styles. Transformational leaders inspire, motivate, and intellectually stimulate their followers, encouraging them to achieve outcomes that were previously deemed impossible. Conversely, a servant leader focuses first on the needs of the team, helping them develop and perform to their highest potential, thereby fostering a highly engaged and confident workforce.
As the department leader, attention must be directed towards several interconnected areas, including streamlining hiring processes, implementing equipment upgrades, continuously monitoring employee performance, refining corporate policies, boosting job satisfaction, and adopting technological advancements. Effective management behavior in these areas includes:
- Open Communication and Transparency: This involves establishing clear, two-way feedback channels. Managers must actively listen to front-line staff regarding process bottlenecks and customer feedback. During a period of reorganization and high-stakes goal setting, clear communication manages expectations and reduces anxiety.
- Efficient Time Management and Prioritization: Given the tight 90-day timeline, managers must master delegation and priority setting. They must differentiate between urgent and important tasks, offloading routine work to allow more time for strategic planning and employee coaching.
- Strategic Delegation and Empowerment: Delegation is not merely task dumping; it is an act of trust that fosters confidence among team members. By granting authority and accountability, managers develop future leaders and free up their own time for high-level oversight. Fostering confidence is pivotal, as a motivated, empowered sales team is more likely to pursue aggressive targets.
- Focus on Metrics and Feedback Loops: Effective managers define success clearly. They must track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to the $10 million goal (e.g., lead conversion rate, average deal size, sales cycle length) and use this data to provide objective, timely, and constructive feedback, ensuring collective efforts are aligned with reaching the corporate goal. This planning and organizational blueprint is essential for the successful completion of BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
These behaviors ensure a collaborative and individually accountable environment, transitioning the department from its current state to one with double the capacity and motivation. The blend of high-level inspiration (transformational) and deep personal support (servant) is necessary to navigate the impending changes successfully.
Strategic Departmental Goals and Support Activities
The strategic initiative to double sales is driven by two main departmental goals that address both capacity and retention, supported by robust activities.
Goal 1: Increase Non-Management Staff Capacity
The primary objective is a calculated increase in the number of non-management sales and marketing staff. Current performance indicates that the existing team size has reached its capacity ceiling, limiting lead generation and customer management potential. Hiring new personnel will alleviate the workload on existing top performers, allowing them to focus on higher-value accounts or closing complex deals. Furthermore, new hires infuse fresh perspectives and energy, which is critical for enhancing overall productivity and scaling operations to handle a larger sales volume.
- Actionable Step: Recruit and onboard five new Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) and two dedicated Digital Marketing Specialists. These roles are specifically chosen to boost the top of the sales funnel (SDRs) and increase qualified lead volume (Digital Marketing).
Goal 2: Enhance Job Satisfaction and Retention
Concurrently, policies addressing historical job satisfaction concerns must be implemented. Employee dissatisfaction is a major impediment to productivity, morale, and ultimately, achieving the $10 million sales target. Addressing issues related to goal clarity, communication transparency, and equitable treatment is paramount to retain talent and ensure new hires are absorbed into a positive environment. Policies must clearly link individual effort to corporate goals and ensure fair compensation structures. This dual focus on adding capacity while stabilizing the existing core team is a critical component of BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
- Actionable Step: Implement a revised commission structure that is transparent, highly rewarding for performance above target, and immediately communicated. Introduce a formal peer-to-peer recognition program and a flexible work policy to demonstrate commitment to employee well-being.
Support Activities: Training
and Feedback Loops
To support the staff increase and policy goals, two essential activities will be integrated:
- Relevant Training Curriculum: Training will move beyond product knowledge to include advanced sales techniques (e.g., challenger sales methodology), use of new CRM technology, and crucial soft skills (active listening, negotiation). All new staff must complete this rigorous training within the first 30 days, and existing staff will undergo a refresher to standardize best practices.
- Incorporating Feedback Mechanisms: A continuous feedback mechanism will be established, gathering input from both employees and customers. Employee feedback (through anonymous surveys and one-on-one sessions) will refine internal processes and manager behavior. Customer feedback (through post-sale surveys and direct interviews) will be instrumental in refining operations, product messaging, and sales pitches, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and external market demands. This systematic approach forms the organizational core of BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
Planning, Organizing, and the 90-Day Timeline
The successful execution of the corporate mandate relies entirely on the systematic application of the management functions of planning and organizing within the strict 90-day timeline. The timeline is broken down into distinct, measurable phases, reflecting the crucial initial steps of this BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
| Phase |
Timeline |
Planning & Organizing Activities |
Key Milestones |
| Phase 1: Planning & Recruitment |
Weeks 1–2 (Days 1–14) |
Job description finalization, policy documentation (satisfaction, compensation), budget allocation, interview scheduling. |
New staff members recruited, policies finalized and approved. |
| Phase 2: Onboarding & Policy Implementation |
Weeks 3–4 (Days 15–30) |
New staff members begin training, initial manager coaching sessions, formal announcement and roll-out of new policies. |
Training commenced, policy implementation complete. |
| Phase 3: Integration & Stabilization |
Weeks 5–8 (Days 31–60) |
Integration of new staff into sales territories, launch of the continuous customer feedback system, performance monitoring of early-stage KPIs (lead generation). |
Comprehensive plan in effect (full staff, full policies), initial progress towards goals underway. |
| Phase 4: Monitoring & Tangible Improvement |
Weeks 9–12 (Days 61–90) |
Bi-weekly performance review meetings, implementation of corrective action based on data, celebration of early wins. |
Tangible improvements observed in key metrics (e.g., 25% increase in lead conversion or sales pipeline size). |
Within the first two weeks, the planning function is most critical. This is where the recruitment strategy is finalized, job specifications are detailed, and the content for new training is curated. Furthermore, this period sees the finalization of job satisfaction policies that address goal clarity, communication, and equitable treatment, ensuring all organizational changes are strategically sound.
The organizing function takes center stage during weeks 3 and 4, coinciding with the onboarding and training process. The organization must define the new reporting relationships, reallocate sales territories, and ensure that all necessary technology (new equipment, updated CRM access) is prepared. By the end of the first 60 days, the comprehensive structure is in place, and the leadership team shifts its focus to the controlling function—monitoring progress against specified targets using the established KPIs. This rigorous adherence to the schedule is non-negotiable for achieving the primary objective of this BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
Reorganization and Change Management
Any significant change—especially one that introduces new faces, new technology, and new performance expectations—will inevitably create temporary challenges. These may stem from existing employee dissatisfaction, resistance to new processes, or temporary underperformance as new hires ramp up. The draft mentioned the risk of employee dissatisfaction, a critical issue because it directly impedes productivity and morale.
To successfully navigate this phase, the management approach must be rooted in Kotter’s 8-Step Process for Leading Change, focusing specifically on:
- Creating a Sense of Urgency: By communicating the CEO’s mandate and the competitive necessity of doubling sales, the management team establishes the why for the change.
- Communicating the Vision: The vision must be simple: “We are doubling our sales by achieving optimal capacity and becoming the best place to work in our industry.” This clarity helps all employees understand their role in the bigger picture.
- Removing Obstacles: Managers must act swiftly to address operational barriers or bureaucratic policies that impede the new, efficient workflow.
Effective communication and engagement strategies within the sales and marketing departments are crucial for sustaining customer relationships and achieving desired outcomes throughout this reorganization. The managers must be visible, conduct regular town halls, and maintain an “open door” policy to address fears and concerns in real-time. By fostering a supportive and collaborative environment—one where temporary dip in performance is managed with coaching rather than punitive action—the team can successfully overcome obstacles. This transition will allow the sales and marketing functions to emerge stronger, more resilient, and ultimately more capable of achieving long-term organizational success, thereby validating the strategic decisions made in this BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2.
Conclusion
The challenge presented by CEO Mary Atha—doubling the previous year’s sales to $10 million—is formidable but achievable through disciplined management and execution of the strategic plan outlined herein. The three-month initiative is fundamentally an exercise in effective planning, organizing, and change management. By adopting the principles of servant and transformational leadership, the management team will cultivate a workforce that is not only larger in capacity but also significantly more engaged and confident.
Strategic goals centered on increasing non-management staffing and implementing robust job satisfaction policies directly address the core needs of growth and stability. Coupled with a strict 90-day timeline and a continuous feedback loop, the department is positioned to execute the necessary restructuring efficiently. The success of this BUS-FPX3011 Assessment 2 hinges on the initial strategic decisions made by management, laying the groundwork for execution that will successfully transform potential into performance and secure Atha Corporation’s future growth trajectory.
References
BambooHR. (2023). The Impact of Job Dissatisfaction on Your Business.
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business Review Press.
Yukl, G. A. (2013). Leadership in organizations (8th ed.). Pearson Education.
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