Solution

							Itroduction

Planning, organizing, leading and controlling are four main functions of management.

XYZ internet company provides internet access service and it is a new company in

this business. Any new company feces more challenges than an established company

faces. A new company feces challenges from established companies as well as new

entrants. XYZ Internet Company has set a goal and all its activities should be aligned

to achieve the goal. XYZ company wants to lay down the guidelines for new recruited

managers so that they understand the goal of the company and their activities should

be aligned with the goal of the company.


Unlike traditional business, an internet company has access to global market without

setting up physical offices at every place. So, internet company will require to follow

different strategy than a traditional company. An internet company has access to

global market, and at macro level they will face challenges related to culture , legal

issues, government policies, global economic factors, country risk, foreign currency

exchange risk etc. At micro level, challenges will be infrastructure , available market,

supply chain, consumer’s choice etc. As a player having access to markets globally,

XYZ Company will have consumers from different educational, economic and cultural

background. Doing business in different countries require different management styles

based on local culture, economic condition, rules and regulations and consumers of the

country. Company’s competitors will also be different in different countries. In some

countries company will find itself in commanding position while at other places it

might be struggling to get foothold. So, XYZ Internet Company requires to develop

different     strategy   and     management       style    in     different    markets.
POLC                                                                            Model:

An organization has an objective and management wants to achieve this objective with

the help of the given resources. Company will succeed or fail will depend on how

management functions and what strategy management chooses. Management function

has four factors- planning, organizing, directing and controlling. With the process of

these    four    factors,   management       tries   to    achieve     the    objective.

Planning:

Planning is the first task management undertakes. Planning is done at apex level. It

sets the goal and objectives of the company and develops broader strategy to achieve

the goal. All other management functions basically tries to achieve the objectives and

goals set in planning phase. Planning includes – stating mission, setting goals and

objectives, setting strategy to achieve the goal, implementing the strategy and finally,

monitoring the strategy and evaluating. Based on the performance of the strategy and

plan and the feedback received, company evaluates its strategy and modify it

accordingly.


XYZ Internet Company is in the field of providing internet access. Users want fast and

hassle free internet access. New recruited managers should be introduced to the intrnet

access business, available and potential market, consumers, technology, from where

fund comes and where it is utilized , what are the heads under which company spends.

Managers should be introduced to the 3 C’s of the company. Once managers

understand the business and where company stands, they should be introduced to the

company specific information. What is company’s goal and strategy, how company is

targeting the market, what are the offerings by company, how company is offering
seasonal discounts etc are should be known to the managers. Strategy and offerings of

the competitors are also to be known to the managers. A comparative study of XYZ

company and its competitors will be very helpful to the managers.


Any company is in business to make profit. Cost-Revenue analysis will be helpful for

the managers to understand the managers the costs involved in providing the service

and how revenue is earned. Companies are coming up with innovative ideas to woo

customers. Providing package service is very much in focus now a days. Consumers

are not happy with core service only. Managers can be introduced with the auxiliary

services company can provide and how company can bundle the services into a

package. For example, company can provide domain name registration, web design

and web hosting, VOIP etc services along with its core service – providing internet

access. How company can make internet access faster, reliable and better should also

be dealt with.




Organizing:

In planning phase, company develops        broader strategy. In Organizing, company

devices organization structure to implement those strategies which were developed in

Planning. Organizing function includes, dividing work to tasks, dividing tasks into

departments and positions, assigning right task and position to right people and finally,

delegating authority and responsibility so that strategy can be implemented efficiently.


In an Internet access company like XYZ company , high technology is required.

Company can provide internet access via various mode. For dial-up connection, dial-
up modem is connected to the telephone line. Customer connects the modem to the

computer and configures. When consumer wants to access internet, he dials a

particular number and internet access is made available to his computer. Now,

company can provide dial-up access even without the use of telephone. Customer

needs to purchase a data card to connect to the internet. In new computers and laptops,

there is in-built modem. Company needs to change its strategy with technology

change. In case of wi-fi connectivity, company establishes wi-fi zone.


Now a days , a number of devices like PDA, mobile , iPhone etc are web enabled.

Customers want web access on these devices as well. Company should take care of

increasing demand of the consumers. Gone are the days when web pages used to be

simple static HTML pages. Now web pages are dynamic and many good web

development technologies are tools are used to develop websites. XML, Java Script,

ASP, JSP, Perl, PHP etc make web pages dynamic. Many sites are developed for

mobile only. Web access is not just searching and mailing. IRC, voice and video chat ,

social networking etc are catching up fast. Skype, Gtalk etc use some special port and

that port should be open. At the same time, threat of virus is also increasing and any

open port is vulnerable to virus attack. Also, hackers are always looking for open port

at client’s machine and any open port makes their task easier.


XYZ Internet company should take care of the changing technology and technology

advancement. They must provide access to maximum possible services. At the same

time, internet security, use of firewall, antivirus should be encouraged to protect from

potential virus and hacking attack.
An internet access company can group the tasks as per technology involved and needs.

Grouping can be like web based services, internet security team, marketing team,

research and development etc. Different tasks require different skill set. Company can

group the employees based on the required skill set and assign the task to them.



Leadership:

A leader motivates the employees, tales the company forward and takes the employees

with him. It is most important management practice, Good leadership increases

employee productivity, company’s competitiveness and morale of the employees. This

helps the company in achieving its goal and objective. A leader provides clear and

right direction to the employees, set example, encourages two-way communication

with employees, motivates and influences the employees and increases their

productivity. Leaders have vision. A good leader helps the followers (employees) in

attaining the goal.


There are many leadership styles. One leadership which is appropriate for one

company may not be suitable for other company. XYZ Internet company is a new

company. In a new company, organic culture prevails. In such situation, Participative

Leadership Style is the most appropriate leadership style. A participative leader

invites the views of the employees and includes them in decision making process.

This creates belongingness among employees. Also, they are motivated as they

participate in decision making process. As employees participate in decision making

process, it helps the management in knowing the ground reality and helps them in

taking superior decision. The idea from employee should always be encouraged as
they are working at ground level and so they are more aware of what is happening.

However, XYZ Company does not need to stick to a particular leadership style.

Leadership style should change as need and environment changes. In different

conditions and in dealing with different employees, company should follow

appropriate leadership style. In most cases participative leadership style will be most

appropriate till company grows big.


Controlling:

Once company sets goal, devices strategy, divides work into tasks and groups and

assigns right people to right places, controlling takes center stage. It helps the

management in maintaining standard. Through controlling the company makes all the

operations of its related departments efficient and effective. Controlling has four

steps:


        Monitor and evaluate performance of employees

        Set standard and compare the achievements and performance of employees with

         set standards

        Identify variants

        Take remedial action to improve performance to achieve set standards which

         increases productivity of the employees.


In a company like XYZ Internet, controlling is very important. In a new company,

many problems arise. Management has to follow business practice in a such a way that

problems can be controlled and rectified at earliest. For example, users may face

interruption and loss of connectivity while accessing internet. In wi-fi zone, weak
 signal may be a problem company might face. If these problems are not attended

 immediately and permanent solution is found, discontent among consumers grow.

 This will not only result in loss of business but also result in poor image of the

 company. Management needs ensure that consumers are happy. They are getting fast

 and uninterrupted internet access and other facilities offered by the company or not.

 Management must also ensure the quality of product and services. Controlling enables

 the managers to achieve the goals set by the company.


 Controlling phase sees many new problems as well as opportunities not foreseen

 during planning phase. So, POLC cycle does not ends with controlling., All the

 problems and opportunities identified in controlling phase are put before management

 in next planning phase and new planning phase takes care of the issues. Thus,

 feedback from controlling helps the company in improving its planning.


 POLC cycle improves the competitiveness of the company. Specially for a new

 company like XYZ Internet company, what goal and objective management sets

 decides the future of the company. By following POLC model, management can

 improves its strategy and other functions implement the strategy, hence take the

 company forward.


References

http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~mgtexcel/Function.html July 10th , 2009.


http://managementhelp.org/mgmnt/skills.htm Retrieved on July 10th , 2009.
http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6285364/description.html   Retrieved on July 10th ,

2009.


McKenna, E. F. (2000). Business Psychology and Organizational Behaviour: A Student's

Handbook (3rd ed.). Psychology Press.


http://www.kwiknet.net/ Retrieved on July 10th , 2009.