Dr. Tom D.
McFarland, Management Consultant
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Dr. Tom D.
McFarland, Management Consultant |
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| Services Offered: Consulting Details The objectivity of outside consultants can be very helpful in answering questions such as: How well is the company balancing the conflicting demands of clients, owners, employees, creditors, suppliers, the community, and government? Is it meeting its goals effectively and fulfilling its purpose? Are the organizational processes of leadership, decision- making, communicating, information transfer, conflict management, group dynamics, and power serving the needs of the firm? Are the production, adaptation, maintenance, management and boundary spanning subsystems appropriate for the goals, tasks, technology, formal, and informal arrangements? Is the firm’s structure synchronized with the business environment, its strategy, technology, and the organizational culture? Are the productive, membership, and adaptive activities and behaviors consistent with the goals and strategy of the firm? Does the firm provide the opportunity for its members to achieve its goals and do the members of the organization have the willingness and abilities to reach the firm’s goals? Several frameworks exist to study organizations as entities. Porter’s value-added chain identifies five primary activities (inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, and customer service) and four support activities (procurement process, technology development, HRM, and infrastructure management) with linkages and synergies among those activities. French and Bell propose six subsystems (goal, task, technological, human-social, structural, and external interface) while Katz and Kahn identify five essential function organizational subsystems (boundary spanning, production, maintenance, adaptation, and management). Team, or group, dynamics has a long tradition of analysis and perhaps the most succinct is the study of the stages of group development (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning). Team development is linked to the characteristics of its members and the size, task, composition, and leadership of the team. The growth of a team or department results in a group structure consisting of norms, roles, status, and cohesiveness and these characteristics shape the conduct of team members, the actions they take, and create the work environment that adds or resists empowerment. Problems at the team level can be identified if group dynamics are understood. Individuals are complex with a unique personality, set of values and collection of attitudes. They have a personalized knowledge base and a range of abilities. Their motivation to work is varied and changeable and the conversion of motivation into desired behaviors is dependent upon the employee’s abilities and skills as well as the opportunities and obstacles that have been created in the work environment. They can be motivated to productively serve clients, to improve the organization and the desirability of remaining in it, and to seek personal growth while adapting to changing work and organizational needs. Consultants too often attack symptoms or apply a predetermined solution while not addressing the fundamental problems. The scope of the consulting engagement must be clearly defined and the desired outcome understood if quality work is to be achieved. |
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