CHAPTER 7 WORKSHOP Bistro Technology105 You will be analyzing the work technolog
ID: 418902 • Letter: C
Question
CHAPTER 7 WORKSHOP Bistro Technology105 You will be analyzing the work technology used in three different restaurants-McDonald's, Subway, and a typical family restaurant. Your instructor will tell you whether to do this assignment as individuals or in a group. You must visit all three restaurants and infer how the work is done, according to the following criteria. You are not allowed to interview any employees, but instead you will be an observer. Take lots of notes when you are there. McDonald's Subway Family Restaurant Organization goals: Speed, service, atmosphere, and so on Type of technology using Woodward's model. Organization structure: Mechanistic or organic? Team versus individual: Do people work together or alone? Interdependence: How do employees depend on each other? Tasks: Routine versus nonroutine-how varied are tasksi? Questions 1. Is the technology used the best one for each restaurant, 3. If you were part of a consulting team assigned to improve the operations of each organization, what recommendations would you make? considering its goals and environment? 2. From the preceding data, determine if the structure and other characteristics fit the technology.Explanation / Answer
McDonalds
Subway
Main Street
Organization Goals:
Speed, cheap
Healthy, options
Service, Family Feel
Authority Structure:
Centralized vertical Hiearchy
HorzontalHiearchy
Type of Technology using Woodward's Model
Group II - Large Batch
Group 1 - Small Batch
Group 1 - Small Batches
Organization Structure:
Mechanic
Organic
Organic
Team Vs. Individual:
Individual
Team
Team
Interdependence:
High
Low
High
Task:
Routine
Routine
Slightly Non-routine
Specialization of Task:
High
Moderate
Low
Standardization:
Low
Moderate
High
Expertise Required:
Varies from position
Social
Social
Decision Making:
Centralized
Centralized
Centralized
1 – Is the technology used the best one for each restaurant, considering its goals and environment?
When examining McDonalds it is very easy to quickly see that speed and conveyance is the main organizational goal. By having multiple stores in larger towns and providing an efficient process allows for customer to quickly get in and out. McDonalds uses a Transaction Processing System, Decision Support System, Management Information System, “Made for you” System, Point of Scale (POS) System, and Hyperactive Bob (McD Information System). These combine systems all contribute to the success of McDonalds and the efficiency of their process continues to bring in customers. McDonald’s organization structure is very mechanistic as they use technology in every position. In Woodward scale, they would fall under group II, Large-batch and mass production. They often produce product in large numbers in the same manner. This has resulted in the ability to meet their goals of serving their customers in a quick and precise manner. The different position in McDonalds seems to be broken down to a cashier, cooker, and drive through communication position. McDonalds has allows been considered an innovated in the industry of fast food and their ability to meet their customer demand for speed has resulted in a successful organization.
Often visiting and analyzing Subway, the goals of management is to provide their customers with sandwiches with multiple options and better health factors. Subway uses simple technology of a Transaction Processing System to operate their cashier department. However, the rest of process is considered very organic. They bake their bread daily in order to provide fresh and place various types of meats and vegetable together in order to make a sandwich. Normally, a shift consisted between two to three employees working together. Each taking turns preparing sandwiches, running the cashier, restocking, and cleaning. While, Subway also uses of system in order to help plan for the future, their system for providing a sandwich is non-routine and custom for each customer. Subway seems to fall on Woodward’s Scale under group 1, small batches and unit production. In order to meet their goals as providing a fast food service with a healthy lifestyle choice, this does seem to be a solid choose.
When analyzing Main Street Restaurant it was very easy to see that their organizational goals to provide a family friendly atmosphere that differentiate themselves from other larger corporation. The waiters work constantly with the chefs on the order, sometime even helping prepare the food, in order to have a solid communication. One thing that stood out between Main Street, McDonalds, and Subway is how much more diversified their job were. They had much more responsibility and different things that they had to accomplish. Main Street seems to fall in Woodward’s scale under group 1, which is a small batch and unit production company. This organization seemed to rely much more on teamwork compared to the organization as they have marketing, sales, and multiple other departments to help with the behind the scenes work.
2 – From the preceding data, determine if the structure and other characteristics fit the technology.
When examining the technology used, it was very clear with McDonald’s structure and characteristics of their culture fit perfectly with their heavy use in technology. The organization structure has a very mechanic feel to their operation, along with a very individual feel instead of working as a team. Interdependence was very high in McDonald’s organization as each position relies on the other in order to complete the transaction. In order to be more efficient, McDonalds has specialized and standardized each position in order to perform at peak levels. They receive order to produce the food and then workers accomplish this task, very much like an assembly line. The expertise of the employees varies between positions, as the cashier needs to be very social and friendly while the cooks need to be able to handle equipment.
Subway structure is also centralized as the administration workplace makes the decision concerning the direction of the organization. However, Subway goals and characteristics are to provide a fast food experience with healthier chooses. They strive to prepare individual meals for customers by having multiple meats, vegetables, and sauces. They have more of team atmosphere where 2-4 employees work together to perform their duties. The employee’s tasks still are routine, as they have a standardized system, but the organization structure is much more organic. Employees have more individuality and as they work directly with customers, their expertise tends to learn towards a more social side. There is much more human operation as it is not highly mechanical.
Main Street has a horizontal organization as the owner work together with their family and friends. This results in a friendly and easy going atmosphere where insight, idea, and innovation can occur without going through multiple levels. This fit the technology that was being used it relies strong on human interaction and while there is a standardized method for producing their product, it is not highly mechanical. Main Street place high emphasis on teamwork as the owner and the employees work together in order to accomplish their goals. Furthermore, there are many other duties that must be accomplished, such as marketing, design, specials, filing and documentation, and payroll that must be employees have to help with in order to operate an efficient company.
3 – If you were part of a consulting team assigned to improve the operations of each organization, what recommendation would you make?
If in a consulting team, my first recommendation is to provide a more relaxed atmosphere in McDonalds. They have started by providing wireless access and this is a great idea to reach a younger generation. However, in order to bring in this generation and to give themselves a reputation as a relaxing and more organic place of conducting business they need to branch out and offer more coffee, tea, and pastries will result in providing a friendlier atmosphere where it does not feel like everything is a total rush.
When considering Subway, I believe that they should look at offering fewer options on their product and work more on efficiency. A perfect example is Jimmy John’s. They design different sandwiches to still give customers options but at the same time they do not change the toppings in order to produce them as fast as possible. This strategy has result in a large number of Jimmy John’s spreading across the Midwest as they have been able to meet customers need for healthier food but still at a quick and convent time. By offering a healthier choose and saving customer time, I believe that Subway could take more fast food customer away from their competition.
When eating at Main Street, I saw a huge of items that could be order off their menu. As I have eaten there several times, I have found that several dishes that they serve did not meet my expectations. This stuck with me as something I would address as I believe that they make several very good dishes. Main Street needs to specialize by making a more recognizable signature dish and eliminating difficult or less popular dishes. Being able to make two great dishes will greatly improve your reputation with making 15 moderate dishes. Most successful small town restaurants have a special dish that you cannot find anywhere else. Their image, marketing, and culture are wrapped up in this idea that a customer must come in to try this product as it cannot be found anywhere else. Then not only will you like the food and other dishes, but the service and friendly atmosphere will impress you even more.
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McDonalds
Subway
Main Street
Organization Goals:
Speed, cheap
Healthy, options
Service, Family Feel
Authority Structure:
Centralized vertical Hiearchy
HorzontalHiearchy
Type of Technology using Woodward's Model
Group II - Large Batch
Group 1 - Small Batch
Group 1 - Small Batches
Organization Structure:
Mechanic
Organic
Organic
Team Vs. Individual:
Individual
Team
Team
Interdependence:
High
Low
High
Task:
Routine
Routine
Slightly Non-routine
Specialization of Task:
High
Moderate
Low
Standardization:
Low
Moderate
High
Expertise Required:
Varies from position
Social
Social
Decision Making:
Centralized
Centralized
Centralized