Organization Diagnosis and Intervention Plan

Background on Case Study Organization

Notini’s Italian restaurant is a casual dining with a friendly atmosphere. It was first opened in June, 1981, by two Italian brothers Notini Kolniak and Ronnie, as well as their father in honor of Antonio, their grandfather who had been working in a restaurant and a bar. Customers come in different attires to enjoy the cool dining experience. Prices for services are moderate, making it a popular and affordable restaurant. Its pride is in producing food from scratch on its kitchen premises. Recipes for plain tomato sauce and white flettuccine alfredo are made in the restaurant daily and are the basis for other dishes like lasagna, chicken fettuccine, shrimp fettuccine, and other items.

Food is fresh since it is prepared on daily basis, except for alfredo as they have a small prep for this. They sell their own spaghetti sauce, Italian dressing, and company t-shirts on their website or in the restaurant. They use ceramic plates instead of plastic and they use silverware and real glasses instead of Styrofoam cups. The working staff is a team of twenty, which includes managers, assistant managers, dish washers, prep cooks, kitchen cooks, cashiers, order preparers, and table bussers.

Most customers of the restaurant are military personnel and families. In a week, the restaurant opens for six days and nights and closes on Sundays only. When clients visit the eatery, they get pleasure from the best services, which include a welcome, a drink, baked goods on the counter, daily specials, and the most satisfying food.

The organizational structure is composed of two owners, a secretary, and two managers with one manager for the day and the other for the night. The task structure is clear to every employee so that the work is efficiently done with few obstacles unless for cases that might be brought by customers. The performance norms are such that there are no peers. There is total respect for one another and fun at the workplace though some workers complain about too much workload. When an employee does not perform, there is a laid down procedure meant to correct mistakes. For instance, one is given three chances: a warning, a write up, and a repeated mistake will always lead to termination. However, chances given are determined by the degree of the offense. There are interviews with employees to check on their work quality and achievements, as well as on what they need to improve on. Employees work well except for cases when they have personal problems. For example, there are those who report when they are drunk, while others are under the influence of various drugs.

One of the issues that affect organizational effectiveness is lateness and drunkenness among employees. Workers come to work late, while others are under the influence of alcohol. There are also personal problems that affect efficiency of employees apart from drugs. Employees may pick a wrong order when a number is called because some customers forget their order numbers. At times, employees who have been found to commit mistakes and have been given a chance to redeem themselves may not be successful. Communication protocol is another crisis affecting smooth progress of the business. It is only the managers and the secretary who are able to report to the owners. Security of employees in case of a disaster is not good. The owners can always close down the monitoring system when they think it affects the business. There are no system trackers for all operations carried out in the business. This means that there are no records that can be relied on to evaluate progress of the business, which is something that risks operation of the business. Business memory is not a reliable way of determining status of the business at the moment, as well predicting its future. A back-up system is important for all files. Systems are not linked together and computations are done using calculators, which is not an effective method for the business. It wastes a lot of time. A failure to track the inventories is one of the biggest weaknesses of the restaurant. Notini’s restaurant has a website and yellow pages for the purpose of getting feedback from customers. There are also employees’ interviews to help them get reactions regarding their mission and goals.

Challenges affecting effectiveness of Notini’s restaurant are employees’ lateness, customers picking wrong orders, drug abuse among employees, improper orders of products, lack of the inventory tracking system, lack of files back up, an unreliable evacuation plan, lack of electronic payments, use of unlinked systems and calculators, and too much workload for employees.

Definition of Diagnosis

Organizational diagnosis is an exercise attempting to make an analysis of the organization, its composition, subordinate structure, and procedures. The weaknesses and the strengths of the organization are established during the diagnosis process. It is done as a foundation for increased productivity. This is done in an attempt to increase effectiveness of the organization and find out adjustments that can be implemented for enhancing improved performance within the system (Weisbord, 2011). Organizational diagnosis could be done as a periodic routine exercise or may be undertaken whenever there is a recognizable problem that is affecting functioning of an organization.

Organizational Issues

The restaurant has not employed most of the technological advances. For example, they still use old ways of doing things such as the use of calculators and the lack of backups for emergencies. Additionally, they need disaster recovery procedures and need to inculcate product promotion through advertisements. The lack of automated accounting procedures hinders the company from getting the current business statement without going back to receipts. A failure to use the current technology in carrying out activities might make the business find it difficult to analyze internal challenges and strengths necessary in case of any adjustments. Assessment of progress and evaluation of the business need up-to-date information that can be handled with the latest technology (Cook, Fabella, & Lee, 2007). The lack of backup systems in a company like Notini’s poses a challenge because all important information can get lost.

Notini’s restaurant uses a simple organizational structure. The two owners have employed two managers: one to manage during the day and the other during the night. The company has also hired a secretary. The three employees report to the owners. It could be better if the company removed barriers preventing employees from accessing the owners directly since sometimes there can be dangerous events that require immediate intervention and the response may delayed while going through the managers (Fielding, 2006).

The personnel are not managed in line with appropriate standards. There are complaints of workload being too heavy and even about abusive language at the place of work such as “what idiot does that, then when you go take out the trash it’s too heavy to carry” and “just get the hell out of here” (Notini’s Case Study). One of the best strategies the company has devised is to give employees sick leaves and grant them chances to correct their mistakes.

Other strategic issues that the business needs to address include advertising so as to increase the base of customers. They should not rely solely on what they call satisfying food and a clean environment to attract and retain customers. Use of fresh ingredients is not a guaranteed way of keeping the business ahead of the competition. Engagement of employees at the place of work is important. An engaged employee as a worker is fully involved in and is enthusiastic about his or her work (Thomas, 2011).

Case Study Problem Statement

In Notini’s Italian restaurant, there are major problems that need to be handled.

There is a huge problem with the evacuation plan. There is a plan to control and monitor any disaster that might occur during business running hours. However, the same could be closed if it seems to interfere with running of the business. The greatest danger would arise if the monitoring system were closed because it could be deemed to interfere with the operation of the business.

The organizational structure is such that the day and night managers together with the secretary are the only people who can report to the owners of the business. There are challenges associated with employees being unable to report about personal challenges to their owners. This shows that they are suppressed in a way that they might not be able to express themselves to the business owners. Furthermore, the fact that the owners of the business depend on their own skills to run the business can be a great challenge. This is because there is no ultimate assurance that they will be always available to solve challenges facing the company (O'Connor & Netting, 2009).

The company depends on the human memory of the owners and does not seek to back up business records using modern methods. In such a situation, there are unexpected disasters that can happen to it and that might be difficult to escape such as fire. Paper files cannot be recognized as modern means of keeping data safe. In addition, the company still uses traditional payment methods, which further makes it vulnerable to losses. They use the cash saving system where all money they receive is kept in drawers or cabinets. Such kind of systems attracts theft. The information tracking system is not up-to-date. They depend on information kept by workers regarding income and expenditure. The owners do not keep financial and other important records that can be vital for making sound decisions regarding their business.

Effectiveness Criteria

There are several measures the company needs to establish to make the operation of the business more effective. There ought to be an evacuation system that does not interfere with the running of the business in any way. Furthermore, it should provide proper security and management of disasters that might occur during business hours. The result will be an effective emergency or disaster management plan.

The organizational structure should allow a top-down and down-top kind of communication to ensure that everything that affects running of the business is dealt with (Singh, 2009). This will guarantee an effective and efficient business running. If every other employee is able to report to the owners of the business, it will be easy to identify and solve problems whenever they occur.

Having backups for information as a way of keeping business records is very important. Missing information both accidentally and due to negligence interferes with how the business can evaluate its running and know its current status. With a back up system, chances that the business will lack a means of evaluating itself for successes or weaknesses are minimal. This will make sure that the business will run smoothly with or without the owners.

Technological changes are one of the most vital aspects that the business must be ready to face. Technological advances in the form of data or records keeping, accounting, personnel evaluation, and marketing of products are important (Cook, Fabella, & Lee, 2007). Relying on the test of food without advertising what they have will not make them favorable competitors in the industry. Records are essential for business running. Records can be stored using technology. Afterwards, the company can employ computer simulation to predict business outcomes rather than relying on past experiences, which is an unreliable and outdated way of predicting outcomes of business operation activities.

Case Study Purpose Statement

The purpose of this case study organization diagnosis is to develop research questions and identify data collection instruments to assess causal variables of the use of the current technology, evacuation plan, backup system for information, and organizational structure to determine the best interventions to be implemented in Notini’s restaurant to make it more successful.

Case Study Diagnostic Research Questions

Variable 1: Technological advance. Is the use of calculators and receipts a sure way of getting accurate and correct information or data? What happens if a system fails and does not have a back up?

Variable 2: Evacuation plan. In case the disaster management system is shut down just because it is interfering with running of the business, how will disasters be communicated how will the response of employees and customers be directed? Can the evacuation plan deal with a disaster?

Variable 3: Organizational structure. What happens when the secretary and the managers, due to unavoidable circumstance, are not able to report to the owners on the running of the business? What about personal issues that employees are not willing to share with the owners via the secretary or the managers? Is there a need for having waiters?

Variable 4: Backup systems. Is relying on experience and memory a reliable source of information to be used in decision-making? In case of fire, what happens to files in the cabinets?

Research Methodology

Great businesses evolve strategically rather than waiting for happenstance (Aquinas, 2008). As one looks forward to strengthen business, technology advances are extremely important (Cook, Fabella, & Lee, 2007). According to Cook, Fabella, and Lee (2007), existing technologies in a business should be able to predict the future, as well as retrieving the past of the business in a simple and understandable way. For example, a system that is able to link up sections, print receipts, show income from sales, and show money drawn from the income could suit best Notini’s restaurant. Companies’ models do not have to be perfect since they rarely will be such. A well-thought model will give operators increased confidence in their undertakings. Having a website that will allow customers to access products or services on demand or even information whenever they need is very important. The same technology could be a source of problems. For example, sharing over the website could lead to internal leaks and hacks that will compromise customers’ data (Allcorn, 2005).

A clear organisational structure makes it easier to see which part of the business is performing well. The organisation could be structured according to customers and their needs or stages that products have to go through as they are made (Allcorn, 2005). A structure that has specialisation, clarity, and accountability is successful, but has such demerits as the following: closed communication leading to the lack of focus, departmental resistance to change, coordination delays, and a gap between the top and the bottom. A good structure should be efficient to run the business effectively.

Emergencies in an organization are less expected to take place since nobody benefits from them. However, they are likely to happen and may end up causing myriads of challenges in an organization. Emergencies affect both the owners and employees although in different proportions. Workers and owners can evacuate business premises in case of emergencies. An emergency in a working place is any situation that may threaten employees, the public, customers, or owners. They may disrupt or shut down operations and in serious situations even cause environmental and bodily harm (Aquinas, 2008).

There are several sources of emergencies such as fire and earthquakes among others. They may cause a lot of damage when they happen. Since few people can act soundly in emergency situations, it is imperative to create an emergency action plan to cater for such instances in a business set up (Pathak, 2010).

A backup system is important in any organization so that in case of any emergency all information could be retrieved easily. Relying on experience and memory of the past is not the best way because employees could change from time to time and the owners of the business might not be able to run the business due to old age and other possibilities like insanity (Aquinas, 2008).

For the above questions to be answered, a questionnaire was developed. The questionnaire was administered to all twenty employees and instructed to submit answers without writing their names so that they were free to give any information they felt like sharing without a fear of being fired or being tabled. The questionnaires were given numbers from 01 to 20 for effective identification and analysis. A closed-ended questionnaire was used given that it is the most appropriate form that will give information relevant to the problem to be solved.

Customers were also administered a questionnaire as they waited for their ordered meals. This was done to every other customer, usual and new, to get their views on the plan and running of the business. Apart from questionnaires, personal interviews of customers were also applied to get their views. Personal interviews were used when the respondent was not willing to fill in the questionnaire. Total respondents targeted were 20 employees and hundred customers. Interviews were also chosen because not all customers could read and write. Customers’ concerns and feedback are important in strengthening the company’s relationship with them. It makes customers feel addressed and acknowledged in terms of their insight and concerns. Apart from the printed questionnaire and the interviews, the information was posted on the website.