Whole Food Market

Whole Food Market Introduction Nadler and Tushman (1980) developed a model of change describing how the components of an organization interact with each other. In essence, they established that there are several key components of an organization including, individuals, tasks, and organizational processes. In addition, it was found that these components affect each other so that a change in one of the aspects affects another one.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Whole Food Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Importantly, it is evident that the congruence model discuss the transformation of inputs into the outputs. Inputs could include factors such as competition, finances, and human resources while the outputs include the products as well as the services provided by the organization. This paper will focus on three critical aspects of this congruence models while analyzing the Whole Food Market as an organization. These aspects include outputs at organizational level, the groups identified by the organization during its operations, and key individual functions of the people who might be involved in the process of production. Outputs at Organizational Level In regard to the outputs at the organizational level, Naldler and Tushman (1980) suggested that the products and services provided by the company are the most pertinent aspects. Essentially, Whole Food Market produces food for human consumption in various geographical locations that include United Kingdom and USA among others. In addition, the company sought to produce body care products such as lotions following the rising demand for these products in the modern society. When it comes to the classification of these products, there are three pertinent categories that include organic foods, beverages, as well as body care products in general. The company understands that food should not only sustain physical satisfaction and tastes, but also the health of the consumers. As a result, the management sought to produce organic food since they reduce the risk of ill health among the consumers. This reduction is facilitated by the methods used during the production of the organic foods. For example, organic farmers do not use the pesticides which have been proven to contain harmful chemical that can be taken up by the body. Some of these organic foods include frozen products, pantry staples, snacks, and supplements among others. When it comes to beverages, there are various products, including organic orange juice, rice milk, and coffee among others.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The body care products also form a crucial part of the products provided to the customers by the Whole Food Market. These products include lotions, shampoo, conditioners, and soaps used for cleaning as well as bathing. The performance of these products is presented in terms of financial profitability in order to determine their solvency. However, it is evident that the company does not present the respective profits for each of the products. Instead, it provides the overall profitability margins for the company. Although the margins are generalized, it is obvious that the recorded profits accrue from the sales of the foods, beverages and body care products. Figure 1: The Whole Food Market returns (Pollan, 2008). From the image presented, it is evident that the pertinent aspects used to determine the performance of the products and services include gross, EBIT, operation, EBITDA and net profit margins. Further, the company makes estimates regarding the expected profits in the subsequent years using the data obtained for the previous years. Outputs Group Level Suppliers In accordance to the demand for their products, Whole Food Market has identified suppliers who provide them with raw material for the production of b everages, foods and body care products. Understandably, food and beverages are the most crucial part of their production process. As a result, they have identified local farmers who provide the raw foods that are then used for the production.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Whole Food Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When identifying the farmers, they consider the needs of the consumers’ needs in order to determine the appropriate suppliers. In this regard, the company has identified the organic farmers since they need to provide healthy food to the consumers (Mackey Sisodia, 2013). In essence, the selection of these suppliers is based on whether the involved farmers can provide the needed quality in line with sustainable agriculture. Employees In relation to employees, there are both the managerial and technical employees who have been hired to oversee the running of the company and provide the required skills of production respectively. The managers have a responsibility to offer the required leadership and ensuring order in the organization. In addition, they are mandated to recruit the technical employees whereby they are expected to ensure that each of them has the required skills in relation to the field of employment. As a result, the company is capable of maintaining high standard of production and desirable quality of the foods. The performance of these managers is measured according to the performance of their departments. For example, the HR managers are evaluated in accordance to how they coordinate the workers and tap human skills. Failure to incorporate the necessary human resource is termed as underperformance. For the technical employees, their performance is evaluated in accordance to how they adhere to the regulation and standards set by the management. Accordingly, employees who do not abide by these standards and regulations are underperformers. Geograph ical Regions The company recognizes the geographical groups by operating in twelve different locations. In this regard, each of the regions has a president, the administrative team and the people mandated to oversee the store. These geographical groups have been set to decentralize the services and make sure that the company is capable of reaching as many people as possible and make good financial profits. Key Individual Functions There are various individual functions that are identified in the entire organizational setup. The roles of the president are some of the most conspicuous individual functions within the organization’s structure.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More First, the CEO has individual functions since he is the founder of the company. He offers the leadership of the entire company for all the geographical regions in which the company operates. All the presidents report to the chief executive officer regarding the performance of their respective areas. In essence, he is an executive player mandated to make critical decisions such as investments. Second, there are presidents appointed for each of the geographical regions, and mandated to oversee the setting of the annual budget, authorize expenditure, and coordinate the administrative team. The individual function of the president can be considered as a crucial role since the entire chain of command executes the orders and decisions made by this office. In addition, they are the mediators between the executive arms of the company and the employees in the lower levels of operation. Chief Operating officer is another individual function which is set to oversee the daily processes of the c ompany. These operations include the supply of raw materials and distribution among other. The officer is crucial in the chain of command due to the mandate of reporting to the president regarding any unfolding within the organizational processes of production. The organization has incorporated a chief financial officer who advises the president concerning critical decisions. In this regard, the financial officer has the professional knowledge that enables to determine the financial implication of decisions. As a result, the president and CEO must consult with the officer before taking any step so as to evaluate the effects of their decisions before implementation. Another individual function found within the company is executed by the Growth and Development officer. The officer is mandated to develop new products and come up with new ways of manufacturing them. In this regard, the officer must initiate research in order to determine the changing needs to the consumers and hence pro vide the required products. This undertaking ensures that the company expands the market while maintaining the original customers. Conclusion in Terms of Interacting Outputs The individual functions of the CEO, presidents, and the various officers revolve around monitoring the operation of the mentioned groups. As a result, it is evident that there is congruence between the individual functions and the groups. In turn, the groups provide the required raw materials and also offer the needed skills for production of the foods and beverage. Owing to the regulations and standards set by the executive arms, the groups are capable of maintaining the quality of the products. Consequently, the profitability of the products is ensured since the customers get the needed quality. References Mackey, J., Sisodia, R. (2013). Conscious capitalism: liberating the heroic spirit of business. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business Review Press. Nadler, D., Tushman, M. (1980). A Model for Diagnosing Organiz ational Behavior. Organizational Dynamics, 9(2), 35-51. Pollan, M. (2008). In defense of Whole Food Market: an eaters manifesto. New York: Penguin Press.

How the Netherlands Reclaimed Land From the Sea

How the Netherlands Reclaimed Land From the Sea In 1986, the Netherlands proclaimed the new 12th province of Flevoland but they didnt carve out the province from already existing Dutch land nor did they annex the territory of their neighbors - Germany and Belgium. The Netherlands grew larger with the aid of dikes and polders, making the old Dutch adage While God created the Earth, the Dutch created the Netherlands come true. The Netherlands The independent country of the Netherlands only dates back to 1815, but the area and its people have a much longer history. Located in northern Europe, just northeast of Belgium and west of Germany, the Netherlands contains 280 miles (451 km) of coastline along the North Sea. It also contains the mouths of three important European rivers: the Rhine, Schelde, and Meuse. This translates into a long history of dealing with water and attempts to prevent massive, destructive flooding. The North Sea Floods The Dutch and their ancestors have been working to hold back and reclaim land from the North Sea for over 2000 years. Beginning around 400 BCE, the Frisians were first to settle the Netherlands. It was they who built terpen (an Old Frisian word meaning villages), which were earth mounds upon which they built houses or even entire villages. These terpen were built to protect the villages from flooding. (Although there were once thousands of these, there are about a thousand terpen that still exist in the Netherlands.) Small dikes were also built around this time, usually being rather short (about 27 inches or 70 cm high) and made of natural materials found around the local area. On December 14, 1287, the terpen and dikes that held back the North Sea failed, and water flooded the country. Known as the St. Lucias Flood, this flood killed over 50,000 people and is considered one of the worst floods in history. A result of the massive St. Lucias Flood was the creation of a new bay, called Zuiderzee (South Sea), formed by floodwaters that had inundated a large area of farmland. Pushing Back the North Sea For the next few centuries, the Dutch worked to slowly push back the water of the Zuiderzee, building dikes and creating polders (the term used to describe any piece of land reclaimed from water). Once dikes were built, canals and pumps were used to drain the land and to keep it dry. From the 1200s, windmills were used to pump excess water off the fertile soil becoming an icon of the country in the process. Today, however, most of the windmills have been replaced with electricity- and diesel-driven pumps. Reclaiming the Zuiderzee Then, storms and floods of 1916 provided the impetus for the Dutch to start a major project to reclaim the Zuiderzee. From 1927 to 1932, a 19 mile (30.5 km) long dike called Afsluitdijk (the Closing Dike) was built, turning the Zuiderzee into the IJsselmeer, a freshwater lake. On February 1, 1953, another devastating flood hit the Netherlands. Caused by a combination of a storm over the North Sea and spring tide, waves along the sea wall rose to 15 feet (4.5 m) higher than mean sea level. In some areas, the water peaked above existing dikes and spilled upon unsuspecting, sleeping towns. Just over 1,800 people in the Netherlands died, 72,000 people had to be evacuated, thousands of livestock died, and there was a huge amount of property damage. This devastation prompted the Dutch to pass the Delta Act in 1958, changing the structure and administration of the dikes in the Netherlands. This, in turn, created the collective known as the North Sea Protection Works, which included building a dam and barriers across the sea. There is no wonder that this huge engineering feat is now considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers. Further protective dikes and works were built, beginning to reclaim the land of the IJsselmeer. The new land led to the creation of the new province of Flevoland from what had been sea and water for centuries. Much of the Netherlands Is Below Sea Level Today, approximately 27 percent of the Netherlands is actually below sea level. This area is home to over 60 percent of the countrys population of 15.8 million people. The Netherlands, which is approximately the size of the U.S. states Connecticut and Massachusetts combined, has an approximate average elevation of 36 feet (11 meters). This leaves a huge part of the Netherlands highly susceptible to flooding. Time will tell if the North Sea Protection Works are strong enough to protect it.