(a) “Technological environment is considered dynamic.” Comment. (10 marks) (b) Explain the concept of organisational goals. (10…

(a) "Technological environment is considered dynamic" (10 marks)

The technological environment covers the inventions, methods and machines that alter how firms produce, market and organise, and it is called dynamic because it changes faster and less predictably than other environmental forces. Product life cycles have shortened, since smartphones, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, automation, digital payments (UPI) and e-commerce have altered whole industries within a few years. Technologies diffuse quickly, disrupt incumbents (film cameras, taxis, retail) and make skills, plants and business models obsolete. R&D spending, patents and the pace of innovation intensify competition. The comment is therefore valid: a firm must scan the environment continuously, invest in R&D, upgrade skills and remain flexible, as failure to adapt threatens survival, while alert firms gain cost, quality and market advantage. Yet the effect varies by industry, since some sectors change slowly, and technology has to be adopted with judgement about cost, fit and readiness.

(b) Organisational goals (10 marks)

Organisational goals are the desired future states or ends that an organisation seeks to attain, and they give it direction, purpose and a basis for decisions. They provide a standard for measuring performance, coordinate the efforts of members, and justify the existence of the organisation to society. Types include: official goals stated in charters and mission statements, and operative goals reflecting actual practice; and, by time, long-term, medium-term and short-term goals; and by area, economic (profit, growth, market share), social (employment, community, environment) and personal goals of members. A good goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound (SMART), and goals are arranged in a hierarchy from mission to departmental and individual targets, as in management by objectives. Conflicts between goals, for example profit and social responsibility, have to be reconciled by priorities. Example: a company may set a target of 15% growth in sales in three years, with a quality goal of below 1% defects.

(c) Organisational structure with work from home and flexitime (10 marks)

Organisational structure is the framework of authority, responsibility, roles and communication relationships through which work is divided, grouped and coordinated to achieve objectives; it is depicted in an organisation chart and may be functional, divisional, matrix or network. Work from home and flexitime change how the structure works. Work from home, or remote work, using digital tools, weakens the fixed workplace link, so coordination depends on virtual teams, clear outputs, communication technology and trust; hierarchy becomes flatter and control shifts from supervision to results. Flexitime lets employees choose their start and end times within core hours; it needs core-hours rules, scheduling and shared coordination. These arrangements improve morale, retention, work-life balance and reduce costs of space, but raise problems of communication, supervision, data security, team cohesion and fairness. Structures therefore need to become more flexible, decentralised and technology-enabled, with clear role definitions and performance measurement.

(d) Quality circles (10 marks)

A quality circle is a small voluntary group of 6 to 12 employees from the same work area who meet regularly, usually an hour a week, to identify, analyse and solve work-related problems, particularly of quality and productivity. The idea came from Japan, drawing on Deming's and Juran's work, and was popularised by Kaoru Ishikawa in the early 1960s; it has been adopted in India by firms such as BHEL. A circle has a leader, often a supervisor, a facilitator and members trained in techniques such as brainstorming, Pareto analysis and cause-and-effect (fishbone) diagrams. Circles pick a problem, analyse causes, propose solutions and present them to management for approval and implementation. Benefits are higher quality, lower cost, participation, morale, teamwork and skill development. Limitations are lack of management support, insufficient training, and loss of interest if suggestions are ignored. Example: a circle of machine operators that reduces rejections by a change in tool set-up.

(e) Customer expectations and organisational changes (10 marks)

Customer expectations are what buyers believe a product or service should deliver, in quality, price, delivery, service and experience. They have risen with competition, information from the internet and social media, and better service by leading firms: customers now expect wider choice, customised products, speed, 24 × 7 availability, convenience through digital channels, transparency, responsiveness and ethical, sustainable conduct. Organisations respond with changes such as:

• A customer-focused strategy and culture, with marketing and service at the centre.
• Restructuring around customers, with flatter, cross-functional teams and empowered front-line staff.
• Investment in technology, such as customer relationship management, analytics and omnichannel platforms.
• Quality management and continuous improvement, with shorter delivery times and flexible production.
• Training, incentives and feedback systems, including complaint handling and customer surveys. Meeting these expectations builds satisfaction, loyalty and profit, but calls for continuing change.