Page 705 - Business Principles and Management

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MY BUSINESS , INC.

DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE ORGANIZATION
Even new businesses must be concerned about change and maintaining
an effective work environment and work processes. One of the serious
problems faced by small businesses is how to provide a motivating and
rewarding experience for employees so they will continue to work for the
business even though wages and benefits may be less than they can ob-
tain in larger businesses. The following activities will help you consider
how to maintain an effective organization and prepare for your role as a
small-business owner.

DATA COLLECTION
1. Review magazine and newspaper articles and Internet information
about small-business operations. Identify issues small businesses face
that often lead to major problems or failure.
2. Identify a small number of people who have worked in a small busi-
ness for a short time and then changed jobs due to dissatisfaction
with the job. Also identify a small number who have worked in a
small business and are satisfied with their jobs. Ask each group the
reasons for their satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Ask them to identify
which of the reasons are directly related to the size of the business.
3. Review information on innovative small businesses and analyze how
they are responding to local and global competition, changes in
technology, and improvements in work procedures.
4. Identify the business operations, management, and interpersonal
skills you will need to develop as the manager of a small business.
Gather information from the library or the Internet about opportu-
nities for formal education, professional self-improvement, and life-
long learning that could help you improve your skills as a business
owner.

ANALYSIS
1. Compile a list of things you could do as the owner of a new small
business to develop a work environment that would motivate em-
ployees while encouraging effective performance. Try to list things
that would not be particularly expensive to implement.
2. Assume that your business has been receiving an increased number
of customer complaints. When you question your employees, they
tell you that they are unsure of how to deal with difficult customers.
Identify employee attitudes that result in customer satisfaction.
Develop a procedure your employees could use in complex situa-
tions, including follow-up techniques.
3. List the jobs in a career path you can follow to develop the experi-
ence and skills you will need to own and operate your own business.
Describe the formal education and informal education you will need.

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