Functional Area Interrelationships Essay

The primary goal of this paper is to outline the functional area interrelationships of Kudler Fine Foods- a high-end, successful food store that feature some of the finest wines, cheese, produce, and pastries. Kudler has been in business for 15 years to date and target store locations that caters to the wealthy and cleaver shoppers. This paper will detail how Kudler strong mission, vision, values, and goals can be credited to the success of the company. Low high-end food cost for good quality food and store convenience is also key reasons for Kudler success. Kudler Fine Foods availability of upscale food choices within a customer’s state or country is massive and will be over-the-top accessible in every country via Internet. Kudler also had a strong collaboration process that ensured all objectives were convey clear and concise. The importance will set the tone of the company decision making and all agreements with all parties as to what they are to expect. Kudler Fine Foods stakeholders are those who makes up the company indirect or direct. This can be anywhere from customers, banks, to staff, all get a chance to share in the business success. Kudler keeps up with the going trends of society through strong marketing, and this is one other area that can be credited to their success. Functional Area Interrelationships Kudler Fine Foods is a specialty food store featuring the best domestic and imported foods including produce, cheeses, pastries, and wines. Kudler currently services three locations in the San Diego metropolitan area, La Jolla, Del Mar, and Encinitas. Each store is within a stylish shopping center and consists of approximately 8,000 square feet that provides ample room for their wide variety of specialty foods. This paper will detail Kudler’s primary reasons for existence, analyze the reason for the type of organizational structure, identify and explain the steps of the collaboration process. It will also identify the use of lateral and vertical collaboration and provide an example, and identifying the key stakeholders and the collaborative interactions among them to achieve success. Organization’s Existence Kudler Fine Foods mission states that they are committed to providing their customers with the finest selection of the very best foods and wines so that culinary visions can come true (Apollo Group, Inc., 2011). Their vision statement is in align with their mission statement in that â€Å"they want be the premiere gourmet grocery store for those savvy shoppers who are searching for the finest meats, produce, cheeses, and wine† (Apollo Group, Inc., 2011). Kudler’s primary reason for existence is a mixture of their mission and vision statements along with the values the company holds and is to offer customers an upscale shop that has many of the finest choices of foodstuff from around the world and is available at one convenient location. Kudler’s has strategic marketing goals in place to reach more customers through expansion, including the use of an Internet market. An increase in revenues as well as lowering costs are strategic moves for Kudler’s to make while holding true to their mission statement of providing the highest quality products available. Organizational Structure The most common types of organizational structures are chosen based on the company goals and strategic plans. Small businesses usually start with a flat organizational structure. The employees of various backgrounds share business decisions and responsibilities. Kudler Fine Foods was the result of a developed business plan after six months, when Kathy Kudler, the vice-president of another company, looked for new opportunities and to open the first store in June 18, 1998. Kudler Fine Foods has a product organizational structure commonly used in retail companies that have stores in various cities. Each city where they have a store still needs local human resources, managers, and marketing departments to carry out business functions locally. Kudler Fine Foods has different food departments from bakery, meat and seafood, cheese and diary, and wine. The diverse product lines may consider a product structure. Depending on the product expertise and top priority, taking the different aspects of the products and the variance of merchandise, are part of a product organization that focuses on a superior product quality, and with the extensive collection of fine foods that Kudler Fine Foods provide to their customers in their different locations. Collaboration Process In the collaboration process it is important to identify the right type of collaboration. For example, for Kudler Fine Foods it is better to have opened collaboration, vertical or horizontal collaboration. In the collaboration process, the company needs to make sure the objectives are clear, to understand the expectations, decision making, and agreements. The identification of the interested parties to meet the company objectives can understand the customer’s needs, interests, and expectations. The company must be willing to work with each individual for an honest, open atmosphere. It is important in the process of collaboration to create a deliberate structure that includes checkpoints, true information to engage in the process, and make decisions. Productive meetings and well defined structures can help the company as well as taking responsibility for planning, and using the appropriate technology for the benefit of the business. Kudler Fine Foods must have an open channel of communication with their customers by frequently providing surveys to the customers, what they can improve in the business and make the necessary changes to accomplish customers’ expectations and company goals. Possessing a strategy plan and reviewing the company goals is a key to having an action plan and a collaboration process, always to look for innovation, new technologies, and look how to expand business, and continue providing excellent service and gourmet products. Lateral and Vertical Collaboration Kudler Fine Foods strives to be the best at providing hard to find specialty foods; they offer the finest organic ingredients in meats, produce, cheeses, and wines (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). Kudler demonstrates vertical collaboration as the only specialty store in the area the products offer the customer a unique buying experience by striving to find the finest imported foods and wines that other stores do not carry. Kudler strives to be the best by catering to the customer’s needs, if there is a particular item the customer is looking for, Kudler works to bring that item to the customer. Kudler demonstrates lateral collaboration in the special organic foods they provide, Kudler purchases these products from local organic farmers where they give support to them as suppliers. Kudler also shows lateral collaboration buy hiring chefs and local celebrities to host in store parties that teach customers how to prepare specialty foods (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). Kudler should work on continuing to provide these specialized products as this the key to the business; they would do well in looking into the global market to provide items from different cultures as well as continuing to work with local suppliers. Key Stakeholders and Collaborative Interactions Stakeholders in a business are those that have an indirect or direct connection with the organization because of the effect by the organizations actions. The key stakeholders for Kudler fine foods are the staff, customers, wholesale suppliers, banks, competition, and Kathy Kudler the owner (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). The role of the stakeholders differs with the staff because it is critical to the operations as those interacting with the customers day-to-day. The customers are the reason for the business and provide for the business. The wholesale suppliers where the products come from and those that provide the quality for the customers. Banks give the credit that allows Kudler to conduct business. The competition keeps Kudler on their toes and makes them strive to be better. Kathy has the vision of the organization, is the main manager and controls the finances (Apollo Group Inc., 2011). Conclusion In conclusion, Kudler Fine Foods has its challenges to maintain one of the world’s finest food stores across the country and further for another 15 years. Their 8,000 square feet store that anchors within stylish shopping centers provides comfortable shopping for its customers. The sale of some of the finest diverse pastries, cheese, meat, dairy, etc. to a very diverse society on all four corners of the world took putting in place a strong collaboration process and dedicated stockholders. Because of those involved at the strategic planning stage gaining a clear understand as to what it was Kudler Fine Foods was trying to accomplish through goals, mission, and visions, the business remains successful to date. References Pearce, J. A. II, & Robinson, R. B. (2009). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Thompson, A. A., Gamble, J. E., & Strickland, A. J. (2006). Strategy: Winning in the marketplace: Core concepts, analytical tools, cases (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Kudler Fine Foods. Universioty of Phoenix Student Website. Retrieved from: https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/cist/vop/Business/Kudler2/intranet/index.asp Ross strategy. Collaborative process. Retrieved Aug 8, 2013 from: http://www.rossstrategic.com/collaborative. Suttle.R .( 2013) Chron. Types of Organizational Structure in Management. Retrieved August 8, from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/types-organizational-structure-management-2790.html Uren. S, (2013) Green Biz.com 5 Steps to successful collaboration. Retrieved Aug 8, 2013 from: http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2013/02/19/5-steps-successful-collaboration