Functional Areas Essay Example

and the attitudes of both employees and employers towards health and safety. In addition to recruitment and safety concerns, HRM is also focused on generating ideas and implementing techniques within the organization to improve worker motivation, productivity, and performance. The key aspects emphasized by HRM are the continuous search for innovative working methods and the identification of new opportunities to enhance work-related processes.

The text discusses the central role of managers in promoting change, the importance of treating workers as individuals, and encouraging a partnership between management and employees. Human resource management aims to attract and maintain employees while effectively managing them. HRM recognizes that humans are not machines and therefore emphasizes the interdisciplinary study of people in the workplace. Additionally, the text briefly mentions the concept of market-focused organizations that prioritize understanding customer desires before developing products or services.

The belief in marketing theory and practice is that customers utilize a product/service due to a need or perceived benefit. Marketing concentrates on two key aspects: acquiring new customers and sustaining relationships with current ones. After successfully converting a potential buyer, the marketer's focus shifts to base management marketing. This encompasses establishing relationships, fostering connections, enhancing the original benefits that attracted the buyer, and consistently improving the product/service for competitive protection. This then leads to the four P’s.
1. Product - These are the items sold to individuals.

Finance encompasses the widest scope within business endeavors. To understand finance, one must possess knowledge of the entire business sphere and even the overall economy. The financial system (or economy if preferred) consists of consumers, manufacturers, and distributors who all need funds to acquire goods and services.

Finance can be perceived as

the process of obtaining funds for purchasing goods and services. The Finance department is responsible for managing all financial affairs within the business. In modern times, this department is equipped with a comprehensive data processing system supported by computers, which allows them to acquire information from other departments, record valuable data, calculate wage payments, and provide necessary funds for effective business operations.

Purchasing management is an important function that may not apply to all businesses. It involves directing the flow of goods and services within a company and managing supplier interactions. To effectively manage purchases, professionals must have knowledge of the supply chain, business and tax laws, invoice and inventory procedures, transportation and logistics issues. Additionally, they should possess strong knowledge of the products and services being purchased in order to plan, execute and oversee purchasing strategies that contribute to company profitability.

Sourcing reliable suppliers is an essential aspect of purchasing management. Purchasing managers, agents, and buyers typically discover new products and services through Internet searches, trade shows, and conferences. Whenever possible, they visit potential suppliers in their factories. Proficiency in foreign languages can be advantageous when sourcing suppliers from other countries.

Both Cadburys and Divine are successful companies in chocolate production. Cadburys is currently the dominant leader in the UK chocolate confectionery market, manufacturing over 50 brands and more than 1000 different types of chocolates every minute. This demonstrates the high demand for Cadburys' products. On the other hand, Divine produces chocolate at a slower pace but focuses on ensuring better quality. The timing of harvest is crucial for producing high-quality beans. If the pods are too ripe, they become vulnerable to disease or the beans may

begin to germinate.

However, if the pods are too green, the cocoa beans will be of poor quality because they won't produce enough of the 'aromatics' that give cocoa its recognizable flavor. Despite being the leading brand in the UK, Cadburys has received numerous negative comments, including concerns about salmonella and its worst creme egg. This suggests that Cadburys' focus has shifted from chocolate quality to quantity, but people still purchase their chocolate because it is the most popular brand. In contrast, Divine sells chocolates for different occasions and prioritizes fair trade. Both companies source cocoa beans from various regions in Africa and transform them into finished products such as chocolate and drinks. However, Divine takes extra care and responsibility in producing their chocolates. HRM is important to both Cadburys and Divine as they share the common goal of preserving the future of our planet and aligning with their values. They are committed to minimizing their environmental impacts on energy use and carbon dioxide emissions in their fight against climate change.

We are prioritizing the conservation of water and actively working on reducing our overall water usage. Cadburys has made safety performance a key focus across the organization. They have implemented new programs to enhance safety, while closely monitoring and evaluating performance. Their objective is to establish a culture of zero accidents. Divine, on the other hand, includes several measures to support cocoa farmers, such as guaranteed minimum pricing, additional social premium payment, long-term trading contracts, improved health and safety conditions, and investment in community programs to empower farmers to become more self-sufficient.

Both Cadburys and Divines have a significant number of employees, but Divines has fewer for

various reasons. Cadburys, a popular employer in the UK, offers a wide range of career opportunities as stated on their website. However, it is important to note that this information may be biased.

The success of Cadburys relies heavily on its workforce. Cadbury Schweppes has a strong commitment to its employees and social responsibilities. With over 50,000 employees across 60 countries, their executive management team consists of 160 people globally. Currently, women make up 33% of the global workforce, 33% of the managers, and 13% of the executive management team.

The company experiences relatively low global staff turnover, ranging between 2% and 5% annually. Although Cadburys has more employees compared to Divine, their limited resources as a fair-trade company prevent them from offering higher wages to a larger workforce. Nearly half of their funds are directed towards fair-trade initiatives.