Identify and Explain Fisher’s Activities According to the Four Functions of Management; Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling

In the 21st century, globalisation is the major driving force in organisations making the world a big melting pot. In every organisation, there is a manager; directly supporting and in charge of workers and their performance. George Fisher in this case study is a top manager, the Chief Executive Officer of Kodak.

As the CEO, he is responsible for the company’s entire performance or one of its major branches. He sets goals, strategies to achieve them and scan the environment for opportunities and problems.When Fisher joined Kodak, it was suffering from declining income, heavy debts, slow growth and demoralized workforce. His primary goal was to save troubled Kodak. He plans strategies to expand into digital imaging and penetrating photographic international market. He turned the organization around by setting a new digital division and hired an executive to lead and changed the dysfunctional structure of hierarchy authority.

He sold off health and home-product division reducing Kodak’s debts from $7. 8 billion to $1. 6 billion. He broke communication barriers and form alliances with external companies. .

0 Body Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources to attain goals. As the new CEO, Fisher sets strategies to overcome Kodak’s crisis; expanding into digital imaging technology. His activities can be explained using the four functions. Planning is to define goals and how to attain them. It involves setting visions and objectives for goals, strategies and plans to execute and decision making. As the new CEO, Fisher is well aware Kodak is suffering from declining earnings, slow growth, heavy debt and demoralized workforce.

His goal is to overcome this crisis; setting a vision to be a global digital imaging technology leader. Fisher spent 18-hour days studying to plan strategies and set out objectives. For instance, to moralize workforce and change dysfunctional culture, he sets tough goals for workers to decide how to best achieve them. Another strategy is expanding and penetrating its photographic business to international market like Asia, Russia, India and Brazil. Organising is implementing plans by allocating task, resources and arranging activities.

It turns plans into action by bringing people and resources together.Fisher sold Kodak’s health and home product division to write off bad debts. He set up a new digital division composed of several digital resources; expanding into digital imaging. He hired an executive from Digital Equipment Corporation to lead. He established alliances with IBM, Microsoft and Sprint. Leading is to influence employees by motivating and guiding efforts towards achieving organizational goals. This helps to support, supervise and control workers actions. Fisher frequently visits the offices of researchers and talks to employees in the cafeteria during breakfast to be more accessible.Rewards are given to managers when performance goals are met.

Fisher practices accountability, requiring his employees to report back performance results. Controlling is the process of monitoring and measuring performance; taking necessary actions to reach goals. Present job performances are compared to pre-established standards. Gathering of information maintains active communication with workers. Fisher often visits researcher’s office to gather information. He ensures that managers keep track of their progress to meet the goals.

In meetings, he practices reporting relationship through accountability. 3. 0 Conclusion Management process is implemented to make good decisions and appropriate actions to run efficiently. All the four functions are interrelated. To be successful, a manager must be responsible for the four functions regardless of their level of managerial hierarchy. Successfully carrying this process leads to successful management.

Fisher effectively carries out all the four functions; a stepping stone to successfully penetrate Kodak into digital imaging. Kodak Eastman share rise to $52 in April 1995.