Question

'Cortico Fabrics' was started by Ashish in 2001 to sell bed sheets, towels, comforters, pillows, cushions, bath mats etc. It is now a famous name and its branches are across India. To manage the work all over India, it has eight teams-two each for North, South, East and West India. Ashish spends a considerable amount of time to develop an orderly pattern of group efforts among different teams and to secure unity of action in pursuit of a common purpose. To ensure suitable allocation of tasks to the various members of the teams and to see that the tasks are performed with harmony among the members, he tries to balance the different teams at different locations. (a) Identify and explain the concept of management discussed in the above para. (b) Also, explain any one point of importance of the concept identified in (a) above.

Hint:

Coordination questions often feature keywords like "harmony", "unity of action", and "integration". It's called the essence of management.

Answer 1

(a) Concept: Coordination (The essence of management)
Explanation: 
1. Integration Aspect: - Harmonizing regional teams (North/South/East/West) - Aligning diverse functions (production, sales, logistics) 
2. Key Characteristics: - "Orderly pattern of group efforts" - "Unity of action in pursuit of common purpose" - Continuous process (not a one-time activity) 
3. Implementation Methods: - Regular cross-regional meetings - Standardized operating procedures - Balanced performance metrics 
(b) Importance Point: Achieves Organizational Goals

• Synergy Creation: - 1+1=3 effect through combined efforts - Example: Coordinated marketing-production avoids stockouts
• Conflict Resolution: - Prevents regional silos - Resolves resource allocation disputes
• Efficiency Boost: - Reduces duplication (estimated 15-20 percent cost savings) - Optimizes supply chain movements