MANAGING BUSINESS ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE RESULTS ASSIGNMENT 1

Table of Contents

Introduction.. 2

1.1 Interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organization. 2

1.1.1 Overall structure of UN.. 2

1.1.2 The function of each position:. 3

1.2 Methodology to be used to map processes to the organization’s goals and objectives. 5

1.3 Output of the process and the quality gateways. 7

2.1 Design plans, which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility. 9

2.2 Use objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way. 11

2.3 Carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control 12

CONCLUSION:. 13

References:. 14

Introduction

Managing business activity is one of the most important factor which is used to improve business performance, manage and ensure the quality of outcome. It has a special role in strategic planning and functional run. When managing many different activities, the strategic and functional managements are involved. In order to reach good quality at organization, it is required to know and evaluate the vision, mission and structure of organization. In addition, the objectives must be accomplish to be success.

As admission manager of University of Nottingham, one of the most famous universities in the world, I am assigned to plan an enrolment for the next academic year. In this assignment, based on objectives and goals the importance of business processes are stated. Additionally, plan for own responsibility is also developed.

1.1 Interrelationship between the different processes and functions of the organization.

1.1.1 Overall structure of UN

According to organizational structure, it can be inferred that University of Nottingham (UN) using mixed structure because it have one headquarter, many subordinate level below and each subordinate have lower level organized horizontally. In addition, the structure is built based on the function of each department.

1.1.2 The function of each position:

The University have two main parts, they are council and senate.

Council

Council is the leading department of university, members of council meets five times a year. They have responsibility for approving strategic plans of the University and it also take in charge of finances, buildings and staffs.

It is responsible for all key developments and receiving all reports from executive officers. Additionally, it is needed to show all examined financial statements.

The Council is included:

• ·         14 external members
• ·         two student members
• ·         9 academic members
• ·         the Registrar is Secretary to the Council

Senate

Senate is department that taking responsibility for academic, it has three meeting within a year. Senate has responsibilities for directing, regulating, examinations and promoting the research. The senate is leaded by Vice-chancellor and it includes:

• ·         all Heads of Schools
• ·         Pro-Vice-Chancellors
• ·         Deans
• ·         elected representatives of professors

• ·         non-professorial staff
  Deputy vice chancellor is charge of driving the contribution of the University’s Strategic Plan
  The Pro-Vice-Chancellors having responsibility for main aspects of policy, are memberships of the Executive Board and support the Vice-Chancellor.
  The Registrar
  This is the Senior Administrative Officer of UN. It is department that distributes expert services and make policies on student problems and student recruitment. The department delivers professional services and informs policy making within the University on student issues, student recruitment and corporate communications activity. In addition, it attempts to deliver high quality expert support over many aspects worth considering such as campus life and university business.
  Chief Financial Officer
  This department is accountable to the all general management of:
  ·         finances
  ·         investments
  ·         research support
  ·         procurement
  ·         internal audit
  ·         IT Services
  ·         corporate Systems
  And also give suggestions on strategy approach and lead number of project management committees.

Chief Estates & Facilities Officer

Having responsibility for:

• ·         Environment and Infrastructure
• ·         Estates and Hospitality functions
• ·         Executive Project Management

Relationship

There are close relationships between admission department and others departments. Higher manager make the request to admission department to gain higher result. Consequently, the department will set out specific objectives and aim to meet the request. In addition, marketing department will be responsible for promoting UN with support admission plan. Moreover, finance department have responsibilities for all admission operation payment. Additionally, IT department is responsible for processing information and transfer it for admission.

1.2 Methodology to be used to map processes to the organization’s goals and objectives

Vision

As a trustfully international organization, the University of Nottingham will be built on its reputation, hold position firmly among the top world universities and the top UK universities. The university research will be shared and used to distribute economic, social, and cultural benefits for society both nationally and internationally.

Mission statement

Use information about opinions, preferences, and attitudes deliver to decision makers in order to:

To keep track of the change of levels of student satisfaction over the time based on facilities and experience at University.

To carry out specific inquiries including University staff and students on relevant problems. To carry out rapidly response research into rapid growth problems that impact any community in the University.

To help departments and faculties within the University to provide their services in an efficient approach and also to assess their procedures results from research

To provide superior quality social science research services to external customers on a financial foundation.

Aim and Objective

The University has a number of aims and objectives. These include:

• ·         Creating a superior environment and facilities over all our regional and international campuses
• ·         Accomplishing an educational and research staff profile that rates Nottingham in the top five over the country and the top 50 globally
• ·         Recruiting, establishing and maintaining excellent staff with exceptional research experience
• ·         Creating an innovative as well as entrepreneurial culture over the Organization
• ·         Increasing the effect of our research and scholarship
• ·         Keeping the local tradition, beliefs and requirements of our host communities

We are going to include value and context to our procedures by:

• ·         Developing upon business advancement.
• ·         Obtaining supportable relationships and systems that provide mutual chances and advantages

Process Map

1.3 Output of the process and the quality gateways

The student who apply at University of Nottingham meet following requirements:

Quality gateway

Foundation requirement:

Student must have IELTS 6.0 and no element less than 5.5, PTE Academic 55 and minimum is 51, CELE pre-sessional course final assessment is "Pass”

Undergraduate Admissions Requirements

Student must have IELTS 6.5 and no element less than 6.0, PTE Academic 62 and minimum is 55, CELE pre-sessional course final assessment is "Pass with Merit"

The grade required is a level A or equivalent including English certificate. In addition, it is important to show related work, voluntary experience, extra activities, achievement and interests.

Postgraduate Admissions Requirements

Applicants must have IELTS 7.0, no element less than 6.0. PTE Academic is 67 and minimum is 55. CELE pre-sessional course final assessment is "Pass with Distinction"

Applicants must be first degree with at least second class honors or equivalent. They must prove the personal and education experience.

Out put

In typical path, student must achieve 120 credits, or take at least 12 hours on foundation stage or qualifying stage.

Student must finish

• ·         12 hours of the Foundation Stage or Qualifying Stage of Honors Degree and Integrated Masters programs.
• ·         10 hours of Part I of Honors Degree or Integrated Masters programs
• 8 hours of Part II of Honors Degree or Integrated Masters programs and taking Part III of Integrated Masters programs.
• 
  

2.1 Design plans, which promote goals and objectives for own area of responsibility.

Taking the task given by higher management, we has set out a new objective for the next academic year, it is about to reach 1500 student enrolments in 2015-2016. If the objective can be reached, this not only mean that Nottingham University profile is raised but also aim to create inspiration of work among staffs. Therefore, setting out new objective is essential and required to make employees put more effort in their work.

After setting out an objective, it require to have a criteria to access effectiveness of the objective. In this case, SMART model is applied to evaluate the objective efficiency.

Specific: specific target for next academic year is to have 1500 registered students

Measurable: I can refer the number of students in previous years, make a survey to conduct level of potential student attention to University of Nottingham (UN), education quality. Through these activities results, we can forecast the number of student for next year.

Achievable: the average numbers of registered student for the last 5 years at UN is 1333 in which domestic student occupy 75% whereas non-domestic is 25 %. If we boost launching marketing campaign targeting non-domestic, the number 1500 is achievable.

Realistic: in addition to UK campus, UN also has two campuses which are located in Malaysia and China. It provide international student more options to decide which campus to study depending on their financial viability. Additionally, UN financial viability is totally available for the promotion therefore running this campaign is realistic.

Timely: There are two student recruitments each year. The first recruitment is on fall semester (from September to January) and the second is fall semester (from January to June). Thus it is required appropriate launching time to target potential student.

Plan to achieve the objective

Alternative courses of actions:

• ·         Participate in international education exposition
• ·         Take part in or held educational workshop at potential countries
• ·         Public UN information as well as university research on electronic journal
• ·         Advertise on TV, newspaper, magazines or social network.
• ·         Use Google AdWords to advertise and keyword is “study abroad”
• ·         Create twinning program with famous university in other countries.

Gather information about alternative:

Find information about which education exposition or workshop is going to take place and then contact with its organizers to register. For example, with Malaysia and China campuses we can be initiative to find information about exposition, workshop in region of East, Southeast and South Asia to take part in. This method is very useful to approach multiple target, due to it create opportunity to exchange between university high school and student as well. The information of participants are also wisely promoted by organizers before the event take place. However, it will take time to find information and contact with organizers.

In addition, we can choose famous publisher such as Springer, Pergamon and Elserve to public journal. By doing this, UN reputation will be widespread among universities and students but it is essential to publish high quality work which require long time to research.

Besides, the most common method to promote is to advertise on TV, newspaper, magazine and social network. We can contact national TV station, well-known newspaper or magazine in each countries to place advertisement. Additionally, advertising on social network as well. However these approaches will be costly and ineffectively because it target all people.

Another method is to use Google method, in this approach we will bid keyword which related to university or university research. For example, when a people want to find an appropriate University to study, they use keyword “best university” or ”top universities” then UN website link will be on the top of results. This approach has high effectiveness, it target multiple potential target.

Finally, we can cooperate with other universities such Vietnam National Universities, Singapore National University, Hong Kong University…to create twinning program which include 2 years of study in host country and other 2 years at UN campuses. This approach can save a lot of teaching cost and tuition fee as well. However it take time for students to adapt after transferring.

Select courses of actions:

Among approaches, participating exposition, using AdWords and twinning program are the most appropriate. When it comes to the cost, using these approaches will reduce a lot of expenses. Additionally, the time is available for implementing these approaches for spring semester recruitment.

2.2 Use objectives, which are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based to align people and other resources in an effective and efficient way

Rule and regulations:

- Students must have A level grade or equivalent, IELTS 6.0 certificate with no element less than 5.5

- Students have to submit all required documents.

- Students have to make payment for student ID card.

Explain the plan:

Step 1: Find all information about convention and exposition center in region to have informed whenever education exposition is taken place then create a plan to participate 

these exposition. Whenever attending exposition, student who have attention to UN will inquire information about the university and register.

Step 2: Bid to buy keyword on Google to lead potential student to UN website. If student have interest in UN, they will fill out online register form.

Step 3: Ask university partner for the list of students who want transfer in the next semester.

Step 4: information about registered student will be transfer to admission department. Then information about application fee, requirements, application form and deadline of application will be sent to student mail.

Step 5: After sending information, we will have a list of student who meet requirement and pay application fee to confirm that they will attend university.

Step 6: after checking transaction account, we will have a list of student who will attend university.

Students will have 2 chances to apply to University of Nottingham. The first recruitment in fall semester is for student who meet all requirement at the first time, and the second recruitment is for student who did not meet requirement and have chance to improve their skill as well as fulfill required document to meet all requirement.

2.3 Carry out work activities meeting the operational plan through effective monitoring and control

Device monitoring

Our objective is to increase the number of register in the next academic year (2015-2016), we implement two separated recruitments in fall semester and spring semester. The first recruitment is from April 2015 to September 2015. In this period, it is expected to achieve 1000 possible registers. The second recruitment is from September 2015 to January 2016, and the objective is to achieve 500 enrolments. In order to keep the process running smoothly, it is need to monitor each recruitments. For example, at the end of each 

recruitment, we have to check the result of the first recruitment and evaluate whether it meet the objective or not. And then create appropriate approach to improve the result in the next recruitment.

Control plan:

During the course of running the plan, control plan is one of the most import part to access success and failure of project. Therefore, it is required to have plan to control the project to ensure smooth operation. For example, when getting the result from monitoring, if the objective cannot meet, we have access the result to find out the reason and then propose appropriate approach. The possible alternative is reduce tuition fee or boost marketing campaign.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion, the relationship among different processes and departments of organization are stated in this assignment. The methods used for mapping processes are justified and outputs of the process are evaluated as well.  Consequently, I understand their importance in bring the outcomes.

In addition, a plan to promote goals and objective is designed and implemented. During the course of plan, I gain experience on how to develop a plan to implement operational plan.

References:

About University of Nottingham [Online] Available at: <http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/index.aspx> (Accessed 23 October)

University of Nottingham structure [Online] Available at: <http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/structure/universitystructure.aspx> (Accessed 23 October)

UN mission [Online] Available at: <http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/values/universityvalues.aspx> (Accessed 24 October)

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