Functions of various departments

Every organisation is made up of different department. Each department contributes to the running of the business. The most common departments are:

Production Marketing & Sales Finance Human resource and in some cases, Information Technology departments

Production Department
The production department is responsible for converting inputs into outputs through the stages of production processes. The Production Manager is responsible for making sure that raw materials are provided and made into finished goods effectively. He or she must make sure that work is carried out smoothly, and must supervise procedures for making work more efficient and more enjoyable. There are five production sub-functions

Production and planning.

They will set the standards and targets at each stage of the production process. The quantity and quality of products coming off a production line will be closely monitored.

Purchasing department

This department will provide the materials, components and equipment required. An essential part of this responsibility is to ensure that stocks arrive on time and are of good quality

The stores department

The stores department are responsible for stocking all the necessary tools, , raw materials and equipment required to service the manufacturing process.

The design and technical support department

They are responsible for the design and testing of new product processes and product types, together with the development of prototypes through to the final product.

The works department

This department is concerned with the manufacture of products. This will include the maintenance of the production line and other necessary repairs. The works department may also have responsibility for quality control and inspection. Production is the functional area responsible for turning inputs into finished outputs through a series of production processes. The Production Manager is responsible for making sure that raw materials are provided and made into finished goods effectively. He or she must make sure that work is carried out smoothly, and must supervise procedures for making work more efficient and more enjoyable.

Five production sub-fuctions

In a manufacturing company the production function may be split into five sub-functions: 1. The production and planning department will set standards and targets for each section of the production process. The quantity and quality of products coming off a production line will be closely monitored. In businesses focusing on lean production, quality will be monitored by all employees at every stage of production, rather than at the end as is the case for businesses using a quality control approach. 2. The purchasing department will be responsible for providing the materials, components and equipment required to keep the production process running smoothly. A vital aspect of this role is ensuring stocks arrive on time and to the right quality. 3. The stores department will be responsible for stocking all the necessary tools, spares, raw materials and equipment required to service the manufacturing process. Where sourcing is unreliable, buffer stocks will need to be kept and the use of computerised stock control systems helps keep stcoks at a minimal but necessary level for production to continue unhindered. 4. The design and technical support department will be responsible for researching new products or modifications to existing ones, estimating costs for producing in different quantities and by using different methods. It will also be responsible for the design and testing of new product processes and product types, together with the development of prototypes through to the final product. The technical support department may also be responsible for work study and suggestions as to how working practices can be improved. 5. The works department will be concerned with the manufacture of products. This will include the maintenance of the production line and other necessary repairs. The works department may also have responsibility for quality control and inspection. A key aspect of modern production is ensuring quality. The term quality means fitness for purpose i.e. a product, process or service should do exactly what is expected of it.

Total quality management

Car plants like Leyland build quality into every stage of the production process. Every employee is expected to take responsibility for managing quality issues in order to make sure that waste is minimised and quality maximised. This is often referred to as total quality management and is part of the lean production methods used in modern industry. For businesses to be competitive, Production and Marketing need to work in an integrated way. Marketing is concerned with knowing and understanding the requirements of

customers, so that Production can provide the market led products that are required. This also requires excellent communication systems to be in place. Read more: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/operations/aims-andfunctions-of-production-department.html#ixzz2WgcXDEsH Follow us: @Thetimes100 on Twitter | thetimes100casestudies on Facebook --------------------------------------------------------

Human resource Department

The role of Human resource department is in charge of recruiting, training, and the dismissal of employees in an organisation.

Recruitment and selection Training programmes

Training programs are held by the HRD to improve the employees skills, as well as to motivate them. There are three main types of training : 1. Induction training 2. On-the- job training 3. Off-the-job training

Manpower Planning

The HR department needs to think ahead and establish the number and skills of the workforce required by the business in the future. Failure to do this could lead to too few or too many staff or staff with inappropriate needs.

Dismissal and Redundancy (retrenchment)

Dismissal is where a worker is told to leave their job due to unsatisfactory work or behaviour. Redundancy is when the business needs to reduce the number of employees either because it is closing down a branch or needs to reduce costs due to falling profits. It may also be due to technological improvements, and the workers are no longer needed.

Marketing department
These are the main section of the market departments:

Sales department is responsible for the sales and distribution of the products to the different regions. Research & Department is responsible for market research and testing new products to make sure that they are suitable to be sold. Promotion department decides on the type of promotion method for the products, arranges advertisements and the advertising media used. Distribution department transports the products to the market.

Finance Department

Book keeping procedures Keeping records of the purchases and sales made by a business as well as capital spending. Preparing Final Accounts Profit and loss account and Balance Sheets Providing management information Managers require ongoing financial information to enable them to make better decisions. Management of wages The wages section of the finance department will be responsible for calculating the wages and salaries of employees and organising the collection of income tax and national insurance for the Inland Revenue. Raising Finance The finance department will also be responsible for the technical details of how a business raises finance e.g. through loans, and the repayment of interest on that finance. In addition it will supervise the payment of dividends to shareholders.

Selling department

Common Problems Encountered When Selling

If anybody has bought and sold a house recently they will probably know that quite often any problems encountered when trying to negotiate the contract between the buyer and seller arise from practical issues rather than a legal issue. This article will look at some common practical problems which have to be dealt with by our conveyancing team.

Unauthorised Alterations
The survey report obtained by the buyer will detail any alterations carried out to the property. If the report advises of any alterations the buyers agents will insist that the appropriate consents have been obtained under the Building Regulations. Depending on the type of alterations carried out, will decide what documentation is required. If the alterations are relatively minor the buyer will be looking for a building warrant and completion certificate to be in place. If the alterations are on a larger scale, e.g. a kitchen extension, then in addition to your building warrant and completion certificate, planning

permission should have also been obtained. There is also an added complication if the property is listed as listed building consent will also be required. If the seller can produce all the necessary building consents then all is well and good and the contract will be able to proceed without any delays, but what happens if the correct documentation has not been obtained? In this situation the seller will have to apply to the appropriate local council or approved architects firm to hopefully obtain a Letter of Comfort. The cost of this application differs from area to area but on average costs around 175. Once the application has been received a building control officer or architect will visit the property to investigate the alterations which have been carried out. Hopefully after this visit a Letter of Comfort will be issued. Unfortunately sometimes the alterations do not comply with building regulations. In this instance a report will be received detailing what requires to be done to the property to allow a Letter of Comfort to be issued. In this scenario the buyer and seller can agree on what should happen next. The first option is that Seller will be responsible for making the necessary renovations to the property to bring it up to scratch. If the changes have not been completed by the date of entry then the move does not necessarily have to be delayed. The buyer could make a retention from the purchase price until such time as the Letter of Comfort is received from the seller. The amount of retention should cover the approximate expected costs of making the alterations compliant. The second option that could be agreed is that the purchase price will be reduced, on the proviso that the buyer will be solely responsible for remedying the alterations to bring them in line with building regulations. Obviously the reduction in the purchase price should reflect the likely costs the buyer will incur in doing this. Of course it is always open to the buyer to withdraw from the purchase completely. For example an extension to a listed building may be required to pulled down and re-built. The buyer may very likely decide not to proceed. Fortunately this scenario is extremely rare and on most occasions any problems relating to alterations will be resolved.

Statutory Notices
A Statutory Notice is a Notice served on a property by a Local Authority demanding that certain repairs require to be carried out. Such notices are usually served on flats (and normally on tenement buildings). If a Statutory Notice has been served on a property the contract will be negotiated so that the seller will remain liable for the repairs under the notice. There is often a large time delay between when the notice has been served and when the repairs are carried out. To ensure the buyers interests are safeguarded it is the norm for a retention from the purchase price to be agreed. The money will be retained by the buyers agents until such time as the repairs have been carried out and final invoices have been issued. This may be in a few months times or several years down the line.

If estimates have already been issued then agreement on the level of retention is normally straightforward. If there are no estimates available then this may cause a few headaches. The seller may have to obtain his own estimates or if time is short and there is not enough time to do this guidance will have to be obtained to agree a suitable retention.

Specialist Reports
The survey report may highlight that Specialist Treatments have been carried out to the property. Specialist Treatments includes treatments for wet rot, dry rot, rising damp and other infestations. If such treatments have been carried out the buyer will be looking for Guarantees. It is usual when such treatments have been carried out that a 30 year Guarantee will be issued. It can often be a very costly business to have such treatments carried out and the buyer would wish to be safeguarded against any such costs. Therefore the buyer will require the Guarantee to be handed over to them on the date of entry. If no guarantees are available, and on advice of the surveyor, there may have to be negotiations between the buyer and seller as to how to proceed. It may be that a reduction in price may have to be agreed. Usually an agreement will be reached without things getting too heated. Very occasionally consensus can not be made, especially if the retention is a large one, and the sale may fall through. The above 3 problems do commonly occur in conveyancing transactions. The reader should be re-assured, however, that it is very rare for our conveyancing team not to be able to remedy the situation. On most occasions the problem will be ironed out allowing the sale of the property to proceed on the date of entry originally agreed.