Workplace Diversity and Time Management

Disccuss about the Case Study Analysis On Emma’s Parlour.

The case study reflects the journey of Emma from a nurse to a successful online tea business owner. Along with this, the case study affirms the statement, “Where there is a will, there is a way”. Strong will power of Emma helped her to get of the nursing job, which failed to satisfy her physically and mentally. Workplace diversity is also reflected from the case, as Emma gets to meet and interact with people of different class and status (Menon et al., 2015).

Currently, Emma’s business is at a stable stage. This is in terms of the double digit sales revenue, which she has earned within a short time of setting up the business. 52 years of experience resulted in creative thoughts behind luring the customers. Proving the capability and achieving the targeted goals is the common factor between the two businesses. The organizational resources are an agent for staffs like Emma to prove their talents. Proper utilization of these resources results in the achievement of positive outcomes (Gummesson, 2014). Example can be cited of the vintage Gothic revival cottage, which became the key for Emma in terms of her professional development.

Goals need to be set for reaching to the target. At the initial stage, short term goals prove beneficial in improving the focus on the workplace duties and environment. Here, satisfaction is the main element, which enables the employees to move on in their professional lives. Along with this, cooperation from the colleagues assures the employees that they have a secured place. Absence of these elements generates the feeling of being left out, leading to the thoughts of switching over. Same is the predicament of Emma, which compelled her to suffer from mental physical and emotional breakdown. The immediate outcome was the thoughts of doing something, where she would get her due respect.

Dilemma gripped her when she started the new business. This is a common expression, which hovers in the minds of individuals, when they start up their own business (Mullakhmetov et al., 2016). This is because they think the past experiences might overshadow the present and compel them to face losses. Here, the confidence with which Emma walked out of her former workplace attains a backseat. However, faith and believe on self, assisted Emma in laying a strong foundation of her business. Time management is also one of the facts, which led Emma to the path of success. However, in her former business, it was the gruelling hours, which took a toll on her emotional, mental and social wellbeing. The current tea business keeps her engrossed in catering to the specific needs and demands of the customers. At the end of the day, she feels tired, although recapitulating on their satisfaction, reduces the intensity of the tiredness. One of the striking features is that she has time for herself even after dealing with a huge online tea business and restaurant, for which most of the employees lament.

Quality Assurance and Effective Management

According to Walle, (2017), prior expertise is always helpful in terms of proving the talents, skills, abilities and competencies. Emma’s medical background is the cornerstone towards the popularity of herbal and organic tea among the customers. Urge to come up with something innovative for the customers expanded the scope and arena of her business up to the threshold of international markets.

Handling a huge business is not an easy thing.  Individuals need mental, physical and emotional strength. This is also applicable for entrepreneurs like Emma, who think of starting a new business. The reason for this can be many- self respect, professional development, better pay package, job security, satisfaction and many others (Briggs, 2016). In case of Emma, it is the self respect, which compels her to think of starting a new business.

Seeing the vacant cottage and thinking of setting up a business there is Emma’s first step as an entrepreneur. Dilemma on the steps adopted for starting the business perfectly aligns with the fears of an entrepreneur on starting a business. Cooperation from the neighbours in terms of getting financial assistance, cosy room, addressed Emma’s dilemma. This cooperation assured her of establishing a successful business. Time management is essential in terms of systematizing the business activities according to their priority (Charter, 2017). Effective management of the time increased the sales revenue. However, individual performance of Emma establishes her as a successful entrepreneur, Herein, the Great Man Theory can be brought in. Realization towards earning respect through the means of self business makes Emma great. This realization provides shape to her professional development. Productive labor of 60 to 70 hours resulted in the huge success for her business. Rationality in this productivity provided her enough time for relaxation. She could even cater to the decorating the cottage for luring more and more customers.

Emma was tech savvy, which is a greatest advantage for any entrepreneur to set up their business successfully. Internet has enough in stock for enhancing the preconceived skills, knowledge and expertise (Antoncic et al., 2016). Search engine optimization acts assistance for entrepreneurs like Emma in terms of beautifying the business.  She is acquainted with the process of recruitment and selection. In the present business, she tried to abide by the legal legislations, which attracted the labours towards her business.

Quality assurance is one of the other parameters, which helps in achieving trust, loyalty and dependence of the customers. Emma tested the quality of the foods and the tea before serving it to the customers. This process was followed even while sending the online orders.         Concern towards the wellbeing the customers enhanced her reputation worldwide. Quality assurance can be considered as a theory of planned action and reasoned behaviour in terms of stabilizing the business (Baker, 2014). This planning enabled Emma to encounter growth and development.

Determination and Commitment

Determination, commitment and perseverance also make Emma a true entrepreneur. Example can be cited of the workshops, which she organized for training the staffs about increasing the productivity through the production of organic tea. The idea of selling these teas in the retail stores perfectly aligns with that of an entrepreneurial mind. Here, social media marketing is a reasoned behaviour of Emma in terms of reaching to more and more customers. At one point of time, the sales revenue was slightly low; however, the profit margins were high. In spite of this, Emma tried hard to seek innovative ways and means for taking the business to the peak of success. This attitude contradicts the approach of the other entrepreneurs in terms of breaking down at the achievement of loss (Grenci, 2015).

Emma is a dynamic personality. The way she walked out of her previous workplace, is a notable example for all the workers suffering from the effects of slavery. The dilemma, which Emma had at the start of her business, is usual and obvious. However, the support, which she got, clarified all her doubts.  Planning before starting the business proved a wise step in terms of achieving short successes. The site, which she chose was for sale. If she has taken permission from the government, it would have proved beneficial in terms of averting the illegal instances. However, as no such incident is mentioned in the case study, the assumption can be negated.

Certainty regarding getting the assistance reflects faith and confidence of Emma on her skills, abilities and competencies. However, if she had indulged in group discussion with the influential and the experienced people, she could have more successful.

Small breaks in between would have provided Emma with the much needed relaxation. For this, more workforces were needed, which was fulfilled at a later stage. Decoration of the cottage proved beneficial in terms of luring the customers.  Market research would have bestowed innovative ideas regarding interior decoration and fusion recipes. Reviews about the adopted change could be published in the newspapers and magazines. This would have made the businesspersons aware of bringing innovation within the workplace. For this, Emma needs to contact the media personnel, which is easily possible. This is in terms of the stable income that she is getting from her business. She can also start a blog, where she can upload the reviews. This would broadened her network and improve the communication with the customers.

Innovative Ideas for Growing the Business

Rewards and recognition can get her foreign clients, intending to invest in her business. If she rents the lawn for functions, her business would expand innovatively. Organizing parties in the lawns would enable Emma to achieve large scale customer attraction. Refreshment can be served from her own restaurant. All these are possible only if there is financial flexibility. Therefore, Emma needs to keep a check on the financial condition. This would alert her about the additional resources.

Security is one of the important factors. Appointing strong and flexible security guards would ensure Emma’s privacy as well as of the customers. This is also needed in terms of ensuring the security of the cash, which is flowing from the internal environment to the external ones. Adopting latest and modern software can ease the burden of the workers. This automation would enable Emma to devote time for other activities. Herein lays the appropriateness of time management, which is crucial in terms of systematic execution of the activities.

Evaluation is necessary in terms of assessing the effectiveness, appropriateness and feasibility of the undertaken steps. Consistency in the execution of evaluation would upgrade the standards and quality of Emma’s business. Soothing cup of tea is a relaxation for Emma in terms of recapitulating on the current business stage. Career option can be brought into the discussion. Leap from intensive care unit nurse to an entrepreneur was a wise step. Her thoughts regarding concentrating on internet business is also appropriate in terms of the hard day’s work, which she has to manage. She can consider the cognitive learning theory for assessing the prospects, which are available for her at the current stage. Frustrations would be an inevitable issue, which might adversely affect the business. However, she can indulge into some therapies and counselling, which would incorporate positive energy within her. 

Training the staffs regarding the effective ways and means of doing business would provide support to Emma. Here, also planning is needed in terms of achieving positive results. The staffs need to be trained about the latest machines and software. Assistance from the senior and the experienced managers would prove fruitful in terms of enhancing the productivity. Taking post training tests would enable Emma to test the capability of the staffs towards performing the duties efficiently and effectively.

References

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