Oakwood’s corporate structure

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie
Published: 26th  April 2018

In any given organization, the corporate structure has a direct influence on how the company is run, how responsibilities are undertaken and the level of accountability attributed to each person with respect to the function undertaken by the said staff. In the case of Oakwood International, the company adopts traditional hierarchy in which the manager supersedes every aspect of the management system. The company’s structure is as illustrated in the figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Oakwood International Limited

From the above structure, it can be seen that the company has heads for different departments, who are solely responsible for ensuring the smooth running of those departments. These heads are then accountable to the general manager, who has the overall responsibility of ensuring that the company meet its set goals and targets. Essentially, the traditional hierarchy structure adopted by Oakwood International does usher in some sense of bureaucracy, while also ensuring higher degree of accountability. The heads need to consult the general manager before executing certain actions in the company, while at the same time, they are responsible for the outcomes of such actions in relation to how it has helped the company to meet its set goals.

1.      Organizational functions

From the above corporate structure, it is easily evident that there are numerous functions undertaken by the designated personnel as highlighted. In any case, the focus here will be on the four of these functions as they related to the company’s performance.

1.1.General Manager’s functions

The general manager is AmeeraHaris, and she is an Associate Member of the CPD with over 10 years of experience in Human Resource Management. As indicated by the company, she is highly motivated self-starter known for her ability of building long lasting relationships with both her colleagues and consumers (Oakwood International, n.d., a). Her function is to ensure efficient and effective management of the businesses, HR and financial operations towards effecting measures that will help the company reach its desired goals (Oakwood International, n.d., a).

1.2.ProgrammeManager’s functions

The programme manager is Antonio Agustin, and he has a strong sales career in the field of manufacturing, insurance and FCMG(Oakwood International, n.d., a). However, he has been in the service industry since 2004 as an administrator before pushing himself up to become a business developer, sales management and specialist in the educational sector. He is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that clients are helped to pursue their career in the area of HR, management and marketing in their quest to become internationally qualified personnel. He oversees the smooth enrolment and training of the clients (Oakwood International, n.d., a).

1.3.Marketing Director’s functions

The marketing director is FailanSaleem with a background in professional selling, sales management, brand and general management, and consulting as well as training and development (Oakwood International, n.d., a). At Oakwood, his role has provided students with desired help in their course to becoming practical marketers and sellers. He is charged with the responsibility of marketing and delivering the CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing) programmesat levels 4, 6, 7, and masters (Oakwood International, n.d., a).

1.4.Business Coordinator’s functions

The business coordination is Gertrude Joy Constantino, and her career stretches deep in the education sector where she has been since obtaining her degree in communication(Oakwood International, n.d., a). She is charged with the responsibility of coordinating the business process in such a way that it delivers mutually beneficial outcomes for the company and the students.

In essence, different departments have different functions and heads as discussed above, but the overall aspect of these functions is to ensure a stem flow of mutually beneficial outcomes for both the company and their clients. They want to train personnel that are globally recognized for their world-class contributions, while also generating significant value for the company in the form of profit maximization and enhanced business performance.

2.      Functions working together to optimize performance      

In line with the company’s vision of becoming one of the foremost providers of CIPD, CIM and ILM training and qualifications(Oakwood International, n.d., b), the different departments highlighted above function together towards delivering such goal. They are made to specialize in certain areas that effect certain processes in the company, with a common goal of ensuring that all their actions (both individual and combined) come together towards helping the company meet its goals.

For instance, the general manager is responsibility for the smooth running of the business towards meeting set goals, the programme director ensures that students are enrolled as appropriate, the marketing manager is responsible for creating awareness, the programme coordinator ensures that students enjoy the learning process by designing programmes that meet their individual needs, finance director is responsible for effective and efficient financial management, business development manager is responsible for developing new programmes and target markets. Essentially, all these functions come together towards providing consumers with services that meet their individual needs and enhancing overall enrolment (which will bring about enhanced performance for the company).

In effect, it becomes clear that these functions need to come together to deliver the company’s objectives. It is virtually impossible for any of the departments to handle the delivery of such objectives on its own, neither is it possible for the company’s objectives to be delivered without the contribution of one of these departments. Thus, these functions have a direct influence on the company’s performance as well as their sustainability. Effective and efficient management in this area will bring about a corresponding effect on the performance of Oakwood and vice versa.

Added to this, the division of functions ensures higher degree of accountability as defects can easily be traced to a specific head and department. In effect, it becomes easy for the company to handle issues resulting in their business process effectively – delivering higher performance in the process.

3.      Identification of culture and how this affects its operation          

Oakwood’s culture is centered on passion for the services it offers. As the company noted, they are a team of highly qualified and experienced personnel that are passionate in the area of delivering relevant and high quality training and consultancy services to their clientele(Oakwood International, n.d., c). Such culture is unique in the sense that it is consumer-focused. Their overall goal is to ensure that the consumers are satisfied with their services by offering such in a qualitative way and at an affordable price. In so doing, the consumers will be able to attain higher level of satisfaction in the sense that they will get more value for a lesser price – improving their overall satisfaction and loyalty in the process.

Consumers’ satisfaction and loyalty has a direct influence on the performance of any given company based on the understanding that it influences repurchase intention. Once consumers are satisfied with the services offered by the company, they will be more willing to repurchase from the same company and also recommend their services to other consumers. The effect will be an enhanced level of sustainable performance for the company. Additionally, it can improve the company’s profitability and help them to create some level of competitive edge.

In the increasingly competitive and globalized market, the importance of consumer loyalty and satisfaction cannot be overemphasized. This is because consumers’ needs are increasing becoming sophisticated with globalization providing them higher level of variety as well as influencing price competition from the manufacturers of such products and/or services. Thus, it can be said that Oakwood’s culture of unrelenting passion in the quality of services they deliver is somewhat unique in the sense that it will help them to establish a higher level of sustainable performance by creating competitive edge through consumers’ loyalty, satisfaction, repurchase intention and recommendation of their brand to other consumers.

References

Oakwood (n.d., a). Oakwood's Dubai Team. Available at: http://www.oakwooddubai.ae/dubai-team/ [Accessed on: 22^nd December 2016].

Oakwood (n.d., b). Oakwood's Mission, Vision & Values. Available at: www.oakwooddubai.ae/mission-vision-values/[Accessed on: 22^nd December 2016].

Oakwood (n.d., c). Who we are. Available at: http://www.oakwooddubai.ae/who-we-are/[Accessed on: 22^nd December 2016].