Identification of Palm Incorporation’s Outputs using the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model
There are various dynamics that shape and determine the performance of any business organization. These may be from both external and internal environments. The management of most of these business organizations has to take these dynamics into account whenever making any business decision because these dynamics are the main factors that determine and shape the performance of the business organization. Having comprehensive knowledge of the levels of performance as well as the dynamics that affect the levels of performance helps the business organization’s management team to determine where bottlenecks exist, and thereafter find the factors that cause the hindrances to better performance.At times lack of proper identification of problems and their causative factors may lead to the making of wrong decisions and application of remedial measures that do not befit the desired solution. On the other hand, if the actual problem is identified it will be easier to determine the proper remedial measures to apply in solving the problem, and thus; enhancing better organizational performance. Best organizational analysis is only realizable through the application of the best organizational analysis method.
A good analysis method should be able to determine the factors that hinder better performance and as a result; enable the management to find the best remedial measure to apply. In this paper Palm Incorporation’s out put shall be analyzed using the Nadler and Tushman model of establishing levels of congruence. The analysis shall also establish performance determinants and dynamics that have shaped the organization’s current performance which shall also be evaluated in the paper. The paper shall also determine the organizations’ out puts’ state of congruence by measuring the level of tightness in fit. The tightness of the fit shall indicate levels of performance-the tightness is directly proportional to performance, and therefore; performance increases with an increase the tightness (Burke, 1982).
The Nadler and Tushman congruence model is composed of three sections. These sections include the inputs, the transformational process and the resultant product of the two which is the output. The inputs include factors such as history of the organization, the environment in which the business operates, and the resources that they organization has at its disposal. The transformational process which is an integrative process that uses feedback to manipulate the inputs in the generation of out put. Finally, the out put which consists of both tangible goods and services offered to community as a product of individual and group performances that make up the total organizational performance (Montgomery, 1995). The inputs originate from internal and external environments of the organization and it is integrated with received feedback from out put within the transformational process to generate appropriate and desirable out put.
Out puts Generated by Palm Incorporation
Palm Incorporation’s out puts consists of cutting edge mobile telephony technological products including Palm Operating System software programs (preferred for hand-held electronics such as PDA’s and smartphones), pocket PC’s , PDA’s smartphones and Palm powered hardware offering compatibility across platforms and longer life for batteries while reducing size of hand-held electronics. Palm endeavors to enhance wireless, security and multimedia features and capabilities of its products. Palm’s software supports a large base for mobile phones world wide. Palm designs and produces instinctively powerful cell phone electronics. Palm Incorporation’s major goal is to design and make through research electronics that use the highest technology in order to create higher product utility. The company researches emergent merging technologies which help people to work in an easily portable manner whilst on the move. Palm uses its wealth of technological expertise and research to design portable electronics that are portable, highly compatible, faster and better in order to offer their clients convenience and speed as well as compatibility.
Their products also include computer-like enhanced features that can enable clients use them with computers or in performing computer based functions. These products are the general out put of Palm as an organization, however; it has to be noted that they enshrine out puts from functional groups such as Palm research groups that research in to the new technologies and design of these products. This too contains individual out put of the efforts of each and every involved person within these functional groups charged with design and production. Group research and design of both electronics and their accompanying software; is the one of greatest group out put from Palm. Individual out put is portrayed by the individual efforts that Palm’s employees have put in to their work to ensure greater organizational success. This success is shown by greater profits, revenue gains, good reputation as well as the high Social Corporate Responsibility (CSR) exercised by Palm. The company’s values towards environmental preservation are depicted in the products that Palm produces.
The protection of the environment has been one Palm’s goals, and the company has been able to do this through the protection and preservation of the environment and the natural resources. This can be termed as one of the products that Palm has offered to society through it CSR programs. Palm uses innovative designs and materials that are environmentally friendly. Thus, Palm offers both environmental protection as well as innovative electronics. Palm sets high standards and plans for its suppliers, partners and production units in order to manage the life cycle and use of its products in a bid to prevent resource wastage and any environmental damage that may occur due to its products (Bradley, 2010). Its environmental protection efforts are evident in all its production, and as a result it is in compliance with federal laws and statutes on environmental preservation and electronic manufacture. Palms use of environmentally friendly technology, material and recycling efforts makes it an exemplary leader in the maintenance of god and safe operational practices. Palm has eliminated the use polyvinyl products for packages as well as cables with halogenated flame retardants in its products (Palm, 2010). These efforts are in compliance with the RoHS standards of reducing harmful substances.
The out puts from Palm can be grouped into three-out puts from individual employees, functional groups and the organization at large. The groups are recognized on a functional basis- the functions that they carry out within the organization. These may be research groups that design hardware and software for use. There are also groups involved in production, marketing, distribution, sales and management of Palms operations. The identified groupings are functional in nature and as such they show what each group does in the organization. These groups depend on each other and their work complements each group so as to attain excellence for the company. If one group fails then the rest may fail too. For example if the research team offers a poor design the sales team may be unable to sale the products.
This will lead to loses and organizational failure as a whole. As a result, a drop in performance should be analyzed to determine where things went wrong and which group was responsible .Palm basically measures its performance based on the market share and revenue gains. Higher revenues and a larger market share are indicators of high performance. Revenues sampled for the year ended 31st May 2007, 2006 and 2005 were recorded as follows $ 1560507, $ 1578509 and $ 1270410 and the recorded net incomes were 56,383, 336,170 and 66,387 respectively. Palm’s model can be said to be highly congruent, because desired out puts have a close fit with no bottlenecks the hinder the capacity to attain the targeted out put.
Palm Incorporation goals
Palm Incorporations main goal is to produce electronics that are efficient, fast, portable, and in turn provide greater efficiency and experience. The company endeavors to design platforms that offer consumers flexible operations. Palm has achieved this by customizing Palm OS and Microsoft mobile versions. Palm also endeavors to distinctly differentiate its electronics through its software design. The company achieves these goals through extensive research conducted by its researchers in a bid to combine mobile computing and communication technologies to produce electronics such as PDA’s, smartphones and various software (Bradley, 2010).
The company’s goal to expand globally is also achieved through its wide network of partners and distributors world-wide. Palm has a goal to design and make products synonymous with computing, but in a mobile sense. This is indicated by most of Palm’s electronics that have technological features merging the filed sot communication and computing. The company also holds a noble goal of preserving the environment through the use of environmentally friendly raw materials and use of good operational practices.
Palm Incorporation’s overall performance
Earlier performance by Palm was on a high note, however; despite the good planning and strategizing the company’s sales have remained low in relation to other firms offering similar products. Change Wave’s research states that Palm’s market share in smartphones sales has not risen or fallen since another research done in June by Change wave. Palm’s share has stagnated at 7% showing that revenue may also be stagnant (Carroll, 2010). This scenario may portray two things in general. That the company may be underperforming because its market share has stagnated whereas the smartphones market in general is on the rise (Carroll, 2010).
That means the expansion in the market is taken up by other firms, and thus; Palm is losing out. On the other hand, the same research showed for the first time in a number of years its market share has not declined, but rather stagnated indicating that the company may rise or is not yet at the brink of losing yet. This could be due to Palm’s latest product Palm Pre which may have retained attracted clients, and as such it may attract more clients from competitors-meaning Palm may improve again. This may be reinforced by the fact that consumer satisfaction on this product has been ranked at 45% against older products by Palm ranked 28%. On a conclusive note, Palm has good performance, and this may be indicated by its revenues that have not fallen over time. The company’s recent merger with Hewlett Packard may in the near future make even better prospects for Palm Incorporation (Edwards, 2010).
References
Bradley, T. (2010). Palm Aligns with Leading Providers of Mobile Field Sales Solutions. Retrieved on 10th September, 2010 from http://investor.palm.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=339875.
Burke, W.W. (1982). Organization Development: Principles and practices. Little, Brown Publishers.
Carroll, T. (2010). Palm’s Smartphones Market: Not budging. Retrieved on 10th September, 2010 from http://www.palminfocenter.com/news/9969/palms-smartphone-market-share-not-budging/.
Edwards, C. (2010). Hewlett Packard gets its Hands on Palm. http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_19/b4177035181743.htm, on 10th September, 2010.
Montgomery, A.C. (1995). Strategy: Seeking and securing competitive advantage, 5th edition. Harvard Business Press.
‘Palm’, (2010). Our Philosophy. Retrieved from, http://www.palm.com/us/company/environmental-stewardship/programs.html, 10th September, 2010.
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