MGT 330
March 13, 2011
Control Mechanisms at Boeing
Controlling is an extremely important function of management. Manager’s use control to ensure that goals are met and to make the necessary changes if they are not. Several control mechanisms exist. Managers within companies use the mechanisms to achieve results. This paper will identify, compare, and contrast four of these control mechanisms as they relate to Boeing. It will determine the effectiveness of these control mechanisms, the positive and negative reactions within the company, and how these controls affect the four functions of management at Boeing.
Four Control Mechanisms
Control mechanisms, whatever their type, exist for the same reasons and same goals in mind: to increase employee production and performance, and to increase the sales, production, and profitability of a company. However, each control works in a different way to achieve these outcomes. Boeing uses many control mechanisms to regulate performance and increase production and profitability.
Bureaucratic
Bureaucratic controls use rules and regulations paired with close supervision to regulate performance. These control systems are designed to measure performance by setting standards, measuring progress and performance, comparing the performance to standards, and correcting mistakes while reinforcing successes (Bateman & Snell, 2008). Boeing utilizes the bureaucratic control mechanism by monitoring the performance standards of the operations. Boeing and its competitor Airbus have been finding ways to expedite production and reduce cost. Boeing is working on speeding up production, and raising fuel efficiency of the 787 Dreamliner (Bateman & Snell, 2008). Their airplanes are put through many tests to measure the production and efficiency against the standards.
Concurrent Control According to Bateman and Snell (2008), concurrent control is a form of bureaucratic control that “takes place while
References: Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2008). Management: leading and collaborating in a competitive world. (8th ed.). [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. Boston: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, MGT 330 website. Boeing. (2011). Boeing. Retrieved from http://www.boeing.com Mighty Students. (2010). Mighty Students. Retrieved from http://www.mightystudents.com/essay/Control.mechanism.Boeing.31377