Idlenot Dairy
I. Introduction
Idlenot Dairy was located in Springfield VT. The company that had been in business for about 5 years. The Dairy received unprocessed milk from the local farmers and produced a variety of products. These included different types of milk, yogurt and cream. The plant also bottled an assortment of juices and water.
II. Departmentalization
The Functional Structure would best describe the form of Departmentalization used by Idlenot. Various departments employed people with particular training. The IT trained personnel worked in the Data Processing Department. People with Financial backgrounds were located in the Accounting Department. The exception to this was in the Shipping and Warehouse operations. The employees that were responsible for moving stock from one location to another did not require specialized training.
III. Methods of Coordination
A. Wharehouse Managers at the Dairy used different methods of coordination for specific activities. The Warehouse Manager used coordination through standardization. Procedures that were used for the stocking of items in the coolers became routine. The Team Leader would assign Stock Men to a machine. The machines produced and packaged the products and sent them down the track in milk crates stacked six high. An employee would pull them from the track and place them in the appropriate cooler. He continued this as long as the machine he monitored produced a product. To perform the same steps day after day did not require a significant amount of thought.
B. Shipping The Shipping Manager 's activities required a different approach. He used coordination through formal hierarchy. The Shipping Manager assigned the Team Leader tasks that required more supervision and resources. He gave an order to the Team Leader who divided it among his Pullers. The Pullers would enter the tunnel, assemble the order from the various coolers and send