International Business : Management

Definition of Management

 The organization and coordination of the activities of a business inorder to achieve defined objectives. In Additonal  Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling an organization's resources, including human, financial, and physical assets, to achieve specific goals and objectives efficiently and effectively. It involves coordinating activities, making strategic decisions, and guiding teams to ensure that organizational aims are met while adapting to changing environments.

Organizational Structure :

Organizational structure refers to the system that outlines how certain activities are directed in order to achieve the goals of an organization. This includes the roles, responsibilities, communication systems, and authority within the organization. It defines how tasks are divided, grouped, and coordinated, and can take various forms, such as hierarchical, flat, matrix, or team-based structures. The structure influences how information flows, how decisions are made, and how employees interact within the organization.

• a route and locus of decision making and coordination
• a system for reporting and communications

Little or No Formal

Organization

Some companies may not have a designated team or department for foreign activities. These companies may rely on individual employees or teams to handle international tasks. For example, a small business owner may personally handle imports from international suppliers.

• responsibility for international

  activities in the early stages

• The export department structure

  becomes obsolete as the firm

  becomes more involved in foreign

  markets.

• The organizational structure reflects

  the increased demands from the

  international marketplace

International Division: Some companies create a separate division dedicated solely to international activities. This division handles everything from partnerships to logistics, providing a centralized approach for international operations

Global Product Structure: In this structure, domestic divisions are responsible for specific product lines on a global scale. This approach helps multinational corporations like Procter & Gamble manage diverse product categories efficiently​

Global Area Structure: A polycentric structure where different geographic regions are managed by separate teams, allowing companies like McDonald’s to adapt their products and operations to local markets

Global Functional Structure: Companies that rely on specialized departments such as marketing or finance may adopt a functional structure. This structure ensures focused expertise in different functional areas, as exemplified by IBM

Customer Structure: Some multinational enterprises (MNEs) organize their teams around customer segments to provide tailored products and services. This structure helps companies balance global efficiencies with local responsiveness​

Matrix and Mixed Structures: Companies like Apple use mixed structures, combining product, functional, and area-based approaches to enhance flexibility and adaptability across different projects and regions