Kudler Fine Foods - Overview of Management

Overview of Management: Kudler Fine Foods

Kudler Fine Foods is a gourmet food store founded by Kathy Kudler. There are currently three locations and Kudler is looking to expand further. In this paper, we will examine the organizational structure of Kudler Fine Foods; apply Porter’s Model of Five Competitive Forces; and examine how the Internet and technology has impacted Kudler Fine Foods.

Primary Functions of Management

There are four primary functions of management: Planning and Strategizing; Leading; Organizing; and Controlling (Balkin, 2002). Based on Kudler’s organization, it appears that Kathy Kudler, President, is mainly responsible for the planning and strategizing, however, each store manager and department head is responsible for their respective team’s planning and strategization. Leading is primarily the responsibility of Human Resources; ensuring employees are motivated and can work together for the greater good. The function of organizing is mainly that of Accounting and Finance, however, Human Resources also plays a role in this by defining the roles of the organization’s players. Finally, controlling is handled by Store Operations and manages the daily tasks, as well as ensuring that each store is performing to the best of their ability and has the necessary tools to do so.

Technology and its Impact

Technology can impact how a business conducts itself and can often lead to great improvements, especially when branching out over the Internet. There area few initiatives that Kudler Foods has undergone, which takes advantage of what technology has to offer. First and foremost, Kudler has a well developed Intranet, which provides all of its employees, no matter the location, a single place to go for information about the company, including organizational charts, job descriptions, and access to company initiatives.

Additionally, Kudler is developing a training program and software that will facilitate customer service training of Kudler’s employees. This will tie-in with the Intranet and allow the employees to access this from their store locations. Additionally, this training program should provide a one-stop shop for management’s reporting needs.

Kudler has also developed an online customer relationship management (CRM) system which will capture important demographic and psychological information regarding Kudler’s customers, which in turn will assist all departments of the company, from marketing by helping to plan campaigns, to store operations and the stocking of certain products.

Kudler could continue utilizing technology by providing online ordering for its customers. Whether it is for out of area customers that require shipping or to prepackage food orders for those customers in a rush. Kudler could also tie in a store ordering system which could easily update the corporate office with fast selling products.

Porter’s Model of Five Competitive Forces

There are five competitive forces in Porter’s model: power of buyers; power of suppliers; new competition; substitutability; and existing rivalries (Balkin, 2002).

Kudler is constantly monitoring the bargaining power of its buyers, trying to provide the food items that will ensure their continued patronage. Kudler also takes a proactive role in determining what their customer’s want. She also helps her customers take advantage of additional buying opportunities through gourmet food parties. Kudler also encourages customer shopping trips and improves loyalty by introducing a frequent shopper program. Additionally, as Kudler’s