John Lewis Partnership: A Unique Business Model
The John Lewis Partnership: A Unique Business Model
The John Lewis Partnership is one of the UK’s leading retail businesses. Colin Goepfert is the Learning and Development Coach at John Lewis. The John Lewis Partnership came into being in 1950.
We’ve now got in the region of 78,000 people who work in the John Lewis Partnership. It includes about 32 department stores up and down the country, over 250 Waitrose supermarkets, plus our Internet business. We have a production unit up in Lancashire, near
Read MoreCapitalism, CSR, and Labor: Critical Summaries
Capitalist Philanthropy and Hegemonic Partnerships
Summary of Morvaridi, B. (2012) – “Capitalist Philanthropy and Hegemonic Partnerships”
Béatrice Morvaridi’s article explores how philanthropy—especially when done by wealthy individuals and big companies—affects global development. She argues that modern philanthropy is closely tied to capitalism and often reinforces existing inequalities rather than solving them. Instead of challenging the root causes of poverty, capitalist philanthropy
Read MoreUnderstanding Organizational Structure: Chains, Spans, and Delegation
The Core Elements of Organizational Structure
The fundamental structure of a business defines:
- The roles and job titles of employees.
- The decision-making processes.
- Who is responsible for specific tasks.
- The relationships between different positions.
- How information is disseminated.
Chains of Command and Spans of Control
Long Chain of Command, Narrow Span of Control
In departments like production, a manager might be supported by a few assistant managers, each overseeing skilled workers. This setup allows
Read MoreManagement Principles: Functions, Characteristics, and Theories
Understanding Management: Core Principles and Practices
Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling resources (such as human, financial, and material) to achieve specific goals efficiently and effectively. It involves decision-making, coordinating activities, and guiding teams to accomplish organizational objectives.
Functions of Management
The core functions of management are:
- Planning – Setting goals, defining strategies, and outlining tasks to achieve objectives.
Management Essentials: Ethics, Strategy, and Operations
Chapter 1: An Overview of Management
Management: A set of activities designed to achieve an organization’s objectives by using its resources effectively in a changing environment.
Organizations: Groups of individuals who work together to achieve goals or objectives that are important to those individuals.
Resources: People, equipment, finances, and data used by an organization to reach its objectives.
Stakeholders: A person or group that can affect or is affected by an organization’s actions, goals,
Read MoreToyota’s Operations: Postponement, Logistics, and Sustainability
Postponement in Operations Management
Delaying final manufacture or customization until a customer order is received is one of the operations management strategies. This method enables businesses to reduce lead times, broaden the product offering, and improve inventory management by producing products in a semi-finished state and delaying final assembly until the real customer order is received. In the manufacturing, supply chain management, distribution, and logistics industries, postponement can