Analysing Organisation - Microsoft

1 ) Introduction :

Analyzing an organization or enhancing the well being of an established organization requires healthy, ongoing leadership and management, planning, product and service development, marketing and financial management. To carry out these practices in an ideal manner, it is important to analyze an organization so as to bring out the pros and cons and henceforth rectify its path for betterment in future. The process of analyzing an organization can be done in different dimensions which may be subjective or objective by using social theories. Microsoft stands aloft on a high pedestal today supported by strong pillars which include unique leadership, strategy, people and culture and these make the concern conspicuous and outstanding from the rest of the world.

2) Objective of the study:

This study throws light on how Microsoft has grown to its present dimensions and is upcoming with astonishing velocity. Microsoft can be held as a trend setter in its method of organizing , competing with others in the market and its ever untiring efforts to learn, improve and maintain its position as the worlds largest and richest company dedicated to PC software development , with a whole array of new products every and then.

3 ) Sources of information :

The information brought out in this paper has been derived from secondary data. Secondary data provides an important source of supporting information about the company. Theories which are used to analyze the organization provide sufficiently sound information to formulate suitable conclusion.

4) Paradigm :

A Paradigm provides a structure for social learning approaches in terms of subjective and objective dimension of analysis. A paradigm shows how the organization develops about the way the world works. According to the result provided by the paradigm test (Refer Appendix I) I am analyzing Microsoft from a functionalist view. A functionalist's approach is the dominant ideology of our time and characterized by a concern for a social order, consensus and social integration. Functionalists want practical solutions to practical problems. Functionalists are interested in "exploiting" technology for "efficiency."

( Source : http://www.edst.educ.ubc.ca/tern/Map/function.htm )

I am approaching this assignment from various angles like organization culture , systems and management style. My study further explores human initiatives at Microsoft. Though Microsoft is not much of an innovative company I am focusing on product development as the key issue and also how it improves as a learning organization.

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4 ) Microsoft Way :

Microsoft is the unparalleled leader in computer software, with a mammoth market capital of US $ 360 billion!! BILL GATES - The world renowned praise worthy CEO of Microsoft is also the world's wealthiest man!! His pivotal role has made Microsoft dominate the global PC software market. Product development , human resources and marketing at Microsoft all aspects - owe their present soaring state to the ceaseless , intelligent ,untiring contribution of Mr. Gates. "To my mind Microsoft has never been a company. It is a single remarkable individual, Gates, with thousands of the smartest, best paid people anywhere helping that individual. It's basically like a big wheel, with Gates at the hub'' says James Collins.

5 ) Bill Gates - A Visionary Leader :

Bill Gates is a new type of business leader. His in-depth understanding of technology and unique way of synthesizing data gives him a special ability to spot future trends and steer Microsoft's strategy. This also inspires awe among Microsoft fans and intimidates its competitors. Gates has the ability to influence followers based on his vision and the followers enjoy being with him because they feel inspired and important. He is a visionary charismatic leader who focuses on long term goals. Max Weber suggested that some leaders have a gift of exceptional qualities _ a charisma - that enables them to motivate followers to achieve outstanding performance. Visionary leadership is also recognized as a companion to charismatic leadership. (Conger and Kanungo , Shamir et al). Westley and Mintzberg explained visionary leader in short process.

Vision (idea)  Communication (word)  Empowerment (action).

"Bill Gates is a modern business phenomenon: the greatest of the cyber- tycoons. He is not simply a story of technical brilliance and enormous wealth; it is one of remarkable business vision and an obsessive desire to win. It is also about a leadership style that is radically different to anything the business world has seen before"

Des Dear Love in his book; Business the ill Gates Way

Under Gates's guidance, the product development team at Microsoft brought out future-oriented products. Gates believed that most product developers would get only one brilliant idea in their life time. According to him ,the solution for every problem was already present in this world and it just needed to be identified .He wants practical solutions to practical problems which makes him a functionalist .Gates 's principle was quite simple "Identify the problem ,acquiring the resources needed for the solution and translating the solution into commercially feasible and viable products". Analysts believed that Gates's vision and his accurate forecasts about trends in the software industry played a key role in Microsoft's success.

7) Organsiation

Today we live in an organizational world. Organization of one form or another is a necessary part of our society and serves many important needs. The decisions and actins of management in organization have an increasing greater impact on individuals. Microsoft is a unique organization which has both visible and invisible dimensions of information. There prevails a covert type of culture in the organization. To understand and analyze more about the organization I have classified the aspects into various sub topics.

7.1) Organization Structure

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