I.
Cover Page
MGT505: INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
SEMESTER 2, 2020
Assignment: Major Research Project
RESEARCH PROJECT BASED ON THE
COMPANY
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II. Statement of Declaration
I XXXXXXXXXXXXX solemnly declare that this project is based on my own work
carried out during the course of my study. I assert the statements made and conclusions are
drawn as an outcome of my research work. I further certify that,
1. The work contained in this project is original and has been done by me under the general
supervision of my supervisor. I have used materials (data, theoretical analysis, and text)
from other sources and have given due credit to the relevant sources in the text of the
report and given their details in the references.
2. I have followed the guidelines provided by the university in writing the report. I
understand the meaning and consequences of plagiarism according to the FNU UASR.
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III. Table of Contents
Table of Contents
I.
Cover Page ....................................................................................................................................... i
II.
Statement of Declaration ............................................................................................................... ii
III.
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... iii
1.0
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 4
2.0
Aims/ Objectives ............................................................................................................................... 5
3.0
Background ...................................................................................................................................... 6
4.0
Methodology..................................................................................................................................... 7
5.0
Analysis/Findings ............................................................................................................................. 8
5.1
Overall Planning Process ............................................................................................................... 8
The Company Mission ........................................................................................................................... 8
The major goal and departmental goal .............................................................................................. 10
The major strategy and departmental strategy .................................................................................. 11
5.2
Internal and External Environment .............................................................................................. 13
SWOT Analysis..................................................................................................................................... 13
Characteristic(s) of the environment .................................................................................................. 14
Events and the impact of mega and task environmental factors ....................................................... 15
Approaches used to manage the environment .................................................................................. 19
5.3
Roles and Skills of managers ...............................................Ошибка! Закладка не определена.
Organisation structure ................................................................Ошибка! Закладка не определена.
Roles of Managers and their Skills in each level ................................................................................. 21
Reason for allocating such roles and responsibilities to such managers as per the above
Organisation Structure ........................................................................................................................ 25
6.0
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 26
7.0
Bibliography/ References ............................................................................................................... 27
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1.0 Introduction
In general, market research involves two different types of research. They are primary and secondary research. The research
presented here is based on the secondary research which will be discussed for the points in the Analysis/Findings section. This
paper is focused on a thesis based on the secondary research of the Organisation. Each section of the analysis. is summarised on
a brief, in the introduction page that gives a succinct description of the organisation, overall planning process, Internal and
External environment roles and skills of Managers and the type of managerial decision making in the organisation.
Secondary research is a type of market research that gathers information from an existing source such as reports, in academic
databases, the news, demographic data, figures and from the internet, that has been already organised and published by
government agencies, trade associations or other organisations. Typically, secondary can benefit small businesses, because it can
be obtained faster and more affordably than primary research. This research method may not be accurate or specific as the
primary research. The volume of information available on a particular topic may be overwhelming at the beginning of the
secondary research process. Research questions should be used to guide the researcher as they focus on finding project-specific
information. The best source to answer a particular research question may vary widely, and a single project will likely require
more than one source.
The study attempt in this thesis is to identify the factors that help to use the secondary research to the Courts Fiji organisation.
In-depth to understand and identify operational and administrative processes the boundaries of an operations system, and
recognise the company interfaces.
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2.0 Aims/ Objectives
2.1 Aim
The research project will fulfil the aim of understating the entire operational process of the organisation through secondary
research.
2.2 Objectives
Following are the objectives of this research:

To explore the factors which define a company's mission, goals and strategy. Determining the resources necessary to
achieve those goals and strategies for the organisation.

To explore the factors which affect the Internal and External environment to the company

Understand the organisation structure and explain the essential roles and skills that any manager ought to possess for
them to perform their duties.

To discuss the concerns the choices faced by managers within their duties during managerial decision making in the
organisation.
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3.0 Background
Courts Fiji is an independent standalone company with 100% local shareholding. The Origins of Courts Fiji go back Burns Philip
incorporated in 1920 and to Courts PLC a company incorporated in the UK which was a specialist retailer of electrical and home
furnishing goods operating in countries in the Caribbean, South East-Asia, Pacific and Indian Ocean Countries. Courts Fiji
antecedents commenced operations in Fiji in 1920 as Courts Fiji Limited.
Courts Fiji is a highly valued listed trading sector company and dominant market leader. It manages retail store chains that are
valued by customers and a retailer of Electrical, Furniture, Computers, Electronics, Phones, Audio-Visual, Sporting, Floor
Coverings and other Homeware goods.
The organisation is also the largest provider of consumer finance outside of the regulated financial institutions. It has a large
service operation offering comprehensive after-sales care and parts supply for all the products it offers to its customers. The inhouse financing and the service operation gives the organisation a significant competitive advantage in the market. Currently, the
organisation employs over 900 employees.
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4.0 Methodology
The information involved in this research project involves using Secondary sources. Existing information or data was used
through company brochures, company website & information statistics of the company which were helpful to me to gather
information to complete this project.
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5.0 Analysis/Findings
5.1 Overall Planning Process
The Company Mission
The roadmap starts with its unchanging mission; it declares its purpose as a company. Each organisation should have a clear
vision, mission, goals, objectives, and long-term strategies to succeed in outlining the organisation’s future for the business
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movement and growth. The planning process in an organisation is a major important step that helps to achieve it. The process
is about converting the company vision and mission into specific goals and then into plans.
The success of the overall planning process is classified on how effectively and/or efficiently the goals are met. Effectiveness
relates to whether the organisation is chasing the right goals in terms of its resources and competencies. Efficiency is about
how well they are using their resources to achieve the goal.
The components of the mission statement are as below.
 Customers – Courts Fiji with its trading roots dating back to 1920, has become a trusted and household name in Fiji. The
customers are families from generation to generation since 1920
 Products or services – The products are Electrical, Furniture, Computers, Audio, Visual, Floor Coverings, Sporting and
Home Goods,
 Location – 18 Stores are located Fiji wide in major Towns and cities.
 Technology – Moving towards digital platforms to promote products and services.
 Concern for survival – Deliver value for money at all price points in every category.
 Philosophy – Delight the customers and do business the right way
 the best they can be. Employ people that share a passion for retail industry.
The above mission statement signals the value of innovation and raises areas where innovation is to be focused.
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The major goal and departmental goal
Courts Fiji has one of the largest client bases in Fiji. The major goal of the Courts Fiji company has been to help the
communities get durable household goods at an affordable rate.
The departmental goal is to convert major goals into targets for specific departments in the company. They are more detailed
as below.
Operations Department

Generate sales growth in a competitive market

Refocus and grow business and introduce a new category

Grow B2B wholesale business
Marketing Department

Grow and maintain thought leadership

Generate high-quality leads

Create, communicate, and deliver value to clients in ways that benefit the company
Finance Department

Accurate record-keeping

Strategic Budgeting and projecting

Identify and eliminate inefficient operations and costs.
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Credit Department

Maximize the sales of the company

Maintain the highest quality possible of accounts receivable.

Establishing many new accounts to be opened with a good record
The major strategy and departmental strategy
The major strategy is by maximizing revenue and opportunities and developing a customer satisfaction strategy as part of
successful business culture.
The departmental strategy is to convert major strategies into targets for specific departments in the company. They are more
detailed as below.
Operations Department

Develop a program for outside marketing by Branches

Introduce a new category to the Fiji market that will grow the business

Find established group of small/medium businesses as ongoing customers
Marketing Department

Implement marketing campaigns on omnichannel platforms

Establish digital marketing communications channels to promote products & services

Develop branch wise programs for outside marketing
Finance Department
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
Close monitoring of monthly rolling cash flow

Review and implement only essential capital expenditure to manage cashflows

Reviewing the companies trading reports, managed account, forecasts, budgets, cash inflow and outflow forecasts
Credit Department

Review credit policy according to current situations

Usage of technology to improve service of Credit

Eliminate the efforts of duplication and further streamline the company and its processes
Procurement Department

Manage relationships with Suppliers

Establish digital marketing communications channels to promote products & services

Develop branch wise programs for outside marketing
HR Department

Induction Refresher Training classroom session for staff

Job rotation of staff for multiskilling skills

Employees to engage in any kind of physical activities such as sports, cycling, outdoor games etc.
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5.2 Internal and External Environment
SWOT Analysis
SWOT is an acronym for “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.” A SWOT analysis helps organisations from
an internal and an external perspective to identify where they're doing well and where they can improve. Below is the SWOT
analysis of Courts Fiji.
STRENGTHS

Trusted, reliable and provider of quality products and services

Support of institutional shareholders

Fully secured premises to avoid shrinkage and track losses

Well trained, multi-skilled and experienced team members

Reliable suppliers – Has a strong base of reliable suppliers of raw material thus enabling the company to overcome any
supply chain bottlenecks.

Highly successful for its products selling in the market.

A high level of customer satisfaction has been able to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction among present
customers and good brand equity among the potential customers.
WEAKNESSES

Loss of well-trained personnel to competition

Impact of demographic change – customer profiling

Lack of skill-set in the Retail, Marketing and Procurement fraternity
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
Union influence that could have a detrimental effect on employee productivity

Customer service issues arising from system downtime
OPPORTUNITIES

Highly successful for its products selling in the market.

Access to regional markets

Export and wholesale opportunities

Digital marketing platform to suit the new generation of customers

The government is providing the environment for growth for the benefit of all Fijians
A better lifestyle of people creates more demand for mid to high-end products
THREATS

The retail industry is getting extremely competitive

Distributors turning into retailers impose a major threat by diluting the market share

Consumption activity is weakening

Increase in security threats during a COVID-19 virus outbreak

Information security vulnerabilities are the biggest threat
Characteristic(s) of the environment
Some important characteristics of the business environment are listed below with alignment to Courts Fiji.
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1) Uncertainty - The business environment is very uncertain. No one cannot predict what will happen in future. Especially
in the case of information technology. New devices are introduced every time to the Business market. For example new
phones, notebooks, printers, etc. Its dynamic nature makes it all more challenging to handle uncertainty.
2) Complexity - Many forces constitute the business environment. Thus, it becomes very difficult to know exactly which
particular force (social, economic, technological etc.) influenced the functioning of a business initiative as all these
factors are related to one another. For example, if there is a change in demand for a particular product, it becomes
difficult to know the change occurred from the separate impact of social, political, technological, economic or legal
forces etc.
3) Dynamic Nature - The business environment is dynamic. Like the natural environment, a business environment also
keeps changing constantly. Changes such as triggered by internal or external factors, such as a change in government
policies, consumer behaviour, change in technology etc., has impacted the business in Courts Fiji.
4) Far-reaching impact
Businesses that realize the impact of the environment on their growth and profitability ensure that they adapt constantly
to be in sync with it. Courts Fiji was initially stated as a furniture store. As time passed the business moved into Retail
electronics and now into more health beauty products.
Events and the impact of mega and task environmental factors
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The mega environments and task environments are external influencers to a company and need to be recognised, analysed
and managed for the growth of business and competitive advantage in the market.
Mega Environment
The term 'mega environment' refers to the external environment that reflects conditions and trends in the society that
an organisation operates within. Below are the five major elements to the mega environment;
1. Technological element
2. Economic element
3. Legal-political element
4. Sociocultural
5. International element
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Mega Environment
Technological Element
Economic Element
 Using computer to improve
 Using computer to improve
efficiency of operations.
efficiency of operations.
 Marketing advertising through
 Marketing advertising through
Digital Platform
Digital Platform
Legal-Political Element
 Joint venture
 Political direction and stability
Sociocultural Element
 Joint with SPBD Finance
institution to help rural women
to start businesses
 Donations to people in need. Eg:
Elders homes
International Element
 Home&More Retail store in
PNG
 Vision Fintech – Foreign
Currency agent on all the Courts
Stores
Task Environment
The task environment encompasses the elements an organisation must deal with when interfacing with conducting its
business.
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Below are the five major components of the Task environment;
1. Customers and clients
2. Competitors
3. Suppliers
4. Employees
5. Government bodies
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Approaches used to manage the environment
Managers have three options when faced with environmental uncertainty.
Adaptation
This approach involves making changes to the internal operations of an organisation to align it favourably with changes in
the external environment. Example as below.

Forecasting or attempting to predict conditions and future events that are likely to impact the business.

Rationing or limiting access to a high demand product or service so that the organisation does not have to expand.
Favorability influence
Involves trying to change the environment so that it becomes more favourable to the organisation. Rather than accept
environmental aspects as givens, this approach holds that organisations can change some environmental aspects.

Advertising & public relations

Boundary spanning

Recruiting

Negotiating contracts

Co-opting

Strategic alliances

Trade associations
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
Political activity
Domain shifting
Involves moving away from an unfavourable environment to a more favourable one that has an abundance of opportunities
and few threats. Examples as below.

Move out of a current product, service or geographic area into a more favourable domain

Expand current domains through diversification or expansion of products/services offered
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Roles of Managers and their Skills in each level
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Role
The highest-ranking person in the company and is responsible for managing the overall
operations of a company and making managerial decisions for top-level.
Skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Leadership skills

Management skills

Approachability

Ethical leadership
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Role
The second in command to the CEO. A COO job role is to manage and oversee the daily
activities of the business in a company, providing leadership, management, and vision to
ensure that the business has effective people, operational controls, and administrative and
reporting procedures in place.
Skills

Leadership skills

Strategy skills

Completion-oriented skills

Decision-making skills
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Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Role
A CMO manages and oversees all marketing and advertising activities throughout the
company.
Skills

Analytical skills

Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a team

Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills

Prioritization skills

Creativity Skills

Deep understanding of changing market dynamics

Growth driver

Marketing expert
General Manager Retail Operations (GMRO)
Role
Responsible for managing the daily operations of retail stores. Should address and resolve
customer complaints and monitor the financial performance of the stores. The GMRO
should set sales targets for each store location and implement action plans for achieving set
objectives. Must ensure proper staffing at all stores as well as train employees to enhance
their job performance and retention. Also must evaluate the sales performance and level of
customer satisfaction of each store.
Skills

Enthusiasm

Numerical skills

Verbal communication skills

Teamworking skills

Organisational skills
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
Confidence

Commercial awareness.
General Manager Finance (GMF)
Role
GMF distributes the financial resources of a company, is responsible for the budget
planning, and supports the executive management team by offering insights and financial
advice that will allow them to make the best business decisions for the company.
Skills

An analytical mind

Negotiation skills and the ability to develop strong working relationships

Commercial and business awareness

Good communication skills – both written and verbal

A keen eye for detail and desire to probe further into data

Ability to stick to time constraints
General Manager Credit (GM Credit)
Role
GM Credit role is to oversee the credit granting process for a company. Their job is to
optimize company sales and reduce bad debt losses by maintaining the credit policy.
Skills

Strong negotiation skills

Ability to work under pressure

Excellent analytical skills

Advanced mathematical ability

Solid interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Great written and verbal communication skills
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
Understanding of loans and lending procedures
Head of Procurement & Logistics
Role
Head of Procurement & Logistics is a supply chain and logistics professional specialized in
ensuring the cost-effective purchase of all materials and services as required by the
procurement plan whilst ensuring quality control and compliance with the Company’s
policies and procedures.
Skills

Outstanding negotiation skills

Problem solver with a strong analytical mindset

Organisational and time management skills

Excellent customer service skills

Negotiation aptitude.

Interpersonal and leadership skills
Manager Human Resource & Compliance
Role
Facilitate process design/redesign, system & workflow enhancements, change requests,
maintenance, support & training.
Skills

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Establishing priorities and meeting aggressive deadlines

Strong presentation skills

Strong research and analytical skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills within all levels of the organisation
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Reason for allocating such roles and responsibilities to such managers as
per the above Organisation Structure
Managerial jobs differ on two important dimensions which are the vertical dimension and
horizontal dimension. The vertical dimension focus on different hierarchical levels and the
horizontal dimension addresses variations in managers’ responsibility areas.
When further analysing the vertical dimensions, the managerial jobs are divided into three
categories. They are as below from top to bottom.

Top managers

Middle managers

First-line managers
The categories represent vertical differentiation among managers as they involve different
organisation levels, as seen in the figure below.
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6.0 Conclusion
The research study had focused on four major areas. Which are pointed out in the
Analysis/Findings area.
Mainly, the overall planning process, Internal and External
environment, roles and skills of managers and the managerial decision making
As I have already noted above Courts Fiji has a strong foundation with its 18 stores Fiji
wide. The mission of this company is “Delighting our Customers”. The goals and strategies
are defined consistent with the vision and mission of the organisation. In terms of their
resources and competencies, the overall planning process of the company goals is met
effectively and efficiently.
The Organisation need to take into account all of their internal and external environment
factors and adjust their business plans and objectives accordingly. This would safeguard
their business and continues to function smoothly and uninterruptedly.
Through the SWOT Analysis, it has enabled Courts Fiji to identify, its Strengths and
Weaknesses, possible Opportunities and potential Threats. This has helped build the
company on what it has done well, also address what lacking, and minimize risks before
they decide on any new strategy.
The findings of this research have covered the managerial job roles, skills and
responsibilities. There are two important dimensions which are the vertical dimension
which focuses on different hierarchical levels and the horizontal dimension addressing
variations in managers’ responsibility areas.
Finally, the research has also aimed to identify the importance of managerial decision
making.
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7.0 Bibliography/ References

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[online] Available at: <https://www.thehartford.com/business-insurance/strategy/marketresearch/primary-second-research> [Accessed 18 October 2021].

HEATHFIELD, S., 2021. The Balance Careers. [online] The Balance Careers. Available
at: <https://www.thebalancecareers.com/> [Accessed 1 November 2021].

Wrike.com. 2021. What Are the Responsibilities of a CMO? | Wrike Marketing Guide.
[online] Available at: <https://www.wrike.com/marketing-guide/faq/what-are-theresponsibilities-of-a-cmo/> [Accessed 12 October 2021].

Ca.indeed.com. 2021. Credit Manager Job Description | Indeed. [online] Available at:
<https://ca.indeed.com/hire/job-description/credit-manager?hl=en&co=CA> [Accessed 2
November 2021].

Roberthalf.com.au. 2021. Finance Manager job description and duties | Robert Half.
[online] Available at: <https://www.roberthalf.com.au/employers/financeaccounting/finance-manager-jobs> [Accessed 10 October 2021].

Recruiting and Hiring Resources. 2021. Procurement Manager job description template.
[online] Available at: <https://www.talentlyft.com/en/resources/procurement-managerjob-description> [Accessed 3 October 2021].

ViVA, R., 2021. Courts Fiji | Retail ViVA Success Stories | Retail ERP Software.
[online] Retail ViVA. Available at: <https://retailviva.com/success-stories/Courts-FijiAugust-2009.html> [Accessed 1 November 2021].

Worldcreditmanagement.com. 2021. Planning and organizing a business credit and
collection strategy. [online] Available at:
<http://www.worldcreditmanagement.com/strategy/strategy2.html> [Accessed 6
November 2021].

Essays, Research Papers and Articles on Business Management. 2021. Characteristics of
Business Environment (7 Characteristics). [online] Available at:
<https://www.businessmanagementideas.com/business-environment/characteristics-ofbusiness-environment-7-characteristics/2310> [Accessed 5 November 2021].
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
Fontanella, C., 2021. 8 Types of Crisis Your Company Could Face (and Protect Against).
[online] Blog.hubspot.com. Available at: <https://blog.hubspot.com/service/types-ofcrisis> [Accessed 27 October 2021].

MGT501 Lecture Notes

Ritchie, A., 2019. 3 Keys To Effective Problem Escalation. [online] Linkedin.com.
Available at: <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/3-keys-effective-problem-escalationalistair-ritchie/> [Accessed 6 November 2021].
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