The management of an organization determines whether it would be successful or not as it encompasses the significant elements of Planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. These principles are at all times at work, regardless of the organization or business entity, and how the manager would decide to execute them is up to the organization's culture. The COVID19 pandemic has brought all these managerial principles to test, as organizations have taken many measures to minimize the impacts of the same. Just like other entities, Tesla has tremendously been affected by the pandemic. This paper defines the unique problem that managers of Tesla are facing in this pandemic.
The Management problem of Planning
The pandemic has affected various parts and being of Tesla, including planning and coordination of activities. According to Bateman et al. (2019) , Planning entails all activities that a firm engages in defining and specifying goals or objectives. Similarly, it involves managing a particular organization to outline ways or approaches to follow to achieve its goals and objectives. In Tesla, Planning is essential, and it manifests in the day-to-day operations of its various branches across the globe ( Bilbeisi & Kesse, 2017) . For many years, the organization has remained dominant in the automotive industry courtesy of effective Planning.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Since venturing into the new market of producing electric cars and new automotive technology at large, Tesla has been facing challenges such as a decrease in profitability and revenue. Most of these challenges have been attributed to planning, which entails establishing goals and approaches to follow to achieve the set goals. Additionally, Planning has been extremely challenging in this pandemic. The management of Tesla has been forced to go back to the drawing board and initiate various plans that were not part of the 'original' strategic plan. The organization's dilemma in addressing the shortcomings of COVID19, such as a decrease in demand and productivity, and remaining on track to achieving the ultimate goals, pose a severe planning problem. Due to the COVID19 pandemic, the plan in Tesla called for closing down of various branches, suspension of operations and production, and paid leaves for employees, among others.
Levels of Management
In Tesla, management levels are classified into three broad categories; top-level, middle-level, and low-level management. Given the massive role of planning in management, the top and middle-level management would best handle the organization's problem. The top-level management entails senior executives such as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operations Officer tasked with formulating strategies and plans for the organization. These managers would play a significant role in developing COVID19 counter-measures, engaging all the stakeholders, and establishing a long-term plan of dealing with emerging issues such as pandemics in the future.
Another management level that would be significant in addressing the planning problems during the pandemic is the middle-level managers. These managers act as intermediaries between the top-level and low-level management ( Bateman et al., 2019) . Also, they ensure that all the plans and strategies from the top-level management are implemented. As such, they guide and evaluate the progress of the company towards attaining set goals. For instance, during the pandemic, middle-level managers would ensure that all counter-measures established are followed. Additionally, they will inform the senior management to develop suitable strategies and minimize pandemic costs.
Analyzing
Managers face a variety of challenges when undertaking their operations. Some of the typical challenges managers face include; globalization, collaboration across organizational boundaries, increasing diverse labor force and technological change. However, COVID19 has increased the challenges faced by the managers ( Zoey, n.d ). The emergence of COVID19 has necessitated a change in how organizations operate to ensure that they can cope with the pandemic's difficulties. Companies such as tesla have had to devise plans that will ensure they continue their operations without jeopardizing their employees' lives and that of their families. Because COVID19 is a fast spreader, proper planning is essential in ensuring that the virus does not infect the employees. This will translate into them, spreading the disease to their families. COVID19 is a virus that is still not well understood. Despite information being available, some are unreliable. When a company plans on its operations, they have to ensure that the information given to their staff is accurate to avoid panic within the organization.
Solutions to the planning problem
Tesla has put in place measures to help deal with the planning issues in their company. At the beginning of the pandemic, the organization closed down some of its branches in the United States. However, after realizing that there was a way that they could reopen, they decided to put measures in place to organize for their reopening. The company involved all of its stakeholders to develop a return to work formula that would ensure a smooth reopening of their companies. The formula included the need to train their employees on ways of dealing with the COVID19 virus. The plan also included putting hand washing stations at strategic places to adhere to the WHO guidelines on avoiding the virus. Tesla also put in place plans to distribute face masks to their employees and ensure that the masks were kept on at all times when they are working. The mid-level managers are tasked with the coordination and ensuring that the plans are implemented within the company.
Expectations
After putting in place measures to deal with their planning challenges, tesla expects it to reopen. The reopening will be beneficial in helping the company try and recover the losses they incurred during the months they were closed. During the closure, the companies were operating at minimal capacity, and this translated into less production. However, after the reopening, the companies will be able to increase productivity. The employees will also increase their output to ensure they make up for the lost time.
Proper planning is essential for the smooth running of every organization. Every company has plans to ensure that they grow, and these plans are put in place from the day the company is opened. Companies must enhance their planning to keep up with the changing trends in the market. COVID19 has caused unforeseen planning challenges for organizations, and they need to be able to readjust so as not to shut down their operations.
References
Bateman, T., Snell, S., & Konopaske, R. (2019). M : Management (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Bilbeisi, K. M., & Kesse, M. (2017). Tesla: A successful entrepreneurship strategy. Morrow, GA: Clayton State University .
Zoey, Z. MGT 301 Principles of Management . Presentation.
