Caresource versus Quest

How would you describe the management processes within Caresource versus Quest? Which seemed more effective? Why?

           A process can be defined as a series of steps or activities that are engaged by an organization to accomplish an exact outcome. Process management involves putting the necessary tools in place to record, gauge, monitor and regulate the organization’s processes set in motion (Arantes et al., 2023). An organization’s management processes are the techniques incorporated by an organization to perform its businesses and manage its workforce. In the case of Quest and Caresource, we identified two different management process, namely organic and mechanistic. Caresource is believed to be more mechanistic in nature. The CEO of Caresource is Benjamin Farrington. His upmost priority was creating a clear structure for his workforce and boosting productivity. He eliminated pointless business meetings that he thought was hindering employees from doing the important stuff. When there is an absolute need for a meeting, he takes full control of it, providing instructions, delegating responsibilities, stating project deadlines, and realigning their goals. This type of organizations is extremely formal, the power and decision-making remain at the top. A mechanical management process is principally concerned about productivity (Daft, 2020).

         Quest Medical Devices on the other hand, practices an organic management process. In these types of businesses, the rules are more people friendly, graceful, and easily adaptable. Guidelines and policy are not regularly enforced or, written down. Employees usually have some flexibility and can decide on what to do. The chain of command is relaxed and not rigid. There is decentralization of the decision-making process. The CEO of Quest Medical Devices was William Farrington. He motivated his employees regularly and encouraged them to work collaboratively. During departmental meetings, the entire team would deliberate on their organizational goals and objectives, he habitually inquired team members opinions and ideas. Information sharing, collaboration, and opposing the norm or current state of affair for the growth of the organization was highly encouraged (Daft, 2020).

         I think the Organic approach seemed more effective because none of Quest’s unit failed inspection and they were delivered on time. The entire team worked together as one to produce qualitative products. According to Gong & Cheng (2022). there has been a constant growth in the proportion and significance of scientific teamwork over the last decades. They defined scientific collaboration as the process of completing a task with other individuals or team to accomplish a shared objective of producing new product or result. By distributing information, knowledge, and procedures, members of a team can successfully enhance the difficulty and quality of their product. Numerous experiments have verified great outcome between collaboration and performance (Gong & Cheng, 2022). Proverbs 27:17 states, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (English Standard Version, 2001). This was evident in the case of Quest Medical Devices where all the products they manufactured were 100% acceptable by the company. Even though Caresource was focus on performance and productivity, they were late by nine days in delivering the product and they had defective products as well (Daft, 2020). 

Which organizational design (Caresource or Quest) do you think was more appropriate for a competitive and changing technological environment? Why?

           I think Quest’s organizational design would be more appropriate for a competitive and changing technological environment because of its flexibility, collaborative nature, and employee empowerment, and time management. In this approach, employees are encouraged to be innovative thinkers, challenge the status-quo, take ownership, promote imagination and adaptation. Corporations are not stationary; they are constantly evolving to the demand of external and internal ecosystem. Currently, several businesses are confronting the necessity to alter itself radically into something new because of its environment. Quest organizational design gives it an edge over Caresource in a competitive environment to be able to respond quickly to market demands due to the team involvement of different minded individual coming together to resolve a particular issue. They were able to deliver the demanded products on time. According to Draft, (2020). “Collaboration and partnership are the new way of doing business”. Businesses consider themselves as groups that cooperatively achieve its benefit instead of an independent enterprise that are in opposition with the other establishment (Draft, 2020). According to Uraon et al., (2024) teamwork fosters careful continuous re-evaluation, share progress update, build trust, problem solving with different perspectives and enhanced productivity.

Which firm should have won the complete contract—Caresource or Quest? Which do you think eventually will be chosen to produce the ventricular device? Explain.

         I believe Quest should have won the complete contract because of how they address the project from the beginning. The engineering department, product development and manufacturing all worked together to construct the product specification. They were collaborative in exchanging ideas, problem solving, and managing their time effectively. These group at Quest were able to detect an error in the blueprint, which they informed the contract owner, Johnston Medical Care. They were dedicated, met the deadline, and even resolved a problem the other companies were not aware of. Apparently, Johnston Medical chose to divide the sales equally probably to save cost. Caresource proposal was ten percent lower than Quest proposal. I also think they did not give the whole order to Caresource because of how productive Quest was. Johnson Medical offered some of the sales to Quest not minding how expensive they were, probably because were impressed of their effectiveness, quality, timeliness, and problem solving (Draft, 2020).  

Biblical Integration

           God gave us a blueprint for leadership and organizational design. John 15:5 states, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing “(New International Version, 1973/2011). King Solomon is a good example of a leader that led his people the right way. He had a similar management process depicted in Quest Medical Devices. King Solomon led the people with the fear of God, respected, and treated them well. When it came to building God temple, he didn’t force anyone to bring stuff, he gave them the flexibility to bring the building materials they chose to. He instructed people to work together in building the temple. Individuals used their respective area of expertise to contribute to the temple building. The collaborative effort was so evident on how beautiful the temple turned out to be (Merida, 2015).

References

Arantes, M. C., Santos, S. F. d., & Simão, V. G. (2023). Process management: Systematic review of determining factors for automation. Business Process Management Journal, 29(3), 893-910. 

Daft, R. L. (2020). Organization Theory & Design (13th ed.). Cengage Learning US. 

English Standard Version Bible. (2001). Proverbs 27:17. Bible Gateway. Retrieved May 28th, 2024, from 

Gong, K., & Cheng, Y. (2022). Patterns and impact of collaboration in China’s social sciences: Cross-database comparisons between CSSCI and SSCI. Scientometrics, 127(10), 5947-5964. 

Merida, T. (2015). Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Kings. B&H Publishing Group. 

New International Version. (1973/2011). John 15:5. Bible Gateway. Retrieved May 28th, 2024, from 

Uraon, R.S., Chauhan, A., Bharati, R. and Sahu, K. (2024), “Do agile work practices impact team performance through project commitment? Evidence from the information technology industry”, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 73 No. 4, pp. 1212-1234.