NAME:__________________ OA (OFFICE ORIENATION) TERM 1, LESSON 1

What is an office? 3. Distribution and exchange

The office is the centre of all business activities, - Money is used as a medium of exchange in the
whether it is located in one room or several rooms, process of buying and selling.
and needs a certain amount of information in order - Office activities generated by the exchange of
to function properly. The office acts as an goods and services include: Preparing sales
intermediary between the public and the slips, Writing cheques, Preparing receipts ,
organization. Making ledger entries.
-

Function and roles of the office 4. Collection, processing and storage of data
1. The production process - Data is unprocessed information i.e. raw facts
- The objective of any business is to combine and figures.
resources to make or create goods and services - Two main reasons why businesses collect and
that will satisfy the desires of consumers, so process information:
that the business will make a profit. *To ensure customers are getting what they
- Production combines land, labour and capital want
to create goods and services in order to satisfy *To maintain processes that allow all the
consumer needs. different offices to function together in
- The functions of the production department delivering the good/service to the customer
include ensuring that goods are produced at an 5. Dissemination of information
acceptable quality standard maintained by - Disseminate – distribute to various parties
quality control. - Once the business collects the information, it is
disseminated.
Goods - Information can be disseminated in a variety of
Land
ways such as: Emails, Meetings, Letter, Fax,
Production Internet, Telephones
Labour
6. Organisational management and legal control
Services - Accounts offices keep financial records that
Capital
record sales and predict profit or loss for
example.
The production process
- Is it also required in order to comply with tax
laws in most countries, which require that all
profit or losses must be disclosed.
2. Distribution and exchange
- Distribution entails transporting the finished
*************************************
product.
- The method of distribution will depend on the
nature of the product i.e. whether it is bulky or
How the size of the business affects the structure of
if it is perishable.
the office
The organization structure of a business and the
Channels of Distribution
Producer > Agent > Distributer > Wholesale> Retail >Consumer
responsibilities of its employees depend to a large
extent on the size and nature of the business.

D. Latchman (August-2018)
NAME:__________________ OA (OFFICE ORIENATION TERM 1, LESSON 1
o Small business
A small business in your neighborhood will most likely Deployment - the movement of staffs or equipment to
be run by a sole trader or proprietor. In such small departments and other area when needed to maximize
business all decisions are made by the owner. If he/she efficiency. In large firms managers will evaluate an
employs any other employees they will not be employee ability to adapt to change, to complete new
specialized in any area but will help out generally. jobs and procedures without much supervision. This
o Medium business process will help management to fit employees in
Medium size businesses are generally thought of having positions that will bring out their fullest potentials. The
perhaps 50 or more employees. These business are organization will benefit by having the right person in
normally partnerships business. This type of business the right job, which will efficiently enhance the
will certainly employ more office workers, perhaps with procedures in the workplace.
more specialized skills. This specialization in skill will
allow the business to function more effectively. ***********************
o Large business The office layout
An example of a large business would be the utility When deciding on an office layout, a business or
company, large hotels, etc. These types of business organization has to consider things as:
employs hundreds of workers. o The amount of space that would be adequate for
the number of persons working in the organization.
*********************** o The quantity of equipments and workstations that
will be housed in the area.
Centralization - is when services and equipment are o The amount of storage that will be needed in the
located in one office or specialized area in the firm. area.
- Advantages: (i) specialist will be trained to o The health and safety labour laws made by
perform very specific jobs, (ii) efficiency will government and labour institutions.
increase in the organization, (iii) resources will
be better use and care for, (iv) accountability Types of office layouts
and control will rest with specific persons. 1) The cellular office – this is the traditional office
- Disadvantages: (i) workers may become type, they may be separated by walls or dividing
unmotivated/bored and want a change in partitions. It is usually a room that will seat
work, (ii) employees will have to leave between one and four persons. It will have artificial
departments of section to go to specialized lightings and doors allowing easy access or privacy.
centralized area, (iii) if a worker is missing 2) The open plan office – the open plan office is set up
other employees may not know how to as one big integrated office (there are no dividing
operated systems and equipment. walls or partitions). It can accommodate any
number of employees between 10 to 200 or more.
Decentralization – is when services and equipment are This office layout offers no privacy, causing
located in each department of a company. employees to be distracted by sounds and
- Advantages: (i) all staff will have access to colleagues passing. Furthermore there is no
services and equipment, (ii) each employee will safeguard against communicable diseases being
be skilled in using every piece of equipment, present in the office e.g. the common cold.
(iii) it saves time and work can be done faster.
- Disadvantages: (i) it is costly buy and maintain
equipment, (ii) wasting of resources, (iii)
training employees takes up time.
D Latchman (August-2018)
NAME:__________________ OA (OFFICE ORIENATION TERM 1, LESSON 1

Advantages and disadvantages of cellular office

Advantages Disadvantages
 Privacy, allowing for  Isolation can have a
quiet and negative effect on the
concentration communication with
the rest of the firm

 Not only desk in office  Managers and

be locked but the clearness may not
office itself have access to office
when needed.

 The workers in the  There is a less efficient

office can normally use of office space
rearrange the office to
their liking and
enabling comfort.

 If the workers in the  If workers do not get

office get along well it along can make the
will foster work environment
communication and uncomfortable and
team work. unproductive.

Advantages and disadvantages of the open plan office

Advantages Disadvantages
 Easier to communicate  There is no privacy
with all employees on
the floor

 Manager other  Individual belongings

workers has easy kept at the desk will
access to cabinets and be less secure
work equipment

 Open plan office can  Individual worker has

be arranged by expert little or no control
to maximize the use of over office layout
space.

 Managers will be able  Large open offices

to oversee large teams develop the culture of
easily gossip and whispering,
making the overall
organization
unproductive.

D Latchman (August-2018)