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These might be helpful for your research: http://ir.jcpenney.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70528&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=2139263 https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/11/03/1174707/0/en/JCPenney-Announces-aRealignment-of-its-Merchandising-Organization.html http://quotes.wsj.com/JCP/company-people https://www.jcpnewsroom.com/newsreleases/2018/0302_strategic_realignment_of_senior_leadership_team.html http://practical-management.com/Organization-Development/Functional-Vs-DivisionalStructure.html

1.) Upon examining the positions offered at the higher and lower levels of management at J.C Penney, it has been concluded that the company operates at a “functional” level of organizational design. According to Practical Management, the concept of functional management entails the coordination and control of divisions of lower levels of management by the top level of management (Gupta 2009). The appointment of Joe McFarland as executive vice president portrays this concept precisely. His oversight over merchandising and in-store operations is an expanded role, but with help from additional newly appointed officers (JCPenney Newsroom). Such officers are those like Jodie Johnson, who is the merchandising manager for the women’s, beauty, family, and footwear divisions. Additionally, James Stark is the merchandising manager for the men’s children’s, home, and jewelry divisions. J.C. Penney has put great faith in these people as according to chief executive officer Marvin Ellison with their “spearheaded critical tasks and drive results and efficiencies along the way” (JCPenney Newsroom). In order to streamline the management process, both managers will be reporting directly to McFarland. Reporting directly to the CEO exhibits functional management as it

provides a direct link from managers to the CEO to transfer information. Further corporate positions include independent directors, vice president, chief financial officer, chief accounting officer, and so on (The Wall Street Journal). These positions are valuable assets to the company in order for higher make strategic decisions on the direction of the company.

2&3 ii.

On JCPenney’s “Statement of Business Ethics” they begin to state that they want to create a

relationship with their associates to further their investigation on how to better the store for the customers. “At JCPenney, we continue our tradition of ethical behavior with our WINNING TOGETHER Principles. They reflect how we at JCPenney believe we should work with each other, our business partners, our customers and our communities (Sec.Gov).” They believe integrity entails respect, honesty, loyalty, responsibility, and communication. Within the communication aspect they state that they ask questions on if something is right and if something is wrong how they can better it. iii.

JCPenney states that their associates must do the basic activities that retail employees should be

doing. For example, ringing up customers purchases, organizing the store, greeting the customers, helping the customers find what they need, etc. These are virtually what is described in the job description, as we see in the article found they put greeting customers as the very first job that an associate needs to do. We can see here how they focus on helping the customer and being able to have people skills. Concerning set rules those are pretty much it, there is no defined procedure on how to accomplish these jobs, but as long as they stay busy and the store does not look like a mess they are doing good.

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1166126/000116612607000022/exhibit14businessethics.htm https://www.job-applications.com/jcpenney-sales-associate/

4.

The organization of J.C.Penney’s is best described as a mechanistic running structure. The company is best characterized this way because they believe in running a high authority, high formalized store with an abundant variety of practices and procedures within the business. Since it is more classified as an mechanistic organization structure than an organic one, they typically hold tight control, over processes and employees, as well as the managers/CEOS give clear, to the point tasks to the “associates” to work separately in their own departments on their own assigned tasks. Referencing back to 2 & 3 above, as a result of them trying to create a relationship with their associates, they have respect, honesty, loyalty, responsibility, and communication towards them and it will eventually carry onto the customers as well. Within the formalized practice aspect they ask questions on if something is right, and if something is wrong how they can better it, this makes the company better itself with the customers and the surroundings. Since the mechanistic organization that JCP runs by is relatively easier and simpler to organize, and their associates must do the basic activities like retail employees should be doing, unfortunately in result since there is a bunch of competition in the same business, rapid change is very challenging, this in which is bringing sales at a decline. https://blog.ordoro.com/2012/07/15/mechanistic-organization/ https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1166126/000116612607000022/exhibit14businessethics.htm https://www.job-applications.com/jcpenney-sales-associate/

5. The element of structure of winning together to make JCPenney’s better as a whole for their stakeholders is in line with the strategy of JCPenney (SEC). JCPenney’s mission is to create deeper more enduring relationships with their customers and empower associates. The “winning together” system does exactly that creating ethical relationships between partners and employees, and, as a result, creating positive environment for the customers (SEC). Having ethical relationships upholds JCPenney’s core values of the Golden Rule, treat others the way you want to be treated (J.C. Penney). The job of the associates also upholds the goals of the strategy by being customer focused. JCPenney’s Goal is to create an environment that is customer focused. The associates are expected to have good people skills and treat the customers with respect. Aso the associates are expected to keep the store running efficiently

and organized. This fits in to their competitive strategy of focused cost leadership. Since many stores have similar products and prices, it is important JCPenney’s set themselves apart with positive customer experiences.

6. Based on the above analyses, a couple organizational structure recommendations for JC Penney are to give the associates, as they are called, the liberty and freedom to make sales and do their jobs however they see fit. If Penney truly wants to empower their employees, we recommend that they instill the confidence in their workers to make the sale in their own, creative way. Also, we recommend that in addition to their “Winning Together” slogan, JC Penney should advocate for helping one another, perhaps with a “Help One Another” slogan in addition to their existing slogan. This will reaffirm to their customers and network that they truly value honesty and respect. The two adjustments we would make to JC Penney to help the department store better adapt to its environment and pursue its strategies are to shift the company’s focus towards online sales. We recommend doing this through advertising on forms of social media and also through putting more money into their online store. More specifically, we think they need to remodel their existing website, provide more visuals and make them more appealing, and make the JC Penney website easier to navigate for shoppers. Of these adjustments we highly recommend putting more money into their website and revamping the company’s image on the website. Penney can make strides past their department store competition by making their website simpler, with higher quality images of the clothing, and using models of all shapes and sizes. Pouring more money into these changes will pay dividends because the younger generation is more accustomed to searching for a company online and seeing their inventory prior to getting in their car and driving out to a brick-and-mortar store.

J.C. Penney. (3 April 2018). Mission and Values. Retrieved from

https://www.jcpenney.com/jsp/browse/marketing/promotion.jsp?&pageId=pg400360000 11

Works Cited Gupta, Ashim.(20 September 2009). Functional Vs Divisional Structure. Retrieved from http://practical-management.com/Organization-Development/Functional-Vs-Divisional-St ructure.html The Wall Street Journal. (4 April 2018). J.C. Penney Co. Inc. Retrieved from http://quotes.wsj.com/JCP/company-people JCPenney Newsroom. (2 March 2018). JCPenney Announces Strategic Realignment of its Senior Leadership Team. Retrieved from https://www.jcpnewsroom.com/news-releases/2018/0302_strategic_realignment_of_seni Or_leadership_team.html SEC. JCPenney Statement of Business Ethics. (6 April 2018). https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1166126/000116612607000022/exhibit14businessethics.htm

Job-Applications. (6 April 2018). JCPenney Sales Associate Job Description & Interview. Retrieved from https://www.job-applications.com/jcpenney-sales-associate/ Ordoro Blog. (15 July 2012). Mechanistic Organization Vs. Organic Organization. Retrieved from https://blog.ordoro.com/2012/07/15/mechanistic-organization/...