Research on J.C Penny Company Inc. from its inception to current-day operations

Research on J.C Penny Company Inc. from its inception to current-day operations

JC Penney

Since 1902 JC Penney has been a leading retailer in the United States. The company currently provides goods like shoes, apparel, and home (incorporating bed and bath). Currently, the company is looking to rebrand to draw a new generation of clients into their stores and has started the marketing campaign “Live it. Love it. Own it.” in February 2012 in different metropolitan areas and markets across the country.

It is difficult for a company within the retail world to dissolve all former plans, designs, and environments of the store to make a fresh start. However, this is just what JCPenney did, and has done a nu8mber of times. Formed over 100 years ago, this organization has seen transformations and complete overhauls with each new CEO. Recently, JC Penney also known as JCP has initiated fresh again with the new President Michael Francis and CEO Ron Johnson. Both heads of JCP have come from successful organizations and are now bringing that success to their new company. The store has been given new life with new pricing, organizational structure, new marketing, store environment and promotions. All of these changes have been integrated around areas that were formerly not proving successful to the success of the company.

Changes in Management Style

It can be viewed that change management is an approach of shifting organization and individuals from an existing to future position. It is observed that change management is a procedure that is intended at motivating employees for admitting changes and up gradations in their existing business setting.

At the time of its inception the company used to follow the management style developed and propounded by Frederick Winslow Taylor called Taylorism. This method believed in the theory of "One Best Way", to carry out a particular task (Giannantonio, & Hurley-Hanson, 2011). In general, Taylorism believed in the following principles:

Decision making should be under the management's view. This makes sure that emotions are not the leading factor for the business. Additionally, decision making is more professional in manager's hands because they can be unprejudiced and have a logical approach towards management.

Developing a standard procedure to perform every job. This assists in having consistency in the production. Standard procedures speeds up the process of production and create an environment of proficiency.

Selecting employees with suitable capabilities for each job to make an environment of quality and complete understanding of the job.

The company is currently adapted to the Authoritarian style of management. In this style, the complete control and authority is in the hands of one person and no one else can question it. It can also be called totalitarianism or dictatorship. It does create an environment of discipline in the organization. However, at times it can cause disappointment and lack of “innovative space” for the employees. For a manger like this the employees are only a replaceable source and not the foundation of the ...