A staffing decision changes who does the work, so it reaches every function. The skill is choosing the effects the case supports and wording them with the right certainty.
This lesson is part of how business functions depend on each other, after tracing a late delivery.
The fictional case
Kafe Tepi Sungai has four part-timers. The owner plans to drop one to save RM1 200 each month. The cafe is busiest from 12 noon to 2 p.m., and it depends on repeat lunch customers.
Effects on each function
| Function | Effect | How sure? |
|---|---|---|
| Finance | Wage cost falls by RM1 200 each month | Certain from the figures |
| Operations | Slower service at lunch, so fewer orders served | Could happen, because lunch hours are fixed |
| Marketing | Repeat customers may leave if they wait | May happen |
| Human resources | The other three may work more hours and feel tired | May happen |
The case gives hard evidence only for the wage saving. The other effects are reasoned, so they use careful verbs.
The mistake that costs marks
The common slip is a one-function answer: “Dropping a worker saves money, so it is a good decision.” It is correct as far as it goes, but it ignores the cafe’s lunch rush.
A stronger answer says, “Dropping a part-timer saves RM1 200 each month, but the cafe is busiest at lunch, so slower service could lose repeat customers. The saving may be cancelled by lost sales.”
| Feature | One function | Multi-function |
|---|---|---|
| Functions | Finance | Finance, operations, marketing |
| Uses the case detail | No | Lunch rush, repeat customers |
| Weighs both sides | No | Saving against lost sales |
How to write the wording
Use certain words for facts from the case and careful words for reasoning. “Saves RM1 200” is a fact, and “could lose customers” is a judgement.
Then end with a balanced line about which effect is larger. You may say it depends on how many sales are lost, which leads to the next lesson on missing information.
Check yourself
The same cafe decides to add a fifth part-timer for lunch at RM1 200 each month. Name two functions affected and write one careful sentence.
Answer
Finance (wage cost rises) and operations (faster lunch service).
Sentence: “Adding a part-timer raises wage cost by RM1 200, but faster lunch service could serve more customers and recover some of the cost.”
What to study next
Go on to identifying the missing information before recommending a change.
For a teacher to read your case answers with you, see online one-to-one Business tuition.