Which Department is Most Important to Your Company?

Breaking down large populations into unique and often separate groups is a very human trait.

Whether it is in school, at a cocktail party, or within a neighborhood, individuals seek to identify with a group similar to themselves in make-up, knowledge, skills, or interests.

This tendency to cluster is exacerbated within an organization because of formal structures that are put into place which are designed to perform certain, specific tasks.

In the end, we find that these clusters frequently view themselves as more important and critical to the organization than anyone else.

The marketing department will argue that they set the direction for the company's products and services- and deal with the customers, the lifeblood of any firm.

The HR folks will make the case that since a company is made up of people, the quality of those people and ultimately the organization rests in their hands.

The production area of a company will contend that unless products and services are readied for customers in a timely fashion, nothing else can happen.

The individuals in charge of the supply chain will claim that the production folks can do nothing unless the supply chain is supporting them.

The finance office views themselves as the keepers of the keys, so to speak. Money, the mother's milk of the firm, has to flow through them.

And so it goes

What do you think is the most important part of your company (if there is one)?