2.2 Organisation and management

Question 1

What is an ‘organisational structure’?

Answer 1

Levels of management and division of responsibilities within a business

Question 2

Hierarchy

Answer 2

management levels within an organisation

Question 3

Line managers

Answer 3

people responsible for overseeing work of other staff

Question 4

Authority

Answer 4

power managers have to direct subordinates and make decisions

Question 5

Delegation

Answer 5

when managers entrust tasks or decisions to subordinates

Question 6

Span of control

Answer 6

number of subordinates reporting directly to a manager

Question 7

Chain of command

Answer 7

path of authority which instructions are passed, from highest downwards

Question 8

Lines of communication

Answer 8

routes messages travel along

Question 9

Directors

Answer 9

most senior, sets out strategies, makes sure resources available, reviews performances of managers, provide leadership to ensure success

Question 10

Managers

Answer 10

Day-to-day running of a department, delegation, motivation, solving problems that may arise within department

Question 11

Workers

Answer 11

complete tasks efficiently at require quality standard set by managers

Question 12

What are the features + advantages + disadvantages of tall organisations.

Answer 12

Tall organisations have many levels of hierarchy - span of control is narrow Ads: - Opportunities for promotion → motivational - Managers not overstretched, effective workload Disads: - Lines of communication long → firm unresponsive to change - Have to pay a large range of salary to motivate workers to try to get promoted

Question 13

What are the features + advantages + disadvantages of flat organisations.

Answer 13

Flat organisations have few levels of hierarchy Ads: - Lines of communication narrow → responsive to change - Salary range = narrower → less competition Disads: - Wide span of control → managers can feel overstretched - Not many opportunities for promotion → demotivating

Question 14

Planning

Answer 14

managers should have a clear plan of what employees need to follow (aims, tasks, objectives)

Question 15

Organising

Answer 15

Managers expected to organise by setting up systems, procedures and structures in efficient way

Question 16

Coordination

Answer 16

managers should ensure that each department is coordinating with one another

Question 17

Commanding

Answer 17

managers need to guide, lead and supervise their employees in the tasks they do and make sure they are keeping to their deadlines and achieving targets

Question 18

Controlling

Answer 18

managers must try to assess and evaluate the performance of each of their employees. If some employees fail to achieve their target, the manager must see why it has occurred and what he can do to correct it- maybe some training will be required or better equipment.

Question 19

Why is delegation important?

Answer 19

• Managers cannot do all tasks (overstretched)
• Can be delegated if they can be completed correctly
• Enables more work to be completed + motivating

Question 20

Democratic leadership style

Answer 20

managers involve employees in the decision-making and communication is two-way from top to bottom as well as bottom to top. Information about future plans is openly communicated and discussed with employees and a final decision is made by the manager.

Question 21

Autocratic leadership style

Answer 21

managers expects to be in charge of the business and have their orders followed. They do all the decision-making, not involving employees at all. Communication is thus, mainly one way- from top to bottom. This is standard in police and armed forces organizations.

Question 22

Laissez-faire leadership style

Answer 22

makes the broad objectives of the business known to employees and leaves them to do their own decision-making and organize tasks. Communication is rather difficult since a clear direction is not given. The manger has a very limited role to play.

Question 23

What are ‘trade unions’?

Answer 23

A trade union is a group of workers who have joined together to ensure their interest are protected. They negotiate with the employer (firm) for better conditions and treatment and can threaten to take industrial action if their requests are denied.

Question 24

+ and - of joining a trade union

Answer 24

+
strength in number- a sense of belonging and unity
improved conditions of employment, for example, better pay, holidays, hours of work etc

improved working conditions, foe example, health and safety

improved benefits for workers who are not working, because they’re sick, retired or made redundant (dismissed not because of any fault of their own)

financial support if a member thinks he/she has been unfairly dismissed or treated

benefits that have been negotiated for union member such as discounts on firm’s products, provision of health services.

-
costs money to be member- a membership fee will be required

may be asked to take industrial action even if they don’t agree with the union- they may not get paid during a strike, for example.