Chapter 7 - Management Approaches

Question 1

What is span of control

Answer 1

Number of workers that a manager directly controls

Small or narrow span of control = more levels of hierarchy = poorer communication

Question 2

What is a chain of command

Answer 2

Strict line of authority that extends from the top of the pyramid down to the lowest levels

E.g. Military, police = long chain of command

Question 3

What makes a classical management approach (and a good one, according to Max Weber)

Answer 3

• a strict hierarchal structure
• clear lines of responsibility and communication
• division of labour and specialisation
• impersonal evaluation of performance
• formal record keeping

Question 4

Specialisation and division of labour in a classical approach

Answer 4

• devisions of labour = tasks are divided into smaller tasks and employees are assigned specific or specialised tasks
• simple and repetitive
• e.g. Henry Ford, McDonalds

Question 5

What is bureaucracy

Answer 5

• the set of rules and regulations that control a business

Question 6

What is red-tape?

Answer 6

• excessive regulation that hinders and prevents action or decision-making

Question 7

What are Taylor’s four principles of scientific management?

Answer 7

• scientifically examine each part of a task to determine the most efficient method for performing it
• select suitable workers and train them to use the scientifically developed work methods
• cooperate with workers to guarantee they use the scientific methods
• divide work and responsibility: managers responsible for planning, organising and controlling the scientific work methods; workers responsible for carrying out the work as planned

Question 8

What did Ford develop?

Answer 8

The assembly line

Question 9

What did Frederick Taylor do?

Answer 9

Systemised the way he believed work should be done: scientific management.

Question 10

Behavioural management

Answer 10

• working with employees
• the idea that employees are motivated by more than just monetary rewards
• communication between managers and workers
• democratic leadership as opposed to autocratic
• leading, motivating and communication

Question 11

Why was behavioural management developed

Answer 11

• improvements in technology
• cost saving due to 1990s recession
• removal of middle layers of management
• multi-skilled workers
• highly educated + skilled workforce

Question 12

Does behavioural management have a wide or narrow span of control

Answer 12

Wide

Question 13

Chain of command in behavioural managment

Answer 13

• flexible and responsive to change
• smaller number of steps in chain of command
• improved communication

Question 14

Flat organisational structure (behavioural)

Answer 14

• characterised by teamwork: group of people working interactively; coordinating work to achieve a common goal
• characterised by multi-skilled employees: must be able to make decisions; self-directed; have direct input into decisions and operations of the business

Question 15

Democratic leadership

Answer 15

• employees encouraged to participate in decision making, share opinions and ideas
• managers make decisions based on the business’s goals AND employees viewpoint
• participative
• supportive leadership

Question 16

What is contingency approach

Answer 16

Stresses the need for flexibility and adaptation of management practices and ideas to suit changing circumstances

Question 17

What are the three types of management approaches

Answer 17

• classical
• behavioural
• contingency

Question 18

Advantages of classical/scientific approach

Answer 18

• promotional opportunities
• less staff for managers to oversee
• smaller tasks = easier and cheaper training of staff
• fast and efficient
• can employ lower skilled workers
• clear lines of authority
• money used to motivate

Question 19

Disadvantages of scientific/classic

Answer 19

• poor communication due to narrow hierarchal structure
• poor quality
• employees lack job satisfaction, leading to high staff turnover
• many unnecessary levels of power
• lots of red tape = makes change/adapt slower
• lack of creativity = no innovation
• decisions likely to be poorer as less people’s views and ideas considered
• no human consideration

Question 20

Advantages of behavioural

Answer 20

• wide hierarchal structure = better communication
• job satisfaction = low staff turnover
• decisions likely to be better as more people’s ideas and views considered
• creativity can lead to innovation
• workers have a wider range of skills
• lack of red tape allows decisions to be made quicker

Question 21

Disadvantages of behavioural

Answer 21

• no promotional opportunities
• more people for one manager to look after
• can take longer to complete a job
• can be less organised
• more expensive to train workers
• decision making can be slow

Question 22

5 of the 10 commandments a modern manager should be/do

Answer 22

1. Share your vision with all relevant stakeholders
2. Manage the relationships and the coalitions, not the employees
3. Learn to thrive on diversity, not conformity
4. Lead, rather than simply managing, by inspiring trust and motivation.
5. Manage your own emotions, and help others to maintain an emotional balance.

Question 23

A participative or democratic leadership style

Answer 23

Where the manager consults with employees to ask their suggestions and then seriously considers these suggestions when making decisions.

Question 24

Management in a behavioural circumstance:

Answer 24

• motivating
• skilled communicator
• leader
• encourages teamwork