Chapter 7: Organisation and management

Question 1

what is an organisational structure?

Answer 1

it refers to the levels of management and division of responsibilities within an organisation.

Question 2

what is an organisational chart?

Answer 2

It refers to a diagram that outlines the internal management structure.

Question 3

What does hierarchy mean?

Answer 3

it refers to the levels of management in any organisation, from the highest to the lowest.

Question 4

What does a level of hierarchy mean?

Answer 4

it refers to the managers/supervisors/ other employees who are given a similar level of responsibility in an organisation.

Question 5

what is a chain of command?

Answer 5

is the structure in an organisation which allows instructions to be passed down from senior management to lower levels of management.

Question 6

what is a span of control?

Answer 6

is the number of people working directly under a manager.

Question 7

Describe the relationship between chain of command and span of control.

Answer 7

• The longer the chain of command, the ‘taller’ will be the organisational structure and the ‘narrower’ will be the span of control.
• When the chain of command is short, the organisational will have wider spans of control.

Question 8

what is delayering an organisational structure?

Answer 8

is when a level of management is removed, creating a wider organisational structure and a shorter chain of command.

Question 9

List out the advantages of a shorter chain of command.

Answer 9

• Communication is quicker: messages have lesser levels to pass through.
• Top managers will be less remote from lower levels; they will be in touch with lower levels.
• Spans of control is wider: each manager is responsible for more subordinates. Managers have more people to manage. workers have less direct control.

Question 10

Why is having many people to manage better for a manager?

Answer 10

managers will delegate more as a large department means they cannot handle tasks by them selves.

Question 11

why is less direct control better for a worker?

Answer 11

They will feel more trusted and will be able to make decisions. This can give more job satisfaction.

Question 12

What is the disadvantage of a wider span of control?

Answer 12

They have many people that they are directly responsible for and may end up losing control if they are poorly trained.

Question 13

Who is a director?

Answer 13

They are senior managers who lead a particular department or division in a business.

Question 14

what is the problem with having a large organisations being arranged into separate functional departments?

Answer 14

• Workers may feel more loyal to their department.

- Conflict between departments may arise.

Question 15

Who are line managers?

Answer 15

are people with direct responsibility over people below them in the hierarchy of an organisation.

Question 16

Who are supervisors?

Answer 16

they are junior managers who have direct control over the employees below them in the organisational structure.

Question 17

Who are staff managers?

Answer 17

are specialists who provide support, information and assistance to line managers.

Question 18

why is a regional department necessary?

Answer 18

They can use specialist knowledge to help it run the stores abroad, such as knowledge local customs and traditions.

Question 19

list of the five main roles of a management.

Answer 19

• Planning
• Organizing
• Coordinating
• Commanding
• Controlling

Question 20

Explain why planning is an important role of management.

Answer 20

• Planning for the future is when aims and targets are set
• It gives the organization a purpose and direction
• The management will also have to plan resources needed to achieve those targets.

Question 21

Explain why organizing is an important role of management.

Answer 21

-Tasks must be delegated to others and resources should be properly organized as managers will not be able to do all tasks by themselves.

Question 22

Explain why coordinating is an important role of management.

Answer 22

Manager should ensure all departments are working together towards the tasks planned by the management.
To do this, meetings can be held.

Question 23

Explain why commanding is an important role of management.

Answer 23

Managers should make sure all supervisors and workers are working towards the task.
They should guide, lead and supervise them and also tell them what to do.

Question 24

Explain why controlling is an important role of management.

Answer 24

Managers must try to evaluate and measure the work of all individuals and groups to make sure they are on target.
They may have to find the reason why these targets are not being met and this can include disciplining the staff too.

Question 25

list what a business might lack without proper management

Answer 25

• a sense of control and direction
• coordination between departments, leading to a wastage of efforts.
• control of employees
• organization of resources, leading to low output and sales.

Question 26

what is delegation?

Answer 26

It means giving subordinates the authority to perform particular tasks.

Question 27

Describe the advantages of delegation to a manager

Answer 27

• Gives time to concentrate on more important tasks.
• Less likely hood of mistakes from managers.
• Easy to measure success and capabilities of staff, based on the tasks delegated to them.

Question 28

Describe the advantages of delegation to a subordinate.

Answer 28

• the work becomes interesting and rewarding.
• Feeling of importance- incentive to do a good job
• train workers and gives better opportunities.

Question 29

Describe the disadvantages of delegation to a manager.

Answer 29

• subordinate may not do a task well.

- subordinate may do a better job- manager insecurity.

Question 30

list the qualities of a good manager

Answer 30

• motivate employees
• guide and advise employees
• inspire employees
• manage resources and keep costs under control
• increase profitability.

Question 31

what is a leadership style/

Answer 31

are the different approaches to dealing with people and making decisions when in a position of authority- autocratic, democratic or laissez-faire

Question 32

what are the three most important styles of leader ship?

Answer 32

• autocratic
• democratic
• lassez-faire

Question 33

what is an autocratic leadership?

Answer 33

is where a manager is in charge of a business and expects his orders to be followed.

Question 34

what is the advantage of an autocratic leadership?

Answer 34

quick decision making

Question 35

what is the advantage of an autocratic leadership?

Answer 35

no opportunity for employee ideas- demotivating.

Question 36

what is a democratic leader ship?

Answer 36

is where the manager gets the employee involved in the decision making process

Question 37

what is the advantage of a democratic leadership?

Answer 37

better decisions as employees may have experience and ideas

Question 38

what is the disadvantage of a democratic leadership?

Answer 38

unpopular decisions cannot be made. e.g employee redundancy.

Question 39

what is a laissez-faire type of leadership?

Answer 39

makes the broad objectives of the business known to employees, but then they are left to make their own decisions and organize their own work.

Question 40

what is the advantage of a laissez-faire style of leadership?

Answer 40

employees can show creativity and responsibility

Question 41

what is the disadvantage of a laissez-faire style of leadership?

Answer 41

not appropriate in clear and consistent organizations like customer service.

Question 42

what is a trade union?

Answer 42

is a group of employees who have joined together to ensure their interests are protected.

Question 43

what are the benefits of a trade union for an employee/member?

Answer 43

• strength in numbers when negotiating with employers.
• Improved conditions of employment; rates of pay, holidays and hours of work.
• Improved work environment; health and safety, noise and heating.
• Improved benefits for ill or redundant workers.
• improved job satisfaction
• Advice and financial support
• Influence government officials
• secure employment

Question 44

what are the disadvantages of a trade union for a member /employee?

Answer 44

• costs money to be a member

- workers may have to take industrial action if they don’t agree.

Question 45

Benefits of a trade union for employer.

Answer 45

• better communication between worker and employer.

- easy wage agreement

Question 46

Disadvantages of a trade union for an employer

Answer 46

• worker strikes

- higher wages. more business costs.