Entire subject Flashcards

1
Q

What do top managers do? Give an example of one.

A

Top managers guide the performance of the organisation as a whole, or of one of its major parts. They scan the environment and ensure that strategies are consistent with the organisation’s mission. Examples include CEOs, COOs, managing directors and directors.

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2
Q

What do middle managers do? Give an example of one.

A

Middle managers oversee the work of large departments or divisions consisting of several smaller work units. They work with top managers and should be team-oriented. Examples include deans in universities, division managers, factory managers and branch sales managers.

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3
Q

What do project managers do?

A

Project managers coordinate complex projects with task deadlines and people with many areas of expertise.

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4
Q

What do lower managers do? Give an example of one.

A

Lower managers are people in charge of small work groups composed of non-managerial workers. These include team leaders or supervisors. They ensure that work teams meet objectives consistent with higher level organisation goals.

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5
Q

What do line managers do? Give an example of one.

A

Line managers directly contribute to the production of the organisation’s basic goods or services - their jobs relate to sales operations of the store. Examples include general manager, retail manager and department supervisors.

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6
Q

What do staff managers do? Give an example of one.

A

Staff managers use special technical expertise to advise and support line workers. Examples include director of human resources and CFO.

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7
Q

What do functional managers do?

A

Functional managers are responsible for one area of activity, such as finance, marketing, production, human resources, accounting or sales.

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8
Q

What do general managers do? Give an example of one.

A

General managers are responsible for complex organisational units that include many areas of functional activity. An example is a plant manager who oversees many different functions including purchasing, manufacturing and sales.

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9
Q

What do administrators do? Give an example of one.

A

Administrators are managers who work in public or not-for-profit organisations. Examples include hospital administrator, public administrator and human-service administrator.

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10
Q

What are the four functions of management?

A

PLOC. Planning, leading, organising and controlling.

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11
Q

Briefly describe the four functions of management.

A

Planning is the process of setting objectives and determining how to accomplish them.
Controlling is the process of measuring performance and taking action to ensure desired results.
Organising is the process of assigning tasks, allocating resources and arranging activities to implement plans.
Leading is the process of arousing enthusiasm and directing efforts towards organisational goals.

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12
Q

What are Mintzberg’s ten managerial roles?

A

Interpersonal roles - Figurehead, Leader, Liaison
Informational roles - Monitor, Disseminator, Spokesperson
Decisional roles - Entrepreneur, Disturbance handler, Resource allocator, Negotiator

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13
Q

Briefly describe the what interpersonal, informational and decisional roles are.

A

The interpersonal roles involve interactions with people inside and outside the work unit.
A manager’s informational roles involve the giving, receiving and analysing of information.
The decisional roles involve using information to make decisions to solve problems or tackle opportunities.

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14
Q

What is a skill?

A

A skill is the ability to translate knowledge into action that results in desired performance.

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15
Q

What are the three types of skills? (Katz)

A

Technical skills are the ability to use a special proficiency or expertise to perform particular tasks
Human skills are the ability to work well in cooperation with other people.
Conceptual skills are the ability to think analytically and solve complex problems.

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16
Q

What is emotional intelligence?

A

The ability to manage ourselves and our relationships effectively.

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17
Q

What are the two types of capabilities?

A

Strategic capabilities are those that are difficult to imitate and are of value to the customer e.g. unique product or service.
Dynamic capabilities enable an organisation to quickly adjust in the face of environmental shocks.

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18
Q

What is competitive advantage?

A

A competitive advantage allows an organisation to deal with market and environmental forces better than its competitors. Different types of competitive advantage include cost and differentiation advantages.

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19
Q

What is the general environment?

A

Consists of all the background conditions in the external environment, comprises of the following conditions -

  • Economic
  • Sociocultural
  • Political-legal
  • Technological
  • Natural environment
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20
Q

What is the specific environment?

A

Consists of the organisations, groups and people with whom an organisation directly communicates with and interacts to conduct business. Defined in terms of stakeholders - those of whom are affected by an organisation’s performance.

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21
Q

What is managing diversity?

A

Building an inclusive work environment that allows everyone to reach their full potential.

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22
Q

What are the leadership approaches to diversity?

A
  1. Affirmative action commits the organisation to hiring and advancing minority groups and women.
  2. Valuing diversity commits the organisation to education and training programs to help people understand and respect these differences.
  3. Managing diversity commits the organisation to change the culture so everyone can reach their full potential.
23
Q

What is data and what is an information system?

A

Data is any quantifiable measured information that when collated becomes useful for decision making.
Information systems use software to collect, organise and distribute information in such a way that it becomes useful for decision making.

24
Q

What are the 5 characteristics of useful information?

A
  1. Timeliness - available when needed
  2. Quality - accurate and reliable
  3. Completeness - up to date
  4. Relevance - free from extraneous material
  5. Understandability - presented in proper form
25
Q

How does information flow in an organisation?

A

Vertically throughout the organisation from top to middle to lower managers, with top managers explaining long-term goals whilst lower managers making short-term decisions.
Horizontally. Intelligence information is gathered from the external environment, processed through the organisation vertically and then outputted as public information to the external environment.

26
Q

What is a decision support system, and what is an expert system?

A

A DSS allows a computer to help organise and analyse data for problem solving.
An expert system allows computers to mimic the thinking of human experts for problem-solving.

27
Q

What are intranets and extranets?

A

Intranets and corporate portals use the web for communication and data sharing within an organisation.
Extranets and enterprise portals use the web for communication and data sharing between the organisation and special elements in its external environment.

28
Q

What is a management information system?

A

A MIS is a computer system that stores and distributes information on how to successfully manage an organisation. It aids managers using information technology.

29
Q

What advantages does an MIS have?

A

Planning advantages - information is received in a more timely manner Leading advantages - allows for better and more frequent communication with members and stakeholders
Organising advantages - Allows for ongoing communication amongst all parts of an organisation ensuring better integration
Controlling advantages - Allows for immediate and complete measurement of performance results

30
Q

What are the types of managerial decisions?

A

Programmed decisions apply solutions from past experience to a routine problem.
Non-programmed decisions apply specific solutions crafted for a unique problem.

31
Q

What are decision conditions?

A

A certain environment offers complete information on possible action alternatives and their consequences.
A risk environment lacks complete information, but offers ‘probabilities’ of the likely outcomes for possible action alternatives.
An uncertain environment lacks so much information that it is difficult to assign probabilities to the likely outcomes of alternatives. (more common at high manager levels)

32
Q

What are three different ways of dealing with problems?

A

Problem avoiders ignore information, are inactive and do not want to make decisions and deal with problems.
Problem solvers are willing to make decisions and solve problems, but they are reactive.
Problem seekers actively process information and constantly look for problems to solve or opportunities to explore. True problem seekers are proactive.

33
Q

Distinguish between systematic and intuitive thinking.

A

In systematic thinking, a person approaches problems in a rational, step- by-step and analytical fashion. This may include making a plan.
In intuitive thinking, a person approaches problems in a flexible and spontaneous fashion. This involves responding quickly.

34
Q

What is strategic opportunism?

A

The ability to remain focused on long-term objectives while being flexible enough to resolve short-term problems.

35
Q

What is a plan?

A

A statement of intended means for accomplishing objectives.

36
Q

What are objectives?

A

Specific results that someone wishes to achieve that may relate to individuals, groups or an organisation.

37
Q

What is scenario planning?

A

Scenario planning identifies alternative future scenarios and makes plans to deal with each.

38
Q

What are the steps in the planning process?

A
  1. Define your objectives.
  2. Determine where you stand in relation to objectives. SWOT Analysis can be undertaken.
  3. Develop premises regarding future conditions.
  4. Analyse and choose among action alternatives.
  5. Implement the plan and evaluate results.
39
Q

What is the SMART model?

A

Used when defining objectives. Objectives must be -

  • Specific - Need to be clearly defined
  • Measurable - Must be able to be measured by some means
  • Actionable - Needs to be able to be implemented to achieve objectives.
  • Reasonable - Objectives must be realistic.
  • Timetabled - Should have milestone dates or deadlines so progress can be measured.
40
Q

What is departmentalisation?

A

The grouping together of people and jobs into work units.

41
Q

What are functional structures?

A

People with similar skills and of whom perform similar tasks are formally grouped together into work units. They have the same technical skills. Examples include, in a university, faculties of Commerce, Arts, Science, etc.

42
Q

What are some advantages of functional structures?

A

Efficient use of resources
High quality problem solving
Jobs are consistent with expertise
In depth training

43
Q

What are some disadvantages of functional structures?

A

Functional chimney problems - the lack of communication, coordination and problem solving across function groups
Departure from organisational goals
Slower response to market changes
Limits customer attention

44
Q

What are divisional structures?

A

Groups together people based on the product or process they are working on, customer base or geographical location.

45
Q

What are some advantages of divisional structures?

A

More flexibility in response to changes in the environment
Expertise focused on specific customers, products or regions
Improved coordination across functional departments
Greater ease in changing size by adding/subtracting divisions

46
Q

What are some disadvantages of divisional structures?

A

Increased costs through the duplication of resources and efforts across divisions
May promote unhealthy rivalries across divisions
Coordination difficulties between division and corporate objectives

47
Q

What are matrix structures?

A

Combines functional and divisional approaches to emphasise project teams. It is an attempt to gain the advantages and minimise the disadvantages of each.
Workers in a matrix structure belong to at least two formal groups at the same time - a functional group and a product, project or program team. They also report to two bosses - one within the function and the other within the team.

48
Q

What are some advantages of matrix structures?

A

Increased flexibility in adding, removing and/or changing operations to meet changing demands
Better customer service since there is always a team manager informed and available to answer questions
Improved decision making as problem solving takes place at the team level Improved strategic management as top managers are freed from unnecessary decision making

49
Q

What are some disadvantages of matrix structures?

A

Power struggles as functional supervisors and team leaders may be against one another to exercise authority
Two-boss system can be frustrating if it creates task confusion and conflict Team-meetings are time consuming
Increased costs to add team leaders
May lose sight of organisational goal due to team loyalties

50
Q

Why do organisations use team structures?

A

To solve complex problems and accomplish tasks. Teams are the building blocks and are often cross-functional, so as to create better relationships. Project teams also exist (recall from Week 9).

51
Q

What are some advantages of team structures?

A

Implemented when communication is an issue due to functional chimneys problem
Boosts morale as team members get to know one another (from different areas)
Improved speed and quality of decisions as teams focus shared knowledge and expertise on specific problems.

52
Q

What is a network structure?

A

Links networks of outside suppliers and service contractors to a company’s core functions. Used to network so as to reduce costs of employing people. Only core components are actually owned.

53
Q

What are some advantages of network structures?

A

Costs can be cut
Increased efficiency
Allows for outsourced specialised function groups

54
Q

What is organising?

A

Organising is the process of assigning tasks, allocating resources and arranging activities to implement plans.