leadership and management

Question 1

what are Weber’s three bases for authority?

Answer 1

1. charistmatic
2. traditional
3. rational-legal

Question 2

what is Weber’s charismatic base for authority?

Answer 2

derived from leader’s personality. difficulties arise on replacing leaders, unless suitable charismatic replacement arrives org either decays or survives in one of other two bases.

Question 3

what does charismatic leadership devolve to if a) succession is hereditary and b) rules are drawn up to decide succession?

Answer 3

a - traditional

b - rational-legal

Question 4

what are the features of Weber’s traditional leadership?

Answer 4

derived from custom/practice/status. personality is irrelevant.

Question 5

what are the features of Weber’s ration-legal leadership?

Answer 5

based on legal occupancy of senior positions, and acceptance of formal rules/procedures and impersonal principles. stems from hierarchical position in org and typified in bureaucratic structures.

Question 6

how does rational-legal authority work in practice?

Answer 6

various tasks distributed among officeholders, whose auth is not personal but is vested, impersonally in the office. clear separation of personal from business relationships emphasised in rules concerning appointment and advancement, which are based on technical qualifications and not personal ones.

Question 7

what are French and Raven’s 5 bases of power?

Answer 7

1. reward power - leader can directly influence subordinate’s rewards
2. coercive - leader uses penalties to enforce compliance
3. referent - followers are inspired by leader
4. expert - follow based on expertise/knowledge
5. legitimate - followers accept leader has right to influence them in certain areas

Question 8

how to Weber’s 3 bases of authority fit with French and Raven’s 5 bases of power?

Answer 8

coercive and legitimate power = traditional authority

reward and referent power = charismatic authority

expert power = legal/rational authority

Question 9

what is responsibility in a manager?

Answer 9

mgrs can delegate authority for tasks but not responsibility. in a large org it is difficult to work out exactly which layer of mgment is actually responsible. sometimes supposed that what is delegated is responsibility, but mgr doesn’t diminish their responsibility by delegating, actually creates new responsibility for subordinate to themselves.

Question 10

what are the advantages of proper delegation?

Answer 10

effectiveness and efficiency - develops staff while giving mgr more time

training

decision making

management succession

development and self-evaluation

job satisfaction

Question 11

what does the process of delegation usually comprise of?

Answer 11

abdication - no formal delegation, crude and usually ineffective

custom and practice - intern gets the tea etc

explanation - brief team on how its done

consultation - sometimes good ideas come from below. point of view of person nearest scene of action more likely to be relevant.

Question 12

what are Fayol’s 5 functions of a manager?

Answer 12

planning - objectives and procedures

organising - resources

coordinating - sync activities to achieve objectives

commanding - subordinates

controlling - measure performance, correct if. necessary

Question 13

What are Drucker’s 3 tasks of a manager?

Answer 13

satisfying the goals/missions of an org

enabling workers to achieve and focus on productivity

managing social responsibility

Question 14

what are Mintzberg’s managerial roles (in the 3 groups)?

Answer 14

interpersonal role: leader (responsible for motivating), liaison (network), figurehead (represent the org)

informational role: monitor (help develop org’s understanding), disseminator (share info with employees), spokesperson (communicate to those in and out of org)

decisional role: entrepreneur (make changes/new ideas), disturbance handler (pressures, resource allocation, budget/timelines), negotiator (disputes)

Question 15

what are the main schools of management thinking?

Answer 15

classical: scientific/Taylorism, administrative mgment, bureaucracy

Human relations school: Herzberg

systems theory: Trist and Bamforth

contingency theory

Question 16

what are the characteristics of the classical school of management thinking?

Answer 16

emphasis on technical/economic aspects of orgs. assumes rational beh. foundation is that management can be learned and codified.

Question 17

what is scientific management?

Answer 17

Taylor - identified workers vary pace to suit work conditions. mgrs made little effort to specify ‘reasonable day’s work’, no effort made to identify best methods/train workers in them.

Question 18

what are the four principles of scientific management?

Answer 18

development of a true science of work - what is fair day’s work/pay?

scientific selection and progressive development of workers - ensure worker capable of achieving output/quality targets

bringing together of above two - AKA mental revolution

constant and intimate cooperation between mgment and workers - work allocated through consultation and cooperation

Question 19

what did Taylor think would lead to best productivity and use of resources?

Answer 19

Taylor saw if specialised knowledge and skills were concentrated in hands of well-trained and able employees, there would be improvement in productivity.

jobs broken down to different functions, each given to an individual. Taylor believed only through effective use of control by specialist that best use made of resources. this increases size of incentive surplus to be shared between efficient staff.

Question 20

where can we see Taylorism today?

Answer 20

fashion of concentrating customer service into call centres is classic application of scientific mgment principles of division of labour and specialisation of function.

Question 21

what is the main feature of administrative management?

Answer 21

Fayol’s 5 functions of management:

planning, organising, coordinating, commanding, controlling

Question 22

what is Bureaucracy in terms of leadership and management?

Answer 22

operating through power vested in the office. Weber used term to describe most efficient form of org. deliberately idealised model to highlight key features of this form of org.

Question 23

what are the 8 characteristics of ideal bureaucracy?

Answer 23

1. specialisation - clear division of labour and spheres of authority
2. hierarchy - offices linked through clear chain of command
3. rules - govern decision making and conduct
4. impersonality - objectivity and rationality
5. appointed officials - mgrs selected by qualifications, eduction or training.
6. career officials - pursue career within bureaucracy and work with defined salary structure
7. full time officials - commitment
8. public/private division - avoid family money use as this creates conservatism due to personal risk.

Question 24

what are the main disadvantages of bureaucracy?

Answer 24

slow response to change

lack of speedy communication

little need to involve staff in decision making

rules stifle initiative and innovative ideas

little development

no recognition of importance of informal relationships

Question 25

What is Herzberg's two factor theory and what school of management thinking does is sit within?

Answer 25

human relations school - believed human behaviour directed towards achieving certain goals or avoiding negatives. motivational or hygiene/maintenance factors

Question 26

what are Herzberg's motivational factors?

Answer 26

challenging tasks a feeling of achievement responsibility personal growth advancement recognition of ability only motivators can move employees to action. not all jobs have motivational potential and are driven by hygiene factors like the need for money

Question 27

what are Herzberg's hygiene/maintenance factors?

Answer 27

rules environment work breaks supervision wages fringe benefits hygiene factors only prevent dissatisfaction, don't move employees to action.

Question 28

what is systems theory in management?

Answer 28

Trist and Bamforth - developed from longwall mining in Durham. introduction of new cutting equipment which widened the narrow coal face into a longwall, but resulted in low morale, high absenteeism and deteriorating relationships. found that: close-knit groups had been broken up, communication was difficult because workers were spread out, new payment schemes were causing jealously, too much specialisation was built into the jobs. mine owners hadn’t considered effects on workforce, showing importance of individual and group needs at work. social and technological factors are interlinked and can’t be treated in isolation.

Question 29

what is contingency theory?

Answer 29

idea of one right approach and whether it belongs to one management school is rejected in favour of contingency. everything depends on circumstances of situation. problems to arise when two contingencies are in conflict, and theory doesn't describe how to resolve

Question 30

what are the main contingencies in contingency theory?

Answer 30

related to external and internal environments of the org, a mechanistic org is contingent on a stable environment etc.

Question 31

what are the two types of org in contingency theory?

Answer 31

mechanistic and organic (Burns and Stalker)

Question 32

what are the features of a mechanistic organisation?

Answer 32

high task specialisation defined responsibility and authority coordination and communication selectivity in release of top level info to subordinates emphasis on hierarchy’s ability to develop loyalty employees often locally recruited

Question 33

what are the features of an organic organisation?

Answer 33

skills/experience/knowledge all valuable resources integration of efforts via multi comms channels leadership based on consultation and involvement in prob-solving commitment to task achievement, survival and growth most important employees recruited from all over

Question 34

when are mechanistic/organic organisations each more appropriate?

Answer 34

mechanistic seen appropriate in fairly stable conditions where mgment of change not important, very related to Weber’s bureaucracy organic system more responsive to change and recommended for orgs in periods of changes in tech/mkt orientation/tasks.

Question 35

what are the differences between leaders and managers?

Answer 35

mgrs are people who do things right, leaders do the right thing. mgrs - given title and therefore power/auth. seldom elected, many lack essential qualities of leadership as concerned with achieving objectives within a time frame and don't want focus of attention leaders - providing direction/creating vision and influencing others to share it. arise naturally especially where tasks technical and expert arises to solve

Question 36

what are the types of leaders?

Answer 36

charismatic traditional situational appointed functional

Question 37

what the main theories/perspectives on leadership?

Answer 37

personality/trait/qualities theory style theories contingency/situational theories

Question 38

what is the personality/quality/trait theory of leadership?

Answer 38

earliest attempt to explain why some people are more effective than others. leaders are born not made. common sense assumption may seem sound to most people, but it is impossible to identify consistent pattern of traits which characterise effective leaders.

Question 39

what are the 5 characteristics of personality/trait/quality leadership?

Answer 39

the impulse to lead (can sometimes be countered by technical leadership). integrity self awareness human sympathy tough-mindedness

Question 40

what have personality/quality/trait theory writers identifies as desirable leadership qualities?

Answer 40

motivation, initiative and independence, above average intelligence, self assurance and confidence. personality theories are not well-developed, especially as cannot account for context, or examples like war leaders who may not have above average

Question 41

what are the main three styles of leadership?

Answer 41

1. autocratic/authoritarian 2. democratic/participative - decisions ultimately made by leader 3. free rein/delegative - leadership expects group to solve problems

Question 42

what is McGregor's theory X and Y?

Answer 42

style chosen by mgr will depend on assumptions they make about subordinates and what they consider attitude towards work to be. implicit assumptions about nature of human beh and motivation behind good deal of thinking in economics is deemed theory X by mcgregor. he proposed an opposing theory Y which would bring about true innovation.

Question 43

what is Mcgregor's Theory X?

Answer 43

the average person has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if possible. because of this, most people must be coerced/controlled/directed/threatened with punishment to put in effort toward organisational objectives. average person prefers to be directed, avoid responsibility has low ambition and wants security most.

Question 44

what is Mcgregor's theory Y?

Answer 44

the expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is natural. external control and threat of punishment are not only means, people will exercise self-control in pursuit of objectives to which they are committed. commitment to objectives is function of rewards and satisfaction of ego. personal achievement needs are most significant and are direct result of effort directed towards objectives. average person learns not only to accept but to seek responsibility. capacity to exercise a relatively high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solution of org problems is widely distributed to population.

Question 45

what style of leadership would a theory X and Y manager lean to?

Answer 45

theory X mgr would lean towards autocratic, whereas theory Y would lean to democratic.

Question 46

who carried out the first significant studies into leadership? what did they find?

Answer 46

Lewin's styles of leadership (1939): first significant studies into leadership style carried out by lewin, focussing attention on different effects created by styles independent of personality. he focused on democratic/laissez-faire/authoritarian as the three styles.

Question 47

what is Blake and Mouton's managerial grid?

Answer 47

grid is derived from precept that mgment is concerned with two things: production and people. developing this concept further, concern for production is not confined simply to Taylor ideal of effective factory performance. any combination of concern for production and concern for people may be present within an org.

Question 48

what is impoverished management?

Answer 48

low concern for production and people no commercial/on-profit-making org will survive with this. may exist on micro scale, if mgr abdicates responsibility and leaves others to work as they see fit. failures blamed down line, contact minimised.

Question 49

what is country club management?

Answer 49

high concern for people, low concern for production people encouraged and supported, inadequacies overlooked, has certain drawbacks. can be inefficient, often present in quasi-monopolist time-serving orgs.

Question 50

what is task orientated management?

Answer 50

high concern for production, low concern for people people treated as commodity/like machines. (very Taylorist/scientific management). mgr responsible for planning, directing, controlling and can lead to high production but creative energy may be channelled into trying to beat the system. can lead to apathetic or rebellious employees.

Question 51

what is middle of the road management?

Answer 51

equal, medium concern for people and production. wishy washy

Question 52

what is team management?

Answer 52

high concern for people and production may be idealistic. advocates wealth generation, and people who generate production which generates wealth. endeavours to discover best and most effective solutions, aim at highest attainable level of production to which all involved contribute and in which everyone finds own sense of accomplishment. assumes all employees committed to the org.

Question 53

what is the issue with theories of leadership style?

Answer 53

they ignore important influence of context in which leader is operating. team management cannot be used in a crisis. best style is therefore the one that fits the needs of the team the most, while also satisfying needs of org.

Question 54

what variables define effective successful leadership style?

Answer 54

- personality of leader (probably most rigid var.) - situation of group - task, technology, structure of group - situation within group (cooperative to militant) - people within group’s varying intelligence, education

Question 55

what is a situational theory of leadership?

Answer 55

Adair’s action-centred leadership Newer theories = leaders have ability to adapt style depending on situation three components for effective leadership: concern for task, team and individuals must then bond these together otherwise org tends to stay static

Question 56

what is the contingency model of LEADERSHIP (not mgment)

Answer 56

bring together personality and situational approaches, best example of an attempt to integrate individual characteristics with structural and task properties of the situation. hypothesis is that situation is going to determine most effective style of leadership. situation is combo of three factors: 1. leader/member relations - based on leader’s view of (un)favourableness of work group 2. task structure - extent to which leader is able to define and control group’s activities 3. leader position power - degree of formal authority/responsibility allocated to position from style perspective leader can be high on only one aspect at a time - people or task oriented but never both. also ignored leader effectiveness focusing on group. personality dimensions taken in term of leader’s view of characteristic of his/her group. fails to treat characteristics of leader as viewed by group. doesn’t define situation adequately in terms of itself or subordinates’ definition. also overlooks lot of other moderating variables including expectations of leader beh.

Question 57

what approach has recent thinking on leadership led to?

Answer 57

transformational approach dynamic environment for orgs means constant need to innovate and change. to cope, leaders need to creative and capable of inspiring others. transformational leaders are able to bring about significant change by motivating followers to believe in vision of organisational or political transformation

Question 58

what two types of leader does Bennis identify?

Answer 58

transactional - followers get rewards for service.loyalty.compliance transformational - see role as inspiring others to work at level beyond compliance, able to change team/org cultures and move them in a new direction. act as a role model and advocate empowerment.

Question 59

what range of skills does a transformational leader have according to Boyd?

Answer 59

anticipatory skills providing foresight in constantly changing environment visioning skills whereby persuasion and example can be used to induce group to act in accordance with leader’s purpose og larger group value-congruence enabling leader to be in touch with individuals’ economic/psych/physical/other needs to engage them on basis of shared understanding empowerment skills involving willingness to share power willingly self-understanding so leader understands own needs and goals too

Question 60

how should leadership be considered for virtual teams?

Answer 60

people who interact through independent tasks guided by common purpose. essentially teams not present in same office or org but may meet time to time. key challenge is leadership, members work at different times/locations/varying methods. need to optimise individual and organisational performance consider communication challenges, cultural sensitivities, performance management

Question 61

how should ethics be considered in leadership?

Answer 61

leaders must create healthy culture that influences employee actions, decision making and behaviour Superiority in leadership means having the ability to influence others to behave in a particular way. A good leader will have a strong following and a strong sense of ethics. There is a direct link between leadership and ethics. A leader must display an ethical approach to everything that they do if they want others to follow their actions.

Question 62

how can an ethical organisation be achieved?

Answer 62

- core ethical values need to be identified and integrated into everything the organisation does - managers having an essential role in communicating ethics messages - creating an ethical “tone from the top” - maintaining an ethical “tone from the middle”