Management Flashcards
Define Management
The world of management is all about getting things done in organizations. It’s a systematic process that ensures people and resources are working together effectively to achieve set goals
What is management? It’s often described as the process of getting things done through people to achieve organizational goals.
Key characteristics: It’s goal-oriented, universal (applicable to all organizations), continuous, and a social process (involves interacting with people).
- Functions of Management:
. Functions of Management:
These are the core activities that managers perform to achieve goals. They can be broadly categorized into four or five main functions, depending on the textbook:
Planning: Setting goals, developing strategies, and creating action plans.
Organizing: Structuring the organization, allocating resources, and assigning tasks.
Staffing: Recruiting, hiring, training, and developing employees.
Directing: Motivating, guiding, and leading employees towards achieving goals.
Controlling: Monitoring progress, evaluating performance, and making adjustments as needed.
. Importance of Management:
Organizations of all sizes and types need management to function effectively.
Good management helps achieve goals, increases efficiency, creates a dynamic and adaptable organization, fosters innovation, and provides a positive work environment.
Levels of Management
- Levels of Management:
There are typically three hierarchical levels of management in an organization:
Top-level managers: CEOs, presidents, and vice presidents who set overall organizational direction and strategy.
Middle-level managers: Directors, department heads, who translate top-level strategies into specific plans for their departments.
First-line managers: Supervisors, team leaders who oversee the day-to-day operations and directly manage employees.
Role of Manager
Henry Mintzberg, a prominent management scholar, proposed a unique perspective on the role of managers. He identified ten managerial roles categorized into three main areas: interpersonal, informational, and decisional.
Role of Manager
a. Interpersonal Roles:
Figurehead: The manager serves as the symbolic head, representing the team or department at ceremonies and events.
Leader: They motivate and inspire their team, provide guidance, and ensure team members are working towards shared goals.
Liaison: Managers build relationships with people outside their immediate team, fostering communication and collaboration across departments.
b. Informational Roles:
Monitor: They actively seek information from the internal and external environment to stay informed about trends and potential issues.
Disseminator: They share relevant information with their team members, keeping them updated on important developments.
Spokesperson: Managers represent their team or department to external audiences, communicating information and progress to stakeholders.
c. Decisional Roles:
Entrepreneur: They identify and seize opportunities for improvement within the team or organization. This involves innovation and taking calculated risks.
Disturbance Handler: Managers deal with unexpected problems and crises, finding solutions to get things back on track.
Resource Allocator: They make decisions about how to allocate resources (people, time, budget) within their team to achieve goals effectively.
Negotiator: Managers negotiate on behalf of their team or department with suppliers, clients, or other internal groups.
According to Mintzberg, managers constantly switch between these ten roles depending on the situation. There’s no single “most important” role, but the emphasis on each may vary depending on the manager’s level (top, middle, or first-line) and the specific organization.
This framework highlights the diverse and demanding nature of managerial work. It goes beyond just giving orders and emphasizes the importance of communication, information processing, and strategic decision-making.
