principles of management Flashcards
Manager
someone who coordinates and oversees the work of other people so that organizational goals can be accomplished. Managers can be classified by their level in the organization, particularly in traditionally structured organizations—those shaped like a pyramid.
first line manager
managers (often called supervisors) are typically involved with producing the organization’s products or servicing the organization’s customers. These managers are located on the lowest level of management.
middle managers
include all levels of management between the first level and the top level of the organization. They may have titles such as regional manager, project leader, store manager, or division manager.
top manager
include managers at or near the top of the organization who are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and establishing plans and goals that affect the entire organization.
organization is a deliberate arrangement of people to accomplish some specific purpose.
Organizations share three common characteristics: (1) each has a distinct purpose; (2) each is composed of people; and (3) each develops some deliberate structure so members can do their work.
What is Management?
Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively.
Coordinating and overseeing the work of others is what distinguishes a managerial position from a nonmanagerial one.
Efficiency
getting the most output from the least amount of inputs in order to minimize resource costs. Efficiency is often referred to as “doing things right”
Effectiveness
completing activities so that organizational goals are attained and is often described as “doing the right things”
Planning
Planning involves defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals, and developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities.
Organizing
involves arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organization’s goals.
Leading
involves working with and through people to accomplish organizational goals.
Controlling
involves monitoring, comparing, and correcting work performance.
Management Roles
Managerial roles refer to specific categories of managerial behavior.
Interpersonal roles
include figurehead, leadership, and liaison activities.
. Informational roles
include monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson.
Decisional roles
include entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator.
Technical skills
job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to proficiently perform specific tasks.
Human skills
involve the ability to work well with other people individually and in a group.
Conceptual skills
involve the ability to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations.
Challenges
a. Being a manager is hard work and often involves more clerical duties than managerial responsibilities. Managers often must deal with a range of personalities, make do with limited resources, and work in chaotic and uncertain situations.
b. Managers may have difficulty in effectively blending the knowledge, skills, ambitions, and experiences of a diverse group of employees.
c. A manager’s success typically is dependent on others’ work performance.
Rewards
a. Managers have an opportunity to create a work environment in which organizational members can do their work to the best of their ability and help the organization achieve its goals.
b. Managers often receive recognition and status in the organization and in the larger community; influence organizational outcomes; and receive appropriate compensation.
c. Knowing that their efforts, skills, and abilities are needed by the organization gives many managers great satisfaction.
Decision-making process
Step 1: Identify a Problem. A problem is a discrepancy between an existing and a desired condition.
Step 2: Identify Decision Criteria. Decision criteria are criteria that define what is relevant in a decision.
Step 3: Allocate Weights to the Criteria.
Step 4: Develop Alternatives.
Step 5: Analyze Alternatives.
Step 6: Select an Alternative.
Step 7: Implement the Alternative.
Step 8: Evaluate Decision Effectiveness.
Rationality.
Managerial decision making is assumed to be rational—that is, making choices that are consistent and value-maximizing within specified constraints.
Bounded Rationality
Because the perfectly rational model of decision making isn’t realistic, managers tend to operate under assumptions of bounded rationality, which is decision-making behavior that is rational, but limited (bounded) by an individual’s ability to process information.
Intuition.
Intuitive decision
making is a subconscious process of making decisions on the basis of experience and accumulated judgment.
Evidence-Based Management
EBMgt promotes the use of the best available evidence to improve management practice.
Crowdsourcing.
Crowdsourcing involves relying on
Structured problems
are straightforward, familiar, and easily defined. In dealing with structured problems,
programmed decision
is a repetitive decision that can be handled by a routine approach.
Managers rely on three types of programmed decisions:
a. A procedure is a series of interrelated sequential steps that can be used to respond to a structured problem.
b. A rule is an explicit statement that tells managers what they can or cannot do.
c. A policy is a guideline for making decisions.
Unstructured problems
problems that are new or unusual and for which information is ambiguous or incomplete.
Directive
people with a directive style have low tolerance for ambiguity and seek rationality. They are efficient and logical but may be prone to making decisions too fast with limited information.
Analytic
analytic decision makers are more comfortable with ambiguity relative to directive styles. They are more willing to adapt to change or new situations.
Conceptual
conceptual decision makers have a broad scope and consider many alternatives. They are good at finding creative solutions to problems.
Behavioral
behavioral decision makers work well with others. They tend to avoid conflict and seek acceptance from others. This tendency makes them receptive to suggestions from others.
