Question 1

Question 1

Who do managers do?

Answer 1

Management - involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that those activities are completed efficiently and effectively. This definition distinguishes the difference between a managerial position to a non-managerial position.

Question 2

Who is a manager?

Answer 2

• A manager is someone who co-ordinates and oversees the work of other people so that organisational goals can be accomplished. A manager’s job is not about personal achievement, it is about helping others to do their work and achieve.

Question 3

First line managers

Answer 3

• First line managers are the lowest level of management and manage the work of non-managerial employees who are directly involved with producing the organisation’s products or servicing its customers. They are often called supervisors, but they may also be called shift managers, office managers, team leaders or even forepersons.

Question 4

Middle Managers

Answer 4

• Middle managers include all levels of management between the first-line level and the top level of the organisation. These managers manage the work of first line managers and may have titles such as regional manager, department head, project leader, store manager, dean or division manager.

Question 5

Top managers

Answer 5

• Top managers are responsible for making organisation wide decisions and establishing the goals and plan that affect the entire organisation. These individuals typically have titles such as managing director, chief executive officer, chief operating officer or chairman of the board.

Question 6

Efficiency

Answer 6

A vital part of management. It refers to getting the most output from the least amount of inputs or resources.

Question 7

effectiveness

Answer 7

Often described as ‘doing the right things’ – that is, doing those work activities that will help the organisation reach its goals.

Question 8

non managers

Answer 8

organisational members who work directly on a job or task and had no one reporting to them

Question 9

what is an organisation?

Answer 9

it is a deliberate arrangement of people to accomplish some specific purpose Distinct purpose - typically expressed in terms of a goal, or a set of goals, that the organisation hopes to accomplish People - each organisation is composed of people. One person alone is not an organisation, and it takes people to perform the work that is necessary for the organisation to achieve its goals deliberate structure - so that the members can do their work. The structure may be open and flexible, with no clear and precise job duties or explicit job arrangements. in simple words, it may be a simple network of loose work relationships; or the structure may be more traditional, with clearly defined rules, regulations and job descriptions

Question 10

why are organisations changing?

Answer 10

Because the world around them has changed and is continuing to change. Societal, economic, global and technological changes have created an environment in which successful organisations (those that consistently attain their goals) must embrace new ways of getting their work done.

Question 11

Four functions of management. Model made by Henri Fayol

Answer 11

1. Planning setting goals, establishing strategies and developing plans to coordinate activities
2. Organising Determining what needs to be done, how it will be done, and who is to do it
3. Leading Motivating, leading and any other actions involved in dealing with people
4. Controlling Monitoring activities to ensure that they are accomplished as planned

Planning – managers engage in planning, they set goals, establish strategies for achieving those goals, and develop plans to integrate and coordinate activities

Organising – when managers organise, they determine what tasks are to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom, and at what level decisions are to be made

Leading – when managers motivate subordinates, help to resolve work group conflicts, influence or teams as they work, select the most effective communication channels, or deal in any way with employee behaviour issues, they are leading

Controlling – to ensure that goals are being met and that work is being completed as planned, managers must monitor and evaluate performance. Actual performance must be compared with the previously set goals. If those are not being achieved, it is the manager’s job to get work back on track.

Question 12

Management Skills

Answer 12

Technical skills Technical skills are the job specific knowledge and techniques needed to perform specific tasks proficiently. These skills tend to be more important for lower level managers because they typically are managing employees who are using tools and techniques to produce the organisation’s products or to service the organisations customers.

Human skills Human skills or interpersonal skills represent the ability to work well with and understand others, to build cooperate effort within a team (that is, to lead), to motivate and to manage conflict.

Conceptual skills Managers must also have the ability to conceptualise and work about abstract situations. They must be able to see the organisation as a whole and understand the relationships between various subunits, and to visualise how the organisation fits into its broader environment. Conceptual skills are needed by all managers at all levels, but Katz proposed that these skills become more important in top management positions.

Question 13

Katz managerial skills include technical

Answer 13

(job specific knowledge and techniques), human or interpersonal (ability to work well with people), and conceptual (ability to think and conceptualise). Technical skills are most important for lower level managers, while conceptualise skills are most important for top managers. Human skills are equally important for all managers. Some other managerial skills also identified include managing human capital, include managing human capital, inspiring commitment, managing change, using purposeful networking, and so forth.

Question 14

Discuss whether the manager’s job is universal

Answer 14

All mangers, independently of their organisational level, have to plan, organise, lead and control; however, the time they give to each function varies depending on whether they are first line managers, middle managers or top managers. In relation to the manager’s functional area, there are some differences but also similarities in relation to managerial roles being performed; however, all managers have to carry out management functions of planning, organising, leading and controlling within their respective organisational areas.

Question 15

Classical Approach

Answer 15

The classical Approach is compromised of the scientific approach and the general administrative theory. Classical approach consists of emphasised rationality and making organisations and workers as efficient as possible. Scientific Management – Frederick W. Taylor Taylor’s four principles of scientific management

1. develop a science for each element of an individual’s work with standardised work implements and efficient methods for all to follow
2. Scientifically select workers with skills and abilities that match each job and train them in the most efficient ways to accomplish tasks.
3. Ensure cooperation through incentives, and provide the work environment that reinforces optimal work results in a scientific manner
4. Divide responsibility for managing and for working, while supporting individuals in work groups doing what they do best.

Some people are more capable of managing, whereas others are better at performing tasks laid out for them How Frederick W. Taylor used the scientific management He put the right person on the job with the correct tools and equipment, had the worker follow his instructions exactly, and motivated the worker with an economic incentive of a significantly higher daily wage. Taylor was able to define the ‘one best way’ for doing each job. Overall, he achieved consistent productivity improvements in the range of 200 per cent or more. Taylor’s ideas spread in the united states, the likes of Henry Ford applied ideas of scientific management.

General Administrative Theory

1. Division of work – specialisation increases output by making employees more efficient
2. Authority – managers must be able to give orders. Authority gives them this right. Along with authority, however, goes responsibility.
3. Discipline – employees must obey and respect the rules that govern the organisation
4. Unity of command – every employee should receive orders from only one superior
5. Unity of direction - the organisation should have a single plan of action to guide managers and workers.
6. Subordination of individual interests to the general interest. – the interests of any one employee or group of employees should not take precedence over the interests of the organisation as a whole
7. Remuneration – workers must be paid a fair wage for services
8. Centralisation – this term refers to the degree to which subordinates are involved in decision making
9. Scalar chain – the line of authority from top management to the lowest ranks is called the ‘scalar chain’
10. Order – people and materials should be in the right place at the right time
11. Equity – managers should be kind and fair to their subordinates
12. Stability of tenure or personnel – management should provide orderly personnel planning and ensure that replacements are available to fill vacancies 13. Initiative – employees who are allowed to originate and carry out plans will exert high levels of effort
13. Spirit de corps – promoting team spirit will build harmony and unity within the organisation

Question 16

Systems theory

Answer 16

In 1938, Chester Barnard, a telephone company executive, wrote in his book, The Functions of an Executive, that an organisation functioned as a cooperative system. In the 1960s, management researchers began to look more carefully at systems theory and how it related to organisations.

• A system is a set of interrelated and interdependent parts arranged in a manner that produces a unified whole. The two basic types of systems are closed and open.
• Closed systems are not influenced by, and do not interact with, their environment.
• Open systems dynamically interact with their environment. Today, when we describe organisations as systems, we mean open systems.

Question 17

Systems Theory

Answer 17

Question 18

Learning organisations and knowledge management

Answer 18

Today’s managers confront an environment in which knowledge creation and change take place at an unprecedented rate. Today’s organisations must be able to learn and respond quickly.

• These organisations will need to be learning organisations – that is, ones that have developed the capacity to learn, adapt and change continuously.
• Managers must deliberately manage that base of knowledge. Knowledge management involves cultivating a learning culture where organisational members systematically gather knowledge and share it with others in the organisation so as to achieve better performance.
• This ‘knowledge’ is shared with all employees and teams that meet regularly throughout the company.

Question 19

Learning organisations versus traditional organisations

Answer 19

Question 20

Climate change/global warming

Answer 20

• Over the past decade in Australia there has been increasing concern about the availability of water for agriculture, farming and human consumption.
• Traditionally, businesses have assessed their performance against one bottom line – the financial one – their profitability. In the last few decades many businesses have moved beyond this and started to assess their performance against three bottom lines: environmental, social and economic.
• Organisations that followed this approach discovered that waste reduction, energy efficiency, pollution prevention, and a better social engagement with the communities in which they operated actually made economic sense.
• There is now a need to integrate environmental, social and economic considerations into every aspect of the organisation’s business practices, which will result in more sustainable ways of operating.

Question 21

Contingency theory

Answer 21

Different and changing situations require managers to use different approaches and techniques. The contingency theory (sometimes called situational theory) says that organisations are different, face different situations (contingencies) and require different ways of managing. A good way to describe contingency is ‘if, then’. If this is the way my situation is, then this is the best way for me to manage I this situation.

The contingency approach and managers

A contingency approach to management is intuitively logical, because organisations and even units within the same organisation are diverse – in size, goals, work and the like. It would be surprising to find universally applicable management rules that would work in all situations. But of course, it is one thing to say that the method of managing ‘depends on the situation’, and another to say what the situation is.

Question 22

Popular contingency variables

Answer 22

Organisation size – As size increases, so do the problems of coordination. For instance, the type of organisation structure appropriate for an organisation of 50,000 employees is likely to be inefficient for an organisation of 50 employees.

Routines of task technology – to achieve its purpose, an organisation uses technology. Routine technologies require organisational structures, leadership styles and control systems that differ from those required by customised or non-routine technologies.

Environmental uncertainty – the degree of uncertainty caused by environment changes influences the management process. What works best in a stable and predictable environment may be totally inappropriate in a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment

Individual differences – individuals differ in terms of their growth, autonomy, tolerance of ambiguity and expectations. These and other individual differences are particularly important when managers select motivation techniques, leadership styles and job designs

Question 23

Current trends

Answer 23

Globalisation – managers are no longer constrained by national borders. China, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand have now entered the global car manufacturing market and are building cars in Europe as well as in their home countries. McDonald’s sells hamburgers on every continent except perhaps Antarctica. Danish toymaker Lego Group has opened factories and a distribution centre in the Czech republic.

Globalisation means businesses can hire, source and sell wherever they want. It is increasingly difficult for managers in economically advanced nations such as Australia, where the minimum wage in 2016 is $A17.70 an hour for full-or part time adult workers, to compete against companies who rely on workers from developing nations, where labour is often available 40-50 cents an hour.

It is not by chance that a good portion of Australians wear clothes made in china, work on computers whose parts come from Thailand and ring up call centres operating from India or Philippines.

The implication for managers is that they must be prepared to deal with the difficult task of balancing the interests of their organisation, as it looks for ways to keep costs low and remain competitive, with their responsibilities to the communities within which they operate

workforce diversity

today’s organisations are characterised by workforce diversity, a workforce that is more heterogeneous in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age and other characteristics that reflect differences

smart managers recognise that diversity can be an asset because it brings a broad range of viewpoints and problem-solving skills to a company

Ethics

There have been numerous examples in recent years of unethical behaviour, corporate lying, bribery, misrepresentation and financial manipulation. What has happened to managerial ethics?

Simon Longstaff view on the global financial crisis – was not a failure of regulations in the financial services industry, but poor ethics. His view is that the triggers for the crisis – the initial decisions in the united states to lend money to people who were unlikely to be able to repay loans, and then to rate these subprime mortgages as investment-grade assets – were unethical.

Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship is an important global activity. But what exactly is it? Entrepreneurship is the process of starting new businesses, generally in response to opportunities. Entrepreneurships are pursuing opportunities by changing, revolutionising, transforming, or introducing new products or services or new ways of doing business.

To be entrepreneurial means that the business must be innovative, seeking out new opportunities. Even though entrepreneurial ventures may start small, they pursue growth. Some new small firms may grow, but remain small, by choice or by default.

Entrepreneurship does not have to be about a new and innovative product, frequently, it is about innovative business systems or methods. For example, by developing and using more sophisticate information system technology, organisations can make considerable savings in forecasting

Question 24

learning organisations and knowledge management

Answer 24

today’s managers confront an environment in which creation and change take place an unprecedented rate. As a result, many past management approaches and principles – created for a world that was more stable and predictable – no longer apply

today’s organisations must be able to learn and respond quickly. These organisations will lead by managers who can effectively challenge conventional wisdom, manage the organisation’s knowledge base and make needed changes. These organisations will need to be learning organisations – that is, ones that have developed the capacity

Traditional organisations

Learning organisations

Attitude towards change

If it is working, don’t change it

If you are not changing, it won’t be working for long

Attitude towards new ideas

If it wasn’t invented here, reject it

If it was invented or reinvented here, reject it

Who’s responsible for innovation?

Traditional areas such as R&D

Everyone in the organisation

Main fear

Making mistakes

Not learning, not adapting

Competitive advantage

Products and service

Ability to learn, knowledge and expertise

Manager’s job

To control others

To enable others

Part of manager’s responsibility is to create learning capabilities throughout the organisation – from lowest to highest level and in all areas.

But in an organisation, just recognising the value of accumulated knowledge or wisdom is not enough. Managers must deliberately manage that base of knowledge. Knowledge management involves cultivating a learning where organisational members systematically gather knowledge and share it with others in the organisation so as to ahieve better performance.

Question 25

Reflective Thinking and Practice

Answer 25

Process of awareness (of a present issue) -> critical analysis (of the issue, based on past experience and future implications) -> learning (how the issue can be handled in the future)

Question 26

Critical Thinking

Answer 26

No universal definition, but seven definitional strands have been identified in studies examined by Moore 2013. These strands are – judgement, skepticism, simple originality, sensitive readings, rationality, activist engagement with knowledge, self-reflexivity