T1: Origins of Management practices

Question 1

define an ORGANISATION

Answer 1

an organisation is a deliberate arrangement of people brought together to accomplish some specific purpose.

Question 2

what 4 characteristics do all organisations share?

Answer 2

1. DISTINCT PURPOSE
2. PEOPLE
3. STRUCTURE
4. OPERATIONS SYSTEMS

Question 3

explain the 1st characteristic of an organisation

Answer 3

1. DISTINCT PURPOSE: expressed as a goal or set of goals.

Question 4

explain the 2nd characteristic of an organisation

Answer 4

2. PEOPLE: people make decisions and engage in work activities to make the desired goal(s) a reality.

Question 5

explain the 3rd characteristic of an organisation

Answer 5

3. STRUCTURE: defines and limits the behaviour of its members. (the setting within which managers manage)

Question 6

explain the 4th characteristic of an organisation

Answer 6

4. OPERATIONS SYSTEMS: takes INPUTS - people, tech, capital, equipment, materials and info - & transforms them through processes / procedures / work activities into finished goods & services.

Question 7

who are NON-MANAGERIAL EMPLOYEES?

Answer 7

> people who work directly on a job or task and have no responsibility for overseeing the work of others.

e.g. associates / team members / contributors / employees

Question 8

who are MANAGERS?

Answer 8

> Individuals in an organisation who direct the activities of others in order to accomplish organisational goals.
Managers job isn’t about ‘personal achievement’, but rather about helping others do their work.

Question 9

what are the 4 TITLES that Managers can have?

Answer 9

1. Top managers
2. Middle managers
3. First-line managers
4. Team leaders

Question 10

explain the TOP MANAGERS role(s)

Answer 10

> Individuals who are responsible for making decisions about the direction of the organisation and establishing policies that affect all organisational members.

titles such as: vice president (VP) / president / chancellor / managing director / chief operating officer / chief executive officer / chairperson.

Question 11

explain the MIDDLE MANAGERS role(s)

Answer 11

> Individuals who are responsible for translating goals set by top-managers into specific details that lower-level managers will ensure are carried out.

titles such as: department or agency head / project leader / unit chief / district manager / division manager / store manager.

Question 12

explain the FIRST-LINE MANAGERS role(s)

Answer 12

> Individuals / supervisors responsible for directing the day-to-day activities of non-managerial employees

titles such as: supervisors / shift managers / office managers / department managers / unit coordinators

Question 13

explain the TEAM LEADERS role(s)

Answer 13

> Individuals responsible for managing and facilitating the activities of a work team.
Report to first-line managers.

Question 14

what is SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT & who came up with this theory?

Answer 14

> the use of scientific methods to define the ‘one best way’ for a job to be done. (Taylorism)
Frederick Winslow Taylor - in - 1911

Question 15

what are the 4 PRINCIPLE Scientific Management?

Answer 15

1. Use the scientific method to study work and determine the most efficient way to perform specific tasks.
2. Match workers to their jobs based on capability and motivation, and train them to work at maximum efficiency.
3. Monitor worker performance, and provide instructions and supervision to ensure that they’re using the most efficient ways of working.
4. Allocate the work between managers and workers so that the managers spend their time planning and training, allowing the workers to perform their tasks efficiently.

Question 16

what is MANAGEMENT?

Answer 16

> the ‘process’ of getting things done, effectively and efficiently, through and with other people.
‘process’ refers to a set of ongoing and interrelated activities, primary activities of functions that managers perform.

Question 17

define EFFICIENCY

Answer 17

> doing things right / getting the most OUTPUT from the least amount of INPUTS

Question 18

define EFFECTIVENESS

Answer 18

> doing the right things / completing activities so that the organisational goals are attained

Question 19

what are the 4 MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS and who came up with the theory?

Answer 19

1. PLANNING
2. ORGANISING
3. LEADING
4. CONTROLLING

> Henry Fayol, (fayolism), 1916

Question 20

explain the management function of PLANNING

Answer 20

> includes defining goals, establishing strategy and developing sub-plans to coordinate activities.
– insures members keep their attention on what is most important.

Question 21

explain the management function of ORGANISING

Answer 21

> includes determining what tasks are to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are to be grouped, who reports to whom and where decisions are to be made.
– arranging and structuring work to accomplish goals.

Question 22

explain the management function of LEADING

Answer 22

> includes motivating employees, directing the activities of others, selecting the most effective communication channel and resolving conflicts.

Question 23

explain the management function of CONTROLLING

Answer 23

> process of monitoring performance, comparing it with goals and correcting any significant deviations / work performance.

Question 24

what are the 3 MANAGERIAL ROLES and who came up with the theory?

Answer 24

> are specific categories of managerial behaviour; grouped under 3 primary headings:

1. Interpersonal relationships
2. Transfer of information
3. Decision making

> Henry Mintzberg, late 1960s

Question 25

explain the managerial role: Interpersonal roles

Answer 25

> involve people (subordinates and persons outside the organisation) and other duties that are ceremonial and symbolic in nature.

Question 26

explain the managerial role: Informational roles

Answer 26

> involve collecting, receiving and disseminating information.

Question 27

explain the managerial role: Decisional roles

Answer 27

> entail making decisions or choices

Question 28

what did Mintzberg recently conclude about ‘Managing’?

Answer 28

‘Basically, managing is about influencing action. It’s about helping organisations and units to get things done, which means action.’

Question 29

how do managers help things get done?

Answer 29

1. by managing actions directly (negotiating contracts, managing people, etc.)
2. by managing people who take action (motivating them, building teams, enhancing the organisation’s culture, etc.)
3. by managing information that propels people to take action (using budgets, goals, task delegation, etc.)

Question 30

what 5 CHARACTERISTICS / SKILLS do Managers need as proposed by Robert L. Katz?

Answer 30

1. Conceptual skills
2. Interpersonal skills
3. Technical skills
4. Political skills
5. Motivation to manage

Question 31

explain the manager’s characteristic of ‘Conceptual skills’

Answer 31

> is the manager’s ability to analyse and diagnose complex situations.

Question 32

explain the manager’s characteristic of ‘Interpersonal skills’

Answer 32

> the manager’s ability to work with, understand, mentor and motivate others, both individually and in groups.

Question 33

explain the manager’s characteristic of ‘Technical skills’

Answer 33

> job specific knowledge and techniques needed to perform work tasks.

Question 34

explain the manager’s characteristic of ‘Political skills’

Answer 34

> a manager’s ability to build a power base and establish the right connections.
– ability to change one’s situation by influencing others at work, with overall objective of attaining valued goals from the situation.

Question 35

explain the manager’s characteristic of ‘Motivation to change’ and list its 6 components

Answer 35

> an internal force that drives people to take, enjoy and perform well in managerial positions.

1. attitudes to superiors
2. desire to engage in competitive situations
3. desire to exercise power over subordinates and direct their behaviour
4. desire to behave assertively
5. engage in highly public activities
6. organise administrative tasks

Question 36

What are the 3 competing explanations of Management?

Answer 36

1. Technical: management arose to solve functional problems of a large scale organisation - efficiency.
2. Elite: to define and defend the interests of managers
3. Political: management arose to control and discipline workers.

Question 37

why are customers important to the Managers job?

Answer 37

> managers are recognising that delivering consistent high-quality customer service is essential for survival and success
employees are an important part of that equation
must create a customer-responsive organisation where employees are willing to do what’s necessary to please the customer

Question 38

why are ethics and social responsibility important to a Manager’s job?

Answer 38

> b/c society expects managers / orgs to behave in ethical and socially responsible ways.
means going beyond legal economic obligations to act in ways that are good for society.

Question 39

define ‘sustainability’ and explain why is sustainability important to the Manager’s job?

Answer 39

> ‘sustainability’ - meeting the needs of people today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

> managing the economic, social and environmental impact of organisational products and activities so that today doesn’t create problems for the future.

Question 40

define ‘Employee engagement’

Answer 40

> when employees are connected to, satisfied with and enthusiastic about their jobs.