Unit 2 Flashcards
What do managers do?
Setting objectives Analysing Leading Making decisions Reviewing
What is management?
Management is ‘the process of getting things done through others.’
What will a manager do in setting objectives
Managers will set goals for the group of subordinates.
They will decide what work needs to be done to meet these goals.
Managers will divide the work into manageable activities and select the best workers to get the tasks done.
Managers will motivate and communicate with the team to ensure that the objectives are met.
What will a manger do in reviewing ?
Managers review decisions and data frequently to ensure that the organisation is on track to meet objectives.
If plans are not meeting objectives then the plan needs to be altered.
Reasons for reviewing a decision
Corporate culture not ready for change
Skills of employees insufficient
Lack of financial controls(internal)
Political changes (local, regional, national or international) Changes to environmental attitudes Changes to social attitudes(external)
Difference between Leaders and Managers
Leaders: Look to the future Are willing to break the mould, innovate Have a vision Managers: Focus on the present Maintain the status quo Are implementers
Types of leaderships
Authoritarian – close controls, direct supervision
Laissez-faire – power to make decisions given to subordinates
Paternalistic – parental figure caring for workforce
Democratic – sharing decision-making through groups
Bureaucratic – must follow rules and procedures
What is Mcgregor Theory X and Y
McGregor X – managers believe workers are lazy and need close supervision
McGregor Y – managers believe workers are self motivated and as such can solve problems
Authoritarian leadership explanantion
Authoritarian
Tells employees what to do
Leader keeps control
Leader does not ‘listen’ to staff but has his/her own ideas
Advantages:
Decisions are made quickly
Control is centralised
Disadvantages:
Can demotivate staff because they are not included in decision-making
Leader does not benefit from views and experience of staff
The Blake Mouton grid
It identifies how ‘people orientated’ the leaders are or how ‘task orientated’ (having a high concern for production) they are.
People oriented:
Pleasant environment to work in
Staff happy
Task oriented:
Can get tasks done quickly
Can get task done accurately
Can lead to de-motivated staff
What is the Tannenbaum Schmidt continuum?
The continuum helps to show the range of management styles which are available to managers.
It helps to identify who has the most input in decision-making – managers or staff.
Influences on the style of leaderships
The company structure the situation The nature of the tasks The employees themselves The group size
What is decision making all about
Minimissing risks but maximizing rewards
Decision-making for managers Risks:
Finances – could lose money or not make as much money as manager thought
Reputation – could damage reputation of business/manager
People – could lose good staff if not successful; demotivate staff
Future – could influence future decisions
Resources – resources not used effectively
Decision-making for managers Rewards:
Finances – could make more money that anticipated
Reputation – could enhance reputation of business/manager
People – could attract good staff in future; motivate staff
Future – could get future business from potential customers
Benefits of scientific approach
Clear direction by emphasizing objectives and getting people involved in the decision-making process
Decisions based on logic and rational thinking
What else can you use instead of the scientific approach
Intiutions and experience
Hunches or ‘gut feeling’
What are decision trees?
Decision trees are a mathematical and graphic model to aid managers in making the right decisions.
The value of decision trees
They analyse the data, making is easier to make decisions
The visual nature of the diagram makes it easier to understand complex information
Used as a tool but should not be used exclusively – qualitative information should also be considered
Limitations of decision trees
Only uses estimates of the probability of different outcomes and the financial consequences of each outcome
The value of decision tree analysis depends heavily upon how accurate these estimates are
Only includes financial and quantifiable data – they do not utilize qualitative data
Different type of stakeholders
Internal: Employees Shareholders External: Suppliers Customers
What is a ‘win-lose’ situation?
one stakeholder wins while one looses.
What is a ‘win-win’ situation?
all stakeholders ultimately win.
What is CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility)?
Corporate social responsibility is the commitment by business to contribute to the community and environment (both ecological and social)
Benefits of CSR
More efficient use of resources (human and physical) Positive publicity (especially PR) Increased interest by potential shareholders.
What is communication?
The transfer of information between people’
It does however have several elements.
What is consultation?
Talking to interested parties to explain developments and issues; this is done to gather views and ideas which can contribute to the communication process.’
Internal consultations will happen when a major change is occurring.
