Unit 2: Human Resources Management Flashcards
What is the definition of a manager?
The person responsible for setting objectives, organising resources and motivating staff so that the organisation’s aims are met
What is the definition of leadership?
The art of motivating a group of people towards achieving a common objective
What is the definition of autocratic leadership?
A style of leadership that keeps all decision-making at the upper roles of the organisation with no input from the workers
What is the definition of democratic leadership?
A leadership style that promotes the active participation of workers in making decisions
What is the definition of paternalistic leadership?
A leadership style based on the approach that the manager is in a better position than the workers to know what is best for an organisation
What is the definition of laissez-faire leadership?
A leadership style that leaves much of the business decision making to the workforce - a ‘hands off’ approach and the reverse of the autocratic style
What is the definition of an informal leader?
A person who has no formal authority but has the respect of colleagues and some power over them
What is the definition of emotional intelligence (EI)?
The ability of managers to understand their own actions, and those of the people they work with, in order to achieve better business performance
What are the functions of management?
- Setting objectives and planning
- Organising resources to meet the objectives (clear division of tasks, delegation and resource allocation)
- Directing and motivating staff
- Coordinating activities (communication to ensure efficiency)
- Controlling and measuring performance against targets
What are Mintzberg’s three divisions of managerial roles?
Interpersonal roles:
Dealing with and motivating staff at all levels of the organisation
Informational roles:
Acting as a source, receiver and transmitter of information
Decisional roles:
Making decisions and allocating resources to meet the organisation’s objectives
What are Mintzberg’s interpersonal management roles?
Figurehead - opening new factories/offices; hosting receptions; giving important presentations
Leader - any management task involving subordinate staff
Liaison - leading and participating in meetings; business correspondence with other organisations
What are Mintzberg’s informational management roles?
Monitor (receiver) - attending seminars; business conferences; research groups; reading reports
Disseminator - communicating with staff within the organisation, using appropriate means
Spokesperson - presenting reports to groups of stakeholders at AGM; communicating with press and media
What are Mintzberg’s decisional management roles?
Entrepreneur - encouraging new ideas from within the business, and holding meetings to put those new ideas into effect
Disturbance handler - taking decisions on how the business should respond to threats e.g. new competitors
Resource allocator - drawing up and approving estimates on budgets; workforce planning
Negotiator - conducting negotiations and building relationships between the business and other organisations
What are the qualities of a good leader?
- Desire to succeed and self-motivation
- Lateral thinker (able to think creatively and outside the box to solve problems)
- Often multi-talented so they can deal with and understand a wide range of issue in the business
- Calm under pressure and able to make clear decisions
- Possess excellent two-way communication skills
- Possess an air of authority
- Intelligent and knowledgeable about business matters
What is McGregor’s Theory X of leadership?
Theory X assumes that workers:
- Dislike their work
- Aren’t creative
- Avoid responsibility and need constant direction
- Have to be controlled, forced and threatened to deliver work
- Need to be supervised at every step
- Have no motivation to work and so have to be enticed by rewards to achieve goals
With Theory X there is no delegation of responsibilities to the workers and it is most in line with the autocratic style of leadership.
What is McGregor’s Theory Y of leadership?
Theory Y assumes that workers:
- Are happy to work on their own initiative
- Are more involved in decision making
- Are self-motivated to complete their tasks
Theory Y is more in line with democratic leadership
- Enjoy taking ownership of their work
- Seek and accept responsibility, and need little direction
- View work as fulfilling and challenging
- Solve problems creatively and imaginatively
What theory of leadership is seen as better, Theory X or Theory Y?
It is generally seen that Theory X leads employees to dislike work, avoid responsibility and become demotivated in the long-term.
Realistically managers will use traits from each theory in their leadership style
What are the main features of autocratic leadership?
- McGregor Theory X approach
- Leader makes all decisions
- Little information given to staff
- Workers are closely supervised
- Only one-way communication
- Use of rewards and penalties
- Very little to no delegation
What are the advantages of autocratic leadership?
- Quick decision making
- Effective when employing a large number of low skilled workers
What are the disadvantages of autocratic leadership?
- Demotivates staff who want to contribute and accept responsibility
- Decisions do not benefit from staff input
- Workers do not feel valued or listened to due to lack of two-way communication
- Creates a separation and tension between the managers and employees
What are the main features of democratic leadership?
- Participation is encouraged
- Workers are able to make their own decisions
- Two-way communication is used which allows feedback from staff
- Workers are involved in decision making and there is delegation of responsibility
- Workers given information about the business to allow full involvement
- McGregor Theory Y approach
What are the advantages of democratic leadership?
- Workers are more motivated as authority is delegated
- Useful as workers’ opinions and ideas can help with decision making
- There is more of a bond between the employees and managers
- The employees enjoy work more
What are the disadvantages of democratic leadership?
- Consultation with staff can be time consuming
- Delegation of responsibilities can result in more errors as workers are not experienced enough
- The high level of involvement can be an issue with sensitive issues e.g. job losses or development of new products
What are the features of paternalistic leadership?
- Managers do what they think is best for the workers
- Some consultation takes place but final decisions are made by managers
- Managers want workers to be happy in their jobs
What are the advantages of paternalistic leadership?
- The consultation will make the employees feel more involved and valued by the business and so they will be more motivated
- Employees will enjoy work more as they will not feel completely alienated from their managers
- Workers will be happier as they feel their social needs are being met
What are the disadvantages of paternalistic leadership?
- Some workers will be dissatisfied by the lack of any real power or influence, despite the consultation
- Consultation slows down decision making
- Still a relatively dictatorial style of leadership
What are the features of laissez-faire leadership?
- Virtually all authority and decision making powers are delegated to the employees
- Employees have freedom to do what they think is best
- Very broad criteria or limits established that the staff have to work within
- Leaders have very little input into day-to-day decision making
What are the advantages of laissez-faire leadership?
- Very effective for staff that are ready and willing to take on responsibility and are trusted to do their jobs
- The workforce is highly motivated as they feel as if they are fully in charge of their own work
- Encourages a creative environment where innovative ideas are communicated and developed
What are the disadvantages of laissez-faire leadership?
- Workers may not work well with the lack of structure and direction
- As managers will not be closely monitoring progress, a lack of feedback may be demotivating
- There may be some tension as there is ambiguity over the precise roles of the managers
What are Goleman’s four competencies of emotional intelligence?
Self awareness:
Knowing what we feel is important, and using that to guide our decision making. Understanding our emotions and having the power to control them. Having a realistic view of our abilities and a confidence in our abilities
Self management:
Being able to recover quickly from stress, being trustworthy and conscientious, showing initiative and control
Social awareness:
Sensing what others are feeling, being able to take their views into account and work with a wide range of people
Social skills:
Handling emotions in relationships well and accurately understanding different social situations, using social skills to persuade, negotiate and lead
What is the definition of motivation?
The internal and external factors that stimulate people to actions that lead to achieving a goal - the ‘will to work’
What is the definition of self-actualisation?
A sense of self-fulfilment reached by feeling enriched and developed by what one has learned and achieved
What is the definition of motivating factors (motivators)?
Aspects of a worker’s job that can lead to positive job satisfaction such as achievement, recognition, meaningful and interesting work, and advancement at work
What is the definition of hygiene factors?
Aspects of a worker’s job that have the potential to cause dissatisfaction, such as pay, working conditions, status and over-supervision by managers
What is the definition of job enrichment?
Aims to use the full capabilities of workers by giving them the opportunity to do more challenging and fulfilling work
What is the definition of a time based wage rate?
Payment to a worker made for each period of time worked e.g. one hour
What is the definition of a piece rate?
A payment to a worker for each unit produced
