Unit 2.3 - Leadership and Management Flashcards
1
Q
What is scientific thinking/management?
A
- Relies on making decisions thoroughly by gathering necessary information/data and then analysing this before deciding what to do.
- Based on managers being objective, rational, and logical rather than instinctive/subjective
2
Q
What is intuitive thinking/management?
A
- Opposite of scientific thinking: relies on considered instinctive feelings/emotions to make decisions
- Based on people’s knowledge, insights, gut feelings, instinct, faith… (sensory perceptions/emotions -> informed choices)
- Often used when tackling ethical dilemnas or hwen quick decision needs to be made
3
Q
What are the three steps in the edcision-making process of scientific thinking? Explain them
A
- Where are we now? - Identifying issue/opportunity
- Where do we want to be? - Deciding what is important for organization in relation to its business objectives and mission or vision.
- How do we get there? - Using available data/information -> compare alternative options in order to choose/implement a plan of action to achieve goals
4
Q
How has internet and technology impacted scientific thinking/management?
A
- Made it easier/cheaper for business to collect, collate and analyse data
5
Q
What are advantages of scientific thinking/management?
A
- Using range of primary/secondary data -> help managers make objective/well-informed decisions
- Minimize risks of decision-making/problem solving
6
Q
What are disadvantages of scientific thinking/management?
A
- Past empirical evidence might be unreliable/unrepresentative of current situations
- Cost and time required -> prohibitive for small businesses
7
Q
What are advantages of Intuitive thinking/management?
A
- Suitable when reliable/facts data are not readily available such as in crisis/emergency situation
8
Q
What are disadvantages of Intuitive thinking/management?
A
- Could lead to mistakes, especially when data/info are available to support fact-based decisions. Irrespective of level of experience of decision maker
9
Q
What is management?
A
- Process of achieving organizational objectives by using limited resources an organization has
- Hence, managers = perhaps most influential in the degree of success of a business
10
Q
What are the levels of management?
A
Seniot management, Middle Management, Supervisory Management
11
Q
According to Henry Fayol, what are the key functions of management? Explain them.
A
- Planning: Set smart targers, strategic/tactical plans
- Organizing: Organize factors of production
- Commanding: Give instructions to subordinates
- Coordinating: Ensure employees have common approach to achieving goals
- Controlling: Ensure employees meet standards and requirements
12
Q
What does DOC PROBS acronym stand for? What does it relate to?
A
Roles & Functions of Management
- Directing, Organizing, Coordinating, Planning, Reporting, Objectives, Budgeting, Staffing
13
Q
What are differences between Leaders and Managers?
A
- Managers: task-orientated, deal with administrative aspects of organization
- Leaders: Focus on organizational strategy (strategic direction)
- Managers: Part of/comply with organizational culture
- Leaders: Shape and change organizational culture
- Managers: Manage people to achieve organizational goals
- Leaders: Inspire others to pursue organizational mission/vision
- Managers: Focus on the present
- Leaders: Focus on the future
- Both are decision makers
- Managers: focus on organizational norms and policy making
- leaders: focus on innovation and risk-taking
14
Q
What are the Leadership Styles?
A
Autocratic, Paternalistic, Democratic, Laissez-Faire, Situational
15
Q
What is Autocratic Leadership?
A
- Authoritative, centralises decision-making without consulting others
- Formal chain of command: consultation with subordinates in decison-making is non existent
- Rely on own ideas/experiences/instincts when making decisions
- Suitable when employees are unskilled/inexperiences/lack initiative (factories, military, emergency services…)
16
Q
What are advantages of Autocratic Leadership?
A
- Ensures leader has complete control of operations
- Speeds up decision-making process
- Provides workers with cleasr sense of direction and clarity over their roles (understand exactly was is expected)
- Aprropriate/Effective when critical/urgent decisions need to be made
16
Q
What are Disadvantages of Autocratic Leadership?
A
- Creativity & Innovation supressed and discouraged: employees not involved in decision-making process
- Does not develop internal talents of workforce
- Demotivates employees: opinios not valued
- Does nothing to build intrapeneurial spirit in workplace
- Higher labour turnover rate -> usually costly to organization
16
Q
What is Paternalistic Leadership?
A
- Decisons on behalf of of their team in belief that they are in the best interest of the workers
- Employees seen as family members (common in family-run businesses)
- Commonality with autocratic leadership style because there is clear and dominant central person who holds control of all decision-making power
- Consultation may occur but leader makes decisons, guiding/protecting team
- See workers as less capable and/or experienced than themselves
17
Q
What are advantages of Paternalistic Leadership?
A
- Motivate staff as they feel guided and interests protected
- Ensures harmonious relationsips at work as leader genuinely values staff
- Promotes loyalty to leader/organization
- Creates sense of belonging -> helping meet workers’ safety and social needs (Maslow’s hierarchy)
- Overall: good for staff morale/motivation/productivity -> hence beneficial to organization (lower staff turnover rate, higher profitability)
18
Q
What are disadvantages of Paternalistic Leadership?
A
- Decision-making centralized -> workers dissatisfied if views are ignored
- Communication mainly top-down from senior management
- Paternalistic leaders may not always make best decisions -> conflict & disagreement
19
Q
What is Democratic Leadership?
A
- Willing to delegate authority and consult subordinates in decision-making
- Characterized by inclusiveness: all employees encouraged to share views/ideas in decision-making process
- Comfortable with trusting employees to carry out jobs
- Consultation/collaboration important to success of organization
20
Q
What are advantages of Democratic Leadership?
A
- Workers feel valued: actively encouraged to participate in decision-making -> motivation
- Most made out of skills/experiences/creativity of employees
- Collaboration -> higher morale, improved productivity -> higher staff loyalty
- Takes advantage of innovative potential of employees
- Feedback from employees -> better understand their concerns
21
Q
What are disadvantages of Democratic Leadership?
A
- Disagreement/disharmony: not realistic to please everyone all the time
- Ineffective when critical decisions need to be made quickly (sometimes employees need to do what they’re told)
- Time consuming/Costly
- Negative impacts on daily operations of organization
22
Q
What is Laissez-Faire Leadership?
A
- Leader delegates significant amount of authority to subordinates and provides them with freedom to carry out tasks in their own way (minimal direction/supervision)
- Workers have autonomy to make own decisions on how to best accomplish organizational objectives
- Opposite of autocratic
- Success depends on employees (skills/talents/experiences/drive/level of commitment)
23
Q
What are advantages of Laissez-Faire Leadership?
A
- Motivational -> employees have freedom to carry out tasks in any effective they wish
- Encourages creativity -> more innovation
- Helps develop intrapeneurial culture in organization -> competitive advantages
- Overall: help achieve greater productivity, staff morale, lower labour turnover rate, and higher profitability
24
Q
What are disadvantages of Laissez-Faire Leadership?
A
- Monitoring/coordination of business operations -> more difficult/time-consuming especially due to absence of managerial control
- Slack can arise due to minimal level of supervision
- Does not suit all workers: some may want/prefer clear guidance and direction; having large amount of freedom can worry some workers
25
Q
What is Situational Leadership?
A
- Leader willing/able to change leadership style according to circumstances (e.g. naturally Laissez-Faire leader may need to switch to autocratic during crisis)
- No single leadership style works all the time : different styles appropriate depending on situation/context
26
Q
What are advantages of Situational Leadership?
A
- Recognizes good leaders must be adaptive
- Most practical of all styles
- Dynamic nature of business environment -> leaders have to adjust styles to suit different situations/changes in market
27
Q
What are disadvantages of Situational Leadership?
A
- if workers become used to particular style, might be dishearted/disturbed if it changes
- Most people have preferred leadership styles -> changing or adopting different style can be difficult/uncharacteristic for them
28
Q
What are the Factors Affecting the Choice of Leadership Style? Explain them. Acronym ‘TWICE’
A
- Task: wether it is routine/high-risk activity or time consuming/costly
- Workers: skills, qualifications, confidence, experience and abilities of workers
- Individual: Leader’s personality preferences
- Culture: Organizational culture
- Experiences: Past experience from leaders in handling different situations/circumstances
