How do managers differ from nonmanagerial employees? The answer to this question used to be straightforward, but the line between managerial and nonmanagerial employees has blurred as more employees take on task once reserved for managers. To keep the answer from becoming too complicated, the best way to address this question is to focus on the fact that a manager’s job is about helping others do their work.
1 Is your course instructor a manager? Discuss in terms of managerial functions, managerial roles, and skills Course instructors (in contrast to individuals who hold positions such as department head) are not usually classified as managers In most situations, a course instructor does not fall within the definition of a manager when utilizing managerial functions, mainly because students are clients rather than employees In some cases, an instructor has little input about course content or how it is to be taught In these instances, the instructor makes few managerial decisions In terms of managerial roles, course instructors may be involved in some ways in the interpersonal, informational, and decisional roles For example, a course instructor could be seen as a liaison (interpersonal role), a monitor and disseminator (both informational roles), and a disturbance handler and negotiator (both decisional roles) Regarding managerial skills, course instructors certainly need technical skills—knowledge about the latest research and conceptual developments in a particular discipline They also need significant human skills as they interact with their students To a limited extent, the instructor utilizes conceptual skills as courses are planned or as departmental curriculums are debated (LO: 2, Learning Outcome: Tell who managers are and where they work, AACSB: Reflective thinking skills) 2.“The manager’s most basic responsibility is to focus people toward performance of work activities to achieve desired outcomes.” What’s your interpretation of this statement? Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? This statement means that a manager’s job or responsibility is to coordinate and/or focus subordinates’ energies toward performance outcomes that will result in the achievement of organizational goals By definition, management is coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively Therefore, most managers and management scholars would agree with this statement Coordinating others’ work activities is what distinguishes a manager’s job from a nonmanagerial one (LO: 3, Learning Outcome: Describe the functions, roles, and skills of managers, AACSB: Reflective thinking skills) 3.Explain the universality of management concept Does it still hold true in today’s world? Why or why not? Management principles are needed for the efficient and effective operation of organizations, regardless of the level of the manager or the industry in which they operate This is true for today’s organizations now more than ever The global environment of today ensures that organizations will face staunch competition Failure and weakness on the part of management ultimately lead to loss of market share and organizational closure Also, gone are the days when managers could ‘bluff’ their way through their dealings with employees who have become more demanding and aware of their legal rights (LO: 5, Learning Outcome: Explain the value of studying management, AACSB: Reflective thinking skills) Is business management a profession? Why or why not? Do some external research in answering this question (Business education has the potential to be a powerful influence in making business managers more accountable to the society they shape Whether they went to business school or not, most managers in large organizations are impacted by individuals trained by business schools, the ideas that are diffused through business school publications, the cases taught in executive education programs, and the general tone set business schools set about the purpose of management and the relationship between corporations and society For all these reasons, business schools themselves have the responsibility to make management a profession.) According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, management is a profession In addition to the concept of an administrative manager, the Occupational Outlook Handbook list a variety of specific types of management positions, such as management analysts, management consultants, management development specialist (such as human resource managers) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), administrative services managers held about 247,000 jobs in 2006 with 12% expected in the next ten years The majority of jobs identified by the BLS, shows that about 65 percent worked in service-providing industries, including Federal, State, and local government; health care; finance and insurance; professional, scientific, and technical services; administrative and support services; and educational services, public and private The remaining managers worked in wholesale and retail trade, in management of companies and enterprises, or in manufacturing 3.Does the way that that contemporary organizations are structured appeal to you? Why or why not? Yes, because a strict hierarchical organization as represented in the traditional organizations puts a barrier in responding to the rapidly changing environments Contemporary organizational structures consist of the matrix, lattice, virtual and networked organizations Organizations are becoming more open, flexible, and responsive to changes 4.In today’s environment, which is more important to organizations—efficiency or effectiveness? Explain your choice Both are integral to effective management Management refers to the process of coordinating and integrating work activities so that they’re completed efficiently and effectively with and through other people There is no way to say that one of these is more important than the other No organization can succeed in today's highly competitive world unless it is both efficient and effective An efficient organization is one that produces a good or service using the least possible amount of inputs This is vitally important in today's world If a firm cannot produce efficiently, it cannot compete because other companies will be able to produce at lower prices An effective organization is one that does the right things It is an organization that gives the customers what they want This is just as vital in today's world A firm that is really good at making things well and at low costs will still fail if it is making things that people no longer want The most efficient firm making film cameras is not going to prosper in today's world of digital cameras No firm can prosper if it is not both efficient and effective A company that makes popular goods cannot compete if others can produce the good more cheaply A company that produces goods at a low price cannot compete if no one wants its product Therefore, both are equally important 8 “Management is undoubtedly one of humankind’s most important inventions.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? “Management is undoubtedly one of humankind’s most important inventions.”I agree with this statement because , without the principles of management and the guidance of managers in organizations, we as a society would not have reached the level of development that we enjoy today The goal of management centers on the art of getting things done Without organizations and their managers, it would be impossible to accomplish what has been done in history so far It is has always been up to managers to coordinate and oversee work activities in the art of getting things done in the areas of agriculture, medicine, science, and manufacturing Achieving Company Targets When a company begins its operations, specific goals are setup which can only be achieved if all the parts of the organization function together and efficiently Proper management makes sure that each part of the company works towards achieving a common goal without disarray Management actually plans, executes and balances the resources of a company in such a way that there is maximum work output to attain the goals of organization swiftly, while retaining work quality In absence of proper management, different sections go on to attain individual targets However, common goal may not be achieved, which would further lead to delays, losses and low quality output Reduction In Wastage When resources of a company are effectively managed, wastage is reduced, thereby lowering overall costs and attaining the state of ‘resource optimization’ This means that company is making profits not only from output, but also from better and optimum use of input Proper utilization of resources and reduced wastage prevents both under employment and exploitation of resources Management can identify resources which are scarce and find alternatives for the same, thus reducing the cost again It also employs the specialization of employment and leads to increased productivity and quality output Simplifies The Organizational Structure Management controls effective work division, specialization and resource allocation This creates a uniform flow of work and specifies boundaries of responsibilities, authority and rights, which not overlap This structure is necessary, as it clarifies to each employee his position and field of influence in the organization In such a scenario, every employee would know his/her basic rights, duties, immediate superiors and subordinates, along with the knowledge of opportunities awaiting him, as his relation with the company grows Effective management also helps to ascertain that no two people are doing the same work and that right person is allocated for the right job, thus increasing productivity Increases Stability The company should be maintained in such a fashion that external market turbulences not hamper the company’s functioning This requires effective changes that need to be made in the company, without hurting the company’s stand or its workers too much Without proper management this will not be possible Management will provide increased stability and adaptability to the company, helping it survive market conditions and grow with time Also, the workers would not be apprehensive about losing their job, which would, in turn, help them work with peace of mind Provides The “Feel Good Factor” According to Harold Koontz, ‘‘Management is an art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized groups” This statement ascertains the importance of people in the whole scenario It is extremely important to keep the workers happy for the successful functioning of the company A company which is managed with efficacy prospers rapidly and, in turn, produces better revenue, thereby opening avenues of growth for the workers involved The upward climb in the growth chart assures the workforce of not just better salaries, but better positions, which provides motivation for better work Profits Galore This is a cumulative effect of all of the benefits mentioned above Proper management helps to build efficient organizational structure, set targets that are testing yet achievable and optimize resource utilization (both human and otherwise) Such a scenario increases profits by maximizing productivity and reducing costs Happy and de-stressed workers work with more zeal and enthusiasm This increases quality and quantity of output, which aids in the growth of the company, beating competition and emerging out victorious! 6.Is there one best “style” of management? Why or why not? No, there’s probably not one single “best” style of management Organizational situations vary and what works best in one organization may not necessarily work best in another Each individual tends to develop his or her own preferred “style” of managing It would be difficult to say that there is a "best" style, since we are dealing with interpersonal relationships here There are a lot of different factors involved First, you have the manager As people, they have certain personality styles and skills that more naturally lend them to certain styles of leadership If the person is not good with a certain style, that style certainly isn't going to be highly effective for them (That doesn't mean that managers should not try different styles and try to learn new things But some will work better than others for any given person.) Second, there are those being managed A good manager often uses different styles with different employees Different people are led and motivated in different ways, so the manager might have to use different styles with different workers to get peak performance out of everyone Third, the workplace and the type of work might call for different styles While the manager of a team of researchers might be able to use a consensus-building style to guide the team, a football coach is probably not going to be highly successful that way he needs to be more of an autocrat The good manager is one who has several styles that he can use well, and he is able to determine when each will be most effective Discuss the contingency factors that affect planning : The contingency factors that affect planning include a manager’s level in the organization; the degree of environmental uncertainty; and the length of future commitments The two main approaches to planning include the traditional approach, which uses a formal planning department and has plans developed by top managers that flow down through other organizational levels The other approach is to involve more organizational members in the planning process Contemporary Issues in Planning Explain the criticisms of planning and whether they’re valid Describe how managers can effectively plan in today’s dynamic environment The main criticisms of planning are: (1) planning may create rigidity; (2) plans can’t be developed for a dynamic environment; (3) formal plans can’t replace intuition and creativity; (4) planning focuses managers’ attention on today’s competition, not tomorrow’s; (5) formal planning reinforces success, which may lead to failure; and (6) just planning isn’t enough These criticisms are valid if planning is rigid and inflexible Managers can effectively plan in today’s dynamic environment using plans that are specific but flexible It’s also important to “shove” responsibility for establishing goals and developing plans to lower organizational levels Explain what studies have shown about the relationship between planning and performance It should be noted that one cannot say that organizations that formally plan always outperform those that don’t plan However, studies have indicated that formal planning is often associated with positive financial results Generally, performance is also higher in those organizations where planning is present And, when higher performance is not the result of formal planning, often the reason is due to something in the external environment Finally, studies indicate that at least four years of formal planning are necessary before performance is affected Discuss the contingency factors that affect planning The first contingency factor is a manager’s level in the organization Typically, lower-level managers are operational planners, while upper-level managers are strategic planners Second, with environmental uncertainty, plans should be specific, but flexible And third, the length of future commitments can greatly affect planning Describe how managers can effectively plan in today’s dynamic environment Environmental uncertainty is a constant Therefore, managers should develop plans that are specific yet remain flexible If managers recognize that planning is an ongoing process, then when a dynamic environment is encountered, managers can adapt readily Another way to assist with planning is to craft an organizational hierarchy that is relatively flat Allowing lower level managers to set goals and develop plans is an effective way to deal with a dynamic environment Will planning become more or less important to managers in the future? Why? Planning will become more important to managers in the future because of the uncertainty in an increasingly dynamic environment Changes constantly occur in both the general and specific environments of organizations, and many of these changes take place rapidly Planning helps managers cope with the uncertainty by forcing managers to look ahead, anticipate change, consider the impact of the change, and develop appropriate responses If planning is so crucial, why some managers choose not to it? What would you tell these managers? Managers may choose not to devote time to planning because they not know how to plan or feel that they not have the necessary time Others may say that planning is a waste of time, that the future is going to happen whether or not they plan However, these reasons not discount the importance of planning Every manager should engage in planning Explain how planning involves decisions today that will have an impact later As managers plan, they make decisions that influence how activities are organized, how employees are managed, and what control mechanisms are implemented As managers look to the future by planning, the decisions they make as they plan will have an impact on their other managerial activities How might planning in a not-for-profit organization such as the American Cancer Society differ from planning in a for-profit organization such as Coca-Cola? The process of planning is similar, but the content of the plans will differ The types of objectives that are established and the plans that are formulated will be influenced by the fact that a not-for-profit organization does not have profit as its major objective However, a not-forprofit organization must devote efforts and resources to planning how to raise funds and to recruit volunteers to achieve its mission 8 What types of planning you in your personal life? Describe these plans in terms of being (a) strategic or operational plans, (b) short or long term plans, and (c) specific or directional plans Students’ responses to this question will, of course, vary Students may mention their planning to meet educational and career goals Encourage your students to think about their everyday lives and the types of daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly planning they The late Peter Drucker, an eminent management author, coined the SMART format for setting goals back in 1954: S (specific), M (measurable), A (attainable), R (relevant), and T (time bound) Are these still relevant today? Discuss Of all of the material presented in this chapter, most students will readily recall this acronym for goal setting These qualities from Drucker have remained basically unaltered and have been cited in numerous texts and studies As a part of student discussion, try to find other application for Drucker’s work in this area beyond the management of employees What about for school children? Volunteers working for a community program? 10 Many companies have a goal of becoming more environmentally sustainable One of the most important steps they can take is controlling paper waste Choose a company—any type, any size Imagine that you’ve been put in charge of creating a program to control paper waste for the company Set goals and develop plans Prepare a report for your boss (that is, your professor), outlining these goals and plans It should also be stressed to students that plans must be accepted by top management and as well as employees at lower levels if it is to be effectively implemented Have students discuss the difficulty of implementing a plan such as this across levels How could students increase buy-in of the plan? How would such a plan be ultimately evaluated to determine its success? Using criteria discussed in the previous question, have students check that their goals match the SMART format (1 Giải thích nghiên cứu mối quan hệ quy hoạch thực Cần lưu ý người ta khơng thể nói tổ chức thức kế hoạch ln ln tốt người khơng có kế hoạch Tuy nhiên, nghiên cứu kế hoạch thức thường gắn liền với kết tài tích cực Nói chung, hiệu suất cao tổ chức quy hoạch Và, hiệu suất cao khơng phải kết kế hoạch thức, thường lý mơi trường bên ngồi Cuối cùng, nghiên cứu bốn năm lập kế hoạch thức cần thiết trước hiệu suất bị ảnh hưởng Thảo luận yếu tố ngẫu nhiên có ảnh hưởng đến quy hoạch Các yếu tố dự phòng mức độ nhà quản lý tổ chức Thông thường, nhà quản lý cấp thấp nhà hoạch định hoạt động, nhà quản lý cấp nhà hoạch định chiến lược Thứ hai, với không chắn môi trường, kế hoạch phải cụ thể, linh hoạt Và thứ ba, chiều dài cam kết tương lai ảnh hưởng lớn đến kế hoạch Mô tả cách quản lý hiệu có kế hoạch mơi trường động ngày không chắn môi trường số Vì vậy, nhà quản lý cần xây dựng kế hoạch cụ thể linh hoạt Nếu nhà quản lý nhận kế hoạch q trình liên tục, sau môi trường động gặp phải, nhà quản lý thích ứng dễ dàng Một cách khác để hỗ trợ cho việc lập kế hoạch để xây dựng hệ thống phân cấp tổ chức tương đối phẳng Cho phép quản lý cấp thấp để thiết lập mục tiêu xây dựng kế hoạch cách hiệu để đối phó với mơi trường động Quy hoạch Will trở thành nhiều quan trọng để nhà quản lý tương lai? Tại sao? Kế hoạch trở nên quan trọng nhà quản lý tương lai không chắn môi trường ngày động Những thay đổi liên tục xảy mơi trường nói chung cụ thể tổ chức, nhiều số thay đổi diễn nhanh chóng Kế hoạch giúp nhà quản lý đối phó với không chắn cách buộc nhà quản lý để nhìn phía trước, dự đốn thay đổi, xem xét tác động thay đổi phát triển phản ứng thích hợp Nếu quy hoạch quan trọng, số nhà quản lý chọn khơng làm điều đó? Những bạn nói với nhà quản lý? Quản lý chọn khơng dành thời gian để lên kế hoạch họ khơng biết làm để lập kế hoạch cảm thấy họ thời gian cần thiết Người khác nói quy hoạch lãng phí thời gian, tương lai xảy hay không mà họ có kế hoạch Tuy nhiên, lý khơng giảm giá tầm quan trọng việc lập kế hoạch Mỗi người quản lý nên tham gia vào việc lập kế hoạch Giải thích cách lập kế hoạch liên quan đến định ngày hơm có tác động sau Theo kế hoạch quản lý, họ đưa định có ảnh hưởng hoạt động tổ chức, làm nhân viên quản lý chế kiểm soát thực Là nhà quản lý nhìn vào tương lai việc lập kế hoạch, định mà họ làm họ dự định có tác động vào hoạt động quản lý khác họ Làm lên kế hoạch tổ chức phi lợi nhuận Hiệp hội Ung thư Mỹ khác với kế hoạch tổ chức phi lợi nhuận Coca-Cola? Quá trình lập kế hoạch tương tự, nội dung kế hoạch khác Các loại mục tiêu thiết lập kế hoạch xây dựng bị ảnh hưởng thực tế tổ chức phi lợi nhuận khơng có lợi nhuận mục tiêu Tuy nhiên, tổ chức phi lợi nhuận phải dành nỗ lực nguồn lực để lên kế hoạch làm để huy động vốn tuyển dụng tình nguyện viên để đạt sứ mệnh Những loại kế hoạch bạn làm sống cá nhân bạn? Mô tả kế hoạch (a) kế hoạch chiến lược hoạt động, (b) kế hoạch ngắn hạn hay dài hạn, (c) kế hoạch cụ thể hướng phản ứng sinh viên cho câu hỏi sẽ, tất nhiên, thay đổi Học sinh đề cập đến kế hoạch họ để đáp ứng mục tiêu giáo dục nghề nghiệp Khuyến khích học sinh để suy nghĩ sống hàng ngày họ loại kế hoạch hàng ngày, hàng tuần, hàng tháng, hàng năm họ làm Cố Peter Drucker, tác giả tiếng quản lý, đặt định dạng SMART để thiết lập mục tiêu trở lại năm 1954: S (cụ thể), M (đo lường được), A (đạt được), R (có liên quan), T (thời gian ràng buộc) Là có liên quan ngày hơm nay? Bàn luận Trong tất tài liệu trình bày chương này, hầu hết học sinh dễ dàng nhớ từ viết tắt đề mục tiêu Những phẩm chất từ Drucker không thay đổi trích dẫn nhiều văn nghiên cứu Là phần thảo luận sinh viên, cố gắng tìm ứng dụng khác cho cơng việc Drucker lĩnh vực ngồi việc quản lý nhân viên Còn em học sinh? Các tình nguyện viên làm việc cho chương trình cộng đồng? 10 Nhiều cơng ty có mục tiêu trở thành nhiều môi trường bền vững Một bước quan trọng mà họ kiểm sốt chất thải giấy Chọn cơng ty loại, kích thước Hãy tưởng tượng bạn đặt phụ trách việc tạo chương trình kiểm sốt chất thải giấy cho công ty Đặt mục tiêu xây dựng kế hoạch Chuẩn bị báo cáo cho ông chủ bạn (có nghĩa là, giáo sư bạn), phác thảo mục tiêu kế hoạch Cũng cần phải nhấn mạnh với học sinh kế hoạch phải chấp nhận quản lý hàng đầu nhân viên cấp thấp thực cách hiệu Yêu cầu học sinh thảo luận khó khăn việc triển khai thực kế hoạch cấp độ Làm học sinh tăng mua vào kế hoạch? Làm kế hoạch cuối đánh giá để xác định thành cơng nó? Sử dụng tiêu chí thảo luận câu hỏi trước, có sinh viên kiểm tra xem mục tiêu họ phù hợp với định dạng SMART.) ANSWERS TO CASE APPLICATION QUESTIONS More than a Good Story As the top managers of their company, what types of issues might Bert and John have to deal with? Be as specific as possible Which management functions might be most important to them? Why? Considering Bert and John’s success with the “Life is Good” cartoon characters, get students to explore the problems and difficulties that arise from growing a company based on a slogan as opposed to a tangible product that cannot be easily copied Get students to think about how difficult it is to stay true to a business philosophy and how companies strive to protect their competitive advantage from other firms who want to encroach upon their idea While all four functions of management are important, planning is particularly important in a company during its growth stage Using descriptions from the case, describe Bert and John’s managerial style Would this approach work for other organizations? Why or why not? Bert and John both play an active role in managing the company However, their style of management may not fit with what most people expect from a CEO As CEO’s, they have focused on expanding their company, however, they also appeal to the more spiritualistic side of work by bringing in their own philosophy of ‘life is good’ by encouraging involvement with charities and looking for employees that match their values in life How you think the company’s motto “Do what you like Like what you do” might affect how managers manage? Be specific This motto reflects on the concept that employees should be encouraged to match their own personal values with those of the company Individuals are more committed to an organization when they feel there is a ‘fit’ between what they want from life and what the company want/expects from their employees Encourage students to think about how they either fit or not fit with companies that they have worked for What managerial challenges might there be in having friends work for your business? How could these challenges be kept inconsequential? In the past, management experts have advocated against managers having close personal relationships with their employees Difficulties often arise when managers are faced with disciplining or firing friends for inappropriate behaviors Impartiality is another consideration in that close friendships may make other employees feel like management would not distribute rewards equally among all employees Clear policies and open communication are ways to resolve these problems Would you want to work for a company like this? Why or why not? You will probably find that some students like the personal relationships and positive attitude of Bert and John while other students are put off by what they consider a lack of professionalism Get students to explore what type of company philosophy best fits with their own personal values In what ways would the Life is Good managers (corporate and retail store) have to deal with the challenges of customer service, innovation, and sustainability? Be specific in your description Keeping the product line and motto ‘Life is Good’ fresh and current will be a difficult challenge As competitors arise and products become oversaturated in the market, a major job for management will be coming up with new concept lines that are innovative but not stray too from company’s core concept Questions will also arise on the area of growth Currently they are a value added company, as they continue to grow, they may look to buy other clothing/novelty retailers or develop into other markets i.e outdoor equipment ANSWERS TO CASE APPLICATION QUESTIONS Flight Plans Using the four functions as your guide, what challenges would Jeff Bourk face in managing the Branson Airport? Students can go a variety of directions on this question While managers are called upon to perform all the basic functions of management, planning, organizing, leading and controlling, most top managers and CEO’s focus on planning While Jeff wears many management hats, his biggest job is setting the strategy and mission of the airport Students should note from the case introduction that the building of the nation’s first privately built airport took a lot of time to plan and there were many arrangements, i.e the contract with the city that laid the foundation for future success Again, using the four functions as your guide, you think the managerial challenges Jeff Bourk faced when getting the airport up and running are different from what he faces now in actually overseeing the airport’s operation? Explain As organizations move from the planning stage toward implementation, the other functions of management become important Organizing employees to build the airport and then running the day to day operations i.e scheduling employees, maintaining security, dealing with HR issues, takes much of a manager’s time Leading will also become more important as motivation of airport employees needs to be sustained Finally, control mechanisms need to be in place to ensure that the operations of the airport run smoothly and safety regulations are followed What management roles would Jeff Bourk be playing as he (a) negotiates new contracts with potential airlines, (b) works with the airport employees in providing a high level of customer service to arriving and departing passengers, and (c) resolves the contractual issues with the city of Branson? Be specific and explain your choices Similar to question on managerial functions, managers will perform many roles in the course of their duties Evaluating this question in parts according to Mintzberg’s roles (a) is a liaison and/or negotiator role, (b) is a leader and/or disturbance handler role, (c) is a negotiator, liaison, and/or disturbance handler role Students may go for the obvious roles that hit on key works in the question or they could dig deeper to explore roles that might be important to address holistic approaches to solve these problems What skills would be most important to a manager like Jeff Bourk? Explain your choices Top managers rely greatly on conceptual and human skills to perform their job (refer to Exhibit 1-6) While CEO’s may have relied upon their technical skills early in their career, their role as organizational leader dictates that they focus on establishing the goals and strategies of their organization As a CEO, Jeff’s main concern is the big picture (i.e how to fund the venture, establishing contracts with airlines, and gaining community support.) CEO’s can’t and should not be required to know all the technical details of the organization (i.e the specific construction skills necessary to build airport buildings, food preparation, and baggage handling) Human relations skills are important at all levels, something that would be necessary when dealing with city officials and employee disputes