From The Desk Of

Kamran Abdul Salam

Topic:
Chapter 12:

Management
Manager:
Managers ‘get things done’- not by doing all jobs themselves but by working
with and delegating to other people.

Managers could be:

 Act on behalf of the owners

 Set objectives for the organization
 Make sure that a business achieves its objectives
 Ensure that corporate values exist and practice

Management:
Management is an art of getting things done which can also be referred as an
effort for achieving objectives with the help of effective utilization of resources.
The functions of managers are primarily include planning, organizing, leading,
coordinating and controlling for the accomplishment of organizational goals.

The Function of management:

Planning:
What has to be done or achieve? This involves setting objectives and also the
strategies, policies, programs and procedures for achieving them.

Example: Achieving $100m sales in first 6months OR Become a Market

Leader

Organizing resources:
Managers set tasks which need to be performed if business is to achieve its
objectives. Jobs need to be organized within sections or departments and
authority needs to be delegated so that jobs are carried out.

Organizing involves designating tasks and responsibilities to employees with the

specific skill sets needed to complete the tasks

Example: The tasks such as manufacturing, packaging, administration, etc

Leading or Commanding:
This means guiding, leading and overseeing of employees to ensure those
organizational goals are being met with minimum chances of errors.

Coordinating:
This is the bringing together of the activities or people within the business. It is
required for the smooth flow of production process or for rendering off services
so that they aren’t wastages.

Coordinating involves communication, supervision and direction by

management.

Controlling:
Managers measure and correct the activities of individuals and groups, to make
sure that their performance fits in with plans. Controlling involves establishing
performance standards and monitoring the output of employees to ensure
each employee’s performance meets those standards.
 Mintzberg’s roles of management
Henry Mintzberg identified ten management roles which are then grouped into
three main categories namely interpersonal roles, information roles and decision
roles.

Interpersonal Roles : involves dealing with and motivating staff at all levels of
an organization

i. Figurehead: these are duties that are symbolic or ceremonial in nature e.g
guest of honour at a function like a Prize Giving Day
ii. Leader: involves directing and co-ordinating the activities of all employees
in the business. Thus the manager will provide direction for the team or
business by making clear what is required of everyone in the business. It
also involves staffing and monitoring staff.
iii. Liaison: It involves the mangers’ interpersonal relationships outside of their
area of command. Thus the manager should be able to make contacts
both inside and outside the organisation. The main aim is to establish good
relationships e.g participating in meetings with other businesses.
Information Roles
i. Monitor: involves examining the environment to gather information,
changes, opportunities and problems that may affect the business. It also
involves the processing of information related to those internal or external
changes which might the business.
ii. Disseminator: involves providing important or privileged information to
the subordinates. Information needs to be passed to the appropriate
people as and when required. This must be at a suitable time and must
use an appropriate medium
iii. Spokesperson: the mangers represents the business to other people
outside the business. As a spokesperson, the manager will have to pass
information to interested parties e.g informing the Local authorities about
planned changes and also communicating with trade unions for any
proposed changes to the conditions of work.

Decision Roles
i. Entrepreneur: it involves the process of continually looking for new ideas or
new methods to improve the organisation’s performance. For example,
an effective marketing manager continually seeks to develop new
products.
ii. Disturbance handler: it involves the manager making decisions to take
 corrective in response to situations out of control. The main aim will be to
bring about peace and harmony. E.g the responding to emergences like
strikes, disasters etc.
iii. Resource allocator: effectively allocating resources whether they are
funds, equipment or people in the business organisation. The manger must
bear in mind that the resources are always scarce. The manager will make
decisions on who will get what resources.
iv. Negotiator: involves negotiating agreements between employees or
between departments. Negotiating agreements with other businesses e.g
suppliers or customers. Negotiating with trade unions to obtain
advantages for his business etc.

The contribution of managers to business

performance
The functions and roles of managers, as outlined above, show how significant
their work is. Effective managers lead successful businesses. The part managers
play in the performance of the businesses they control cannot be
underestimated. The key indicators that managers are having a positive impact
on business performance are:

• the business regularly meets its objectives

• high levels of customer satisfaction
• high employee motivation levels and low labour turnover
• a respected brand image
• high regard from external stakeholders such as environmental and social
pressure groups
• excellent communication both within the business and with external
stakeholders.

Management Styles
Directors:
These senior managers are elected into office by shareholders in a limited
company. They are usually head of a major functional department, such as
marketing and finance. They will be responsible for delegating within their
department, assisting in the recruitment of senior staff I the department, meeting
the objectives for the department set by the board of directors and
communicating these to their department.
Managers:
Any individual responsible for people, resources or decision making, or often all
three, can be termed a manager. They will have some authority over other staff
below them in the hierarchy. They will direct, motivate and, if necessary,
discipline the staff in their section or department.

Supervisors:
These are appointed by management to watch over the work of others. They
will have responsibility for leading a team of people in working towards pre-set
goals. The modern role of these members of staff in less of an inspector and
much more of a work colleague who is appointed to help staff achieve
objectives in a cooperative spirit.

Workers’ representatives:
These are elected by the workers, either as trade union officials or as
representatives on works councils, in order to discuss areas of common concern
with managers.

Management Styles:
Autocratic:
These types of managers will take decisions on their own with no discussion. They
are very bossy in nature and they have very least concern or no concern for
their employees, as a result they start off at very low levels of motivation. Since
these managers are very authoritative, they do not prefer to share decisions
with the employees. Consequently such leaders form a very centralized
organizational structure. These believe in giving order only and do not
appreciate any feedback. They use one way, top to bottom channel of
communication moreover they do not assign any liberty to perform and aspect
on questioned obedience.

Example: Normally Arm forces use this type of management style

Benefits

 Quick solutions to emergence cases

 Enables new policies to be implemented
  Close supervision for employees who are lazy or irresponsible.
 Appropriate on new employees who are unsure about company policies

Problems

 Not concerned about the opinions of employees

 Brilliant ideas can be lost from experienced employees
 Low staff morale since workers are not trusted and also not consulted
(morale refers to the feeling of enthusiasm and loyalty that a person of
group has about a job)
 High labour turnover

Democratic:
A democratic management style encourages participation in decision making.
Communication links will be established on the two way-way principle, with
every opportunity for staff to respond to and initiate discussion. This style needs
good communication skills. This type of managers follow decentralized structure
within the organization. The creativity of employees is encouraged because the
decisions are taken with mutual concern of managers and their workers.

Example: Production houses and Advertising agencies

Advantages

 Improvement in the quality of decisions. Employees might have very useful

ideas to contribute that would be lost without two-way communication
 Increases employee morale. Employees are likely to be more motivated
due to being allowed to participate in decision-making
 Causes greater commitment since the leader considers employee feelings
and opinions
 Promotes personal development as employees can now come up with
new ideas which the leader might consider
Disadvantages

 There is not always time to allow for consultation with employees.

Sometimes a quick decision is essential. Thus meeting can be time
consuming
 Lose management control on employees
 Some issues are too sensitive to be discussed with the whole workforce e.g
proposed redundancies
Application

 It is suitable when the co-operation is required between a leader and a

team
 Suitable when decisions need to be looked at from several perspective
e.g organisational conflicts

Laissez Faire:
Laissez-Faire literally means ‘let them do it’. This type of management style allows
employees to carry out activities freely within broad limits. These managers set
clear objectives for workforce and allow them the freedom to perform and
share the responsibilities to achieve their objectives. They motivate the workers
for high productivity and improved efficiencies since they believe in the
competence of their employees. Such leaders believe in team working and
sharing skills and experiences for quality performance.

Example: This style effective in the of research centers

Advantages

 This gives employees freedom and flexibility about how they organise their
work
 It shows that the employees are trusted, and can therefore be motivating
 Encourages creativity since the subordinates are encouraged to find their
own solutions to problems
 It can help employees to develop self-discipline
Disadvantages

 It can be used by lazy managers to avoid making decisions about work

matters
 Provides employees with little direction and its difficult for employees to
complete tasks on time  It can lead to too much control being in the
hands of the employees
 Managers might lose touch with the way in which work is being done
 Its success depends on the competence and integrity of employees

Application

 Suitable when employees are highly skilled and experienced. When

employees know more about a task than the managers
 Suitable when the leader wants to empower employees
Paternalistic
The word ‘paternalistic’ means father-like. Paternalistic managers listen, explain
issues and consult with workers, but do not allow them to take decisions. The
paternalistic manager decides what is best for the business and the workforce,
but delegation of decision-making is unlikely. These managers are less
concerned with Herzberg’s motivators than with satisfying the safety and
security needs of the workers (Maslow). Therefore, this approach is not
democratic and, as in some families, is more autocratic than it might at first
appear.

This style could be suitable in a business with unskilled, untrained or newly

appointed workers. It may lead to the demotivation of more experienced
workers who would prefer to be given responsibility for decision-making and
opportunities for participation.

Factors Affecting Management Style:

The nature and importance of task:
A certain task may be the result of an emergency, which might need immediate
response from a person in authority. The speed of decision needed and action
taken may require an authoritarian style of leadership.

The training of the workforce:

The training and experience of the workforce and the degree of responsibility
that they are prepared to take on.

The availability of time:

The time available to complete a task might influence the leadership style
adopted. For example, the matter of high urgency launch of new product
which has already been leaked out might not be discussed in staff because of
urgent nature.

The tradition of organization:

The attitude of manager or management culture- this will influence by the
personality and business background of the managers. The value which prevails
 within the organization that is the task oriented or people oriented which also
determined the leadership style of an organization.

McGregor Theory of X & Y

McGregor believed that managers form different ‘Views’ about their workers
and adopt leadership styles accordingly and he identified two distinct
management approaches to the workforce and he called these Theory X and
Theory Y.

Important Note: It is not the case that they are the two types of workforce rather
this is the “Perception of the manager about the workforce”.

Theory X managers believe that workers Theory Y managers believe that workers

 Lazy  High creativity

 Unwillingly to accept responsibility  Prepared to accept responsibility
 Lack initiative  Find work interesting
 Motivated by financial rewards  Non financial motivators are equally
effective

According to McGregor, in Theory X, manager’s view their workers are lazy,

disliking work and unprepared to accept responsibility, needing to be controlled
and made to work. Clearly, managers with this view will be likely to adopt an
autocratic style of leadership.

While

In Theory Y, managers view their workers did enjoy work. They would be
prepared to accept responsibility, were highly creative and they would take an
active part in contributing ideas and solutions to work-related problem. A
democratic style of leadership is likely to be adopted in this scenario.