Chapter 1 - Understanding the Managers Job

Question 1

What is an Organization?

Answer 1

A Group of People working together to achieve a set of goals.

Question 2

What is Management?

Answer 2

Activities designed to achieve organizational goals effectively & efficiently.
Manager: responsible for executing the management process.

Question 3

What are Emerging Managerial Challenges?

Answer 3

Emerging Managerial challenges:
Globalization 
Domestic Competition, 
government regulation 
changing technology/social media

Question 4

What are the Three Levels of Management

Answer 4

Top Managers - Manage Overall Organization - Shift4$$$
Middle Managers - Implement Policies and Plans of Top Management
Line Managers - Supervise and coordinate activities of operating employees.

Question 5

What other types of Managers are there?

Answer 5

There are Marketing managers, Financial Managers, Operations Managers, Human Resource Managers, Administrative Managers, Public Relations Manager, R&D Manager, Safety Manager etc.

Question 6

What are the 4 Basic Management Functions

Answer 6

1. Planning & Decision Making:
   Planning -
   A. setting goals and how best to achieve them
   B. Decision Making - selecting a course of action from menu of alternatives
   C. Helps managers know how/where to allocate their time and resources
2. Organizing - Grouping activities and resources
3. Leading - process for getting the team working toward the organization’s interests
4. Controlling - Monitoring progress toward goals.

Question 7

What are the Six Fundamental Management Skills

Answer 7

1. Technical Skills - fundamental abilities to accomplish the job.
2. Interpersonal Skills - The ability to relate, understand, and motivate.
3. Conceptual Skills - Ability to think in the abstract.
4. Diagnostic Skills - Best response to a given situation.
5. Communication Skills - the ability to receive and convey information?
6. Time Management Skills - Prioritize, work efficiently, and delegate appropriately.

Question 8

What is The Science of Management?

Answer 8

A. The science of management - A rational, logical, objective, and systematic approach to solving problems.
B. Quantitative approach…meaning?
C. Managerial Map

Question 9

What is The Art of Management?

Answer 9

A. The Art of Management: Utilizing intuition, experience, instinct, and personal insight.
B. Man versus (IS NOT A) machine
C. Qualitative reasoning
C. Managerial Compass

Question 10

What is the Evolution of Management

Answer 10

A. Theory - Conceptual framework for organizing knowledge and providing a blueprint for action
B. Management theory - used to build organizations and help them reach their goals.
C. Best indicator of the future?
D. Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”
E. Machiavelli’s “The Prince”

Question 11

What is the Classical Management Perspective?

Answer 11

A. Consists of scientific management & administrative management

B. Scientific management - concerned with improving the individual performance of workers

C. Frederick Taylor defined Soldiering as employees deliberately working at a slower pace than they were capable.

D. Broke each job down to individual elements.
Implemented piecework pay scale.

Question 12

Define the 4 basic steps of scientific management?

Answer 12

1. Quantify job elements.
2. Perform scientific selection & training of employees.
3. Supervise employees.
4. Plan the work.

Question 13

Scientific Management

Answer 13

Frank Gilbreth - Developed standard materials and techniques for bricklaying.

Lillian Gilbreth - Shaped the field of industrial psychology and contributed to personnel management.

Question 14

Remember Administrative Management: Focus on managing the total organization!

A?

B?

C?

Answer 14

A. Henri Fayol - French industrialist>
The first to identify the managerial functions of Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling. (P.O.L.C)

B. Lyndall Urwick - Developed guidelines for improving managerial effectiveness.

C. Max Weber - Developed a rationale set of guidelines for structuring organizations in the most efficient manner.

Question 15

What are the 3 Limitations of Classical Management?

Answer 15

1. Focused on simple/stable organizations
2. Proposed Universal guidelines…a managerial map
3. Downplayed the importance of the individual

Question 16

What is the Behavioral Management Perspective?

A?

B?

C?

Answer 16

A. It Emphasizes individual attitudes, behaviors, and group processes.

B. Hugo Munsterberg is the Father of industrial psychology
Industrial Psychology - Application of psychological concepts to industrial settings

C. Mary Parker Follett helped bridge the gap between scientific management and the behavioral management movement.

Question 17

Remember the Hawthorne Studies!
A?

B?

C?

D?

E?

Answer 17

A: Elton Mayo conducted studies on the effect of work environment on productivity

B: Did more light = better performance?

C: Ratebusters - overproducing employees

D: Chiselers - under producing employees

E: Friends vs Money?

Question 18

Remember the Human Relations Movement!
A?

B?

C?

D?

Answer 18

A. Posited workers respond primarily to the social context of the workplace.

B: Social conditioning

C. Group Norms

D. Interpersonal Dynamics

Question 19

Remember the Douglas McGregor Theory X and Theory Y Model! Which did McGregor believe managers should employ?

Answer 19

A: Theory X - Negative view of workers consistent with scientific management

B: Theory Y - Positive view of workers consistent with Human relations advocates

C: Enlightened managers use theory Y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop

D: Abraham Maslow - Best known for his “Hierarchy of Needs”

Question 20

Remember Organizational Behavior

Answer 20

Contemporary field focusing on the behavioral perspective of management.

Believe human behavior is complex.

Holistic view of individual, group, and organizational processes.

Qualitative field recognizing employees as valuable resources and not merely tools.

Question 21

Remember The Quantitative Management Perspective:

Answer 21

A: Mathematical approach during WWII helping to deploy resources more efficiently

B: Focuses on decision making, cost-effectiveness, mathematical models, and the use of computers.

C: What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative?

Question 22

Remember Management Science:

Answer 22

A> Utilizes mathematical models to represent systems, processes, and/or relationships.

B> Operations Management:
Form of applied management science to increase efficiency.
Includes queuing theory, break even analysis, and simulation.

C> Inventory Management:
Concerned with carrying costs, ordering costs, and optimal order quantity.

Question 23

Remember Contemporary Management Perspectives:

What are the FOUR Basic Elements of a SYSTEM?

Answer 23

The systems perspective - A system is an interrelated set of elements functioning as a whole.

Four basic elements of a system:

1. Inputs - material, human, financial, and info resources.
2. Transformation - accomplished via managerial processes and technology.
3. Outputs - products, services, employee behaviors, and information.
4. Feedback - environmental reaction to outputs

Question 24

Remember Types of SYSTEMS!

Answer 24

A: Open System - A system that interacts with its’ environment

B: Closed system - Does NOT interact with its’ environment

SUBSYSTEM - A system within another system

Question 25

The Golden Rule and The Platinum Rule

Answer 25

Golden Rule: Golden Rule : a general rule for how to behave that says that you should treat people the way you would like other people to treat you.

Platinum Rule: “Treat others the way THEY want to be treated”.

Double Platinum Rule: Treat others the way they don’t even know they want to be treated”.

Question 26

What is a Paradigm Shift?

Answer 26

It is a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions.