Management Style

Question 1

Management Style

Answer 1

• Refers to the way management gets things done

- Relates to other people in the organisation

Question 2

Management Theory

Answer 2

‘Boss-centred’ style - employees are not involved in the decision making.

‘Employee-centred’ style - employees have significant input.

Question 3

Management

Answer 3

Group of people who plan, lead and control in an organisation to achieve outcomes.

Without: No personnel, systems or infrastructure to make things run smoothly

Question 4

External Factors

Answer 4

Broad factors outside the business that have an indirect influence: economy, law regulations, environment

Operating factors have more direct impact: consumers, suppliers and competition.

Question 5

Internal Factors

Answer 5

Exists inside the building: policies and regulations, staff skill levels, resources, work processes, management structure

Question 6

Management Structure

Answer 6

The way a business organises its staff and resources.

Question 7

Autocratic (or authoritarian style)

Answer 7

• Decision making and the work situation is controlled from top management
• TELLS staff what decision it has made
• Suits a hierarchical centralised management structure

Question 8

Advantages of Autocratic

Answer 8

• Little uncertainty in business practices

- Employees’ roles and expectations are clearly defined

Question 9

Disadvantages of Autocratic

Answer 9

• Lack of staff input, ideas are not encouraged or shared
• Job dissatisfaction
• Absenteeism
• Staff turnover

Question 10

Persuasive Style

Answer 10

• Management communicate its decisions thoroughly and effectively to staff
• SELLS decisions to staff
• Management makes all the decisions
• Explanation and reasoning

Question 11

Advantages of Persuasive

Answer 11

• Time efficiency
• Little uncertainty
• Clear definitions of roles and responsibilities
• Creating trust and support

Question 12

Disadvantages of Persuasive

Answer 12

• Job dissatisfaction

- Low motivation

Question 13

Consultative Style

Answer 13

• Employee-centred management
• CONSULTS staff during the decision-making process
• Recognises the importance of good relationship between staff and management
• Ask staff input
• Final decision rests with the manager

Question 14

Advantages of Consultative

Answer 14

• Access to ideas their staff may have on the business (new processes or procedures)
• Staff enjoys some ownership
• Increased commitment, loyalty and motivation

Question 15

Disadvantages of Consultative

Answer 15

• Time consuming & Expensive
• Staff can be confused
• Feel less valued if opinions aren’t incorporated in the final decision
• Can slow down the implementation of necessary change

Question 16

Participative Style

Answer 16

• Management JOINS with staff to make group decisions
• One of the most effective
• Manager encourages staff to join in the decision-making process
• Authority is often delegated
• Considered ‘cumbersome’ if used when rapid change is needed

Question 17

Advantages of Participative

Answer 17

• Staff moral high
• Employees feel more valued and have trust and faith towards their organisation
• Motivation and Productivity
• Decrease of Staff Turnover

Question 18

Disadvantages of Participative

Answer 18

• Time consuming
• Potential for conflict through different perspectives
• Can lose direction in management’s decision making

Question 19

Laissez Faire Style

Answer 19

• Viewed as a high degree of delegation of authority
• Employees assume total responsibility for the control of all workplace operations
• Staff are left alone to decide objectives, solve problems and make their own ideas
• Effective when staff are highly skilled and don’t need much supervision

Question 20

Advantages of Laissez Faire

Answer 20

• Encourages creativity and motivation
• Good communication
• Team work; openly discussed

Question 21

Disadvantages of Laissez Faire

Answer 21

• Lack of authority can lead to insecurity among staff

- Employees can lose a sense of direction due to the lack of monitoring and the accountability

Question 22

Situational/Contingency Approach

Answer 22

• Manage uses the style that is best suited to a particular situation
• Constraints: time, resources, staffing
• Subordinates; their characteristics, skill level, values, expectations
• Manager’s personality, values and skills
• External and internal environment.

Question 23

Example of Authoritarian Style in the business

Answer 23

Authoritarian Style could be adopted with new or un-skilled employees in the organisation

Question 24

Example of Participative Style in the business

Answer 24

Participative Style can be used with a group of highly experienced and motivated employees who are capable of running projects alone.

Question 25

Situational Approach Elements

Answer 25

• The Manager (personality and set of values)
• The Subordinates (personality characteristics, sets of values and skills)
• Task to be completed
• Environmental constraints on the organisation’s activities (pressure of time and limits on the availability of resources)