The Role of a Modern Industrial Manager - Literature review Example

The Role of a Modern Industrial Manager By: November, 2008 Table of Contents 0 Introduction..3 2.0 Leadership.4 3.0 Management..5 4.0 Role of Modern Industrial Manager..6 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendation..7 1.0 Introduction Organizations are social systems where human resources are the most important factors for effectiveness and efficiency. In addition to that Organizations need effective managers and employees to achieve their objectives which lead us to the fact that Organizations cannot succeed without their personnel efforts and commitment, especially the leaders between them. McGregor & Cutcher (2006), refers to management as the activities and people involved in the four general functions of management -planning, organizing, leading and the co-ordination of resources (McGregor & Cutcher 2006). Modern management and modern management thinkers assert that, management has to focus on leadership, if managerial functions must be achieved. According to Zhong-Ming &, Takao (1994), modern management thinkers assert that leadership must be more facilitative, participative and empowering on how visions and goals of the organizations are carried out. Industrial management is concerned with the design, improvement and implementation of integrated systems of people, material, information, equipment and energy (McGregor & Cutcher 2006). According to McGregor & Cutcher (2006), industrial management is a broad concept. Today, industrial management is also known as industrial engineering, operations management now encompasses services though initially applied to manufacturing. By definition, industrial management draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the mathematical, physical and the social sciences not leaving out the principles and methods of engineering analysis. 2.0 Leadership Greenberg and Baron (2003), define leadership as the process whereby one individual influences other group members toward the attainment of defined group or organisational goals. The leadership process primarily involves influence whereby one individual can influence or change the actions of several group members or subordinates. There are many techniques for exerting such influence ranging from relatively coercive wherein the recipient has little choice but to do what is requested, to relative non-coercive ones, wherein the recipient can choose to reject or accept the influence offered. In general leadership refers to the use of non-coercive influence techniques. It is important to distinguish a leader from a dictator. Whereas dictators get others to do what they want by using physical coercion or by threats of physical force, leaders do not (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). According to Darwish (1998) leadership represents an important factor in the determination of the success or failure of organizations. Darwish indicated that effective leadership is to be associated with improved organizational performance. In addition the author also agrees with Kent (1999) who has differentiated leading from managing in terms of why the two processes exist, what they produce or create, and how they are executed or carried out, management has a great deal to do with allocating and insuring the effective use of resources, e.g. people, capital, information, technology, etc. in the accomplishment of organizational goals while Leadership is more related to the marshalling, energizing and unifying of people toward the pursuit of a vision. Likewise, Skansi (2000) argued that leadership is a management function, which is mostly directed towards people and social interaction, as well as the process of influencing people so that they will achieve the goals of the organization. Managers who display transformational leadership encourage employees to look beyond their own needs and focus instead on the interests of the group overall. To achieve these results leaders use various ways such as: they may be charismatic to their followers and serve as role models; or they may intellectually stimulate employees or they may persuade employees to believe in the mission and its attainability or they may meet the emotional needs of their employees. According to Darwish (1998) leadership like management is a complex process base on emotional intelligence and strategic choice of organization. Recent years, researchers propose to focus on emotional intelligence and pay more attention to feelings and emotions of employees. Managers mobilize and allocate resources; they staff and ensure the continuing vitality of the team; they create and maintain appropriate procedures (Shell, 2002). They also direct, delegate, and coordinate, and they provide a system of incentives to motivate and encourage productive behavior. Managers also establish reporting systems, perform evaluations, and assign accountability (Darwish 1998). 3.0 Management Fairholm, (1998:17) refers to management as the process of directing, planning, controlling, and coordinating the activities of an organisation so that predefined goals are met (Fairholm, 1998:17). However, prominent writers in the field of management see coordination as a main objective of management rather than one of its functions (Fairholm, 1998:17). In management literature, leadership is the way people relate themselves to an organisation and is at the centre of coordinating and executing management functions. The activities of an organisation must be properly carried out and executed if the goals must be achieved (Erlbaum and Chemer, 1997). The role of an industrial manager can be seen at the level of managerial functions performed by managers and leaders assigned to each of the functional areas. Acknowledged by all to be the father of scientific management, Taylor (1911) equated leadership with effective management, with focus on productivity, improvement and efficiency, he thought of management as being generic and universal (Fairholm,1998). 4.0 Role of Modern Industrial Manager The role of modern industrial management can be traced from the position of a, manager as a leader. These roles can be illustrated using Mintzberg work on what managers actually do. Here, the manager's role as a leader is a contextual factor which impacts on behaviour and attitudes of the subordinates through their perceptions of jobs and other related tasks as assigned to them. (Ferris & Rowland, 1981, Garffin, 1997). Their roles involve the creation of vision and strategic direction for the organisation. According to Kotter (1990), it is the communication of that vision to the people and customers of the organisation and also, it involves inspiring, motivating and aligning people's interest and those of the organisation towards a common goal and vision. Leadership is also a context dependent subject, because it is perceived differently depending on the situation at hand. As argued by Conger, (2003), people see leadership differently depending on the beliefs of the perceiver of what leadership is all about. However, Kouzes & Posner, (1999) caution that, leadership is not a rank, privilege, title or money, it is a responsibility. In every-day-conversation, the word leadership is used in reference to the process of moving in some direction through non-coercive means or to refer to people who are in roles where leadership is expected (Kouzes & Posner1999). The modern industrial manager as a leader assumes the centre position of executing managerial functions assigned to him. Leadership as management is logical; leadership focuses on one aspect of management getting others to do the work the leader wants done as leadership is regarded as good management (Fairholm, 1998:22). In addition, industrial managers can develop and maintain a system that values and rewards creative performance through compensation and other human resource-related policies managers as leaders can be successful through identifying their powers and impact on their subordinates(Jung, 2001). According to Jung (2001), industrial managers as leaders can affect followers' creativity in both direct and indirect ways. Industrial managers can support creativity by establishing a work environment that encourages employees to try out different approaches without worrying about being punished just because outcomes are negative. Industrial managers as leaders can direct employees' individual and joint efforts towards innovative work processes and outcomes (Amabile, 1996). According to an executive survey carried out by Mintzberg (1960), managers performed ten interrelated roles which he classified under three categories: interpersonal, informational and decisional. Mintzberg further defines managerial functions within planning, organizing leading and controlling. Industrial managers are at the centre of their activities. They organized and controlled the activities of the organisation so as to achieved predefined goals and objectives. Here, the industrial manager is at the forefront to ensure resources are effectively and efficiently utilized (Fabian 2004). According to Fabian (2004), industrial managers as leaders organize the resources of an organisation in an optimum fashion, so that resources are channeled at the right time to achieve the best possible results (Fabian 2004). Fabian (2004) further states that, modern industrial managers are at the forefront of setting departmental goals. They are at the forefront of decision making, and gauge the organisation towards success. Through vision and vision statements, industrial managers help create a goal oriented and task driven organisation. They carry out strategic planning, project planning, and business planning by assuming the central roles. Slack (2004), however, assumes another position when the researcher argues that, industrial managers as leaders assumes leadership roles. Through leadership they are facilitators, motivators, goal getters and are at the centre of result. Industrial managers are champions as they are at the centre of organizational performance management. Industrial managers, through organisation systems processes and structures fit in systems of control to effectively reach goals and objectives, and feed forward and feed backward monitoring systems (Slack 2004). In their study, Greenberg & Baron (2003:471) argue that, industrial managers also perform the role of a figure head. This is because, industrial managers are not only at the centre of defining the activities of the organisation, they shape the goals and the taken for granted assumptions. They gradually push the interest of employees and subordinates towards the overall goals of the organisation. Here, they are far less concerned with altering followers' actions or attitudes that are irrelevant to such goals. (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). Greenberg & Baron (2003) also refers to an important role of the industrial manager as that of a leader. This role of an industrial manager was further supported upon when Greenberg and Baron, refers to general leadership as a method of non-coercive influence techniques (Benjamin & Regina, 2004).. Here the researchers draw on the importance to distinguish a leader from a dictator. Whereas dictators get others to do what they want by using physical coercion or by threats of physical force, leaders do not (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). Here, industrial managers as leaders activate subordinates as well as staffing, training and performing associated duties to achieve predefined goals. In addition, industrial managers also perform the role of liaison officers with other stakeholders both within and out of the organisation. Greenberg and Baron, (2003: pp 471), postulate that, leaders do indeed influence subordinates in various ways, leader also are influenced by their subordinates. As a matter of fact one can say that leadership exists only in relation to followers. After all, one cannot lead without followers. (Greenberg and Baron, 2003: pp 471). 5.0 Conclusion and Recommendation Industrial manager by performing its leadership and managerial roles provides a sense of directions for the organisation. Their roles are not only limited to the functions of management, that of directing, planning, controlling and making decisions. Today, the modern industrial manager is at the centre of organisational activities. They are communicator, facilitator, motivators and problem handler. As leaders for example, industrial managers uses the style of leadership that best matches the readiness, ability and willingness of subordinates and that a good match between leadership style and subordinate readiness leads to a higher level of subordinate satisfaction and performance. Here, Industrial managers performed the managerial functions assigned to each of their functional areas. The roles of industrial managers are not limited to the provision of direction and focus to allow an organisation and its employees to be successful through coaching, networking and teamwork (Fabian, 2004). It involves being at the centre of organizations activities. Here, an organisation cannot succeed without their personnel efforts and commitment, especially the leaders between them. Industrial managers are mainly different due to many factors, therefore each of which tries to lead in the organization that he is working at in the manner that he beliefs it will achieve the desired objectives. As leaders, industrial managers are at the centre of coordinating and executing management functions. The activities of an organisation must be properly carried out and executed if the goals must be achieved. References Amabile, T. M. (1996). Creativity in context: Update to the social psychology of creativity. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Chemers M. and; Erlbaum L. Associates, 1997. An Integrative Theory of Leadership. www.questia.com 11/24/08 Conger, J.A (2003). Leadership Unplugged: The New Reconnaissance Of Value Proposition New York: Palcrave Darwish A. 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