Managing Buiness Organization - Assignment Example

1) Discuss critically how the way in which a manager manages can either help or hinder an organization in achieving its goals. Support your argumentwith evidence from current managerial concepts, models and frameworks together with current business examples. (40marks) Human resource Management is, perhaps, the oldest and most widely researched subject in management. Yet, as technologies change, cultural diversities occur and people's expectations undergo fundamental shifts towards newer and newer dimensions. For instance, professionals are gaining more say in the running of organizations. Even where governance is by people who own the majority stakes, their own positions and the respect, they command are contingent upon their competence rather than ownership (Ahuja, 2005 880). "Management is the art of getting things done through other people. Management is the dynamic, life-giving element in every business. Without it the resources of production remain resources and never become production." (Sharma, 2004 11) This definition emphasizes that the managers achieve organizational objectives getting things done through the employees. Human resource Management is very essential for successful running of an enterprise. It ensures proper use of physical and human resources by deriving the best results. It leads to efficient performance and higher productivity. Human Resource Management is very essential for every organization to make productive use of human physical and financial resources or the achievement of the organizational goals. It helps in determination of objectives. No organization can succeed in tits mission unless its objectives an identified and well denied. Management helps in achieving these objectives by the efficient use of resources. In management, the term 'manager' means overseeing the subordinates at work by their superiors. It is the function of leading, co-coordinating and directing the work of others to accomplish designated objectives. It refers to the direct and immediate guidance and control of subordinates in the performance of their task (Sharma, 204, p.110). Role of manager in an Organization from the Onset of the Industrial Revolution The role of a manager in an organization has been shown below: Fig. Role of manager (Sharma, 204, p.111) (a) As Mediator- Manager acts as a mediator between higher-level management and the workers. (b) As Medium of Communication - manager acts as a medium of communication between higher-level managers and workers. He explains management policies to the workers and conveys the workers' attitudes, opinions, grievances and problems to higher-level management (Silbiger, p.103). In other words, he communicates (i) To the workers what the management expects from them and (ii) To the management what the workers want. Thus, manager bridges the gap between the expectations of management and demands of operatives and workers. (c) As Convertor - Manager acts as a convertor in the sense that he occupies such a key position which turns plans and policies into actual results through the efforts of workers. (d) As Inspirer - manager acts as an inspirer in the sense that he inspires workers to cooperate and contribute to the best of their capability for the achievement of organizational objectives. (e) As Leader - Manager acts as a leader in the sense that he influences the workers to work with team spirit for the achievement of organizational objectives. He also provides a cohesive force, which holds the group intact and develops a spirit of cooperation and discipline among the employees. (f) As Guide and Friend - Manager acts as a guide and friend in the sense that he educates and trains the workers, creates friendly environment and solves the disputes of the workers. In this way, he ensures team spirit, co-operation and discipline amongst the members (Sharma, 2004, p.115) Thus, the Manager is expected to secure not only the efficiency of operations but also the team spirit, co-operation and discipline among the employees. Manager manages can either help or hinder an organization in achieving its goals. The objectives of managers are listed below: 1. To help the organization reach its goal: HR department like other departments in an organization, exists to achieve the goal of the organization first and if doesn't need this propose the HR department will wither and die. 2. To employee the skills and abilities of work force efficiently. The main objective managers in organizations are to secure maximum output with minimum efforts and resources. Human Resource management is basically concerned with utilizing the human and material resources available to enterprise for deriving the best results. This leads to reduction in the cost of production. The primary purpose of HR managers is to make people strength productive and to benefit customers, stock holders and employees. 3. To provide the organization with well trained and well motivated employees. HR managers requires that employees be motivated to exert their maximum efforts , that their performance be evaluated properly for results and that they be remunerated on the basis of their contributions to the organization 4. To develop and maintain a quality of work life. It makes employment in organization a desirable, personal and social, situation. Without improving in the quality of work life, it is difficult to improve organization performance. 5. To communicate HR policies to all employees: IT is a responsibility of HR manager to communicate in the fullest possible sense tapping ideas, opinion and feeling of customers , non customers , regulators and other external public as well as understanding the views of internal human resources. 6. To be ethically and socially responsive to the needs of society. HR manager must ensure that organization manage human resource in an ethical and responsible manner through ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards. Managers in an organization also aim to raise the standard of living and quality of life of people. It provides more leisure and amenities to people. Management provides social justice through its uniform policies. 7. Increasing efficiency of factors of production. Through proper utilization of various factors of production like capital and labor, manager's leads to avoidance of wastage of time money and efforts, This leads to increase in the productivity of all factors of production and thus encourages the growth of an enterprise. 8. Securing maximum prosperity for employers and employees. This is one of the main objectives of managers in an organization and aims at securing maximum prosperity for the employers by generating high profits at minimum cost (Silbiger, p.137). It also aims at prosperity for the employees by providing reasonable remuneration and other benefits for their services to the organization. 9. Conflicts in an Organization. The conflict-free company has never existed and will never exist. Antagonism, tensions, aggressions, stereotypes, negative attitudes and the frustration and perceived conflicting needs will always be present, whenever men are forced to live and work together. The management job within the business organization calls for the manager to function in such a way as to maximize the coordination of human and work system and to minimize the conflict of the individual within the formal organization. People have always been central to organization, but their strategic importance is growing in today's knowledge based industries. . An organization success increasingly depends on the knowledge, skills and abilities of its managers, particularly as they help establish a set of core competencies that distinguish an organization from its competitors. With appropriate HR policies and practices and organization can hire develop and utilize best brain in the market place, realize its professed goals and delivered results better than others. The effective skills [Source: Taken from, Prasad LM, (2006) Organizational Behavior, p 416] Organization has come to realize over the years that improvement technology and cutting cost and enhance performance only up to a point. To move beyond that point the efficient manager are its most importantly resource. In the end everything an organization does depends on how effective the managers are. Low cost and high quality cars like Toyota and Saturn's are not just a product of sophisticated automated machines. Instead, they are the results of committed managers all working hard to produce the best cars that they can at the lowest possible cost. To get the best out of people, the organization must offer a healthy work climate, where they can use their knowledge, skills and abilities fully while realizing goal. This is where HR managers play a crucial role - that of bridging gaps employee expectation and organizational requirement by adapting appropriate HR policies straggles and practices. 2) Critically evaluate how organizational culture impact on the way in which communication is managed within organizations. (30 Marks) Communication is the number one problem of management, any social or government organization, be it Personnel, finance, Marketing, Materials, Production, or general government functions. Nothing happen in organization until communication takes place Communication involves feelings, emotions interests, experiences, ideas and attitudes. Communication is our greatest source of power, the most significant characteristic of mankind (Ahuja, 2005, p.125). Effective communication is a flash of lightening and even often more illuminating. It enables us to see others and make ourselves seen and known (Ahuja, 2005, p.126). It is a distinctive human characteristic and sets one man apart from another. Without communication we cannot live or work together in an organized way or pass ideas, innovations and inventions from generation to generation. It is no exaggeration if we say that successful people are good communicators and unsuccessful people are usually the opposite Organizational culture refers to a system of shared meaning held by members that distinguishes the organization from other organizations (Porter, and Steers, 1982) A model for understanding organizational culture is: Which effect Determine Modifies The study of organizational culture is defined as: "A socially inherited body of sanctions and directives which define (he 'proper' and 'improper' ways of behavior" could help to highlight on one hand the complex environment to which one has to adjust; on the other, being assimilated by the individual, it functions part of the super-ego and conditions his tendency to autonomy." (Sharma 2004) Translation Variables of Organization Culture in Management Management of prevailing Organizational culture consists of five translation variables: 1. Communication. How receptive are those about you to your ideas and suggestions 2. Motivation. How much do you look forward to coming to work each day 3. Decision-making. To what extent are the persons who make decisions aware of problems at lower levels in the company 4. Control. How much say or influence do the various levels of the hierarchy have on what goes on in your department 5. Co-ordination. To what extent do persons in different departments plan together and co-ordinate their efforts These five climate variables can then be correlated with four leadership variables, as follows: 1. Managerial support. The degree to which the manager "increased his subordinates' feeling of being worthwhile and important people". 2. Goal emphasis. The degree to which the manager "stimulates enthusiasm for getting the work done". 3. Work facilitation. The degree to which the manager "helps his subordinates to get the work done by removing obstacles and road blocks". 4. Interaction facilitation. The degree to which the manager "builds the subordinate group into a work team". It will be seen that (1) and (4) deal with the employee as an organizational participant, whilst (2) and (3) deal with employee as a member of a production team Organizational culture impact on the way in which communication is managed within organizations in the following ways: In large organizations there are a number of cultural obstacles, which makes transmission of messages more difficult. Following are the main barriers of communication: 1. Barriers due to Organization culture The breakdown in communication sometimes arises due to: Several layer of management Long line of communication Special distance of subordinates from top management Lack of instructions for passing information to the subordinates Heavy pressures of work at certain level of authority COMMUNICATION BARRIERS BARRIERS SENDER RECEIVER M E S S DISTORTION A G E [Taken from Ahuja, 2005, Fig 34.1 p.144.] 2. Barriers due to status and position (i) The attitude-exhibited by the supervisor are sometimes a hurdle in two-way communication. One common illustration is non-listening habit. A supervisor may guard information for: (a) Consideration of prestige, ego and strategy (b) Underrating the understanding and intelligence of subordinates (c) Deriving satisfaction in being the storehouse of information and seeing people dance around him for information (d) Prejudice among the supervisors and subordinates may stand in the way of a free flow of information and understanding (ii) The supervisors particularly at the middle level may sometimes like to be in good books of top management by: (a) Not seeking clarifications on instructions which are subject to different interpretations and (b) Acting as screen for passing only such information, which may please the boss. (Prasad, 2006, p.24) 3. Semantic barriers Semantic is the science of meaning. Words seldom mean something to two persons. Symbols or words usually have a variety of meaning and the sender have to choose one meaning from among many. If both of them choose the same meaning, communication will be perfect. But this is not so always because of different of difference ion formal education and specific situations of the people. Strictly one cannot covey meaning, only one can do is to convey words. But the same words may suggest quite different meanings to different people, (Prasad, 2006, p.28). E.g., Profits may means to management efficiency and growth, whereas to employees it may suggest excess funds piled up through inadequate wages. 4. Tendency to evacuate A major barrier to communication is the natural tendency to judge the statement of the person or other group. Every one tries to evaluate others from his point of view or experience. Communication requires an open mind and willingness to see things through the eyes of the others. 5. Heightened Emotions Barriers may also arise but in specific situations e.g., emotional reaction, physical conditions like noise or insufficient light, past experience, etc. When emotions are strong it is not difficult to know the frame of mind of the other person or group. 6. Lack of ability to communicate All persons do not have the skill to communicate. Skill in communication may came naturally to some but am average man may need some sort of training and practice by way of interviewing and public speaking etc. 7. Inattention The simple failure to read bulletins, notices, minute and reports is a common feature. With regard to failure to listen to oral communications, it has been seen that non-listeners are often turned off while they are preoccupied with other affairs, like their family problems. In any cases, the efforts to communicate with someone not listening will fail. 8. Unclarified assumptions This can be classified by an illustration. A customer sends messages that he will visit a vendor's plant at particular time on some particular date. Then he may assume that vendor will receive him and arrange for his lunch, etc. Whereas vendor may assume that the customer was arriving in the city attend some personnel work and would make a routine call at the plant. This is an in-clarified assumption with possible loss of goodwill. (Prasad, 2006, p.34) 9. Resistance to change It is the general tendency of human being to maintain status quo. When new ideas are being communicated, the listening apparatus may act as a. filter in rejecting new ideas, Thus resistance to change is an important to effective communication.. Sometimes organizations announce changes, which seriously affect the employees, e.g., shifts in timing, place and order of work, installation of new plant etc. Changes affect people in different ways and it ma take sometime to think through the full meaning of the message. Hence it is important for the management not to force changes before people are in a position toad just to their implications. (Prasad, 2006, p.56) 10. Closed minds Certain people who think that they know everything about a particular subject also create obstacles in the way of effective communication. Persons suffering from the mirage of too much knowledge become rigid and dogmatic in their attitude. They close their minds tightly to new ideas that are brought to them. The effective leadership, good human relations, high motivation and morale are all depending upon good communication system within the organization. In the absence of effective communication, members of an organization feel themselves to be isolated and unwanted and such feelings create a negative attitude and low morale in the organization. Golden rule of communication should be to communicate as much an you can and to everyone in the organization, expect that information which as a matter of policy need to be withheld 3) Critically analyze the relation between business ethics and decision making. (30 marks) In many organizations introducing an ethical question into a business decision would be considered a most strange and unusual things to do. At the other end of the spectrum some organization (a minority ) have ethical criteria build into formal decision process as a natural and expected component along side other factors such as technical and financial The kinds of decisions made at different levels in an organization vary considerably. In many public bodies there is the additional dimension of an elected member or officers structure. Each gives rise to its own particular ethical dilemmas. In communication and training these should be given special attention. For many elected officials and representative there is a additional complicating factors of decision making. In many instances ethics and decision making will intertwine. Distinction should be made between the deference between people in their decisive objectives and differences between them in the practical policies which they prefer as means of achieving those objectives. Ethical debate may be trigged at either level Many of the ethical dilemmas of top managements will be about over all directions and strategic choices, with long time scales, considerable uncertainty and in evitable inadequate information. In middle management the decision making and ethical dilemmas are often related to being sandwich between the strategic and the operational, about pressures to perform against targets with which one may not agree, and implementing hard decision taken by others. Decisions in organizations are not always made by thinking matters through comprehensively -an indeed not all the decisions can be dealt with such a time consuming manner. It is not always easy to detect in advance which ethical choices will be the one to cause the problem afterwards. Read More