Management Levels, Functions, Roles, and Skills - Coursework Example

Management Concepts Organizational need for manager The term organization refers to an entity or a group of individuals organized intentionally to achieve an overall common target. The managers are very essential for the organization as they control, plan, command, organize and coordinate the work force and departments within the organization. (Gilbert C., Winne S., Sels L.) Levels of management There are three levels of management. The first is strategic management, that operated by the superior management, dealing with policy making, crisis handling and direction-setting. The decisions made at this level would be typically for a longer period. The second level is tactical management, performed by middle-line managers along with establishing ways to the corporate ends, activating resources and innovating. The decisions made at this level would work probably for a year. Thirdly, operational management is executed by supervisors and deals with daily activities. (Ekaterini G., 2011, 553-575) Management Functions Management functions include planning which entails determination of strategies, objectives, policies, schedules and procedures and collection of resources. Function of organizing incorporates the arrangement of tasks and the setup of authority levels, information channels and division of tasks into groups. Moreover, in command function the management has to prescribe orders to subordinates to help them complete the objectives. Further, coordinating incorporates the procedure of synchronization of the goals of organization, individuals and groups as well. Additionally, in the function of controlling, the management is liable to supervise the operations being executed and recognizes and corrects errors. (Ekaterini G., 2011, 553-575) Management Roles There are three types of roles that are performed by the managers. Initially, managers perform the roles of interpersonal. This role is largely dependent on manager’s rank. This role entails three subdivisions, namely, figurehead, leader and liaison. Secondly, the role of being informational makes the managers to access all inner and outer channels of communication. Thirdly, the role of being decisional allows managers to take decisions of the organization. It can be further sub fractioned into entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allotter and negotiator. (Gilbert C., Winne S., Sels L.) Management Skills Managerial skills cover communication, efficiency, interpersonal and theoretical aspects. These entail conceptual skills which deal with the capability of using information for resolving business conflicts, recognizing innovative opportunities, identifying problems, imposing solutions, choosing information, grasping technology. Moreover, communication skills deal with the ability to convert ideas into actions, integrity among others, answering and asking queries and skills of presentation. Furthermore, the effectiveness skills contribute to corporate departmental aims, attention towards customers, multitasking procedures, discussing skills, managing projects, revising operations and imposing advancements, sustaining performance principles, developing priorities and managing time. Lastly, the interpersonal skills mentor skills while the diversity skills interact with people in and outside the organization. (Homer M., 2001, 59-62) Management ethics and social responsibility The word ethics depicts the moral principles through which people arbitrate behavior. Ethics can prove to be very beneficial as customers start respecting the organization. The existence of ethics ensures that the customers would not deceive and the discrimination between employees is eliminated. Thus, the opportunities for availing discounts in the future are increased and the individuals belonging to the organization along with the customers are satisfied. Equally, the term social responsibility refers to the administrative commitment to react that progress both the interests of society and the welfare of organization. Corresponding to its concept, the manager must endeavour to accomplish communal as well as organizational objectives. The businesses are required to complete all legal tasks, contemplate voluntary action and notify all individuals about the extent of the activities being performed. (Schwartz M., 2007, 43-54) International environment, employee attitudes, communication problems, cross cultural management International management refers to the execution of management tasks worldwide. The categories in the international field include domestic, international, multinational and transnational organizations. The managers have to deal with a range of environmental and cultural differences in the foreign country. Consequently, global managers must frequently supervise the political, socio-cultural, legal, technological and economical environments. They learn different techniques to deal with employee behaviours advancing the aptitude to counsel, discipline and coach employees having intolerable attitudes. Several different communication barriers which can be classified into two types prevent successful communication. Macro barriers are primarily related to the communication environment plus the bigger world wherein communication occurs. While micro barriers are chiefly related to variables like the source, the destination and the communication message. Therefore, the managers need to understand these difficulties in order to maximise their communication success. (Certo S., 1997, 329-337) Planning and Strategy Setting objectives Planning entails the development of targets and goals. It includes choosing suitable strategies to accomplish preset objectives. It is essential for management to plan and administer resources that are necessary to attain targets and are required. Resources can be both monetary and humanitarian. Supervising resources deals with how greatly needs to be spent on the project and the amount of people to be employed. (Al-Turki U., 2011, 150-162) Analyzing and evaluating the environment The term environment analysis examines organizational environment to identify issues that can considerably influence managerial functions. It further assists organizations in isolating critical factors which affects the business and recognizes strategies facilitating it to put on a competitive benefit. For the execution of environmental analysis understanding the method of structuring organization is essential. To fulfil the purpose of environmental analysis, organizations environment are subdivided into three different levels namely, internal, general and operating environment. (Al-Turki U., 2011, 150-162) Identifying and evaluating the alternatives In order to determine alternative solutions, initially the problems have to be identified. Followed by this the various alternative solutions are analyzed by the managers. However, these solutions entail some hindrances including authority, biological, physical, technological and economic factors. (Al-Turki U., 2011, 150-162) Select the best solution / making decisions After dealing with the problems and evaluating the solutions, best possible solution should be selected. The evaluation comprises of three stages. Firstly, the decision makers should list the possible effects of these solutions. Secondly, probability factor should be assigned to these effects. Thirdly, organizational aims should be kept in mind as well as the possible effects on alternatives should be compared with the probabilities of those effects. (Martensen A., Dahlgaard J., 1999, 734-755) Implementing the plan Next, the selected solution should be implemented. The decision made should be supported by suitable action in order to accomplish success. Designing the implementation plan is a significant document of project management. This plan ensures organized teams, stating project possibilities and responding to the occurrences in the project. (Martensen A., Dahlgaard J., 1999, 734-755) Controlling and evaluating the results Next, the plan should be assessed to investigate the origins of it. The procedure of controlling involves two stages. Firstly, detailed functional plans should be compared with the actual consequences regularly, variances should be reported and remedial actions should be taken. Secondly, enduring plans should be reviewed to evaluate whether the plan is customized when needed to prevent harm in future. (Al-Turki U., 2011, 150-162) Organizing Principals & Staffing Organizing Process The organizing process entails five main stages. This includes reflecting objectives and plans, developing chief tasks, dividing major duties into subtasks, allotting resources for subtasks and evaluating results of imposed organization strategy. These steps should be constantly repeated by the manager through which feedback can be obtained. (Certo S., 1997, 298-301) Determining work activities Determining the job duties of managers is essential. This interaction eliminates overlaps in distinguished management accountabilities and ensures that managers execute only objective fulfilling tasks. Management responsibility guide is a significant instrument which clarifies responsibilities of numerous managers. The jobs of managers can be appraised by judging their attitudes towards the subordinates, seniors and other groups. (Certo S., 1997, 251-262) Assigning work and delegating authority As managers cannot perform all the duties alone therefore they divide the responsibilities among the workforce. Delegation refers to the procedure of assigning jobs and authority to particular people in the organization. (Certo S., 1997, 251-262) Age of the organization and work place All the organizations have different customs and traditions on which the age of the organization depends. Sometimes the age of the organization depicts the culture and tradition of the organization as new age organization would have an updated culture whereas the one with a longer age have to incorporate change in its culture with the traditional changes. Implementation of change Changing an organization is the procedure of modifying the current organization in order to increase its effectiveness. However, the implementation of change is hampered by the stress created by it. This is due to the fear of the employees of facing difficulties in adaption to new practices. Moreover, the superior level workforce doesn’t wish to hurt its prestige as well as both the employees and managers fear the disturbances in the relationships built up with others. (Younger A., Younger J., Thompson N., 2011, 6-14) Training and development Training is the procedure of advancing qualities and skills in human resources that make them capable of being more efficient and thereby contributing even more in attaining the preset goals of the organizations. The drawing up of training and development plan entails recognising the competences and skills which are needed by the business plan in order to achieve its goals. The managers then attempt to frame the plan and implement it by carrying out training activities. Interpersonal and organizational communication Intrapersonal communication refers to the procedure of transmitting the information to other people. This process must entail the source and a signal. The source is the person who encodes the information transmitted to another person while the signal refers to the message that the source had transmitted. Conversely, the organizational communication is termed as the interpersonal communication in the organizations. It mainly links to the functions, structure and goals of human organizations. The success of organization is largely dependent on the effective organizational communication. (Certo S., 1997, 329-337) Leading & Controlling Leadership and leadership styles The term leadership portrays the process of societal influence within which the individual is capable of enlisting assistance of others in order to accomplish common job. There are five appropriate leadership styles. Firstly, the impoverished style deals with managers caring less about both production and people. In this the managers mainly try to avoid troubles getting in their way. Secondly, in the country club style the managers are very concerned for people but not for production. Consequently, although the atmosphere is very friendly, it is not productive. Thirdly, the perish style makes the managers concern a lot for production but care less for people. They find the needs of employees unnecessary and often punish them to achieve the company’s goals. Next, the middle of the road style leads the managers to treat the company targets and needs of workers similarly. However, in trying to focus on both workers and objectives of company leads to neither of them being fulfilled. Additionally, in the team style more attention is paid to both production and people which promotes teamwork among workers. (Gilbert C., Winne S., Sels L.) Team management and conflict A team consists of people in a group interlinked for a similar purpose. Teams are particularly suitable for performing duties that are very complex. Member having distinctive skills in teams allows them to increase their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. However, team working should only be introduced when it is sensible to suppose that it will boost productivity. In the context of team work the decision making can be delayed due to the existence of conflicts over particular decisions. (Gilbert C., Winne S., Sels L.) Information management systems Management information system refers to the system that transforms data from principally internal sources into information. This information facilitates managers to make appropriate planning decisions and assists them in supervising organizational chores for which they are accountable. (Ekaterini G., 2011, 553-575) Control process Control refers to make something occur, the way planned by managers. It is essential for the managers to control the activities being carried out for effectual outcomes. Productivity on corporate and managerial success Mental, psychological and physical limitations of human beings are to be balanced and coordinated to accomplish targets of the organization. Thus coordination may offer smooth interaction between forces and functions of distinctive areas. For the success of management all the individuals of the organization should be focused on objectives of the organization. Therefore, co-ordination is considered as a major part of all management functions. In planning by joint discussion coordination can be accomplished via finance and purchase budget. In staffing it is ensured that correct skills and people are called for job. Further, in directing numerous departments of organization should work coordinately. In controlling, standard performance should be in compliance with actual performance to accomplish organizational targets. (Ekaterini G., 2011, 553-575) References Al-Turki U. (2011). A framework for strategic planning in maintenance. Journal of Quality in Maintenance, 17, 150-162. Certo S. (1997). Fundamentals of Influencing and Communication. Modern Management, 7, 329-337. Certo S. (1997). Organizational Change and Stress. Modern Management, 7, 298-301. Certo S. (1997). Responsibility, Authority and Delegation. Modern Management, 7, 251-262. Ekaterini G. (2011). A qualitative approach to middle managers’ competences. Management Research Review, 34, 553-575. Gilbert C., Winne S., Sels L. (n.d).Antecedents of Front Line Managers’ perceptions of HR role stressors. Retrieved from http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1927862 Homer M. (2001). Skills and Competency Management. Industrial and Commercial Training, 33, 59-62. Martensen A., Dahlgaard J. (1999). Strategy and planning for innovation management: a business excellence approach. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, 16, 734-755. Schwartz M. (2007). The Business Ethics of Management Theory. Journal of Management History, 13, 43-54. Younger A., Younger J., Thompson N. (2011). Developing the skills of HR business partnership: consulting and change management. Strategic HR Review, 10, 6-14. Read More