Managers Viewpoint - Report Example

A Research Report – Manager’s viewpoint 1415 words This research report has been presented in the context of the CV analysis that was done by the group prior to the interview. As groups we analyzed the CV bearing in mind all the theories that we learned through the lectures. We believed that in order to fully connect and understand the manager, mixed theories should be adapted. The questions were written according to the analysis and theories and the concepts. The interview was structured, as there were 13 set questions which were asked sequentially. To understand the managers’ view on the concept of the management, diversified question was asked about the money and whether it was the best motivator. The interviewee had very clear idea about the concept as he emphasized different industries in the market will have various prospects towards motivation. He continued that different people according to their industry behave differently towards money. As part of the CV analysis we drew conclusion that this manger was logical as he also stated I am critical thinker, well organized, logical... His first answer supported this as he was logical about the concept of motivation and the society where different industries introduce specific behaviors. To also understand that he was logical and had 10 years experience in management, further question was asked about management theories. He showed awareness of the main management theory Theory X and Y. He added that through his role as a manger he adopted this approach and used to categorize his employees. This reflects that as a manager he mentors employees and develops them to ensure the efficient operating procedures. He also repeats the word Responsible several times in his CV, this also adds to the fact that he sees mangers as superior entities in the business world and that they are accountable for day to day operation of the business. The smooth and straight to point style that he used in his CV to put his experience through, also dichotomizes his answers and knowledge. He answered without any delay and did not diversify from the questions that were asked from him. This is emphasized as he demonstrated that in order to be an effective manager through experience you develop your own theories for management and would gradually forget textbook concepts and theories. Prior to our interview as a group we evaluated the Functionalist Approach. The analytical concept emphasized that leaders are visionary and that they set goals and employ people, and managers are there to ensure the effective operation of this process. To ensure that this theory could be applied in the real world business, we asked him Can you distinguish between manager and a leader?’ His reply was in line with functionalist approach as he signified that leader is the person who holds the vision and the manger adapts that vision and takes the team towards that vision. The organization that he works in makes this process easy by having yearly annual meetings and monthly briefs to communicate leaders’ vision through to floor managers. To further explain this, his CV simply draws readers’ attention to his skills and experience in operating and organizing daily operations. From his answers we may draw the idea that he sees managers’ role in the wider concept as the most relevant role in the society. In the capitalist society everywhere you step in belongs to an organization and most defiantly there are managers who are solely responsible for organizing those co-operations. Analytically these co operations form the society that we live in and managers’ role as organizers is supposed to be crucial to the society, the way the country runs and its population behaves. This is all due to creation of managers’ role in the society and as Agency theory declares that managers are agents within the firm, it clearly proves that some part of organizing the society may also be contributed by the managers. In his interview he always tried to give more weight to the practical knowledge of a manager that he achieved from his experience from working in challenging and heterogeneous environment than the theoretical knowledge of him which he learns from his graduation and management schools. This thought of the manager is reflected by his explanation that he had always motivated by the successful managers in his practical life. He explained that if a store manager always achieves the target whatever he has assigned then there is no doubt that the manager creates a good example to the business world. So being always a positive person, he is very much interested to know the techniques and methods that the business guru has used to achieve those targets. It would be lesson to the managers to get practical knowhow how the business guru treats his staffs and how he manages to set the standards toward his staffs so that his target always being achieved. According to him, this is an example where practical knowledge led a manager to become a successful player in the business world and this thing one cannot get in any theoretical book. However, one cannot neglect the fact that to get a good practical knowledge, a manager should evaluate his/her academic knowledge in the light of real life exposure. For example, the knowledge of some contemporary economic and business concepts such as the hegemony of the idea of neoliberalism and the role of the state, market and society in practicing the concept can only be imputed in a student in his/her academic life. Similarly the idea of risk management is theorized and implicated in the thinking of a student through his management training and it is always possible that with all his/her potential domain knowledge the student can become more intensive in acquiring his/her real life achievements. So we can argue that real life exposure may be guided by the theories of academic life as well. (Harvey 2005) The manager characterized himself as an accountable and responsible business person. This is truly supported by his/her view on the relationship between a conscientious manager and the team he/she leads. He cleared the argument by favoring a professional relationship between a manager and his team which not only creates a healthy environment in the business house but also attracts the consumers towards their products. There lies the practice of leadership where a good manager should always set examples before his/her staffs by motivating them, defining their goals, establishing new ideas and strategies, arranging and structuring their work activities and if necessary influencing and resolving conflicts between them. The manager must assess whether things are actually going according to his/her plan. This relational practice is key points of a true leadership as defined by the ‘management functions’ of Henri Fayol (1917) that is supposed to work sequentially — Planning- Organizing- Leading- Controlling. In presenting his outlook towards the manager-staff relationship he oppose any friendly relationship as it is always harmful to the business because a friendly relationship ultimately leads to an unprofessional work environment which in turn ends in a disrespectful relationship between the managers and the staff members. This will not only create crisis for the business but also for the manager himself. (Parsons 1951, Chris 2005) As a professional business person the manager tries to ascertain one thing which is utmost important for success. This is nothing but a positive outlook and a positive attitude towards life. This is supported by his CV also. We get this flavor of his life when we asked him that whether he had made any mistakes throughout his 10 years professional career and what were the challenges he had to face, he simply told that he had not done many mistakes in his management career though he shared with us some of his experience where he did some mistakes in his career, but it was his willingness to work hard and his positive attitude that ultimately led him to the road of success. So analyzing the interview with the sales manager, we can get some valuable information from the prospect of a future manager. A person with management knowledge has high potential to become a successful manager in the future life through a proper blending of his/her academic knowledge with the real life knowledge that he/she is supposed to get in future. But the most important things are that the person should be well versatile, adaptable and very much committed towards the work. With this, a focus and positive outlook toward life will definitely help him/her to taste the sweetness of success. References 1) Harvey, D. (2005), A Brief History of Neoliberalism, London: Oxford University Press 2) Merton, R. (1957), Social Theory and Social Structure, revised and enlarged. London, The Glencoe: Free Press 3) Parsons, T. (1951), The Social System, Glencoe, IL: Free Press 4) Chris, J. (2005) “Fayol (1841-1925) Functions and Principles of Management”, Available at: http://www.bola.biz/competence/fayol.html (accessed on March 11, 2010) Read More