Appraising the View That Managers Often Describe What They Do as Managing People - Literature review Example

APPRAISING THE VIEW THAT МАNАGЕRS ОFTЕN DЕSСRIBЕ WHАT THЕY DО АS ‘MАNАGING РЕОРLЕ’. Student’s name Course & code Professor’s name University City Date Introduction Management of organizations today present a challenge to the mangers in various institutions. Managers find it difficult to balance between the responsibilities they are charged with as leaders and how to discharge their duties without appearing to control the employees in every aspect (Baird & Harrison 2015). As a matter of fact, managers presume to manage people within the working premises. Courpasson et al 2012, in their review on management initiatives, it was established that the managers are charged with the responsibility to make decisions in an institution. The decisions they make are evaluated both via internal and external performance output. The two are regulated by the existing culture and traditions in the institution so that the actions that the managers bring with them are established to whether they lead to change in a positive or a negative dimension (de Oliveira & Costa 2014. This retrospect paper seeks to ascertain the validity of the presumption that what the managers do can be termed as ‘managing people’ while focusing on the different organizational perspectives that focus on institution, systems and cultures. Discussion As discussed by Fleming & Spicer 2014, the events existing in the 21st century have led to debates on whether the managers ‘manage the people’ or control the working environment. Whether they manage or control, the intentions of their work is to ensure the given institution prospers and maintains competitive advantage. One of the managerial duties that make the managers perceive themselves as to be managing people is by the section criteria for the employees (Helper & Henderson 2014). Due to the existing market competition, managers select employees not just based on the skill needed for the job but also depending on talent, that is, the ability of the employee to do better what others with the same skills cannot do. This aspect allows the employees to be better in performance in regard to customer service provision. As Baird & Harrison 2015 proposes, this management allows the managers to inculcate new cultures into what has been existing in order to improve performance in a given institution. In a literature review by Hertel & Orlikowski 2015, the perspective of systems snalysis and reductionism differ with the mode of managerial responsibilities exercised by managers in this manner. In their view, managers end up committing ‘unintended consequences’ which adversely affect the wellbeing of the organization. For instance, the case of General Motors, Sloan experiences difficulties from the GM management while trying to publish his book (Helper & Henderson 2014). This is attributed to the fact that the book is likely to ‘sell out’ secrets of the company. Although the feud is finally settled, the move by GM therefore is an indicator of how managers abuse the positions they have rather than what manage the employees (Langlois 2013). Another setback in the way managers is during application of lean in management. Most of the time the managers get faced with the mandate to utilize the available resources however much they may be few to ensure that the organization remains standing (Robbins et al 2013). In doing so, the number of employees are cut down to ensure that the wage bill is reduced. What is likely to go wrong is that, the employees cut out of the system are likely to sue the companies since they may have training that can only be used in the given company. Therefore, if the individual is not successful, it automatically contributes to unemployment. It is in this regard that the managers are considered not to manage the people. In an article published by Bloomberg in 2016, Yahoo company management is revealed to be planning on shedding off about 50 percent of its workforce. The managers in such environments cannot be termed to be managing people because if Yahoo was making profit as it should be after the managers mobilizing the workers under them, then the company would have no point in cutting down on the number of employees (Watson 2013). Tripathi 2015 about participation of workers in management, it was revealed that, conventionally, managers are expected to give directives on what the employees have to accomplish. In the organizational perspective of managing as a social process, managers set out the expected outcomes for the organization or the institution and then allow the employees to apply their expertise and talent in a move to achieve the outcomes (Walker 2015). The managers do not always offer step by step instruction of how a task has to be done but rather provide guidance where accuracy and safety is needed. Robbins et al 2013, in their review on organizational behavior, they argued that under this perspective, the managers reduce the weaknesses that employees have by allowing them to make decisions which forms the motivational drive for the employees. With the improved performance of the workers, managers then have a simpler task of ensuring that the subordinates develop their unique strengths and therefore maximizing on what they already do well (Nahata et al 2014). In the same manner, participative leadership employed by managers ensures that there is smooth decision making and feedback acceptance by the managers (Ingvaldsen 2015). The feedback received from the employees is essential for the final decisions by the managers in a manner that the manager can then make informed decisions after substantial inputs from the team (de Oliveira & da Costa 2014). In a study by Watson 2013, in regard to new directions in organization and management, it has been established that the managers find it easier to engage in people centered management like delegated leadership. This form of management is sometimes called laissez-faire. The system deals with highly skilled employees in an organization who are selected by the management to work as a team for a certain purpose. The Berkshire Hathaway, through its CEO, Warren Buffet, have implemented this form of management in their business. Buffet poses that, the employees in their company work best in the teams that have been set up as they formulate means of achieving the set objectives. Such a form of management ensures that many of the problems from various departments are addressed fully (Walker 2015). In regard to this perspective, Helper & Henderson 2014, in their discussion on the decline of General Motors, have argued that the social management process, the managers can be perceived as not to be working at all. Due to this, employees will strive to move upward the management ladder for frustrations in the management process. Some managers forget their managerial positions after delegating responsibilities and focus on other activities. de Oliveira & da Costa 2014, backs this argument saying that in the manner in which managers forget about their duties, the quality of work done is of low quality and little growth in the business which ultimately lead to failing of the job. Due to the withdrawn nature if the managers if they are uninvolved, the group will lack cohesiveness and therefore will be less concerned with the success of the project. Another letdown from the managers is where the managers allow the groups to handle projects and problems by themselves. To some extent, the employees are not always with the expertise and experience required for such situations and therefore the projects can easily go off-track if the managers do not offer the necessary guidance (Fleming & Spicer 2014). Under such circumstances, the managers are then perceived not to be ‘managing the people’ in the right manner. Conclusion To sum up, managers in different institutions are currently experiencing criticism from all aspect of life even though they dispense their duties close to how they should. The managing as a social process perspective has allowed managers to encourage employees to participate in decision making process by delegating various duties to them (Langlois 2013). The perspective has been quite welcomed by many employees which makes the managers to be regarded as managing people. That does not imply that the perspective is all good as it presents several setbacks in terms of the managers becoming too lazy and forget to provide their guidance in the necessary sectors which in turn leads to poor performance by the company. In the systems analysis and reductionism perspective, the managers perform their duties in regard to managing the employees right from the selection criteria to allowing the members freedom to exercise their expertise and experience (Walker 2015). The managers allow for feedback from employees which are then considered while making final informed decisions. This perspective also is faced with various setbacks although they are not as many as the advantages associated with the perspective. The application of lean in management poses a danger to the employees as they are charged with the responsibility to offer much service to maximum which is likely to be tiring due to the reduced manpower like in the case with Yahoo. 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Watson, T 2013, ‘Management, organization and employment strategy: New directions in theory and practice’, Routledge. Read More