Introduction to Managment

"Structured" group discussions help because....

they give members a chance to think, to share, to listen, and to build on each other's ideas

Two Ways of Defining What Managers Do.

*Functions they perform. -Planning, organizing, leading, controlling *Skills they need -Conceptual, Human, Technical

Management

involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so that their activities are completed efficiently and effectively.

Characteristics

Tend to be dealt with by those in higher levels of management, solutions require more judgment and creativity

Becoming an effective team leader can be challenging for managers (True or False).

True

Functions Manager's Perform

*Planning -Defining goals, establishing strategies to achieve goals, developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities. *Organizing -Arranging and structuring work to accomplish organizational goals. *Leading -Working with and through people to accomplish goals. *Controlling -Monitoring, comparing, and correcting work

Skills Managers Need

*Technical skills -Knowledge and proficiency in a specific field *Human skills -The ability to work well with other people *Conceptual skills -The ability to think and conceptualize about abstract and complex situations concerning the organization

Programmed Decision

-A repetitive decision that can be handled by a routine approach. -Types include *Procedure - series of sequential and interrelated steps *Rule - explicit statement what about should (not) be done *Policy - guideline for making a decision

Describe the managerial implications

-Assign teams for tasks that benefit from greater resources -When finding and staffing the "best" member is difficult, better off with team -Teams have best chance of tackling really complex, large problems

Job Design Theory

-Characteristics of jobs create psychologically meaningful experiences that, in turn, motivate employees -This is especially true for employees with "high growth need" ( a strong desire for self-esteem and self-actualization)

Descriptive Perspective

-Describes how decision making does occur (focus tends to be on less than optimal conditions) *Biases, Errors, and Heuristics

Problem with 'Rationality'

-Even when we assume a manager aims to make rational decision that maximizes value for the organization (i.e., motivation not problem), the decision maker often *Lacks important information *Lacks quality and quantity of information b/c time and cost constraints *Lacks memory *Cannot fully process the information to calculate the optimal choice

Key pieces of expectancy theory

-Expectancy (effort-performance linkage) -Instrumentality (performance -reward linkage) -Valence (attractiveness of reward)

Why focus on teams?

-Groups and teams are increasingly the engine of knowledge work in a myriad industries from science to banking *Teams often have greater resources than individuals ++Knowledge, skills, information, energy ++Perspectives and unique approaches to problems

Implications

-Individuals (not teams) should be assigned to tasks where there are few benefits from pooling member's resources (e.g., energy, diverse knowledge) -When finding and staffing the "best" person for task is difficult, tends to be better to assign a team, rather than an individual, -On complex tasks that require broad and deep expertise, teams have best chance of tackling the problems

Sources of Power

-Legitimate power *The power a leader has as a result of his or her position. -Coercive power *The power a leader has to punish or control. -Reward power *The power a leaders has to give positive benefits or rewards. -Expert power *The influence a leader can exert as a result of his or her expertise, skills, or knowledge. -Referent power *The power of a leader that arises because of a person's desirable resources or admired personal traits.

Does a "good decision" imply a good outcome?

-No, because of outcomes are probabilistic (not certain) -Example *We know that choosing to eat vegetables and exercise are associated with life-quality and length *But, these choices do not guarantee life-quality / length

Teams as Information Processors

-On decision-making tasks that benefits from pooling member's diverse knowledge, teams tend to leverage their resources. * Teams perform better than average member (weak synergy) *But, teams often perform worse than their "best" member (strong synergy)

Expectancy Theory

-People exert greater effort toward activities for which they expect greater rewards

Structured Problems

-Straightforward, and easily defined—information about the problem is available and complete. -Familiar (have occurred before).

Team Leadership

-Team Leadership Skills *Patiently sharing information *Trusting others and giving up authority *Understanding when to intervene -Team Leader's Job *Managing the team's external boundary *Facilitating the team process

-The Increasing Importance of Customers -Innovation

-The Increasing Importance of Customers *Customers: the reason that organizations exist ++Managing customer relationships is the responsibility of all managers and employees. Consistent high quality customer service is essential for survival. -Innovation *Doing things differently, exploring new territory, and taking risks ++Managers should encourage employees to be aware of and act on opportunities for innovation.

How the manager's job is changing?

-The Increasing Importance of Customers -Innovation -Changing Technology -Increased competitiveness -Changing Security Threats

What drives good management?

-The key to good management is the quality of the relationship between a manager and his or her employees -Again the importance of human skills - ability to work well with other -Note: Good management is measured in terms of as employee productivity and loyalty

Path-Goal Contingency Theory

-The leader's job is to assist followers in attaining goals and to provide direction or support to ensure the goals are compatible with organizational goals. -Leaders assume different leadership styles at different times depending on the situation (i.e., contingencies):

Motivation

-The process by which a person's efforts are energized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal. -An interaction between the person and a situation; it is not a personal trait.

Converting individual resources into a team product requires...

-individual member motivation -effective team information processing

8 Steps "Rational" Decision-Making Process

1. Identify problem 2. Identify decision criteria 3. Allocate weights to the criteria. 4. Develop alternatives 5. Analyze alternatives 6. Select alternative 7. Implement selected alternative. 8. Evaluate decision effectiveness

What is a decision?

A choice among two or more alternatives

Nonlinear thinking style

A person's preference for internal sources of information and processing this information with internal insights, feelings, and hunches

Linear thinking style

A person's preference for using external data and facts and processing this information through rational, logical thinking

1. A series of eight steps that begins with identifying a problem and concludes with evaluating the decision's effectiveness is the ________. A) decision-making process from the normative perspective B) way decision making really occurs C) maximin style D) bounded rationality approach

A.

2) Which expectancy theory linkage explains the belief that having a high grade point average is critical in obtaining a good job? A) instrumentality (performance - reward linkage) B) expectancy (effort-performance linkage) C) goal setting to achievement D) valence (attractiveness of outcome)

A.

1. Structured problems align well with which type of decision making? A) programmed B) satisficing C) intuition D) gut feeling

A. Programmed

1. When the ______ step of team information processing is complete, each member will have drawn on his or her knowledge and values to form an idea. A) initial B) final C) collaborative D) Intermediary

A. initial

2. ________ refers to the process by which a person's efforts are energized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal. A) Leadership B) Motivation C) Effort management D) Need configuration

B.

On decision-making tasks, such as the Stranded in the Dessert Case, teams tend to perform ____________. A. better than their best member. B. better than their average member, but not as good as their best member. C. only a bit better than their worst member. D. at the level of a strong synergy.

B.

2) The job characteristics model (JCM) identifies ________ as the degree to which a job has substantial impact on the lives or work of other people. A) task significance B) task identity C) skill variety D) autonomy

B. Task Identity

1) Someone who works with and through other people by coordinating their work activities in order to accomplish organizational goals is ________. A) an assembly line worker B) a laborer C) a manager D) a salesperson

C) a manager

1. Teams are increasingly the engine of knowledge work because when compared to individuals, teams tend to A. perform better than their best member B. require less coordination C. have more resources D. motivate people to work harder

C.

Leadership is A. the process by which a person's efforts are energized toward achieving a goal B. having managerial authority (i.e., being a boss) C. the process of influencing others to achieve goals D. involves coordinating and overseeing the activities of others

C.

2. Unstructured problems ________. A) are easily solved B) present familiar circumstances C) force managers to deal with incomplete or ambiguous information D) are routine

C. force managers to deal with incomplete or ambiguous information

2. According to the team information processing model presented in class, after the intermediary step in which members listen to other's ideas and collaboratively reason they __________________ A) generate a team response (e.g., decision, idea, plan, product) B) update their individual information and knowledge C) perform better than their best member D) A and B

D) A and B

2. Because managers can't possibly analyze all information on all alternatives, managers ________, rather than ________. A) maximize; satisfice B) maximize; minimize C) satisfice; minimize D) satisfice; maximize

D.

2. Which of the following is not a part of the team leader's job? A. Ensuring the team has adequate space, tools, and resources B. Getting and keeping the right people on the team C. Nurturing favorable relations with organization and other external constituencies D. Telling members exactly how to do their work

D.

2. Which of the following is not one of the hypotheses that have evolved from the path-goal theory? A) Supportive leadership results in high employee performance and satisfaction when subordinates are performing structured tasks. B) Directive leadership is likely to be perceived as redundant among subordinates with high perceived ability or with considerable experience. C) The clearer and more bureaucratic the formal authority relationships, the more leaders should exhibit supportive behavior and deemphasize directive behavior. D) Subordinates with an external locus of control will be less satisfied with a directive style.

D.

2. A leader, such as Steve Jobs, who could inspire followers to go beyond their own self-interest, is known as a(n) ________. A) transactional leader B) directive leader C) informational leader D) transformational leader

D. transformational leader

What is a "good" decision?

Decision makers choose a "reasonable" alternative given their decision criteria

Nonprogrammed Decisions

Decisions that are unique and nonrecurring, involving custom-made solutions.

Normative Perspective

Describes how decision making should occur (under optimal conditions)

Overconfidence Bias

Erroneously believing that our judgments are more accurate than actually

People with "low growth need" are motivated by jobs that are high in autonomy, variety, and responsibilities (True/False).

FALSE

1. Transformational leaders are great motivators because they clarify task requirements. (True or False)

False

2) Effectiveness is concerned with the means of getting things done, while efficiency is concerned with the attainment of organizational goals. (True/False)

False

2. Teams process information so well that they generally achieve a strong synergy (i.e., perform better than their best member). (True/ False)

False

3. Individuals (not teams) should be assigned to well-defined tasks, such as optimizing an assembly line. (True/ False)

False

3. The solution to non-programmed decision making relies on procedures, rules, and policies. (True/ False)

False

4. It is easy to find and staff the "best" person for an ill-defined task. (True/ False)

False

When there is little conflict within a work group, directive leadership will lead to high employee satisfaction (True or False)

False

Contrasted to "Transactional Leadership"

Leaders who guide or motivate their followers in the direction of established goals by clarifying role and task requirements.

Transformational Leadership

Leaders who inspire followers to transcend their own self-interest by altering their ideals, values, interests, which leads them to perform better than initially expected (for the good of the organization)

One Type of Problem and Decision

Structured Problems Programmed Decision

Expectancy Theory's Mathematical Model

Motivational Force = E -> P x Σ [ (P -> R) x V] -Expectancy (E->P) influenced by "self-efficacy" -Instrumentality (P-> R) influenced by organizational context (compensation system, etc. ) -Valence (V) influenced by individual's goals and needs

Unstructured Problems

New or unusual problem for which information is ambiguous or incomplete.

Skills Needed at Different Management Levels

Note: Human skills are the only ones important across all levels. As managers move into higher levels, technical skills become less important and conceptual skills become more important.

Describe how teams tend to process information

Teams tend to leverage these resources so that perform better average member, but not necessarily as well as "best" member

Leadership

Process of influencing others to achieve goals.

2. Goal setting works best when the goals are ________. A) specific B) indefinite C) infinite D) moderately challenging

Specific

What is a team/ group?

Two or more people who work interdependently over some time period to accomplish common goals .

Who are leaders?

Those who can influence others (and who have managerial authority)

1. High levels of effort don't necessarily lead to favorable job performance unless the effort is channeled in a direction that benefits the organization. (True or False)

True

1. People will do better when they get feedback because it helps identify discrepancies between what they have done and what they want to do (True or False).

True

1. People with high self-efficacy expect that their efforts will lead to a good performance. (True or False)

True

2. A student without managerial authority could be a leader (True/ False).

True

2. Teams (not individuals) should be assigned to complex tasks, such as new product development. (True/ False)

True

3) The universality of management principle posits that management is needed in all types and sizes of organizations, no matter the country in which they're located. (True/False)

True

3. A good decision does not imply a good outcome. (True/ False)

True

Another Type of Problem & Decision

Unstructured Problems Non-programmed Decisions

Availability Heuristic/ Bias

We weigh information that comes easily comes to mind (available).

Goal Setting Theory

When people accept and are committed to goals, specific and difficult goals increase the intensity and persistence of effort