Management Chapter 1 Managers in the Workplace (study plan)

Which statement best explains why management is considered a vital area of​ study?

Because you will either manage others or be​ managed, you can gain valuable information from a course in management.

Which statement best explains why managers are evaluated by the efficiency and effectiveness of their job performance?

Effectiveness and efficiency go hand in​ hand, and a good manager accomplishes both. (Efficiency refers to getting the most output from the least amount of inputs or resources. Managers deal with scarce resources—including ​people, money, and equipment—and want to use those resources efficiently. Effectiveness is often described as​ "doing the right​ things," that​ is, doing those work activities that will result in achieving goals.)

In his first comprehensive​ study, Mintzberg concluded that what managers do can best be described by looking at the managerial roles they engage in at work. What are the three​ roles?

Interpersonal, informational, and decisional (The interpersonal roles involve people​ (subordinates and persons outside the​ organization) and other ceremonial and symbolic duties. The three interpersonal roles include​ figurehead, leader, and liaison. The informational roles involve​ collecting, receiving, and disseminating information. The three informational roles include​ monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson.​ Finally, the decisional roles entail making decisions or choices and include​ entrepreneur, disturbance​ handler, resource​ allocator, and negotiator. )

What is the value of studying management even if you plan to pursue a career which requires a professional certification such as a​ CPA, doctor, or​ attorney?

Management is universally needed in all organizations. (No matter what the business—from catering to dog walking—management skills can be applied to make the business run more​ efficiently, more​ effectively, and more profitably.)

Today's marketplace is very fluid with an increase in competition and customers who are more discerning and better informed. How has management changed in​ response?

Managers are recognizing that delivering​ consistent, high-quality customer service is essential for survival and success in​ today's competitive environment and that employees are an important part of that equation. (The implication is clear—managers must create a​ customer-responsive organization where employees are friendly and​ courteous, accessible,​ knowledgeable, prompt in responding to customer needs and willing to do​ what's necessary to please the customer.)

Why do managers play such a key role in a successful​ organization?

Managers help to move the organization forward towards established goals in a dynamic and changing marketplace. (Organizations need their managerial skills and abilities more than ever in​ uncertain, complex, and chaotic times. As organizations deal with​ today's challenges-changing workforce​ dynamics, the worldwide economic​ climate, changing​ technology, ever-increasing​ globalization, and so​ forth-managers play an important role in identifying critical issues and crafting responses.)

Which statement best explains why it is difficult to differentiate between managerial and nonmanagerial​ employees?

Many traditional nonmanagerial jobs now include managerial activities. (As organizations have become​ leaner, the management role has blurred and employees are valued for having multiple skills and diverse knowledge.)

Which statement about the importance of managers is most likely​ true?

Organizations need their managerial skills and abilities more than ever in​ uncertain, complex, and chaotic times. (Managers play an important role in identifying critical issues and crafting responses during complex and uncertain times.)

According to the​ "four functions" approach​, ​managers' work is best described by which four​ functions?

Planning, organizing,​ leading, and controlling

Which statement about studying management is most likely​ true?

Studying management is important because by learning management​ theory, one will be able to apply these concepts in a variety of​ situations, to maximize​ efficiency, productivity, employee​ satisfaction, and personal success.

Which of the following statements about the changing nature of management in​ today's marketplace is most likely​ true?

Taking​ risks, exploring new​ territories, and trying new methods are innovative tactics that management can use to be more successful in the marketplace. (Innovation is critical throughout all levels and parts of an organization.)

Robert L. Katz proposed that managers need three critical skills in​ managing, which are​ ________.

Technical, interpersonal, and conceptual (According to​ Katz, managers need three critical skills in​ managing: technical,​ human, and conceptual. Technical skills are the​ job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to proficiently perform work​ tasks; interpersonal skills involve the ability to work well with other​ people; and conceptual skills are the skills managers use to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations.)

Fayol identified the management functions as​ planning, organizing,​ commanding, coordinating, and controlling. Which of the following accurately describes the control​ function?

The control function involves monitoring and evaluating performance to ensure goals are met and work is done as it should be. (If those goals​ aren't achieved,​ it's the​ manager's job to get work back on track. The process of​ monitoring, comparing, and correcting is the controlling function.)

Which of the following is considered the most important variable in employee productivity and loyalty within the​ organization?

The quality of the relationship between an employee and a direct supervisor. (This, more than any other​ factor, was cited by employees and management personnel alike.)

What is considered a​ manager's primary​ responsibility?

To oversee the work of other people so organizational goals can be accomplished (A​ manager's job is not about personal achievementl—​it's about helping others do their​ work, and achieving the​ organization's goals.)

Managers are primarily important to organizations because they ________.

are critical to getting things done (For​ example, AT&T has some​ 6,750 general managers who manage the work of thousands of frontline employees. These managers deal with all kinds of issues as the​ company's myriad tasks are carried out. They create and coordinate the workplace environment and work systems so that others can perform those tasks. )

In many​ organizations, the changing nature of work has​ ________.

blurred the distinction between managers and nonmanagerial employees (Many traditional nonmanagerial jobs now include managerial activities.)

Managers will increasingly need to understand and deal with​ ________.

changing​ workplaces, ethical​ issues, security​ threats, and new technology

Management involves coordinating and overseeing the work activities of others so their activities are completed efficiently and effectively. That would mean that subordinates are​ ________.

getting the most output from the least amount of inputs or​ resources, and doing those work activities that will result in achieving goals

In​ today's world, managers are primarily dealing with​ ________.

global economic and political uncertainties (More managers will have to manage under demanding circumstances such as global and economic uncertainties. )

An organization​ ________.

has a distinct purpose typically expressed through goals the organization hopes to accomplish (An organization is a deliberate arrangement of people to accomplish some specific purpose. )

Among Fortune 1000 companies in​ 2013, the number of female CEOs was​ ________.

low (Only 45 women were CEOs of Fortune 1000 corporations in 2013.)

At the lowest level of​ management, frontline managers​ ________.

manage the work of nonmanagerial employees who typically are involved with producing the​ organization's products or servicing the​ organization's customers (These managers often have titles such as supervisors or even shift managers​, district managers​, department managers​, or office managers. )

Social media has become increasingly important to many businesses to maximize contact with customers and to​ ________.

manage their human resources and tap into their innovation and talent (Managers need to remember that social media is a tool that needs to be managed to be beneficial. )

Management is an important discipline to study because​ ________.

management is needed in all types and sizes of​ organizations, at all levels and work areas (This is known as the universality of management. )

In​ today's highly competitive business​ world, managers have come to understand that​ ___________ is necessary for organizational survival and success.

providing consistently superior customer service (Managers must create a​ customer-responsive organization where employees are friendly and​ courteous, accessible,​ knowledgeable, prompt in responding to customer needs and willing to do​ what's necessary to please the customer.)

According to the Gallup​ Organization, the single most important variable in employee productivity and loyalty is​ ________.

the quality of the relationship between employees and their direct supervisors (The Gallup​ Organization, which has polled millions of employees and tens of thousands of​ managers, has found that the single most important variable in employee productivity and loyalty is the quality of the relationship between employees and their direct supervisors.)

A study of organizational performance found that managerial ability was important in creating organizational​ ________.

value (A study of organizational performance found that managerial ability was important in creating organizational value. Managers can and do have an impact—positive and negative—so they do matter in an organization.)

Managing is most likely rewarding because​ ________.

you can help others find meaning and fulfillment in their work

Actually implementing management can be difficult primarily because​ ________.

your success typically is dependent on​ others' work performance (This is very typical of​ managers' jobs and a​ challenge, especially when you must motivate workers in the face of uncertainty and chaos.)