Study Plan: Introduction to Management
What are Frank and Lillian Gilbreth most noted for studying?
time and motion studies
Think again about the activity of planning of family vacation. Imagine you've just arrived at the airport, and you check the departures schedule only to find that your flight is delayed by 3 hours. You realize this will cause you to miss your connecting flight and eventually arrive at your destination after midnight, so you decide to call the airline's customer service number to see if they can get you on a different flight. Which management activity are you primarily engaging in?
analyzing and adapting to the environment
Although it may seem straightforward, the management process is complex. The management functions include:
applying and distributing organizational resources effectively
Walmart has exceptional logistics, but in 2014, Walmart was criticized for unusual shortages. Customers complained, saying they could not buy the product if it was not on the shelves. Management failed to ________
control the inventory process
As you're walking out the door to head to the airport for your vacation, you go down a checklist in your head (or maybe on paper, if you're really prepared): Did you bring your pajamas? Do you have your toothbrush? Does anyone need to visit the bathroom? These checks represent the management function of ________
controlling
Scientific management focused on productivity and reducing costs by developing efficiency. Its critics took issue with scientific management's emphasis on ________
establishing quotas and standards that were the same for all workers
Taylor's Four Principles of Scientific Management included which of the following?
management takes over all the work for which they are better suited than the workmen
Managers encourage, support, and foster talented employees. The managers who focus in this area are ________
middle managers
The Gantt chart is a tool that provides a visual (graphic) representation of ________
what occurs over the course of a project
Researches at ________ sought help after their studies, based on scientific management procedures, produced inconsistent results. Elton Mayo designed new studies where research conducted nondirective interviews.
Western Electric near Chicago
Mary Parker Follett anticipated the work of Elton Mayo at a high level. She recognized the importance of ________
informal processes within organizations
Managers must motivate employees, negotiate salaries, and encourage employees toward innovation and creativity. Sheryl Sandberg, now COO of Facebook, is great at encouraging fellow employees, but this is usually the ________ role of middle management.
interpersonal
Management is much harder than Taylor, Mayo, or Follett would have us believe. Instead of one correct way to manage, the best solution depends on the situation, and management must focus primarily on ________
looking for key contingencies
The CEO of LinkedIn, Jeff Weiner, recommends CEOs repeat themselves often and only then will people begin to internalize what you're saying. This is one of the ________ roles of managers.
informational
Management activities are often grouped into four categories. These are ________
planning, organizing, leading, and controlling
Southwest Airlines is famous for operating at low cost. They achieve low costs because they are very selective in the people they hire and they create a friendly and supportive environment. In return, the employees support the company. Competitors have failed to duplicate this and Southwest has retained ________
its competitive advantage
The financial crisis of 2008 revealed a huge failure with major banks in the United States. The banks did not know their risk positions in credit-default derivatives. It took months to process contracts and reconcile with counter-parties. This type of activity falls under which type of management?
operations
Richard Branson of Virgin Enterprises says, "The people out on the front line, they know when things are not going right and they know when things need to be improved. And if you listen to them you can soon improve all those niggly things which turns an average company into an exceptional company." Branson believes in ________
managing people well to create a competitive advantage
One approach to organization is putting activities that are similar under one person. ________ called this "unity of direction."
Henri Fayol
The work of ________ and ________ forms the basis of organization designs today . The principles of bureaucracy govern most large organizations, from multinational organizations, to armies, hospitals, and universities.
Weber and Fayol
Scientific management principles ________
favored a division of labor so that workers became more efficient
Anson Dorrance, coach of the UNC women's soccer team, fostered an almost family-like sense of the team while also bringing out his players' aggressiveness. This created ________ that was not easily duplicated by other teams.
a competitive advantage
Although it may seem straightforward, the management process is complex. The management functions include ________
adapting to the changing environment and to competitors
Google's motto is "Don't be evil." When the company neglects this to make more money, consumers are quick to criticize. When this happens, their customer base accuses management of neglecting its function ________
of leading
Walmart is the master of supply chain management, finding the best sources for high-quality materials and supplies at the lowest cost. Walmart excels at ________
operations management
Management can be approached as either ________
organizing people or as a process
The systems approach to management defines the role of companies as ________
processes with inputs and outputs
Mintzberg classified management decision roles into four types. These include ________
resource allocator, disturbance handler, and negotiator
Taylor and Weber agreed on hiring the right worker for the job. Employee selection and promotion should be based on experience, competence, and technical qualification demonstrated by examinations, education, or training. There is no nepotism. Weber called this ________
the Formal Selection Process rule
A military organization is very structured. Ranks are very clear, defining who can give and who must take orders. This is an example of ________
vertical management
Controlling may be the most important management function. The control process is also described as ________
feedback loops
Apple's current vision statement was introduced by CEO Tim Cook, who stated, "We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products." This is part of the ________ role of managers.
informational
Which of the following options accurately states the four primary functions of management?
planning, organizing, leading, and controlling
To maintain peace, you've noted in the vacation plan that each family member will pick a restaurant for one night of the trip. Each person will be able to pick a favorite food or style. Deciding to handle meals this way represents the management function of ________
organizing (assigning authority and responsibility, allocating resources, defining how the activities of groups and individuals will be coordinated)