TLIM 3340 - Organizational Leadership and Supervision

employee training

Changing the skills, knowledge, attitudes, or behavior of employees. Determination of training needs is made by supervisors.

Measuring performance, comparing against a standard, and taking corrective action are all part of the

control process

The management function that involves monitoring activities to ensure that targets are being met is called

controlling

Focus of control is directed at four areas:

costs, inventories, quality, safety, employee performance

Lost productivity time as a result of employees using the Internet for personal rather than work matters is called

cyberloafing

Allocating duties and assigning authority to others is called

delegation

Which of the following is not a traditional recruiting source?

Cyberspace recruiting

centralization

Decision-making responsibility in the hands of top management.

____ refers to the full breadth of activities included in a successful Internet-based enterprise.

E-business

Explain what is meant by employee theft and describe its effect on the organization.

Employee theft is any unauthorized taking of property by employees for their personal use. Employee theft costs the U.S. companies more than $29 billion annually.

decentralization

The pushing down of decision-making authority to those closest to the problems.

delegation

depicted as a four step process: (1) allocation of duties, (2) delegation of authority, (3) assignment of responsibility, (4) creation of accountability

How do you measure actual performance?

Ways to measure: - personal observation: provides firsthand, intimate knowledge of the actual activity; it is probably the most widely used means by which supervisors assess actual performance; MBWA: management by walking around; may seem intrusive and is timely; employees might interpret a supervisor's overt observation as a lack of confidence of a sign of mistrust - statistical reports: the use of computers in organizations has led to supervisors increasingly relying on statistical reports for measuring actual performance; it also includes graphs, bar charts, and numerical displays of any form that supervisors may use for assessing performance - oral reports: conferences, meetings, and one-on-one conversations; advantages of oral reports are that they are fast, allow for feedback, and permit language expression and tone of voice, as well as words themselves, to convey meaning. - written reports: the strength of written reports is that they offer greater comprehensiveness and conciseness than is typically found in oral reports, they are also easier to catalog and reference; written reports are often combined with statistical reports; they may also be used to precede or follow up oral reports. What to measure: what you measure is probably more critical to the control process than how you measure it; the selection of wrong criteria can result in serious dysfunctional consequences; the key is what you measure must be adjusted to fit the goals of your department; when a performance indicator cannot be stated in quantifiable terms, supervisors should look for and use subjective measures

Contemporary Organization: Wide spans of control

Wide spans of control create flat organizations with fewer vertical levels.

Gantt chart

a bar chart with time on the horizontal axis and activities to be scheduled on the vertical axis; shows when tasks are supposed to be done and compares actual progress on each task

human resource inventory

a database listing name, education, training, prior employer, languages spoken, and other information for each employee in the organization

single-use plan

a detailed course of action used once or only occasionally to deal with a problem that doesn't occur repeatedly

PERT chart

a diagram that depicts the sequence of activities needed to complete a project and the time or costs associated with each activity

business plan

a document that identifies the business founder's vision and describes the strategy and operations of that business

scheduling

detailed planning of activities to be done, the order in which they are to be done, who is to do each activity, and when the activities are to be completed

What costs should you control?

direct labor costs indirect labor costs raw materials costs supportive supplies costs utility costs maintenance costs waste costs

When an organization is reducing its workforce and reshaping its operations to create a leaner organization, this process is called

downsizing

Nonfinancial rewards designed to enrich employees' lives are called

employee benefits

Potential negatives that controls can create:

employee resistance, misdirection of effort, ethics and control devices (ethical dilemmas

events

endpoints that represent completion of major activities

Rules or principles that define right and wrong conduct are called

ethics

True or false? The transition from middle manager to top-level manager creates about as much anxiety as going from worker to supervisor.

false

A ____ is a visual representation of the sequence of events for a particular process

flowchart

The control a supervisor has over individuals outside his or her own direct area is called

functional authority

What is the key to making goal setting effective?

goal specificity, participation, time limits, and performance feedback

process departmentalization

grouping activities around a process; this method provides a basis for the homogenous categorizing of activities

geographic departmentalization

grouping activities into independent units based on geography or territory

span of control question:

how many employees can a supervisor direct efficiently and effectively?

How does a supervisor conduct an employee assessment?

human resource inventory

quality control

identification of mistakes that may have occurred; monitoring quality to ensure that (it) meets some preestablished standard; needed at multiple points in a process

intrapreneurs

a supervisor within an organization who promotes innovative product development and marketing approaches and behaves similar to the risk-taking style of an entrepreneur

goal setting

a system by which employees jointly determine specific performance goals with their supervisors. Progress toward goals is periodically reviewed, and rewards are allocated on the basis of this progress

websume

a web page used as a resume

job description

a written statement of job duties, working conditions, and operating responsibilities

virtual organization

consists of a small core of full-time employees and outside specialists temporarily hired as needed to work on projects

Employer action to make an active effort to recruit, select, and promote protected group members is called

none of the above (affirmative action)

authority

rights inherent in a supervisory position to give orders and expect those orders to be obeyed

Parochialism refers to

seeing things through one's own eyes

A key person in a supervisory role is someone who

serves as the critical communication link in the organization

Which of the following is not one of the ways an organization can group its employees

service departmentalization

A ____ is the ability to demonstrate a system and sequence of behavior that is functionally related to attaining a performance goal.

skill

An obligation that organizations have to pursue long-term goals that are good for society is referred to as

social responsibility

chain of command

the continuous line of authority that extends from upper levels of an organization to the lowest levels of the organization—clarifies who reports to whom

selection process

the hiring process, designed to expand the organization's knowledge about an applicant's background, abilities, and motivation

critical path

the longest or most time-consuming sequence of events and activities in a PERT chart

The process of managing the entire sequence of integrate activities and information about product flows is called

value chain management

How does a supervisor handle layoffs?

- firing: permanent involuntary termination - layoffs: temporary involuntary termination; may only last a few days or extend to years - attrition: not filling openings created by voluntary resignations or normal retirements - reduced workweeks: having employees work fewer hours per week, share jobs, or perform their jobs on a part-time basis - early retirements: providing incentives to older and more-senior employees for retiring before their normal retirement date - job sharing: having employees, typically two part-timers, share one full-time position

Delegation is a four step process:

(1) allocation of duties, (2) delegation of authority, (3) assignment of responsibility, (4) creation of accountability

How do competencies shift by managerial level?

(1) technical competence declines in importance as individuals rise in the organization; (2) interpersonal competencies are a constant for success, regardless of level in the organization; (3) conceptual and political competencies increase in importance as managerial responsibility rises

Productivity =

(Output) / (Labor + Capital + Materials)

Where do supervisors look to recruit candidates?

- Internal searches - advertisements - employee referrals - public employment agencies - private employment agencies - school placement - temporary help services - employee leasing and independent contractors

On-the-job training

- apprenticeship: a time - typically two to five years - when an individual is under the guidance of a master worker to learn specific skills - job instruction training: a systematic approach to on-the-job training consisting of preparing the trainees by telling them about the job, presenting the instructions, having the trainees try the job to demonstrate their understanding, and placing trainees into the job under the lead of a resource person

Off-the-job training

- classroom lectures: lectures designed to communicate specific interpersonal, technical, or problem-solving skills - multimedia: using various media productions to demonstrate specialized skills and deliver specific information - stimulation exercises: training that occurs by actually performing the work. This may include case analysis, experiential exercises, roleplay, or group decision making. - computer-based training: stimulating the work environment by programming a computer to imitate some of the realities of the job - vestibule training: training on actual equipment used on the job, but conducted away from the actual work setting - a stimulated workstation - programmed instruction: condensing training materials into highly organized, logical sequences. May include computer methods, interactive video disks, or virtual reality simulations

Six-step program that can guide you in reducing costs in your department:

1. improve work methods, 2. level the work flow, 3. minimize/reduce waste, 4. install modern equipment, 5. invest in employee training, 6. make cuts selectively (that will generate the greatest efficiencies)

key components of and organization's HRM process (8 steps)

1. strategic human resource planning 2. recruitment and downsizing 3. selection 4. orientation 5. training and development 6. performance appraisal 7. compensation and benefits 8. safety and health if all steps are properly executed then the organization will be staffed with competent, high-performing employees who are capable of sustaining their performance level over the long-term

Realistic Job Preview (RJP)

A job interview that provides both positive and negative information about the job and the company.

staff authority

A limited authority that supports line authority by advising, servicing, and assisting.

unity of command

A principle that states that an employee should have one and only one supervisor to whom he or she is directly responsible.

control process

A three-step process that consists of (1) measuring actual performance, (2) comparing results with standards, and (3) taking corrective action.

Planning + Organizing + Leading + Controlling =

Achieving (Organizational goals)

What is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act?

An act passed into law by Congress in 2002 to establish strict accounting and reporting rules in order to make senior managers more accountable and to improve and maintain investor confidence. Supervisors have responsibility to create an environment in which employees can come forward with allegations without fear or reprisal from the employer (whistle-blowing); someone in the organization must make sure that employees know about corporate ethics policies and train employees and supervisory personnel on how to act ethically in organizations. the bottom line is that corporate greed and unethical behavior must be stopped

employment planning

Assessing current human resources and future human resource needs; developing a program to meet future human resource needs.

functional authority

Control over individuals outside one's own direct areas of responsibility.

How are future employee needs determined?

Future human resource needs are determined by the department's goals. Demand for human resources (its employees) is a result of demand for what the department produces.

customer departmentalization

Grouping activities around common customer categories.

functional departmentalization

Grouping activities into independent units based on functions performed.

product departmentalization

Grouping activities into independent units based on problems or issues relating to a product.

departmentalization

Grouping departments based on work functions, product or service, target customer or client, geographic territory, or the process used to turn inputs into outputs.

Which of the following is not a type of control?

Immediate control

kanban

In Japanese, a "card" or "sign." Shipped in a container, a kanban is returned to the supplier when the container is opened, initiating the shipment of a second container that arrives just as the first container is emptied.

Which one of the following items does not relate to stimulating individual and group performance?

Interviewing

Do controls need to b adjusted for cultural differences?

Methods of controlling employee behavior and operations can be quite different in different countries. The differences in organizational control systems of global organizations are primarily in measurement and corrective action steps of the control process. The impact of technology on control is evident in comparisons of technologically advanced nations with countries that aren't as technologically advanced. Organizations in advanced nations such as the United States, Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, and Australia use indirect control devices such as computer-related reports and analyses, along with standardized rules and direct supervision to ensure that activities are going as planned. In less technologically advanced countries, direct supervision and highly centralized decision making are the basic means of control. A challenge for global companies is collecting comparable data.

Which one of the following is an interpersonal competency?

Motivating others

The 1970's: Narrow Spans

Narrow spans of control create tall organizations with a large number of vertical levels.

employee benefits

Nonfinancial rewards designed to enrich employees' lives.

Compare preventive, concurrent, and corrective control.

Preventive control is implemented before an activity begins and it anticipates/prevents undesirable outcomes. Concurrent control takes place while an activity is in progress. Corrective control is implemented after an activity is finished and facilitates prevention of future deviations.

All of the following except one are characteristics of all organizations. Which one is not a characteristic?

Profit

performance-simulation tests

Selection devices based on actual job behaviors, work sampling, and assessment centers.

Which of the following situations can lead toward sexual harassment?

Something of a sexual nature creates an intimidating or offensive work environment something of a sexual nature interferes with an individual's work something of a sexual nature adversely affects an employee's employment opportunities

line authority

The authority that entitles a supervisor to direct the work of his or her employees and to make certain decisions without consulting others.

Identify the ethical dilemmas in employee monitoring

The ethical dilemmas in employee monitoring revolve around the rights of employees versus the rights of employers. Employees are concerned with protecting their workplace privacy and intrusion into their personal lives. Employers, in contrast, are primarily concerned with enhancing productivity and ensuring that the workplace is safe.

work specialization

The process of breaking down a job into a number of steps, with each step being completed by a different individual.

compensation administration

The process of determining a cost-effective pay structure that will attract and retain employees, provide an incentive for them to work hard, and ensure that pay levels will be perceived as fair

human resource management (HRM)

The process of finding, hiring, training, and keeping employees in the organization.

value chain management

The process of managing the entire sequence of integrated activities and information about product flows from start to finish--when the product is in the hands of the ultimate user.

When should corrective action be taken?

The third and final step in the control process is the action that will correct the deviation. It will attempt to either adjust actual performance or to correct the standard, or both. - Immediate corrective action deals predominately with symptoms; often described as "putting out fires"; action that adjusts something right now and gets things back on track. - Basic corrective action delves into causes; action that gets to the source of a deviation and seeks to adjust the differences permanently; asks how and why performance deviated; unfortunately, many supervisors rationalize that they don't have the time to take basic corrective action Effective supervisors recognize that they must find the time to analyze deviations and, in situations where the benefits justify such action, permanently correct significant differences between standard and actual performance.

Contrast two types of corrective action

There are two types of corrective action: immediate and basic. Immediate corrective action deals predominately with symptoms. Basic corrective action looks for the cause of the deviation and seeks to adjust the differences permanently.

True or False? Employee theft is a significant problem most organizations have to deal with.

True

True or False? Interviewers tend to give more weight to negative information than to positive information from a job candidate.

True

True or False? Those left in an organization after other workers have been laid off often experience similar feelings of frustration, anxiety, and loss.

True

simple structure

a nonelaborate structure, low in complexity, with little formalization, and with authority centralized in a single person; a "flat" organization with only two or three levels

budget

a numerical plan that expresses anticipated results in dollar terms for a specific time period; used as a planning guide as well as a control device

Six Sigma

a philosophy and measurement process that attempts to "design in" quality as a product is being made

standing plan

a plan that can be used over and over again by managers faced with recurring situations

long-term plan

a plan that covers a period in excess of five years

short-term plan

a plan that covers a period of less than one year

intermediate-term plan

a plan that covers a period of one to five years

Validity means

a proven relationship exists between a selection device and some relevant criterion

layoff-survivor sickness

a set of attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors of employees who survive involuntary staff reductions

program

a single-use set of plans for a specific major undertaking within an organization's overall goals. Programs may be designed and overseen by top management or supervisors.

procedure

a standardized way of responding to repetitive problems; a definition of the limits within which supervisors must stay as decisions are made

balanced scorecard

a strategic planning and management system used to translate and align business activities to the vision statement of a business after review of the company's financial processes, customer processes, internal processes, and innovation/growth processes

matrix

a structure that weaves together elements of functional and product departmentalization, creating a dual chain of command

affirmative action

an active effort to recruit, select, train, and promote members of protected groups

orientation

an expansion on information a new employee obtained during the recruitment and selection stages; an attempt to familiarize new employees with the job, the work unit, and the organization as a whole

rule

an explicit statement that tells employees what they ought or ought not to do

empowerment

an increase in the decision-making discretion of workers

reliability

an indication of whether a test or devices measures the same thing consistently

supply chain management

an internally oriented process that focuses on the efficient flow of incoming materials to the organization

functional structure

an organization in which similar and related occupational specialties are grouped together

divisional structure

an organization made up of self-contained units

team-based structure

an organization that consists entirely of workgroups

learning organization

an organization that has developed the capacity to adapt and change continuously

boundaryless organization

an organization that is not defined or limited by boundaries or categories imposed by traditional structures

sexual harassment

anything of a sexual nature that is required for getting a job, has an employment consequence, or creates an offensive or hostile environment, including sexually suggestive remarks, unwanted touching, sexual advances, requests of sexual favors, and other verbal and physical conduct of a sexual nature

policies

broad guidelines for supervisory action

How do you compare results with standards?

by determining the acceptable range of variation special measurement tools (basic statistical techniques used to control variability): - cause-effect diagrams (fishbone diagrams): a depiction of the causes of a problem that groups the causes according to common categories such as machinery, materials, methods, personnel, finances, or management. - flowcharts: visual representation of the sequence of events for a particular process that clarifies how things are being done so that inefficiencies can be identified and the process can be improved. - scatter diagrams: an illustration of the relationship between two variables that shows correlations and possible cause and effect. - control chart: a statistical technique used to measure variation in a system to produce an average standard with statistically determined upper and lower limits.

The process of determining a cost-effective pay structure is called

compensation administration

What are the four supervisory competencies?

conceptual, interpersonal, technical, and political

A written statement of the duties, working conditions, and operating responsibilities of a job is called a

job description

A system in which materials arrive when they are needed in the production process instead of being stored in stock is called

just-in-time inventory

What roles do supervisors play?

key person, person in the middle, just another worker, behavioral specialist

An organization that has developed the capacity to adapt to change continuously is called a ____ organization

learning

strategic planning

organizational planning that includes the establishment of overall goals and positioning of organization's products or services against the competition

tactical planning

organizational planning that provides specific details on how overall goals are to be achieved

How do you introduce new hires to the organization?

orientation

Which one of the following is not a characteristic of effective quality controls?

placement on all activities

What are the four management functions?

planning, organizing, leading, controlling

A comprehensive quality-control program would encompass:

preventive, concurrent, and corrective controls

What common characteristics do all organizations have?

purpose, people, structure

Variances in performance that can be expected in all activities are called the

range of variation

ISO 9000 series

standards designed by the International Organization for Standardization that reflect a process whereby independent auditors attest that a company's factory, laboratory, or office has met quality standards

responsibility

supervisory obligations such as achieving a unit's goals, keeping costs within budget, following organizational policies, and motivating employees

An organizational structure that consists primarily of workgroups is called

team-based

Allowing works to work at remote sites and have them linked to the organization through some form of technology is called

telecommuting

The term process in the definition of management refers to

the primary activities supervisors perform on their jobs.

entrepreneurship

the process of initiating a business venture, organizing the necessary resources, and assuming the risks and rewards

recruitment

the process of locating, identifying, and attracting capable applicants

validity

the proven relationship between a selection device and some relevant criterion

benchmarking

the search for the best practices among competitors or noncompetitors that lead to their superior performance

activities

the time or resources required to progress from one event to another

What are the characteristics of effective controls?

timeliness, economy, flexibility, understandability, reasonable criteria, critical placement, and emphasis on exception

Reporting to one and only one boss is commonly referred to as

unity of command

network organization

uses its own employees to do some work activities and networks of outside suppliers to provide other needed product components or work processes

Quality control continues to address monitoring quality:

weight, strength, consistency, color, taste, reliability, finish, or any one if a myriad of quality characteristics

entrepreneurial

willing to use initiative and take risks to make a profit

The process of breaking down a job into a number of steps that are completed by different individuals is called

work specialization

The composition of the workforce that includes people from all walks of life is called

workforce diversity