BUS 350 Chapter 9

job description

-summary of individual's job activities -lists specific activities that must be performed by whoever holds the position -communicates job content and performance expectations to employees

Control Role

-Establish a mechanism for evaluating effectiveness of the organization's plans -In this role, staff personnel are representatives, or agents, of top management

Disadvantages of delegation (1)

1. manager may lose track of progress of a delegated task

authority

-right to perform or command -allows individuals with authority to direct and influence the actions of others through orders -allows individuals with authority to allocate the org's resources

overlapping responsibility (functional similarity method and responsibility)

-A situation where more than one individual is responsible for the same activity -This situation can create confusion as typically only one individual should be responsible for completing any one activity -Often see the job not completed because the individuals involved are assuming the other one will complete the tasks

Functional Similarity Method and Responsibility

-overlapping responsibility & responsibility gap -management should avoid creating jobs that do not enhance goal attainment -job responsibilities should be assigned with clear, goal-related, non-overlapping responsibilities

Types of Authority (3)

-LINE AUTHORITY: superior-subordinate relationships -STAFF AUTHORITY: advise-assist those who possess line authority -FUNCTIONAL AUTHORITY: assigned to a segment that normally does not have authority

Clarifying Job Activities of Managers

-Management Responsibility Guide -Responsible Managers

eliminating obstacles to the delegation process (5)

-Managers should work to uncover any obstacles to delegation -Approach taking action to eliminate the obstacles with the understanding they may be deeply ingrained and therefore require much time and effort to overcome -Build subordinate confidence in the use of delegated authority -Minimize impact of delegated authority on established working relationships -Help delegatees cope with problems when necessary

Service Role

-Provide their services more effectively and efficiently via a centralized staff group -Ex. HR Department recruiting, interviewing, selecting, compensation, training of workers for all departments

responsibility gap (functional similarity method and responsibility)

-Responsibility gaps should be avoided -Gaps exist when certain tasks are not included in the responsibility of any individual employee -This really means no one in the organization is responsible for completing certain necessary activities

Advisory or Counseling Role

-Use their professional experience to solve organizational problems -Internal consultants through their expertise

Managerial considerations when deciding the appropriate degree of decentralization (6)

-What is the present size of the organization? -Where are the organization's customers located? -How homogeneous is the organization's product line? -Where are organizational suppliers? -Are quick decisions needed in the organization? -Is creativity a desirable feature of the organization?

managerial characteristics required for effective delegation (4)

-Willingness to consider the ideas of others -Insight to allow subordinates to have free rein necessary to carry out responsibilities -Capacity to trust subordinates' abilities -Wisdom to allow people to learn from their mistakes

Staff Authority

-advise-assist those who possess line authority -enables those responsible for improving the effectiveness of line personnel to perform required tasks -examples of staff personnel includes human resources, external affairs, legal

Functional Authority

-assigned to a segment that normally does not have authority -usually assigned to individuals to complement the line or staff authority they already possess -covers only specific task areas and operational only for a designated period of time -authority should be used in a combination that will best enable individuals to carry out their assigned responsibilities and thereby best help the mgt. system accomplish its objectives

authority on the job

-authority increases the probability a specific command will be obeyed -authority does not, however, always lead to obedience

accountability

-employee's liability to perform -nonperformance results in justifiable penalty/punishment -good performance results in some kind of reward

dividing job activities

-functional similarity method -functional similarity and responsibility

Management Responsibility Guide

-helps management describe responsibility relationships in the org. & summarize how responsibilities of various managers relate to one another -once decided which of these relationships exist within the org, the relationships among these responsibilities can be defined (7)

Responsible Managers

-managers are deemed responsible if they perform the activities they are obligated to perform -responsible managers are a prerequisite for mgt. system success -degree of responsibility a manager possesses is determined by appraising the manager on 4 dimensions

decentralization

-maximum amount of authority delegated to subordinates

centralization

-minimal number of job activities and a minimal amount of authority have been delegated to subordinates

Functional Similarity Method

-most basic method of dividing job activities -four steps: 1. examine management system objectives 2. Designate appropriate activities that must be performed to reach those objectives 3. Design specific jobs by grouping similar activities 4. Make specific individuals responsible for performing those jobs

responsiblity

-obligation to perform assigned activities -source of responsibility lies within the individual -individuals who accept jobs are obligated to a supervisor to see that job activities are successfully completed -managers remain responsible for tasks even if they have delegated them to another employee (responsibility is shared by the manager & employee)

Line Authority

-superior-subordinate relationships -most fundamental type of authority in the org -right to make decisions and give orders related to production activities -pertains to matters directly involving mgt. system production, sales, finance, and the achievement of org. goals

acceptance of authority

-the positioning of individuals in an org's hierarchy & org. structure/org. chart indicates their relative amounts of authority -those positioned toward the top of the chart have more authority -Chester Barnard says the acceptance of authority is determined less by the structure and chart than by acceptance of the authority of those under the authority--authority exacts obedience only when it is accepted

3 roles of staff personnel in assisting line personnel (Harold Stieglitz)

1. Advisory or Counseling Role 2. Service Role 3. Control Role

Managers are more apt to see authority accepted and obeyed when the following situations are involved (Chester Barnard) (7)

1. Manager uses formal channels of communication familiar to all organization members 2. Organization members are assigned a formal communication channel through which their orders are received 3. Lines of communication between managers and subordinates are as direct as possible 4. Complete chain of command is used to issue orders 5. Manager possesses adequate communication skills 6. Manager uses formal communication lines only for organizational business 7. Commands and orders are authenticated as coming from a manager

4 outcomes that exist when org. members are unclear who is responsible for a task

1. One of the two may perform the job 2. Both employees may perform the job 3. Neither employee may perform the job because each assumed the other one would 4. Employees spend time negotiating each aspect and phase of the job to carefully mesh out responsibilities *each one of these outcomes negatively affects both product quality and overall productivity

3 steps in the Delegation Process (Newman & Warren)

1. assign specific duties to individual--subordinate needs to have a clear understanding of what the duties entail 2. grant authority to individual 3. create obligation for individual to perform duties assigned--subordinate must accept that responsibility

Dimensions of Responsible Mgt. Behavior (4)

1. attitude toward and conduct with subordinates 2. behavior with upper management 3. behavior with other groups 4. personal attitudes and values

3 areas related to responsibility

1. dividing job activities 2. clarifying job activities of managers 3. being responsible

Advantages of delegation (3)

1. enhanced employee confidence 2. improved subordinate involvement and interest 3. more free time for supervisor to accomplish tasks

7 responsibility relationships among managers, as used in the Mgt. Responsibility Guide

1. general responsibility 2. operating responsibility 3. specific responsibility 4. must be consulted 5. may be consulted 6. must be notified 7. must approve

Guidelines for making delegation effective (9)

1. give employees freedom to pursue tasks in their own way 2. establish mutually agreed-upon results and performance standards for delegated tasks 3. encourage employees to take an active role in defining, implementing, and communicating progress on tasks 4. entrust employees with completion of whole projects or tasks whenever possible 5. explain the relevance of delegated tasks to larger projects or to department or org. goals 6. give employees the authority necessary to accomplish tasks 7. allow employees access to all info, people, and departments necessary to perform delegated tasks 8. provide the training and guidance necessary for employees to complete delegated tasks satisfactorily 9. when possible, delegate tasks on the basis of employee interests

4 conditions for authority to be accepted (Chester Barnard)

1. individual can understand the order being communicated 2. individual believes order is consistent with the org's purpose 3. individual views the order as compatible with his/her personal interests 4. individual is mentally and physically able to comply with the order *fewer that are present, the lower the probability authority will be accepted and obedience exacted

Obstacles to the Delegation Process (3)

1. obstacles related to the supervisor 2. obstacles related to subordinates 3. obstacles related to organizations

Personal Attitudes and Values (4)

Responsible managers- 1. Identify with the group 2. put organizational goals ahead of personal desires or activities 3. perform tasks that offer no immediate reward but help subordinates, the company, or both 4. conserve corporate resources as if the resources were their own

Behavior with Upper Management (2)

Responsible managers- 1. accept criticism for mistakes and buffer their groups from excessive criticism 2. ensure that their groups meet mgt. expectations and objectives

Behavior with Other Groups (1)

Responsible managers- 1. make sure that any gaps between their areas and those of other managers are securely filled

Attitude Toward and Conduct with Subordinates (4)

Responsible managers- 1. take complete charge of their work groups 2. pass praise and credit along to subordinates 3. stay close to problems and activities 4. take action to maintain productivity and are willing to terminate poor performers if necessary

delegation

assigning job activities and corresponding authority to specific individuals

centralization & decentralization

degree to which delegation exists within an organization

Conflict in Line-Staff Relationships from the staff personnel's perspective (3)

line personnel cause conflict when they: 1. do not make proper use of staff personnel 2. resist new ideas 3. refuse to give staff personnel enough authority to do their jobs

Conflict in Line-Staff Relationships from the line personnel's perspective (4)

staff personnel cause conflict through: 1. their assumption of line authority 2. not being correct with their advice 3. stealing credit for successes 4. failing to stay in contact and communicate with line personnel

must approve

the individual (other than personas holding general and operating responsibility) who must approve or disapprove the decision

general responsibility

the individual who guides and directs the execution of the function through the person accepting operating responsibility

operating responsibility

the individual who is directly responsible for the execution of the function

specific responsibility

the individual who is responsible for executing a specific or limited portion of the function

may be consulted

the individual who may be called on to relate info, render advice, or make recommendations before the action is taken

must be notified

the individual who must be notified of any action that has been taken

must be consulted

the individual whose area is affected by a decision and who must be called on to render advice or relate info before any decision is made or approval is granted (this individual does not, however, make the decision or grant approval)