Chapter 6: The Nature of Management

Surbhi is the president of an online retailer of pet food and other pet-related products. She makes all the decisions and expects employees to comply with them. Surbhi is a(n) ________ leader.

autocratic

A person using ______ skills has the ability to think in abstract terms and see how parts fit together to form the whole.

conceptual

Skills that involve the ability to picture the organization as a whole and the relationship among its various parts are called ___ skills.

conceptual

All organizations must consider the possibility of unplanned disasters and create ___, which specify how the company will handle a variety of unplanned situations.

contingency plans

The process of evaluating and correcting activities to keep the organization on course is known as ___.

controlling

___ is a management function that involves evaluating and correcting activities to keep the organization on course.

controlling

In ___ managers identify potential threats to the organization and its stakeholders, and make plans for the organization to deal with these threats.

crisis management

Nadine manages the quality control department for her company. Recently, Nadine became aware of a quality problem with one of the company's products. After studying the issue Nadine determined the quality of raw materials used in the product was deficient and began looking at changing suppliers. Which step in the decision-making process did Nadine exemplify when she determined the quality of raw materials was substandard?

define the situation

During which stage of the decision-making process is brainstorming used?

developing options

Managers who have the ability to influence employees to work toward organizational goals have the skill of _____.

leadership

___ is defined as the ability to influence employees to work toward organizational goals.

leadership

Which discipline encompasses the process of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling people and organizational resources in order to accomplish the goals of the organization?

management

What is the first step in the decision-making process?

Define the decision situation

True or false: Although managers engage in four primary activities, they are not interrelated; a manager can only perform one activity at a time

False

True or false: Based on the information, there are typically more top managers than middle managers in a company.

False

Companies that practice employee empowerment use managers for ___.

Guiding employees, setting goals, and making major decisions

Carlos related well with others, has good communication skills, and is empathetic to the needs of others. Carlos has good ____ skills.

Human relations

Which skills are defined as the ability to deal with people, both inside and outside the organizations?

Human relations skills

Considered the first function of management, ___ is the process of determining the organization's objectives and deciding how to accomplish them.

Planning

The process of determining the organization's objectives and deciding how to accomplish them is the management function known as ___.

Planning

Which are considered the four primary functions of management?

Planning Organizing Directing Controlling

What is the final step in the decision-making process?

Review your decision

A(n) ___ is an outline of the fundamental purpose and basic philosophy of an organization.

mission statement

June is working as part of the strategic planning team in her organization. Currently, the team is developing a clear statement explaining the organization's reason for existence. June's team is writing a _____.

mission statement

Managers utilize many tools to help organize their work, including a(n) _____, which contains both specific and vague items, covering short-term goals and long-term objectives.

agenda

What is defined as being similar to a calendar, containing both specific and vague items, that covers short-term goals and long-term objectives?

agenda

___ skills refer to the ability to identify relevant issues and recognize their importance, understand the relationships between them, and perceive the underlying cause of the situation.

analytical

Knowing how to sort large amounts of information in order to find relevant facts to resolve a problem or issue is an example of:

analytical skills

After managers have implemented a decision, they must determine whether it has accomplished the desired result, this is called ______.

monitoring

Organizations seek results called ___ that typically relate to profit, efficiency, and growth and-unlike goals- are generally stated in a way that makes them measurable

objectives

Tactical plans typically cover a time frame of ___.

one year or less

Jake works in production for his company. Each week his work group is assigned a production quota to ensure enough product is available to meet the goals of the company. A production quota is an example of a(n) ___ plan.

operational

Managers are engaged in the ______ function of management when they review plans and determine what activities are necessary to implement them; then, divide the work into small units and assign it to specific individuals, groups, or departments.

organizing

The structuring of resources and activities to accomplish objectives in an efficient and effective manner describes the management function of ___.

organizing

After developing a list of possible courses of action, managers should

Analyze options

Kyla schedules a meeting with her employee, Amanda. During the meeting, Kyla compares Amanda's present performance with the organization's standards. This is associated with the management function of

Controlling

The interpersonal type of managerial role includes which three specific roles?

Liaison Leadership Figure

___ can be defined as a process designed to achieve an organization's objectives by using its resources effectively and efficiently in a changing environment.

Management

The ends or results desired by an organization, which derive from the organization's mission, are called ___.

Objectives

Which term refers to the actions specific individuals, work groups, or departments need to accomplish in order to achieve the company's tactical plan?

Operational planning

Which term refers to the actions specific individuals, work groups, or departments need to accomplish in order to achieve the company's tactical plan?

Operational planning.

Julien is hired by a car manufacturer to structure various resources, such as equipment and people, to better accomplish the organization's objectives and efficiently and effectively. Thus, Julien is involved in the management function of

Organizing

Beth, a manager for an e-commerce shoe company, calls a meeting with her employees, Carmen and Julio. Beth shares that the company has decided to introduce children's footwear to the product lineup and invites Carmen and Julio to provide input and feedback on the decision. This is an example of ___ decision making.

Participative

The three general types of plans that companies focus on for meeting objectives include tactical, operational, and ___.

Strategic

Select the three general types of plans an organization uses to meet its objectives.

Strategic plans Operational plans Tactical plans

In order for strategic, long-term plans to become reality, organizations must develop ___ plans, which are designed to implement the objectives specified in the strategic plans.

Tactical

Jordan is the website manager in the information technology (IT) department at an e-commerce company. Jordan has specialized knowledge and training related to the e-commerce platform the company uses. He is able to train IT employees, answer questions, and provide guidance, and solve problems. Jordan has a strong ___ skills.

Technical

The highest level of management is ___ and consists of the President and other key company executives who have overall responsibility for the organization.

Top management

Based on the information, match the position on the right with its level in the management hierarchy on the left.

Top: President or CEO Middle: Plant Manager First line: Foreman

Which of these basic questions will be answered by a well-developed mission statement?

What is our operating philosophy?

Dan tells his employees what to do, motivating and leading them to achieve organizational goals. This refers to

directing

Motivating employees to work effectively to accomplish organizational objectives, encouraging employees to do their work, and administering appropriate rewards are all tasks associated with the ___ function of management.

directing

___ is the part of management that involves motivating and leading employees to achieve organizational objectives.

directing

Anna is a customer service representative. She has the authority to handle low-level problems as she sees fit without having to get approval from a manager. Anna's company believes in ______.

empowering its employees

When a manager attends an award banquet, he or she is acting in which interpersonal role?

figure

Liberty Engineering Corp. is contemplating opening a new plant in the Southeast United States. The company needs to know if it has the capital to make such an investment and if so, will it affect the organization's overall goals. This type of decision would fall under the responsibility of a ______ manager.

financial

Which type of manager is responsible for obtaining the money needed for the successful operation of the organization?

financial managers

Walmart set a ________ when it decided to improve its reputation as an environmental company (an attribute sought) by improving the fuel efficiency of its truck fleet by 25% (a target to be achieved) within two years (a time frame).

goal

To be successful, company ___ should be specific; containing an attribute sought, a target, and a time frame.

goals

Brainstorming is a technique in which ____.

group members suggest ideas to solve problems

___ skills are the ability to deal with people both inside and outside an organization.

human relations

When using a systematic approach to decision making, once a company has selected the best option, it would then

implement the decision

In the decision-making process, once the best option has been selected, the option must be ___.

implemented

Managers at ABC company have noticed declining profits for one of its products. This is an example of a warning sign of a potentially _____-scale decision.

large

A ______ planning process determines the course of action that a firm will use to fulfill its overall strategy and mission.

strategic

The plans that establish the long-range objectives and overall strategy of the firm and cover time periods of one year or longer are called ___ plans.

strategic

Selection of the best option in decision making is often a _____ procedure because many situations do not lend themselves to quantitative analysis.

subjective

A manager with ___ expertise has skills that involve specialized knowledge and training needed to perform jobs that are related to particular areas of management.

technical

What skills are most needed by first-line managers and are least critical to top-level managers?

technical skills

Monique and her team have identified a problem, defined it, and developed a variety of options. The next step is to _____ each option for its practicality since some options will be discarded because of a lack of resources, legal restrictions, ethical considerations, or other constraints.

to analyze

Positions such as Chief Executive Officer, President, Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer are examples of __________ positions.

top management