Ch 1 MGMT (Test 1)
1. conceptual skills
At the top of the organization, there are many managers who possess and utilize conceptual skills. Conceptual skills are often the "bird's eye view," where managers need to think analytically, understand the how an organization best functions and fit the overall puzzle pieces together. In essence, strategic managers at the top of the organization mostly utilize finely tuned conceptual skills.
Whose job is it to oversee the activities of the firm and ensure that the organization is maximizing value to its stakeholders?
Board of directors
Frederick Taylor
By the early 1900s, two key management developments occurred in the United States. First, Frederick Taylor became interested in eliminating workers who were lazy, incompetent loafers. He referred to this practice as soldiering. Taylor, a prominent mechanical engineer who focused on efficiency, introduced his biggest contribution to management—scientific management—which was the study of work methods to improve productivity.
3. A Research Interlude
Combining the principles of scientific management and the views of early behavioralism, a group of researchers at Harvard University led by Elton Mayo set out to better understand worker productivity. The researchers studied workers assembling electrical products at the Hawthorne plant near Chicago, Illinois. They manipulated workplace variables like lighting, temperature and rest periods in an effort to find out when and where workers were most productive. Unfortunately, the studies were flawed and the results showed that no matter the change, productivity generally improved. The researchers realized that workers were, in fact, more productive because they knew managers were paying special attention to them. The studies were ultimately useless; however, the term "Hawthorne Effect" has helped researchers to understand that employees are social beings who seek attention from their superiors. In essence, the field was shifting away from the stark and rational world of Frederick Taylor to a workplace that emphasized human relations and behavior.
modern period overview
Corporations in the United States grew in size and strength in subsequent years, the workforce became increasingly multinational and multicultural, and new competition was introduced. As the competitive world seemingly became more complicated, so did our view on human behavior. To address the complexity, new perspectives on management were introduced.
Which of Mintzberg's managerial roles may require a manager to be a negotiator or change maker?
Decisional
2. organizing
Delegation of tasks to different individuals and work groups. Understanding which employees or groups have the skillsets to accomplish tasks in the most efficient and effective manner possible is imperative from a strategic standpoint.
Which level of manager is typically in charge of allocating resources and developing activities?
Middle managers
3. leading
Motivating and directing employees towards the achievement of organizational goals. The ability to get the most out of your employees can separate the successful managers from the failures.
psychology and sociology
Munsterberg and Follet added human element to management led to the humans relations movement
1. Early Classical Viewpoint
Given the difficulties of the conditions during this era, management began to stress efficiency and ways to improve worker productivity. A large number of prominent businessmen began looking at potential ways of running their organizations to work around the issue of high turnover as well as ensuring that work would not suffer due to personnel issues.
What is the correct order for the four steps in a systems loop?
Inputs, processing, outputs, feedback
2. The Behavioral Viewpoint
Once managers realized the need to motivate workers (or at least to treat them as human beings), the theorists started incorporating industrial psychology and sociology into the fabric of management.
problems with early classical view
One of the main problems of the early "classical" period of management is that workers were almost seen as parts of equipment. Today, we understand that workers have varying human needs and different personalities. In many ways, the early view was stark, cold and impersonal; however, the idea that there was a rational, scientific way to look at work was quite revolutionary. Companies today still try to apply scientific reasoning to make workers more productive; that will never change. In the next period, managers started to think about the human element at work.
Early American Industry
One would immediately assume that because labor was in short supply, wages would be increasing rapidly; however, workers had very few rights and labor costs were quite low. On top of that, the work was primarily labor-intensive and production-oriented. Coupled with that, administrators were often not physically present to directly manage the daily activities of the workers so efficiency was NOT a primary concern.
What are the four major functions of management?
Planning, organizing, leading, controlling
Douglas McGregor
McGregor introduced the idea that there are two types of managers. Theory X management style is mostly pessimistic and believes workers are unmotivated and resistant to change. To get workers to be more productive, a Theory X manager would tend to monitor workers, micromanage and create production cycles. The Theory Y perspective suggests that managers are more optimistic about their workers. The Theory Y manager believes workers are creative and can manage their work without someone watching them.
4. controlling
Measuring the performance of employees and work groups against established standards. Are employees living up to expectations from supervisors and consumers in regards to different measurable like quality? If your organization isn't where you expect to be, we go back through our process and tweak as needed, beginning with the planning function.
Which management theory was based on understanding each part of a task, selecting the right workers, providing adequate training, and scientifically planning the work to maximize output?
Scientific management
scientific management - fredrick taylor and the gilbreths
Scientific management = Taylorism -understand each part of a task -select the right workers -provide adequate training -scientifically plan work to maximize output
Mary Parker Follett
Shortly thereafter, Mary Parker Follett brought sociology into the mix. Follett found that the social aspect of workplaces allowed for cooperation and a shared communities. Follett's work brought about the idea of teamwork and groups—even across different work units. Once the management function included the use of teams or groups, a socialized viewpoint could consider things like human empowerment and job freedom.
What is it called when workers are perceived to be purposefully working below their capacity?
Soldiering
management
The organization and coordination of the activities of a business in order to achieve organizational goals. The pursuit of organizational goals. At the minimum, management includes both setting a strategic course of action for the firm and coordinating the efforts of key personnel.
quality
The standard against which something is measured.
Elton Mayo and the "Hawthorne Effect"
The studies were ultimately useless; however, the term "Hawthorne Effect" has helped researchers to understand that employees are social beings who seek attention from their superiors.
scientific management
The study of work methods designed to improve productivity and efficiency.
1. top managers (highest level)
The top level is comprised of the leadership, or top management, team. This is where managers conduct strategic thinking and plan the strategic direction of the firm. -set objectives -scan environment -plan and make decisions
2. processing
The transformation or use of resources to create some type of output.
According to the above video, in McGregor's theory, which type of people need close supervision, strict controls and incentives to perform?
Theory X
behavioral sciences
computers and advanced management sciences scientific analysis to understand human behavior
Despite the negative connotation associated with bureaucracies, Weber's main point of associating them with organizations was that they require structure, order and process to be
efficient
total quality management
everyone within and outside the organization involved continuous improvement method: 1. Plan (set objectives) 2. Do (install processes) 3. Check (monitor outcomes) 4. Act (seek continuous improvement)
contingency viewpoint
external environment constantly changing so companies must adapt to fit the current operating environment employee preferences changing and employers must adapt
Henry Mintzberg's study of managers at several organizations found all of the following EXCEPT that ___________
managers are often unfulfilled by their jobs
systems viewpoint
modern organizations are open systems that continually interact with the external environment
In the case of a restaurant, the act of cooking hamburgers would be a(n) ______________ in a system?
process
The standard against which something is measured is known as
quality
In the above video, __ are directly transferable to any job, organization, or industry.
soft skills
According to the Weird Al music video, "Our proven methodology, with strong commitment to quality effectively enhances corporate ______________."
synergy
3. first-line managers (bottom)
At the bottom of the management hierarchy, we find first-line managers. These individuals supervise the bulk of the employees in the organization and plan daily or weekly tasks for employees. -coordinate activities -supervise employees -report to middle-managers -involved in day to day operations
historical period
1. Early Classical Viewpoint 2. The Behavioral Viewpoint 3. A Research Interlude 4. The Human Relations Movement 5. The Rise of Science
Henry Mintzberg
A renowned professor of Management. Mintzberg began his career by observing and studying the activities of top managers in an effort to understand the daily realities of management. Some of his initial findings were not surprising—managers tend to work in high pressure situations, their work is fragmented and uneven, and they prefer face-to-face communication.
quality control
A system for minimizing errors in production.
modern period
1. Systems Viewpoint 2. Contingency Viewpoint 3. Total Quality Management (TQM)
manager skills
1. conceptual 2. technical 3. human
manager's roles
1. interpersonal 2. informational 3. decisional
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
1. physiological (lowest order) 2. safety 3. love/belonging 4. esteem 5. self-actualization
bureaucratic management - maxwell weber
1. rules and procedures 2. division of labor 3. merit-based careers 4. elimination of favoritism and nepotism
board of directors
A group of individuals that are elected as representatives of the stockholders to establish corporate management-related policies and to make decisions on major company issues. Oversee the activities of the firm and ensure that the organization is maximizing value to its stakeholders The size and composition of boards changes constantly and, as you can imagine, the corporate boards come under great scrutiny for high pay, lack of diversity, ethical issues and lack of real oversight from the outside directors
What do the examples of the Mesopotamian plow, the McCormick reaper, and the gas-powered tractor help to explain?
Advancement is important for getting the most production from our efforts.
3. output
Any product or service that is created by processing resources.
1. inputs
Any resources that are put into a system to obtain a desired output.
Max Weber
Around the same time in Germany, sociologist Max Weber introduced the term bureaucracy to be a rational, efficient, merit-based and logical organization. Today, we often think of "bureaucracy" with a negative connotation: impersonal, inflexible, slow. However, Weber's main point was that organizations require structure, order and process to be efficient.
3. Total Quality Management (TQM)
As US products began to face greater and greater competition in the 1980s, a new emphasis was placed on quality. Quality is difficult to define because it typically represents a standard, often a moving target, which is measured against other, similar things. The emphasis on quality spawned an era of Total Quality Management encouraged firms to to focus on the comprehensive approach of continuous improvement. Managers typically distinguish between quality control—minimizing errors in production—and quality assurance—managing worker performance. In TQM, the organization is tasked with improving all stages of the organization, from strategic decision-making at the top to production on the shop floor. It also considers input from actors within the organizations as well as customers and vendors outside of the organization.
2. technical skills
At the bottom of the management hierarchy, managers must possess more technical skills than anything else. Technical skills are defined as specific knowledge needed to perform a specialized skill. You might think about an accounting manager possessing area-specific functional specialization in accounting principles.
outside directors
Directors of other noncompeting firms
Which of the following is NOT true of early American industry?
Efficiency was a primary concern for administrators
inside directors
Employees of the company such as the CEO, members of the top management team, the largest shareholders and representatives of stakeholders like a union representative
In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which of the following is the highest level?
Esteem needs (highest is self-actualization)
Understanding people and organizations is valuable for whom?
Everyone
Hugo Munsterberg
First came German-born Hugo Munsterberg, who introduced the idea of vocational, or industrial, psychology. Munsterberg, a proponent of Frederick Taylor, advocated for the study of a new science that combined psychology and economics to better understand human behavior in workplaces.
Systems Viewpoint
First, there are inputs. Inputs can consist of raw materials or human capital. You might think of a homebuilder acquiring raw materials that will eventually be used to build a house. Next, the inputs go through processing or some transformation. Here, the organizational capabilities combine the inputs into something meaning meaningful. At Dell Computers, perhaps, you might think of the parts assembly to create a laptop. The output is the finished product or service that comes out of the system. The finished laptop, for example, will be associated with profit or losses and employee satisfaction. Finally, there is a feedback loop which connects the output to the external environment—perhaps the customers do not like the new product design or a competitor's product is better. If so, this will affect the entire loop as the company tries to re-create a better product.
Named after a failed study led by Elton Mayo, what theory has helped researchers to understand that employees are social beings who seek attention form their superiors?
Hawthorne Effect
The core element of management is understanding what?
Human interaction
1. planning
Identifying goals, establishing objectives, and implementing action plans within the constraints of the organization. As a manager, you need to be aware, not only, of what ultimate goals you are working toward, but also how you want to try to achieve them. This is the starting point of the management process.
4. The Human Relations Movement
If we break down the term "Human Relations," what is prevalent is the idea that we are relating to people. What some of the other theories didn't get into was the individual motivation and needs of people in the workplace. Remember, as managers, we are managing people first and foremost. The human relations movement brings this to the forefront.
functions of management
In 1916, Henri Fayol came up with the functions of management that managers need to be concerned with and manage around throughout their days to be successful. Those functions are: Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling.
2. Contingency Viewpoint
In effect, early "Taylorism" was designed to find the best way to manage and find universal ways of conducting business. The contingency perspective assumes that the external environment is constantly changing, whether due to competition or customer preferences. The manager is not looking for an optimal solution; rather, they are seeking the solution that best fits that particular circumstance. The "best fit" approach is flexible and might have alerted US automotive manufacturers that customer's preferences had shifted to desire affordable, high-quality cars.
Henri Fayol
In the late 1800s, a French mining engineer named Henri Fayol tried to turn a failing mine around to make it profitable. By documenting his work, Fayol became known as the architect of administrative science—many of his findings are cornerstones of the basic principles of management. One of his contributions was to identify the major functions of management—planning, organizing, leading and controlling.
3. human skills
In the middle of the organization, managers must possess some conceptual and technical skill; however, the most important area for middle managers is to possess human skills. Human skills, or interpersonal skills, basically describe working with people. Today, managers are expected to possess a great variety of 'soft skills'—the ability to motivate, inspire trust, communicate, network and manage human interaction at all levels.
2. middle managers
In the middle of the organization, one expects to find the mid-level professionals who balance the directives from the top of the organization with the day-to-day realities from operational managers. -allocate resources -oversee first-line managers -develop and implement activities
4. feedback
Information or opinions about something, which can be used to determine success or potential needed changes.
3. decisional
Involves the use of provided information. Here, managers might be change makers, problem fixers, negotiators and resource allocators.
overview of management
It is valuable for everyone to understand people and organizations. The core element of management is understanding human interaction and how to deal with superiors, subordinates and external constituents. The study of management also includes understanding personality, emotions, values and goal-setting. By focusing on those concepts, we can develop critical skills in dealing with others, coping with stress, managing change and avoiding conflict and bias. In short, this subject is essential for everyone because the focus of management combines technical, human and soft skills.
Abraham Maslow
Maslow, a psychologist, introduced the hierarchy of needs to explain human motivation. Maslow suggested that humans have "lower order" or basic needs that must be met before they can seek psychological needs or self-fulfillment. While it is hard to operationalize this framework in a research study, Maslow's hierarchy provides a succinct description of how motivation works in a management context.
quality assurance
The detailed activities that provide confidence that required quality standards are fulfilled.
2. informational
Managers monitor teams and people, communicate information and acting as a spokesperson. The informational category is mostly concerned with information processing.
humans relations movement
Maslow and McGregor human needs lead to motivation job satisfaction leads to productivity
The specific knowledge needed to perform a specialized skill is known as what?
Technical skills
Frank and Lillian Gilbreth
The Gilbreths were among the first to do film studies, using their children as guinea pigs and filming them while they were doing chores. They analyzed each movement and found better, more efficient ways for them to do their tasks.
How did the Gilbreths go about testing their theories on movement and motion studies?
They used their children
1. interpersonal
This includes being a leader, a figurehead or a link between internal and external constituents. The interpersonal category is really about channeling information and ideas throughout the organization
evidence-based management
This perspective, like the contingency viewpoint, identifies unique problems and understands that solutions might vary from time to time. Evidence-based management seeks to find 'best practices' with data-driven evidence to support solutions. Many new treatment protocols have been developed in the healthcare industry, for example, using health informatics. By reviewing evidence from actual patients across the country, practitioners are changing the way patients have been treated for years.
Which level of management most often needs to utilize conceptual skills?
Top managers
Which manager's duties include planning and making decisions and setting objectives for the organization?
Top managers
What was the underlying management theme from the Monsanto advertisement video?
We need to understand how relationships work for every unique area.
5. The Rise of Science
While the scientific management approach is often viewed as too sterile, the human relations movement has also been criticized for being unscientific. At this point in history, around World War II, there was a big push toward using statistics and computer simulations to find data-based answers to management. The seeds of Big Data or Data Analytics were sown in the rise of management science. Eventually, another area came forward—operations management—where management tools were developed to improve scheduling, managing inventory and efficient distribution of goods and services.
soldiering
Workers purposefully working below their capacity.
