BCOR 120 Principles of Management: Chapter 1

Course Overview

• The course, BCOR 120, Principles of Management, covers fundamental management skills, applicable to all majors (business, engineering, MIS, science).
• The course objective is to introduce foundational management skills and provide practical application.

Contact Details

• Email: [email protected]
• Office hours: Wednesdays, 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Chapter 1

• The chapter focuses on the role and functions of managers within organizations.

Introduction

• Managers are responsible for achieving organizational goals efficiently using resources.
• Organizations are consciously coordinated groups of people striving for common goals (e.g., manufacturing firms, hospitals, schools).

What is an Organization?

• An organization is a group of people working together to achieve a common goal.
• Examples of organizations include: for-profit firms, governments, NGOs, and armed forces.
• Nonprofit organizations prioritize service delivery, measuring success based on impact rather than profitability.

Common Characteristics of Organizations

• Organizations have Goals, Structure, and People.

How Do We Define Management?

• Management is the process of achieving organizational goals through efficient and effective resource utilization.
• Effectiveness: achieving the desired results.
• Efficiency: using resources wisely and minimizing waste.

The Manager's Resources

• Resources encompass people, information, assets, materials and capital, crucial for creating value.
• Different types of organizational resources include; physical, human, information, and financial resources.

Management Levels

• Management levels represent distinct layers within an organization.
• Traditional organizations have three levels: top management, middle management, and first-line management.
• The structure follows a pyramidial form, with varying levels of duties, responsibility, and authority.

Top, Middle, and First-Line Managers

• Top managers are responsible for the overall organization's performance.
• Middle managers oversee divisions, translating strategic goals into specific tasks for lower levels.
• First-line managers supervise daily operations and activities of small groups within the workplace.
• Operatives are employees who do not supervise others.

Managerial Skills

• Managers require certain skills to excel.
• Robert Katz identified three essential skills: technical, conceptual, and human.

Technical Skills

• Using specialized expertise to complete tasks.
• Examples include knowing how to use particular tools.
• These skills are usually developed through education and work experience.

Conceptual Skills

• Analyzing complex situations to understand interrelationships within an organization.
• This involves critical thinking to see the larger picture beyond isolated parts.
• Formal education and experience help develop this.

Human Skills

• Working effectively with and through others.
• Understanding and empathizing with individuals and their motivations
• Fostering effective communication and teamwork.
• The ability to effectively lead others.

Different Skills for Different Management Levels

• The relative importance of different skills varies by management level.
• Lower levels prioritize technical skills for direct supervision.
• Middle management needs a balance of technical, human, and conceptual skills.
• Top management requires strong conceptual skills for strategic planning.

Management Functions

• Management involves different interconnected functions.
• Planning: Determining future actions and setting goals.
• Organizing: Structuring work and resources to achieve goals.
• Directing: Motivating and guiding others.
• Controlling: Monitoring progress and taking corrective actions.
• Management functions are not sequential steps; they are often performed simultaneously.

The Relationship Among Management Functions

• The connection among management functions: Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling. It's a complex dynamic that continuously interacts and improves organizational productivity.

Ten Roles Managers Play

• Managers perform various roles to address the complexities of their responsibilities
• Three roles categories according to Henry Mintzberg:
  • Interpersonal (figurehead, leader, liaison)
  • Informational (monitor, disseminator, spokesperson)
  • Decisional (entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, negotiator).

The Interpersonal Roles

• Figurehead: ceremonial representative of the organization
• Leader: guides and motivates employees
• Liaison: connects with internal and external contacts.

The Informational Roles

• Monitor: gathers information and trends
• Disseminator: shares important information
• Spokesperson: represents the organization

The Decisional Roles

• Entrepreneur: initiates change and new ideas
• Disturbance handler: resolves unexpected problems
• Resource allocator decides where resources are allocated.
• Negotiator: Represents the organization when making agreements