Management and Decision Making

12 Questions

What type of decision making is characterized as being routine and repetitive?

Programmed decisions

What is the primary goal of strategic planning?

To develop a plan to achieve organizational objectives

What is a key characteristic of leaders?

They focus on vision, inspiration, and motivation

What is the purpose of situation analysis in strategic planning?

To analyze the organization's internal and external environment

What type of decision-making model considers personal biases and emotions?

Behavioral model

What is the Vroom-Yetton model primarily concerned with?

The level of participation and involvement of team members

Which level of management is primarily responsible for setting the overall direction and strategy of the organization?

Top-level management

What is the primary focus of managers?

Planning, organizing, and controlling

Which level of management is responsible for implementing the plans and strategies set by top-level management?

Middle-level management

What is the primary difference between leaders and managers?

Leaders focus on the 'what' and 'why', while managers focus on the 'how' and 'when'

What is the primary responsibility of lower-level management?

Supervising and coordinating the day-to-day activities of employees

Which level of management is primarily responsible for tactical planning and departmental management?

Middle-level management

Study Notes

Decision Making

Definition: The process of selecting a course of action from multiple options to achieve a goal or solve a problem.
Types of decision making:
- Programmed decisions: Routine, repetitive, and well-structured decisions.
- Non-programmed decisions: Unique, complex, and unstructured decisions.
Decision-making models:
- Rational model: A systematic and objective approach to decision making.
- Behavioral model: A more realistic and subjective approach to decision making, considering personal biases and emotions.
- Vroom-Yetton model: A decision-making model that considers the level of participation and involvement of team members.

Strategic Planning

Definition: The process of defining an organization's mission, vision, and objectives, and developing a plan to achieve them.
Components of strategic planning:
- Situation analysis: Analyzing the organization's internal and external environment.
- SWOT analysis: Identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
- Goal setting: Establishing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives.
- Strategy formulation: Developing a plan to achieve the objectives.
- Implementation and evaluation: Putting the plan into action and monitoring its progress.

Differences between Leaders and Managers

Leaders:
- Focus on vision, inspiration, and motivation.
- Set direction, build trust, and empower others.
- Encourage innovation, creativity, and calculated risk-taking.
- Focus on the "what" and "why".
Managers:
- Focus on planning, organizing, and controlling.
- Oversee day-to-day operations, allocate resources, and solve problems.
- Emphasize efficiency, productivity, and stability.
- Focus on the "how" and "when".

Levels of Management

Top-level management:
- Responsible for setting the overall direction and strategy of the organization.
- Focus on long-term planning, decision making, and external relations.
- Typically includes CEO, CFO, and other executive-level positions.
Middle-level management:
- Responsible for implementing the plans and strategies set by top-level management.
- Focus on tactical planning, departmental management, and coordination.
- Typically includes department heads, branch managers, and other mid-level positions.
Lower-level management:
- Responsible for supervising and coordinating the day-to-day activities of employees.
- Focus on operational management, task assignment, and performance monitoring.
- Typically includes supervisors, team leaders, and other frontline managers.