Management Styles and Social Types Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which social style is characterized by attention to detail and a low inclination to take risks?

Driver

Creative/Expressive

Analytical (correct)

Amiable

What is the primary need associated with the Driver social style?

Results (correct)

Being right

Personal security

Approval

Which management style allows personnel to take part in the decision-making process?

Autocratic

Persuasive

Consultative

Democratic (correct)

In the Managerial Grid Model, what does the impoverished style indicate?

Low concern for both people and production Signup and view all the answers

Which social style is most likely to avoid decision making and prefer collaboration?

Amiable Signup and view all the answers

What motivates individuals with the Creative/Expressive social style the most?

Approval Signup and view all the answers

Which form of management style is characterized by the manager making all decisions without input from subordinates?

Autocratic Signup and view all the answers

Which management style offers total freedom to employees in their decision-making processes?

Laissez-faire Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines Theory X according to McGregor?

People avoid work and lack ambition. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary motivation according to Theory Y?

Self-realization and self-esteem. Signup and view all the answers

According to Theory Z, what is essential for maintaining motivation among employees?

Clear goals and management support. Signup and view all the answers

What leadership style is associated with Theory X?

Autocratic leadership. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately represents the beliefs associated with Theory Y?

Work should be enjoyable and natural. Signup and view all the answers

What does Theory Z indicate about the evolution of goals in the workplace?

Goals must change with company needs and working conditions. Signup and view all the answers

In terms of management strategies, what is the role of management according to Theory Z?

To correct mistakes and align actions with company strategies. Signup and view all the answers

What is the essence of Theory W as proposed by Boehm?

All stakeholders should achieve their definition of winning. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Hawthorne Effect highlight about workplace productivity?

Employee performance can be affected by the attention they receive. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

The psychological motivations behind human behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes Theory X?

Management believes that workers are inherently lazy. Signup and view all the answers

Which management strategy is primarily concerned with motivating employees through their needs and feelings?

Herzberg's Hygiene Factors. Signup and view all the answers

Theory Y suggests that employees:

Are motivated by intrinsic rewards and seek fulfillment. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following concepts relates closely to creating a positive organizational culture?

Ouchi's Theory Z. Signup and view all the answers

According to Herzberg's motivation theory, hygiene factors:

Are necessary to prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of team dynamics, which strategy relies on collaboration among peers for resource allocation?

Internal negotiation. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately reflects the findings of the Hawthorne Studies?

Workers performed better when they were being observed. Signup and view all the answers

How does Theory Z differ from traditional management theories?

It emphasizes employee input and collective decision-making. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Managing People

Selecting the best people and managing individuals and groups is a significant part of project management.

Goals of the Unit

The human factor is the primary driver of project success or failure.
People are a crucial organizational asset.
Effective project managers possess strong people management skills.
The unit's goals include understanding people management fundamentals and human resource management within project activities.

Project Management Process

Initiate: Assess project feasibility.
Plan: Formalize goals, define schedule & costs, monitor goals, costs, and schedule. Obtain approval.
Execute & Monitor: Develop and kick-off activities, collect outputs.
Close: Close activities, release project.
Includes Change Control & Configuration Management, Quality Management, Risk Management, and Human Resource Management.

Basic Human Resource Management Process

Four key activities in managing human resources:
- Defining staff requirements (skills, numbers, internal/external, full/part-time).
- Managing staff (team formation, motivation, skill development).
- Releasing staff.

Getting Started; Defining and Selecting Staff

Goal: Identify suitable candidates with appropriate soft and hard skills.
Process:
- Define a job description.
- Advertise the position.
- Analyze candidate resumes.
- Interview candidates.
- Select candidates.
Gathering information: resumes, letters, references, and network connections.
- Collaborating with HR to ensure smooth selection.

Defining Staff Requirements

Identify skills necessary for a project.
Translate project goals and tasks into human resource requirements.
Essential information types:
- Characteristics and competencies, including hard and soft skills.
- Level of experience.
- Involvement (effort and timeframe).
- Input for staff selection.

Hard and Soft Skills

Hard skills: Specific technical skills that can be taught and measured.
- Example: Software development using C.
- Can be taught and learned.
- Can be measured.
Soft skills: Personality traits determining individual reactions to stimuli.
- Examples: empathy, thoroughness, and creativity.
- More difficult to learn and teach than hard skills.
- More difficult to quantify than hard skills.

Skill Matrix

Matrix highlights skills required for each project activity.
Relevant examples include requirements, design, and implementation skills.

Project Team Acquisition

Two main options: internal or external team members.
Factors influencing the choice:
- Personnel availability.
- Time constraints.
- Organizational structures and procedures.
- Project priorities and stakeholder concerns.
- Project politics.
- Competition for resources among managers.

Project Team Acquisition Techniques

Pre-assignment (pre-determined members).
Negotiation (agreement with other managers).
Acquisition (hiring external staff).
Virtual teams (in other situations).

Selecting External Staff

Goal: Choose suitable candidates.
Process:
- Establish job descriptions clearly.
- Advertise positions appropriately.
- Review candidate resumes.
- Interview candidates.
- Select personnel.
Information Sources: resumes, motivation letters, endorsements.
Important collaboration with HR.

Job Call/Description

Available templates for job descriptions.
Essential aspects to include:
- Requirements.
- Specific tasks.
- Necessary skills, using MoSCoW or similar acronym.
- Company overview (values, environment).
- Contract details.

Premise

Understanding worker motivation is critical, although challenging.
The Hawthorne effect (lighting study) demonstrates difficulties in creating accurate theories around productivity.
Subsequent studies will be reviewed.

Motivational Factors and Frameworks

Taylor (1911): Scientific Management.
- Early systematic approach to management.
- Primed on efficiency & labor productivity.
- Early management theory; many aspects are now obsolete.
- Acknowledged workers often work at slowest pace that gets ignored.
Hawthorne Effect (Mayo):
- Investigated impact of changing lighting on worker productivity.
- Established importance of human interaction & feelings in workplace.
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (1954):
- Comprehensive model illustrating basic human requirements.
- From physiological needs to self-actualization.
- Lower-level needs (deficiency) must be met before others.
McGregor's Theory X and Theory Y (1960):
- Theory X: Managers view workers with little ambition or interest.
- Theory Y: Managers see that workers actively participate, have creative and problem-solving ability, and are motivated by more than just basic needs.
Ouchi's Theory Z (1981):
- Mixture of Japanese & American management styles.
- Emphasizes clear goals, worker motivation, and mistake allowance with continuous adjustment.
- High standardization of tasks associated with high efficiency.
Boehm's Theory W (1988):
- Ensuring stakeholders benefit (win).
- Clear goals, expectations, and task definitions based on employee capabilities.

Herzberg's Hygiene and Motivational Factors (1968)

Critique of simplistic motivations:
- Dissect negative and positive motivations.
- Job dissatisfaction opposite to job satisfaction, but no satisfaction does not equate to job dissatisfaction.
- Motivational factors (internal to people): related to work itself, and job performance.
- Hygiene factors (controlled by organization): salary, supervision, work-related conditions.

Personality Traits/Interaction Types

People have diverse character traits.
Trait balance varies based on personal circumstances and external factors.
Traits influence reactions to stimuli.

Bass and Dunteman (1963)

Describes worker personality types:
- Task-oriented: independent, self-sufficient, aloof.
- Self-oriented: focused on personal goals.
- Interaction-oriented: motivated by interactions with others.

Introduced by Merrill & Reid (1964), refined by TRACOM (2004).
Defined personality types:
- Analytical: Detail-oriented, hesitant to risk.
- Amiable: Cooperative, avoids conflict.
- Driver: Results-oriented, assertive, likes risks.
- Expressive: Enthusiastic, unstructured.