Managerial Process: Survive Against the Odds

Managerial Process and Its Importance

• Management is a process involving planning, decision-making, organizing, leading, motivation, and controlling resources (human, financial, physical, and informational).
• It ensures an organization achieves its goals efficiently and effectively.

Activity: Survive Against the Odds

• The class will be divided into two groups for an activity.
• The reporters will give each group a scenario.
• Each group must list five essential items based on the scenario and five items from the natural environment that could help them.
• After a 3-minute discussion, each group will name their items.
• Each group will constructively criticize the other party's choices for 3 minutes.

Historical Background

• In ancient Mesopotamia (Middle East), priests recorded business dealings as early as 3000 BCE.
• The Qin Dynasty in ancient China (221-207 BCE) was the first centralized bureaucratic state with merit-based administration.
• Socrates in Athens, Greece, identified management as a separate competency from technical skills around 400 BCE.
• During the Julio-Claudian dynasty in Rome (27 BC to 68 AD), the Romans introduced a hierarchy of authority and accountability.
• The Industrial Revolution (1750-1900) led to mass production, where workers performed a single task repeatedly on assembly lines.
• Frederick Winslow Taylor, also known as the "Father of Scientific Management", developed methods to increase efficiency by breaking down tasks into smaller components.
• As companies hired a lot of staff, managers needed to find new ways to motivate employees to perform.
• In the early 20th century, the formal study of management emerged as a discipline.
• Peter Drucker was referred to by Businessweek as "the man who invented management".

Management Principles by Fayol, Taylor, Drucker and Koontz

• Henri Fayol emphasized the core functions of management, including planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling, which are necessary for any organized human activity.
• Frederick Winslow Taylor, known for his scientific management principles, focused on efficiency and productivity by optimizing work processes, selecting and training the best workers, and ensuring work is done efficiently.
• Peter Drucker viewed management as a multipurpose organ that manages businesses, managers, workers, and work, emphasizing setting objectives, organizing resources, and motivating people.
• Harold Koontz defined management as the art of getting things done through others and with formally organized groups, highlighting the importance of effective leadership, communication, and teamwork.

Functions of Management

• Planning: creates the road map for the future by bridging the gap from the current situation to the desired future state.
• Organizing: identifies and groups work to be performed, defines and delegates responsibility and authority, and establishes relationships to enable efficient work.
• Staffing: is where managers build an organization through recruitment, selection, and development of capable employees.
• Directing: guides and leads people in an organization. It involves supervision, guidance, and motivation to achieve organizational goals.
• Controlling: assesses accomplishments, evaluates performance, and applies corrective measures to ensure performance aligns with plans.

Importance of Management

• Helps in achieving group goals.
• Enables optimum utilization of resources.
• Reduces costs.
• Establishes a sound organization.
• Establishes equilibrium.
• Is essential for the prosperity of society.

Explore the managerial process through planning, decision-making, and resource management. Participate in the 'Survive Against the Odds' activity. Learn from historical examples like ancient Mesopotamia and the Qin Dynasty.