Managing in the Twenty-First Century

Organization :

A group of people with formally assigned roles who work together to achieve the stated goals of the group.

Characteristics:

- Common purpose/goals

- Organizational structure

Manager :

A person who plans, organizes, leads, and controls the work of others so that the organization achieves its goals.

-          Is responsible for contribution.

-          Gets things done through the efforts of other people.

-          Is skilled at the management process.

Management Process

-          Refers to the manager’s four basic functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.

Management skills are also useful for “non-managers”.

–       In the workplace

–       Leisure activities

Efficiency means achieving the greatest possible output with a given amount of input.

Effectiveness means to achieve goals that have been set.

To achieve managerial effectiveness, focus on

–       The tasks that employees do

–       The satisfaction of employees as they do the tasks

The Manager as Innovator

•        The Entrepreneurial Process

–       Getting employees to think of themselves as entrepreneurs.

•        The Competence-Building Process

–       Working hard to create an environment that lets employees really take charge.

•        The Renewal Process

–       Guarding against complacency by encouraging employees to question why they do things as they do—and if they might do them differently.

Do You Have the Traits to Be a Manager?

•        Personality and Interests

–       Social Orientation

•        Attracted to working with others in a helpful or facilitative way; comfortable dealing with people.

–       Enterprising Orientation

•        Enjoy working with people in a supervisory or persuasive way in order to achieve some goal.

•        Competencies

–       Managerial Competence

•        The motivation and skills required to gain a management position, including intellectual (analytical), emotional, and interpersonal skills.

–       Career Anchor

•        Is an occupational self-concept or value that directs an individual’s career choices.  Managers often have had a strong motivation to earn the position of manager.

The Managerial Skills

•        Technical Skills

–       The need to know how to plan, organize, lead, and control.

•        Interpersonal Skills

–       An understanding of human behavior and group processes, and the feelings, attitudes, and motives of others, and ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.

•        Conceptual Skills

–       Good judgment, creativity, and the ability to see the “big picture” when confronted with information.

Today’s Management Environment

•        Globalization

–       The tendency of firms to extend their sales, ownership, and/or manufacturing to new markets abroad.

•        Technological Innovation

–       Information technology advances have revolutionized the workplace

•        Deregulation and Privatization

–       Less government involvement in business

•        Changing Political Systems

–       Central planning is being replaced by capitalism

•        A Diverse Workforce

–       Increasing numbers of women and minority-groups participating

–       Becoming older

•        Category Killers

–       Large chain stores squeeze out weaker retail firms and negotiate lower cost of goods sold