Reading: Lesson 1 - The Role and Work of Managers

1.1.A - The Role and Work of Managers

1. THE CHANGING NATURE OF MANAGEMENT

1. Managers are responsible for making things happen in business. They make decisions that determine what a company will do and how well it will perform. They choose the people and other resources needed to operate a business. Managers must ensure that ideas are turned into products and services.
   
2. Managers make up only a small percentage of all employees in a company. Managers typically work with the larger number of employees to plan how to complete the work. There are often several levels of managers in an organization. Some managers are directly responsible for the day-to-day operations of a part of the business and the work of employees who complete those operations.
   
3. Higher-level managers are not directly involved in day-to-day operations. Instead, they spend their time planning, problem solving, and making decisions about how to make the business more successful. Non-management employees often do not recognize the contributions that managers make to the business. In addition, these workers may not understand the challenges of being a manager.
   
4. The daily work of managers is quite different from the work of employees. Yet both types of work are necessary for a business to succeed. Mutual understanding and respect are important. Managers must understand and appreciate the work of employees. Employees who recognize what managers do and why management is important to business success tend to be motivated and cooperative.
   
5. The nature of management and the way managers interact with employees has changed in recent years. In the past, many managers exerted a great deal of authority and control, expected employees to follow orders without question, and provided little information about the company to workers. Employees and managers did not always share the same views and attitudes about the company and the work that needed to be done. Relationships between managers and employees were formal and sometimes antagonistic.
   
6. Today’s managers work more closely with employees. They keep employees informed about company performance and upcoming changes. They also involve employees in important decisions. Employees have greater responsibilities in many companies, and employee teams now complete some work previously done by managers. Businesses in which managers and employees respect each other, communicate effectively, and cooperate are usually more successful than businesses that use traditional management techniques.
   

2. MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

1. There are many different kinds of managers. The president of an international corporation with facilities around the world and thousands of employees is a manager. The owner of a small service business with one location and only a few employees is also a manager. Managers are in charge of many different aspects of business, including purchasing, sales, communication, and technology. People who supervise workers on an assembly line, in a warehouse, or in a customer service center are all managers.
   
2. Because there are so many types of managers, it is difficult to identify exactly what managers do. However, there are a number of activities that all managers must perform. The type of business, size of company, or department within the organization do not matter—all managers perform some of the same activities.
   
3. Management is the process of accomplishing the goals of an organization through the effective use of people and other resources. Those resources include money, facilities, equipment, and materials. The primary work of all managers falls within five functions: planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling.
   
   • Planning involves analyzing information and making decisions about what needs to be done.
   
   • Organizing is concerned with determining how plans can be accomplished most effectively and arranging resources to complete work.
   
   • Staffing focuses on finding individuals with the right skills to do the work.
   
   • Leading requires working with employees to ensure they are motivated and have the resources needed to help carry out plans and get the work done.
   
   • Controlling involves evaluating results to determine if the company’s objectives have been accomplished as planned.
   
   
4. Operating any business is a complex process. Regardless of the size of the business, all managers make decisions about operations, marketing, personnel, and finances every day. If managers are not well prepared to operate the business, problems soon develop. The manager who knows how to plan, organize, staff, lead, and control is ready to make decisions that help ensure the business operates successfully.
   

3. THE WORK OF MANAGERS

1. All managers perform the same five broad functions as a part of their jobs, but the specific activities they perform and the amount of time they spend on each function varies. The functions of management may even seem to describe work activities of some employees who are not classified as managers.
   
2. Many employees of a business complete tasks that could be considered management activities. They might develop plans to accomplish the work assigned to them. They may organize their workspace and the materials they use to complete their work efficiently. An experienced employee may lead a group project, and the group members may help evaluate the completed project. The increasing use of teams in organizations provides opportunities for employees to participate in activities that previously have been the domain of managers.
   
3. In each of these examples, the employee gains valuable experience. New knowledge and skills help employees understand the work of managers and prepare for possible promotion to a management position. Even though employees perform some work that is similar to work performed by managers, the employees are not managers. There are important differences in the nature of managers’ work and that of non-managerial employees.
   
4. A manager completes all five management functions on a regular basis and has authority over other jobs and people. In each of the situations above, where employees were completing what seemed to be management functions, they were doing those tasks infrequently, were not completing all of the management functions, or were completing them for their job only. Seldom do non-management employees have authority over other employees for more than a short period. Final authority and responsibility remains with the manager.
   

4. LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT

1. Most companies have more than one level of management. Small companies may have two or three levels. Large companies may have five or six management classifications. The levels of management in an organization can be described as a management pyramid. There are more managers at the lower levels and fewer at higher levels. The chief executive or owner who heads the business is at the top of the pyramid. 
   

   
   

2. A supervisor is a manager whose main job is to direct the work of employees. Supervisors are the first, or beginning, level of management in a company. They often perform non-managerial activities in addition to overseeing the work of others. Supervisors are at the bottom of the management pyramid.
   

3. An executive is a top-level manager who spends almost all of his or her time on management functions and decisions that affect the entire company. Executives have other managers reporting to them. Executives are at the top of the management pyramid.
   

4. Between executives and supervisors in larger organizations, there will be one or more levels of middle managers. A middle manager completes all of the management functions, but spends most of the time completing specialized work in one management function or is responsible for a specific part of the company’s operations. A middle manager may complete detailed planning activities, may manage a specific product line, or be responsible for a specialized division such as information security.
   

5. The amount of time devoted to each function of management differs depending on the level of management. Supervisors work most directly with employees and are involved primarily in ensuring that the day-to- day work of the business is completed. Therefore, they devote most of their management time to leading and monitoring results of their work team. Executives work with other managers and are responsible for the long-term direction and overall success of the business. They spend most of their time on planning and organizing.