Chapter 2 Management, Supervision, and Decision Making

Chapter 2 Management, Supervision, and Decision Making Lesson 2.1 Increasing Management Effectiveness Management Roles - Managers are responsible for getting the work of an organization accomplished through the efforts of other people - Some managers use threats and punishment to motivate workers - not always effective - - Even if the work is done, it may not meet quality standards Management Role - is a common set of activities that make up an important part of a manager’s job - The best managers are communicators, relationship builders and decision makers - Communicators - Make sure important information is gathered, used appropriately, and shared with those who need it - Relationship Builders - Represent their organization and maintain effective relationships with others - Work to develop a positive, motivating environment - Interact with other managers, develop and support subordinates, and work to resolve conflicts. - Decision Makers - Constantly on the lookout for new opportunities and areas for improvement - Solve problems and take corrective action but also recognize and reward success Getting Work Accomplished - Managers’ jobs are organized around four functions—planning, organizing, implementing, and controlling - The resources of an organization include people, money, facilities, equipment, and materials - - Most important - employees Steps of controlling an organization - Plan - shows what resources will be used to accomplish goals - Managers determine the type and number of people needed to operate the center - Budgets are established - Plans for facilities, equipment, and materials required are established - Organize - makes sure all resources are in place to accomplish the plan - Employees are divided into work teams to complete activities - Implement - Using the resources to complete the company’s work - Control - Check whether resources were used effectively and what changes can be made Principles of Effective Management - As businesses change, what it takes to be an effective manager has changed as well - Management Principles - the fundamental guidelines for the decisions and actions of managers - The 6 Principles of Management (for an effective manager) - Demonstrate commitment to the success of the organization - Take responsibility for developing and implementing plans to accomplish the organization’s goals - Identify the resources the organization needs and make sure they are available when needed - Organize and coordinate the work of the organization in a way that accomplishes efficient and effective operations - Acknowledge the importance of employees and balance those needs with the goals and work of the organization - Monitor activities and results to identify ways the organization can be improved Managers must be consistent and objective in their work - Cannot rush to judgments, let biases affect their decisions, or act in their own selfinterest Lesson 2.2 Effective Supervision The Supervisor’s Job - As first-level managers, supervisors are responsible for day-to-day activities of the company’s employees - The act as the link between the management and non-management employees - Must carry out the decisions of management as well as solve employee problems and present employee concerns to management. - Usually selected from most experienced employees but have little management training - Subordinate - Subject to the authority and control of another person - Must command respect from the employees while encouraging them to do their best - - The effectiveness of a supervisor’s job is determined by three factors - 1. The quality of the work of the supervised employee - 2. The efficient utilization of the company’s resources - 3. The satisfaction of the supervisor’s employees Supervisors must divide their time between management activities and work - Their job may vary but they all have a common set of responsibilities in all companies. Responsibilities of Supervisors - Communicate the goals and directions of management to employees - Can show the importance of company’s goals and how they can accomplish their own goals by helping the company be successful - Explain Employee Concerns and ideas to management - Employees like working for a company that is concerned about them, involves them planning and decision making, and takes their ideas and suggestions seriously - Evaluate and improve employee performance - Performance Review - a procedure that assesses the work and accomplishment of an employee and provides feedback on performance. - - Encourage employees to do their best - - Can reveal the employee’s strengths and weaknesses Supervisors can help create a comfortable atmosphere where employees feel safe Use resources efficiently - Good supervisors look for ways to operate more efficiently and use resources more effectively Managing Day-to-Day Activities - Work Schedules - identify the tasks to be done, employees assigned to the work, and the time frame for completion of each task - Supervisors decide when employees will work and which projects each person will complete - Time Management - Managing work schedules to achieve maximum productivity - Supervisors must be able to determine the work to be done, set priorities for the most important work, and ensure that it is completed properly and on time - Communicating with Employees - Whether written or oral, communications must be specific and clear - Need to plan the content of their communications and determine the best method, place, and time to communicate the information - Controlling Quality - Quality Control - is the process of making sure work meets acceptable standards - Supervisors can reduce those problems by planning work carefully, developing quality standards, and regularly checking the quality of the work being done Improving Supervisory Skills - Largest challenge for supervisors is understanding the need to spend less time on nonmanagerial activities and more time on management functions - - If supervisors constantly step in and do the work for the employees: - Both the quality and quantity of the employee’s work will suffer - The supervisor will have less time for important management work Many companies provide formal training programs for new supervisors - Other companies help supervisors develop their skills by paying for them to attend management classes or programs, - Work Coach - an experienced manager who meets regularly with a new manager to provide advice and feedback - Newer method to help new supervisors develop skills Lesson 2.3 Managing with Information - Managers must have information readily available to them (records on productions and sales, personnel, expenses, and profit and loss) in order to make decisions - Data must be obtained, organized, and made available to managers so they can make decisions quickly and efficiently - Managers cannot remember all the info needed to make decisions - - Need a systematic way to gather info that is used for decision making Management information system (MIS) - a computer-based system that stores, organizes, and provides information about a business. - Computerized information systems help managers develop effective plans and control business operations - What-If analysis - a systematic way to explore the consequences of certain choices using computer software - Computers can be used to monitor the performance of activities in a company - Managers would be involved only when results do not meet standards Business Research - Managers must be careful not to make decisions without sufficient information about the problem or possible solutions. - Research - conducted to gather new information not yet included in the management information system - Common study areas - marketing research and product development research - Human resources studies are conducted on the supply and demand of labor, employee motivation, and training techniques - Most companies have research departments that plan and complete studies for company problems Problems and Decision Making - Problem - a difficult situation requiring a solution - Usually do not have single solutions - Often have several good solutions and several poor - Problem solving process 1. Identify problem - Symptom - a indication or sign of something that appears to be the problem - difficult to change the symptom until the problem can be properly identified and corrected - Managers need to review plans and performance regularly to determine if operations are proceeding as planned 2. Determine possible solutions - Many ways to determine - brainstorming, discussing with experienced workers, or reading and studying 3. Analyze solutions - Should examine the strengths and weaknesses of each - Managers may want to conduct an experiment to test one or more solutions before making a final choice 4. Select the best solution - Managers must then determine the best way to implement it and who will be part of the implementation - Must also gather info on if the solution is actually solving the problem - Contingency plan - An alternative course of action to be followed if a specific problem arises - Similar to problem-solving, but happens before problem emerge