The Concept of Management

Explain the concept of management, and compare the classical, behavioral, and management science approaches to management. 

Management is the process that allows managers to plan activities, mobilize resources, and organize people to implement organizational strategies. There are different management approaches implemented in institutions, such as classical, behavioral, and management science (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). The classical management theory focuses on strengthening the organization through hierarchical changes, specialized roles, and unified leadership. The classical theory is designed to improve employee productivity and motivation. The behavioral theory of management focuses on influencing employee behavior. By identifying factors that influence employee behavior, managers can leverage those factors to spur productivity, increase motivation, manage employee expectations, and influence individual and group interests. The behavioral theory also has a scientific approach where scientific principles and research are used to enhance the management practice. The scientific approach includes sociology, psychology, and economics (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021).

The management science theory applies and uses scientific methods to solve an organization’s problems and challenges. It was developed in the early 1900s and was meant to provide productivity solutions in the labor force. To achieve such productivity, the scientific theory suggests that organizations should analyze the tasks, assign employees those tasks based on ability, train workers and incentivize them, and then apply scientific principles to schedule work and make the processes efficient. This theory also expounds on the principles of total organizational management. Total organizational management encompasses administrative management, fundamental necessities, and bureaucracy (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021).

Compare the various communication skills and techniques used in business and describe the various approaches to decision-making.

Organizational communication can be formal or informal communication. Formal communication is official communication that can be passed through emails, memos, letters, reports, and announcements (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Formal communication can either be upwards, downwards, sideways, or outwards. Upward communication goes up the chain of command, while downward communication goes down. Sideward communication is among peers and colleagues at the same authority levels, while outward communication is done outside the organization. Informal communication can either be grapevine, through gossip and rumors, or face-to-face communication (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). The best communication style depends on the type of communication. Upward communication may be conducted through formal means such as emails due to the power dynamics at play. Outward communication may be achieved through informal means such as face-to-face.

Decision-making can either be rational or non-rational. Rational decision-making involves a process of identifying the problem, developing potential solutions, analyzing the potential solutions, selecting potential solutions, and implementing and monitoring the selected option. Irrational decision-making models do not follow any procedure. Decision-makers in the irrational model may rely on hubris and select the decision that provides the most satisfactory results (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Irrational decision-makers may also rely on intuition to make decisions. Irrational decision-makers rely on past experiences, confidence, self-esteem, personality traits, intuition, emotion, intellect, bias, or ability.

 Explain the basic forms of international business organizations, and describe the legal, ethical, and social responsibilities of business firms.

International organizations can either be exporting, licensing, franchising, global outsourcing, or foreign direct investment. Exporting is the most common where organizations sell their products directly or indirectly. Modern-day e-commerce technology allows businesses to fulfill exporting needs without having staff present in the exporting country. Licensing allows a firm investing in another country to a trade license agreement with another business entity (licensee), including access to intellectual property for a time specified in the license agreement. In licensee receives payment in the form of royalty. Franchising agreements allow businesses to enter into a franchise agreement where a franchiser allows a franchisee (operating in the new country) to duplicate a franchiser’s business and conform with its processes such as production processes, branding, and the entire model. Global outsourcing allows organizations to use external suppliers to offer their products and services to the international market (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Foreign direct investments allow organizations to set up entire businesses such as facilities, staff, and technology in another country. Foreign direct investments can be joint ventures that are formed through partnerships with other organizations or fully owned subsidiaries.

Organizations have legal responsibilities to abide by the legal considerations in the new country, including taxation, labor laws, and other regulation (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). International organizations also have the responsibility to operate and uphold ethical standards—ethics guide relationships with stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, competitors, employees, and the government. Organizations also have a responsibility to the society that it operates and is required to operate in observance of sustainability.

Explain basic planning and strategy concepts and describe the basic concepts of operations management.

Strategies can either be corporate, business level, or functional level. Corporate strategies affect entire organizations; business-level strategies affect business units or product lines, while functional-level strategies focus on the efficient fulfillment of certain organizational functions.

The first process of planning and strategy concepts includes setting goals and establishing the mission and visions that the strategy is meant to achieve (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Organizations then evaluate their current position by collecting information about the requirements of the strategy, the market, and the organization. For internal information, organizations may use SWOT analysis and PESTEL for the external environment. The next stage is usually the planning process, where the information gathered in the initial stage is used to plan for budgets, and implementation committees are also formed. The planning stage also includes risks analysis and control methods. The next stage is usually implementation. The organization applies management theories to implement the strategy. To control the implementation, organizations employ monitoring and evaluation concepts (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). These are used to identify the deviation from the plans and propose ways to return back to the initial plans or avoid the negative effects of significant deviation. Operations management is applicable in this stage to increase the efficiency of operations. Efficiency is essential in ensuring that the organizations gain maximum benefits from the available human, financial and other resources. Through operations management., strategic plans are implemented through coordinating activities, assigning roles, designating powers to make decisions, and organizing workflow to ensure that the organization realizes its goals (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Operations management may be fulfilled through leveraging technological and statistical models.

Describe the basic tenets of workgroups and work teams, and identify the key elements of staffing, including human resource planning, recruiting, and selection

One key requirement for achieving success in the organization’s strategic goals is strategic workforce planning. Staffing is assigning roles to individuals based on their qualifications, skills, and authority. Organizations form functional teams based on individual roles and organizational goals. Motivation is a part of human resource planning. It ensures that the organization retains skilled staff and avoids disruptions that may be caused by staff turnover. Retaining highly skilled staff starts at the recruitment stage. Organizations can recruit internally or externally. Internal recruitment is cheaper and faster, but the organization may not get highly skilled staff or diversity in skills. External recruitment may be best suited for organizations looking for skills not present in the existing workforce. Organizations can also use hybrid approaches through referrals and boomerangs (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Selecting the best organizational fit requires organizations to review applicant information provided through applications, resumes, and background checks. Interview techniques also determine the ability of organizations to select the best organizational fit. Modern techniques include structured and unstructured interviews, aptitude and personality tests, and drug tests (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Training and development are also essential to acclimatize the new employees to organizational culture before onboarding (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Additionally, organizations also have in place performance appraisal mechanisms to ensure that employees get the opportunity to identify weaknesses in their performance and take corrective actions. Performance appraisal coupled with training and development ensures that the workforce grows its core competencies. Strategic workforce planning also includes anticipating future workforce demand and supply needs and planning for such needs depending on the organization’s growth.

Explain the concept of control, describe the various types of controls used in business organizations, and describe the basic issues of operations control.

Organizations control people, resources, and processes to ensure continuity and efficiency in operations. Kinicki & Soignet (2021) describe the process of control as making something happen the way it is planned to happen. Controlling ensures that organizational processes are aligned with the plans and the goals that the plans are meant to achieve. The types of control that organizations implement are feedforward control, concurrent control, and feedback control. Feedforward control is concerned with identifying solutions for future problems by leveraging past information and experience (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Concurrent control is implemented by collecting performance information in real-time and taking corrective measures in real-time. Technology assists in concurrent control. Feedback control is implemented by collecting information post-delivery of tasks or projects. This information is then used to take corrective action in future projects. Operations control includes navigation of employee attitudes, employee turnover, organizational resource capabilities, and organizational culture (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Organizations control financial performance, customers, internal business processes, and employee outcomes (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Employee attitudes affect their motivation, satisfaction, engagement, and behavior (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Employee turnover affects the implementation of control activities. Employee behavior and motivation can be controlled through employee tracking and monitoring. Organizational controls are affected by organizational resource capabilities. One control technique that organizations use is artificial intelligence (AI). AI requires high technology and resources. When properly implemented, AI reduces errors and defects.

Describe the various approaches to motivation, and explain the primary methods used to appraise performance

Kinicki & Soignet (2021) define motivation as the psychological process that aligns people towards achieving organizational goals. Motivation is essential for improving employee commitment, engagement, and satisfaction. There are two types of motivation; intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is derived from one’s self, while extrinsic motivation is offered by other people or structures. There are several theories that organizations use to motivate, which are

• content theories such as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, McClelland’s acquired needs, or Hertzberg.
•  Process theories include theories such as goal setting, expectancy,
•  job design theories such as scientific management theory, job enlargement theory, and job characteristic model and
• the reinforcement theory.

Organizations use several methods such as achieving good work-life balance where organizations can use non-monetary aspects such as leave and flexible working hours. Motivation is also achieved through personal growth, such as through promotions. Motivation is also achieved through a positive work environment and meaningful work (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Organizations also use monetary methods such as pay for performance plans, bonuses, profit sharing, and stock options. Organizations can use both monetary and non-monetary motivation factors. Organizations fulfill performance appraisal needs through objective performance appraisal and subjective performance appraisals (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Objective appraisals are developed using facts and are quantitative in nature. Subjective performance appraisals are often qualitative and are developed through a supervisor or peer perceptions and include aspects such as teamwork or communication. Subjective appraisals are collected through feedback.

Describe the various approaches to managing change, conflict, and stress.

Managing change is an essential task for managers. Effective change management requires organizations to identify causes of resistance to change. Resistance to change can be due to employee characteristics, change-agent characteristics, and the relationship between employees and the change agent (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Organizations can manage change through communication to create trust and create rewards to provide an incentive toward change acceptance.

Conflict management is essential in maintaining a conducive work environment. Disagreements between employees can be dysfunctional or functional. Dysfunctional conflicts are threats to the organization, while functional conflicts benefit the organization. Conflict triggers can be personality, envy, competing group dynamics, or cultural differences (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). The conflict management strategies include avoiding conflict, accommodating, collaborating, and compromising. Avoiding conflict is ignoring the triggers of conflict. Accommodating or obliging is ceding to the desires of the other party. Collaborating is where both parties agree to cooperate and find a win-win solution. Compromising is where conflicting parties agree to lose equal shares of interest to gain something of equal and satisfactory value to both.

Sources of organizational stress are interpersonal differences, individual work demands, poor work-life balance, group dynamics, and organizational demands (Kinicki & Soignet, 2021). Organizational activities that reduce employee stress are employee assistance programs, wellness and proper work-life balance, creating organizational research structures, and providing guidance, counseling, and providing mental health programs.

References

Kinicki, A., & Soignet, B. D. (2021). Management: A Practical Introduction (10th ed.). McGraw Hill. https://myebooks.mheducation.com/bookshelf/ebooks