The cases of management cannot be properly analyzed and solved unless the student has a thorough knowledge of die subject. The cases of General Management may be on the functions of management like planning, co-ordination, organization, control and decision-making. The cases also relate to the principles of management like division of labor, centralization and decentralization of authority, span of control, equity, remuneration, unity of direction, unity of command etc. While solving the case problem the student must be able to know to which function or principle of management the case relates. It will enable the student to analyze the case properly as he becomes clear about what is ‘required “as per functions or principles and what is lacking in the given situation of the case. The cases of Personnel Management relate to recruitment, selection, induction, placement, wage Continue reading
Management Concepts
Formal and Informal Leaders
Leadership as the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. While it is a relatively short definition, it implies a lot of action. Look at the action words: influencing; purpose; direction; motivation; accomplish; improve. To define Leadership, means to take action, to get up and do something. It has been observed above that a manager should also be a good leader. But in actual practice, every manager is not able to provide the kind of leadership desired by his subordinates. This gives rise to informal leaders who do not hold any managerial post in the organization. A formal leader, on the other hand, is one who possesses organizational authority to direct and control the activities of his subordinates. He can issue orders and instructions to his subordinates by virtue of his formal authority in the organization. An informal leader is Continue reading
Factors Affecting Organizational Change
Change is inevitable in the life of an organization. In today’s business world, most of the organizations are facing a dynamic and changing business environment. They should either change or die, there is no third alternative. Organizations that learn and cope with change will thrive and flourish and others who fail to do so will be wiped out. The major forces which make the changes not only desirable but inevitable are technological, economic, political, social, legal, international and labor market environments. In very simple words, we can say that change means the alteration of status quo or making things different. “The term change refers to any alterations which occurs in the overall work environment of an organization. When an organizational system is disturbed by some internal or external force, change frequently occurs. Change, as a process, is simply modification of the structure or process of a system. It may be Continue reading
Leadership and Management – Differences
A manager may be a leader, a manager may not be a leader, but a leader may emerge who is not a manager. This saying shows that roles of manager and leader not to be connected at all. However, for a business to be effective, managers must learn how to become leaders by developing effective leadership skills. A leader means a person that holds a dominant or superior position within its field, and is able to exercise a high degree of control or influence over others. A leader is one who has followers. Followers follow leaders because they are influenced by the leader’s personality and share belief in the leader’s visions, goals and values. Leaders gain personal power through credibility. They can communicate their beliefs to team members, who understand that these beliefs will not alter or vary because of circumstances and will become the rock on which their working Continue reading
Decision Making: Meaning and Characteristics
Meaning of Decision Making Decision Making is a process of selection from a set of alternative courses of action, which is thought to fulfill the objectives of the decision problem more satisfactorily than others. It is a course of action, which is consciously chosen for achieving a desired result. A decision is a process that takes place prior to the actual performance of a course of action that has been chosen. In terms of managerial decision making, it is an act of choice, wherein a manager selects a particular course of action from the available alternatives in a given situation. Managerial decision making process involves establishing of goals, defining tasks, searching for alternatives and developing plans in order to find the best answer for the decision problem. The essential elements in a decision making process include the following: The decision maker, The decision problem, The environment in which the decision Continue reading