Challenges facing Management
Challenges facing Management
Management Roles within organisations
If I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulder of giants.(Sir Isaac Newton)
The primary role of management is to make it possible for teams to work. They also provide guidance and direction to work effort.
The role of management in an organization is purely functional, in that it is not a role any more or less prestigious than any other role in the company. It is similar to the difference between marketing personnel and engineering personnel, in that someone working in marketing is just as important to the company as someone working in engineering.
The function and role of management within organisations can be many and varied,
But some of the main one’s which stand out for me are the following:
· Set up a plan (vision) for the company, group, or team being managed
· Ensure that the management personnel can do their jobs with the up most efficiency.
· Resolve any disputes that arise.
· Act as an interface between employees and upper management
o Track resource use and report costs to higher management (include the controlling of costs).
o Present new ideas for the company to upper management (include lower management also).
o Track project progress and revise estimates or make adjustments.
o Deal with problems and shield employees from them as much as possible to allow them to concentrate on their jobs.
One important difference between managers and other functional positions in the company lies in the fact that decisions made by the manager will affect more people either in a positive or negative way.
The first major study into managerial behaviour was Carlson (1951) [1], after which hundreds have taken place and are still ongoing. There appears to be so many theories regarding management, with, in my opinion, some of the more understandable ones’ from Rosemary Stewart’s studies into ‘what are managers’ jobs like’ (Rosemary Stewart’s management profiles [2] to Henry Mintzberg’s perceptions of management activities [3].
I have used some of Mintzberg’s results to show some of the basics for how I feel management functions today.
Mintzberg's 10 Managerial RolesINTERPERSONAL Figurehead Performs ceremonial and symbolic duties such as greeting visitors, signing legal documents
Leader Direct and motivate subordinates, training, counselling, and communicating with subordinates
Liaison Maintain information links both inside and outside organisation; use mail, phone calls, meetings
INFORMATIONAL Monitor Seek and receive information, scan periodicals and reports, maintain personal contacts
Disseminator Forward information to other organization members; send memos and reports, make phone calls
Spokesperson Transmit information to outsiders through [next page]