Management Course Notes

Introduction to Management

• Course begins with Chapter 1: Managers and Management
• Objectives:
  • Identify who managers are
  • Define management
  • Describe what managers do
  • Explain the importance of studying management
  • Discuss factors changing management, e.g., globalization

Who are Managers?

• Managers work in organizations
• Definition of Organization:
  • Collection of people working towards common goals
  • Primary objective is usually profit
  • Example goals:
    • University: Education
    • Police: Low crime
    • Businesses: Profit
• Organizations have characteristics:
  • Specific goals
  • Comprised of people
  • Structure (levels of management)

Levels of Management

• Three levels of management:
  • Top-level management (e.g., university president)
  • Middle management (e.g., department chairs)
  • First-line management (e.g., supervisors)
• Examples of titles:
  • Top: CEO, President
  • Middle: Division Manager, District Manager
  • First-line: Supervisor, Team Leader

What do Managers Do?

• Management depends on position:
  • Top Managers:
    • Focus on the big picture
    • Example decisions: land purchases, strategy formulation
  • Middle Managers:
    • Coordinate activities between top and lower levels
    • Implement decisions made by top management
  • First-line Managers:
    • Directly manage non-managerial employees

Definition of Management

• Management as a Process:
  • Involves getting things done effectively and efficiently
• Effectiveness vs. Efficiency:
  • Effectiveness: Achieving goals (doing the right things)
  • Efficiency: Getting tasks done quickly with minimal resources (input/output ratio)

Management Functions

• Four Primary Functions of Management:
  1. Planning:
     • Determine objectives and how to achieve them
  2. Organizing:
     • Structuring the organization to meet objectives
  3. Leading:
     • Directing and motivating employees
  4. Controlling:
     • Monitoring progress and making necessary adjustments

Management Roles

• Interpersonal Roles:

  • Figurehead: Represents the organization
  • Leader: Guides and motivates employees
  • Liaison: Connects different levels of management

• Informational Roles:

  • Monitor: Observes team performance
  • Disseminator: Shares important information
  • Spokesperson: Represents the organization externally

• Decisional Roles:

  • Entrepreneur: Innovates and implements new ideas
  • Disturbance Handler: Resolves conflicts and issues
  • Resource Allocator: Decides where to allocate resources
  • Negotiator: Facilitates negotiation between parties

Summary

• Understanding management is crucial for successful organizational operation.
• Different roles and functions highlight the complexity and variety of tasks managers handle.

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Note: Remember to review the textbook "Fundamentals of Management" by Stephen Robbins for further details.