Organization & People Notes block 1

ORGANIZATION & PEOPLE NOTES
Table of Contents

LEARNING OBJECTIVE.............................................................................. 2

SUMMARY............................................................................................. 2

WHAT DOES A MANAGER DO?............................................................................................ 2
THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MANAGERS................................................................................. 2
WHY ARE MANAGERS IMPORTANT?...................................................................................... 3
WHAT IS AN ORGANIZATION?............................................................................................. 3
MANAGEMENT ACCORDING TO HENRY MINTZBERG.................................................................4
TYPES OF ROLES............................................................................................................. 4
REWARDS AND CHALLENGES OF BEING A MANAGER..............................................................4
CHANGES FACING MANAGERS............................................................................................ 5
WHAT IS A DECISION?...................................................................................................... 5
THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS......................................................................................... 5
FOUR FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT DECISION-MAKING............................................................6
RATIONALITY.................................................................................................................. 6
IRRATIONALITY................................................................................................................ 7
DECISION-MAKING BIASES AND ERRORS.............................................................................. 7
CHARACTERISTIC OF AN EFFECTIVE DECISION-MAKING PROGRESS..............................................8
THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.......................................................8
DISTRIBUTING AUTHORITY: SPAN OF CONTROL......................................................................9
THE CONTINGENCY APPROACH TO ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE...............................................9
MECHANISTIC VS ORGANIC ORGANIZATIONS..........................................................................9

QUESTIONS.......................................................................................... 10

, LEARNING OBJECTIVE

1. Explain what a manager does
2. Tell what levels of management exist
3. Explain what an organization is
4. Explain what the difference is between efficiency and effectiveness
5. Describe what are the managerial roles (according to Mintzberg)
6. In relation to all the above, explain what are important managerial skills


SUMMARY

WHAT DOES A MANAGER DO?


Management: organizing and supervising the work activities of others so that their activities are
done efficiently and effectively

Manager: someone who coordinates and oversees the work of other people so that
organizational goals can be accomplished




THE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MANAGERS

Level 1 - Top Managers

Organization-wide decisions and establishing the strategy (=how) and goals that affect the
whole organization.

Skills needed:
Conceptual (most)
Human (middle)
Technical (least)



Level 2 - Middle managers

Defining and discussing information and policies from top management to lower management
and most importantly. Inspiring and providing guidance to low-level managers towards better
performance.