Chapter 1 - The management process today. After completing this unit, you should be able to: Describe what management is, why management is important, what managers do, and how managers utilize organizational resources efficiently and effectively to achieve organizational goals; distinguish among planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (the four principal managerial tasks), and explain how managers’ ability to handle each one can affect organizational performance;. | The Management Process Today Chapter One Learning Objectives LO1-1 Describe what management is, why management is important, what managers do, and how managers utilize organizational resources efficiently and effectively to achieve organizational goals LO1-2 Distinguish among planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (the four principal managerial tasks), and explain how managers’ ability to handle each one can affect organizational performance LO1-3 Differentiate among three levels of management, and understand the tasks and responsibilities of managers at different levels in the organizational hierarchy Learning Objectives LO1-4 Distinguish between three kinds of managerial skill, and explain why managers are divided into different departments LO1-5 Discuss some major changes in management practices today that have occurred as a result of globalization and the use of advanced information technology (IT) LO1-6 Discuss the principal challenges managers face in today’s increasingly competitive global environment What is Management? Management The planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of human and other resources to achieve organizational goals effectively and efficiently Achieving High Performance Organizational Performance A measure of how efficiently and effectively managers use organizational resources to satisfy customers and achieve organizational goals Organizational Performance Efficiency A measure of how well or productively resources are used to achieve a goal Effectiveness A measure of the appropriateness of the goals an organization is pursuing and the degree to which the organization achieves those goals. Four Tasks of Management Figure Controlling Controlling Evaluating how well an organization is achieving its goals and taking action to maintain or improve performance The outcome of the control process is the ability to measure performance accurately and regulate efficiency and effectiveness Levels of Management First line managers Responsible for the daily supervision of non-managerial employees Middle managers Supervise first-line managers and are responsible for finding the best way to use resources to achieve organizational goals Levels of Management Top managers establish organizational goals, decide how departments should interact, and monitor the performance of middle managers Levels of Managers Top-management team A group composed of the CEO, the COO, and the vice presidents of the most important departments of a company. Managerial Skills Conceptual skills The ability to analyze and diagnose a situation and distinguish between cause and effect. Human skills The ability to understand, alter, lead, and control the behavior of other individuals and groups. Technical skills The job-specific knowledge and techniques required to perform an organizational role. 12 Technical Skills Core competency Specific set of skills, abilities, and experiences that allows one organization to outperform its competitors Empowerment and Self-Managed Teams Empowerment Expansion of employees’ knowledge, tasks, and decision-making responsibilities Building Blocks of Competitive Advantage Figure
