978-0134527604 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Managers and You in the Workplace

In this introductory chapter, your students will explore the concepts of management,

manager skills, and organizations in today’s dynamic business environment.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Tell who managers are and where they work.

2. Explain why managers are important to organizations.

4. Describe the factors that are reshaping and redefining the manager’s job.

5. Explain the value of studying management.

It’s Your Career

The ABC’s of Managing Your Time

2. Rank your goals according to importance. Not all goals are of equal importance. Given the limitations on

your time, you want to make sure you give highest priority to the most important goals.

3. List the activities/tasks necessary to achieve your goals. What specific actions do you need to take to

achieve your goals?

4. Divide these activities/tasks into categories using an A, B, and C classification. The As are important and

5. Schedule your activities/tasks according to the priorities you’ve set. Prepare a daily plan. Every morning,

6. Plan your to-do list each day so that it includes a mixture of A, B, and C activities/ tasks. And it’s best to

7. Recognize that technology makes it too easy to stay connected. Just think for a moment how many phone

calls, e-mails, texts, postings on social media, and unscheduled visitors you receive on a typical day. Some

8. Realize that priorities may change as your day or week proceeds. New information may change a task’s

9. Remember that your goal is to manage getting your work done as efficiently and effectively as you can.

It’s not to become an expert at creating to-do lists. Find what works best for you and use it!

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CHAPTER OUTLINE

1.1 WHO ARE MANAGERS AND WHERE DO THEY WORK?

Managers may not always be what we expect. Today’s managers range from 18

to 80, they‘re found in a variety of different types of organizations, and they

perform a variety of jobs from the top to the bottom of the organization. Statistics

show an increasing number of women in management; however, while their

number is increasing, it is mostly in the area of lower and middle management,

not top management. Similarly, only 20 (4%) were minorities.

Who Is a Manager?

acquiring management skills. Today’s employees need to be cross-

trained and multi-skilled.

B. How do we define a manager? A manager is someone who coordinates

C. Managers can be classified by their level in the organization, particularly

in traditionally structured organizations—those shaped like a pyramid

(see Exhibit 1-1).

1. First-line (or front-line) managers (often called supervisors) are

2. Middle managers include all levels of management between the

3. Top managers include managers at or near the top of the

organization who are responsible for making organization-wide

decisions and establishing plans and goals that affect the entire

organization.

Where Do Managers Work?

A. An organization is a deliberate arrangement of people to accomplish

some specific purpose. Organizations share three common

characteristics (See Exhibit 1-2): (1) each has a distinct purpose; (2)

each is composed of people; and (3) each develops some deliberate

structure so members can do their work.

B. Although these three characteristics are important in defining what an

organization is, the concept of an organization is changing. These

changes include: flexible work arrangements, employee work teams,

open communication systems, and supplier alliances. Organizations are

becoming more open, flexible, and responsive to changes.

1.2 WHY ARE MANAGERS IMPORTANT?

1.3 WHAT DO MANAGERS DO?

2. Efficiency is getting the most output from the least amount of

3. Effectiveness is completing activities so that organizational goals

are attained and is often described as “doing the right things” (see

1. Over time, Fayol’s five management functions have been

1-4).

a. Planning involves defining goals, establishing strategies

for achieving those goals, and developing plans to

Future Vision: Is It Still Managing When What You’re Managing Are Robots?

While the text presents a fairly accurate description of today’s workplace, the future is

not certain. Work life in the future may be very different than today and will likely include

workers who are robots. How will a manager’s job be different? How will working with

robots affect human coworkers?

The following discussion questions are posed:

Talk About It 1: What’s your response to the title of this box: Is it still managing when

what you’re managing are robots? Discuss.

Talk About It 2: If you had to “manage” people and robots, how do you think your job as

manager might be different than what the chapter describes?

Student answers to these questions will vary.

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2. In practice, managing is not always performed in a sequence as

outlined above. Since these four management functions are

integrated into the activities of managers throughout the workday,

1. Managerial roles refer to specific categories of managerial

behavior (see Exhibit 1-5).

2. Follow-up studies of Mintzberg’s role categories in different types

3. Although the functions approach represents the most useful way

to describe the manager’s job, Mintzberg’s roles give additional

insight into managers’ work.

LEADER MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Ursula Burns, CEO of Xerox, was the first African-American woman to lead a Fortune

500 Company. Starting as a summer engineering intern more than 30 years ago, Ms.

Burns has a reputation for being bold. She took on the established culture of Xerox,

known for being polite, courteous, and discreet with her bold talk and blunt attitude. Her

challenge at Xerox is crafting strategies that will help it prosper and be an industry leader

in a digital age where change is continual.

What can you learn from this leader making a difference?

1. Robert L. Katz found through his research that managers need

three essential skills (see Exhibit 1-6).

2. Developing management skills are important for aspiring

managers. To help aid students in this respect, the authors have

1.4 HOW IS THE MANAGER’S JOB CHANGING?

Security threats, corporate ethics scandals, global economic and political

uncertainties, and technological advancements should be discussed. While all

managers will not have to manage under tragically demanding circumstances,

how managers manage in today’s workplace is changing. These issues are

summarized in Exhibit 1-8.

A. Focus on the Customer.

customer needs.

B. Focus on Technology.

Cloud computing, social media, and robotics are all changing how things

get done in the workplace. Managers need to get employees on board

with new technology and ensure that they are comfortable with it, can use

it, and understand how it improves their lives.

Innovation is critical to today’s organizations and managers. All

organizations innovate; however, a problem for organizations is working

to get all employees involved in the innovation process. Managers can

respond to this need by creating a “team close,” a time when all

employees are scheduled to close the store and leave together. This

helps create an attitude of working together and commitment.

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increase long-term shareholder value by integrating economic,

environmental, and social opportunities into its business strategies. This

view widens the concept of social responsibility to include twenty-first

century environmental issues (i.e. the greening of management) and

global societal challenges.

F. Focus on the Employee.

Companies like L.L. Bean recognize the importance of treating

employees well not only because it’s simply the right thing to do but also

because it is good business. In these progressive organizations,

managers regularly provide performance feedback that serves as an

evaluation of an employee’s performance and provides the foundation for

discussing developmental opportunities. Successful managers often

embrace work-life practices and provide encouragement to employees

who wish to use them.

1.5 WHY STUDY MANAGEMENT?

1. We interact with organizations every day of our lives. Every

product we use, every action we take, is provided by or affected

by organizations. Well-managed organizations develop a loyal

customer base, grow, and prosper.

2. Students who study management gain the ability to recognize and

encourage good management practices; just as important, they

learn to recognize poor management and how to correct it.

1. Challenges

a. Being a manager is hard work and often involves more

clerical duties than managerial responsibilities. Managers

often must deal with a range of personalities, make do with

limited resources, and work in chaotic and uncertain

c. A manager’s success typically is dependent on others’

work performance.

2. Rewards

a. Managers have an opportunity to create a work

environment in which organizational members can do their

work to the best of their ability and help the organization

achieve its goals.

c. Knowing that their efforts, skills, and abilities are needed

by the organization gives many managers great

satisfaction.

D. Gaining Insights into Life at Work.

ANSWERS TO REVIEW AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Student answers to these questions will vary.

1-1. What is a manager? How do managers differ from nonmanagerial employees?

1-2. Why are managers important to organizations?

1-3. In today’s environment, explain which is more important to organizations—

efficiency or effectiveness?

1-4. Is your course instructor a manager? Discuss in terms of managerial functions,

managerial roles, and skills.

Course instructors (in contrast to individuals who hold positions such as department

head) are not usually classified as managers. In most situations, a course instructor

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does not fall within the definition of a manager when utilizing managerial functions,

mainly because students are clients rather than employees. In some cases, an instructor

has little input about course content or how it should be taught. In these instances, the

instructor makes few managerial decisions.

In terms of managerial roles, course instructors may be involved in some ways in the

interpersonal, informational, and decisional roles. For example, a course instructor could

be seen as a liaison (interpersonal role), a monitor and disseminator (both informational

roles), and a disturbance handler and negotiator (both decisional roles).

Regarding managerial skills, course instructors certainly need technical skills—

knowledge about the latest research and conceptual developments in a particular

discipline. They also need significant human skills as they interact with their students. To

a limited extent, the instructor utilizes conceptual skills as courses are planned or as

departmental curriculums are debated. (LO: 1, Tell who managers are and where they

work, AACSB: Reflective thinking)

“

1-5. Why is it important for managers to focus on the customer?

1-6. Is it more important for managers to focus on technology or innovation?

1-7. Explain why the universality of management concept still holds true or doesn’t hold

true in today’s world.

Management principles are needed for the efficient and effective operation of

1-8. “Management is undoubtedly one of humankind’s most important inventions.”

Explain why you do or do not agree with this statement.

While most people do not see ‘management’ as an invention, it is safe to say that

without the principles of management and the guidance of managers in organizations,

1-11. Explain why an organization does or does not have an ethical responsibility to

assist its new managers in their new positions.

1-12. What could organizations and employees do to make the transition into a

management role easier?

SKILLS EXERCISE: DEVELOPING YOUR POLITICAL SKILLS

As referenced in Exhibit 1-7, there are many skills important to managers. One important

skill is their ability to understand and navigate political situations. In this exercise,

WORKING TOGETHER: TEAM EXERCISE

In groups of three to four individuals, students are asked to discuss their experience with

both good and bad managers. Students should make a list of both good and bad

management behaviors and relate these to the functions of management and which

management skills they think it falls under. After the groups develop their list, they

should share with the rest of the class. (LO: 3, Describe the functions, roles, and skills of

managers, AACSB: Written and oral communication)

MY TURN TO BE A MANAGER

• Use the most current Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S. Department of

Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics) to research three different categories of

managers. For each, prepare a bulleted list that describes the following: the

nature of the work, training and other qualifications needed, earnings, and job

outlook and projections data.

• Explore the social media presence of your favorite company. Like their Facebook

page and follow them on Twitter, Instagram, and/or any other social media outlet

the company uses.

• Interview two different managers and ask them the following questions: What are

the best and worst parts about being a manager? What’s the best management

advice you ever received? Type up the questions and their answers to turn in to

your professor.

• Accountants and other professionals have certification programs to verify their

skills, knowledge, and professionalism. What about managers? Two certification

programs for managers are the Certified Manager (Institute of Certified

Professional Managers) and the Certified Business Manager (Association of

Professional in Business Management). Research each of these programs.

Prepare a bulleted list of what each involves.

ANSWERS TO CASE APPLICATION 1 QUESTIONS

Student answers to these questions will vary.

The Power of Social Media

1-13. Why is it important for the ALSA management team to understand the

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previous year. Given the success of the Ice Bucket Challenge, social media has proven

to be a strong alternative to more traditional approaches to fundraising. (LO: 4, Describe

the factors that are reshaping and redefining the manager’s job, AACSB: Analytical

thinking)

1-14. Do you think the ALSA can continue to rely on the Ice Bucket Challenge to

support the organization’s fundraising efforts? Why or why not?

1-15. Do you think the Ice Bucket Challenge would have had the same success if the

management at ALSA initiated the challenge?

1-16. What can the ALSA learn from this experience to help the organization take

CASE APPLICATION 2 QUESTIONS

Student answers to these questions will vary.

Who Needs A Boss?

1-17. What is a holacracy?

1-18. What benefits do you see to an organization where there are no job titles, no

managers, and no hierarchy?

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good as long as there is a way to keep standards high. (LO: 4, Describe the factors that

are reshaping and redefining the manager’s job, AACSB: Analytical thinking)

1-19. What challenges does a holacratic approach have?

1-20. Discuss why you would or would not like to work in an organization like this?

While the holacracy is a new approach, students might draw on their previous

experiences on self-governing teams like academic group projects. Some students may