Chapter

6
THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT FUNCTION

Lecturer: Ronnie Sefoka 011 344 2314

Learning Objectives
Define Management
Discuss the management function in its entirety

Explain the elements of management (POLC)

Describe Planning as the first element of the management function

Describe Control as an element of the management function

Explain the relationship between Control and Planning

Definition of Management
The process of getting things done through the actions of others
Le Roux et al

Definition of Management
The process of utilising an organisations resources (human, financial, physical and information resources) to achieve specific objectives through the functions of POLC.

DuBrin, Ireland & Williams, 1989:5

Definition of Management
The process by which human, financial, physical and information resources are employed for the attainment of the objectives of an organization.

Introduction to B/Management, 2nd & 6th Ed. G J de J Cronje.

Definition of Management
The process of (POLC) the resources of the organization to achieve stated organizational goals as efficiently as possible. e.g To increase all sports attendance to 80% consistently by 2007

Management Principles: Smit & Cronje, 2nd Ed.

Definition of Management
The process of getting things done, effectively and efficiently, through and with other people.

Fundamentals of Management: Robbins & DeCenzo, 4th Ed

Process
Manager

Planning
What?

Organizing
How?

Leading
When?

Control
Whether

LEVELS AT WHICH MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS

General management of the enterprise Strategic (long-term) objectives

Top management

Final authority & responsibility

Board of Directors, MD & CEO Implementation of Plans & strategies, policies and the allocation of resources. Medium-term & functional planning Concerned with daily tasks Implement plans & objectives of middle management

Middle Management

First-level (Supervisory) management

Workers

Requirements at Supervisory Management level

Technical knowledge & skills Knowledge of the work itself Ability to work with people Ability to understand people Ability to motivate people

Role of Management
Directs the organization towards its goals Sets & keeps the operations of the business on a balanced course Keeps the organization in equilibrium with its environment Is necessary to reach the goals of the organization at the highest possible level of productivity

Managerial Skills needed

Conceptual skills Analytical skills Decision-making skills Interpersonal skills Technical skills

Skills needed at different managerial levels (p.113)

Top management 70% Conceptual & Analytical skills 20% decision-making skills

Middle Management 60% Interpersonal and technical skills 20% decision-making skills First level management 50% technical skills 30% conceptual skills

10% interpersonal & technical skills

20% conceptual & analytical skills

20% decision-making, analytical & interpersonal skills

Chapter

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THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT FUNCTION
Session 6 / 11 SEPTEMBER 2007

Screen graphics created by: Isaac T Tshabalala

1. Planning
Determining the mission and goals of the business, including the ways in which the goals are to be reached in the long term, and the resources needed.

Planning
The process in which objectives are determined and the plans are devised to reach these objectives

Planning Process
Determines the mission & goals of the business, including ways in which goals are to be reached & the resources needed. It includes future position and guide lines or plans on how to reach that position

A plan sets the organization in motion

8 Steps in the planning process

1. Id. The opportunities & threats - info. on past/present & future to be gathered to make informed panning 2. Formulate objectives - 1st step in planning. - objectives of each function/division/project are set 3. Make assumptions & draw action plans - analyse gathered info. and make decisions based on realistic predictions 4. Id. alternative plans of action - to position the enterprise flexibly

8 Steps in the planning process

5. Choose a final plan - best plan chosen and implemented after ALL alternatives have been taken into consideration 6. Draw up a budgets - to ensure availability of finance to execute the plan 7. Implement the plan - Organising, Leading and Control are crucial to the successful execution of the plan - planning process is dynamic and cannot take place in isolation

The importance of Planning

Planning gives direction Planning promotes coordination between departments and people Compels managers to look to the future Ensures that businesses keep abreast of technology Planning ensures cohesion

Promotes stability

Organizational Objectives & levels at which they occur

Mission, Vision,

Top Management

L/t objectives Functional objectives

Long-term objectives
Medium to Short term or Functional objectives (3 5 years) Operational objectives

Middle M/ment
Operational objectives

Lower M/ment

(1 year)

Examples: Vision Slogans

Levi Strauss & Company We will clothe the world by marketing the most appealing and widely worn casual clothing in the world.

Microsoft Corporation Empower people through great softwareany time, any place, and on any device.

Mayo Clinic The best care to every patient every day.

Ideals of an objective

Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time bound

Those responsible for achieving objectives should be clearly identified Objectives to be set out in order of priority Objectives should NOT contradict each other Objectives should be consistent Objectives to be reasonable in order to be acceptable by staff See Le Roux (p.120)

2. Organizing
2nd step in the management process. It involves allocating resources, defining duties and fixing procedures to reach goals.

Develops a framework for the employment of resources to achieve set goals

Definition of Organising
The structured grouping and combining of people and other resources and coordinating them to achieve organisational goals

The creation of a structure within which planned work can be arranged and grouped.

Organising in perspective

Management has to develop mechanisms to implement the plan

Determine what activities to be carried out, what resources to be employed & who must perform various activities, and at which time

Organising to be logical & Systematic

Gather required information
Id. and analyse the activities Divide the activities into meaningful units/divisions Divide the units activities into meaningful tasks Assign authority and responsibility Obtain what is necessary and make the rules known

Chapter

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THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT FUNCTION
Session 7 / 13 SEPTEMBER 2007

Screen graphics created by: Isaac T Tshabalala

The importance of Organising

1) Entails a detailed analysis of work to be done, resources to be allocated, methods and procedures to be used, assigning authority & responsibility, to achieve goals Divides the total workload into activities that can comfortably be performed by individuals/group

2)

The importance of Organising

3) Promotes productive deployment and utilisation of resources It groups related activities and tasks of individuals together rationally (e.g. Marketing, personnel etc) Organizational structure results in a mechanism that coordinates the activities of the whole business into complete, uniform harmonious units.

4)

5)

Authority and Responsibility

Authority: the right to give orders and expect compliance from the subordinates.

Responsibility refers to employees obligations to their employer to carry out tasks and instructions according to the prescribed guidelines laid down in the enterprise. If a manager has authority, he/she is also responsible for the actions of his/ her subordinates.

3.

Leadership

That element of management that sets activities in motion and keeps the activities moving until the goals have been accomplished.

Definition of Leadership
It is the influencing and directing of the behaviour of subordinates such that they willingly strive to accomplish organisational goals

Definition of Leadership

Leadership is often defined as the management function that activates people to willingly do things. Thus: Leaders must know how to motivate their followers

Chapter

6
THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT FUNCTION
Session . / . SEPTEMBER 2007
Screen graphics created by: Isaac T Tshabalala

Leadership

Involves elements such as influencing people, giving orders, motivating people , either as individuals or in groups, managing conflict and communicating with subordinates.

Leadership
Directing the human resources of the organization and motivating them. Leaders:

Motivates & influence staff

Align actions of subordinates with set goals Do not only give orders Collaborate with their superiors, equals, subordinates, individuals & groups to reach set goals

Leadership Styles
Two basic leadership styles

Task-oriented style

People-oriented style

Leadership Characteristics
1) One study found that characteristics such as Intelligence, initiative and self confidence are closely related to managerial proficiency. 2) The most recent studies have found that women are less likely than men to emerge as leaders but that, when they do, they are as effective as men. 3) Subordinates regard women in managerial positions as no less competent leaders than men

Leadership Characteristics
"Powell's Rules for Picking People: Look for intelligence and judgment, and most critically, a capacity to anticipate, to see around corners. Also look for loyalty, integrity, a high energy drive, a balanced ego, and the drive to get things done.

Examples of good Leadership

Jack Welsh (former CEO of Gen. Electric)

Nelson Mandela
Julias Nyerere Mahatma Ghundhi A Hitler

Implementation Leadership
It is executed through:
Motivation and Communication

Basic communication model

Who SENDER

Says What MESSAGE

along which.. CHANNEL

to whom RECEIVER (AUDIENCE)

With what result

Feedback channel

See Le Roux (p.135)

Barriers to Effective Communication

Emotions:How a receiver feels at the time a message is received will influence how the message is interpreted. Language:Words have different meanings to different people.

Barriers to Effective Communication

Hand gestures mean different things in different Countries

Communication barriers between men & women

Women talk to: Men talk to: Establish connection Emphasize status, and intimacy. power, and Criticize men for not independence. listening. Complain that Speak of problems to women talk on and promote closeness. on. Express regret and Offer solutions. restore balance to a To boast about their conversation. accomplishments.

4.

Control It is the creation of realistic standards against which the performance of the employees and the organisation can be measured, and by which deviations from the enterprise's standards are detected in good time

Controlling
Constantly establishing whether the business is on proper course towards accomplishing set goals Forces management to ensure that activities & performance conform to set plans
Forces management to constantly reconsider its course

The Control Process

Start Set standards (derived from goals) Measure act performance

Rectify deviations (corrective action)

Evaluate deviations (performance gap)

The focus of Control

Physical resources

Financial resources Information resources

Human resources

The importance of Control

The nature of the management process itself and, in particular, the task of planning
The constantly increasing size of business Managers and subordinates are capable of making poor decisions and committing errors The delegation of tasks to a subordinate does not mean that the job of management has been completed

Competition
To ensure that the organisations resources are deployed in such a way that it reaches its goals Control usually results in better quality

END OF LECTURE