Domain V –Topic D – Part 2

(Shreela’s new outline)

A. Management Skills

1. technical – understanding and proficiency in a specific kind of activity which is important at lower levels of management

2. human – ability to work effectively as a group member which is important at all levels, but especially at lower levels.

3. conceptual – ability to see organization as a whole which is important at higher levels of management

B. Management Theories

Theory / Definition / Premises / Strengths/Weaknesses
Traditional/classical / Formal structure that organizes and administers work activity through authority and responsibility / Coordination is main responsibility; focus on tasks, structure, authority / Too mechanistic, no group interactions and decision making processes
Human Relations – Theory Z / The value of a company is the people / Uses behavioral sciences as social interaction and employee participation is facilitated
Integrated / Opens systems approach to leadership that interacts with influencing external factors – customers, suppliers, etc. / Operational analysis of information used in decision making – including variety of conflicting objectives / A change in one part of the system affects other parts
Scientific management – Taylor / Systematic approach to improving worker efficiency based on the collection and analysis of data / Uses performance standards and time studies to increase efficiency / Workers must work at fastest pace possible to achieve maximum efficiency
Management by Objectives – Drucker / Democratic management that provides control from within / Establishes employee performance goals, focuses on results and accomplishments
Organizational change theory / Management with a focus on change within organization in order to transform department / Managers recognize a need to change and raise awareness among employees and defines vision for future
Transactional / Management with leader and followers having separate but related purpose / One person takes the initiative in making contact with others to exchange valued things / Leaders and followers are not bound together in pursuit of common goals
Transformational / Management which encourages followers to become leaders / One person exchanges with others so that leaders and followers encourage motivation / Leads to team spirit, lower staff turnover rate, increased morale

C. Decision making methods

1. Nominal group technique (Delbecq) – structured by authoritative leader; followers are silent, leader records and ranks ideas and takes vote for decision

2. Delphi technique – designed to probe expert minds in a series of interviews from which some consensus is sought; participants do not meet.

3. Cause and effect diagram – increases worker involvement by categorizing related factors to make their influence more observable; uses series of connected arrows, each representing an important factor in the problem.

4. Queuing theory–balances the costs of waiting in line against the cost of preventing lines by expanding the facility. Analytical procedures or simulation are used to determine the cost of waiting in line or “the cost of tolerating the queue” (what the…)

D. Conflict resolution methods

1. Dominance and suppression – conflict is repressed by:

  • Forcing – no argument, boss is right
  • Smoothing – manager minimizes conflict by trying to get one side to give in
  • Avoidance – manager pretends to be unaware that conflict exists (haha)
  • Resolve by majority vote – effective if members see it as fair

2. Compromise – mangers resolve conflict by finding middle ground; not always effective because some objectives are sacrificed and solution is not always best

3. Integrative problem solving – conflict is converted into joint problem solving situation as parties openly try to find a solution they can all accept.