MGF1010: Introduction to Management

Week 2:Introduction to Managers, Management and Organisations

MonashBusiness & Economics

Objectives

•Revisit the nature of an organisation and why managers are important to organisations •Classify managers and non-managerial employees •Define management, efficiency and effectiveness •Describe what a manager does (i.e. functions, roles and skills) •Discuss whether the manager’s job is universal •Outline the factors that are reshaping and redefining the manager’s job

Last week Assignments & Assessments Concepts & Theories in the lectureAny Qs?

Next week onwards you must attend the tutorial you are officially enrolled in via allocate unless you’ve received explicit permission from Lakmal (you should have an e-mail stating the same if that is the case) to attend an alternative tutorial.

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Block 1: Guided Reading Activity

Bolin, M., & Härenstam, A. (2008). An empirical study of bureaucratic and post-bureaucratic characteristics in 90 workplaces. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 29(4), 541-564.

In groups of 3-4, discuss and develop answers for:

1. Title, Abstract and Introduction 2. Literature Review3. Methodology4. Results/Findings5. Discussion6. Conclusion/directions for future research and reflection and

critique

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Managing McDonald’s Australia (pp. 34-36)

In groups of 3-4, develop & justify your answers for: 1. What’s the purpose of McDonald’s? How is the organisation structured? What role do

employees play in assisting McDonald’s achieve its stated purpose? 2. What role(s) are performed by the CEO of McDonald’s Australia? Do these differ from

the roles performed by the first assistant manager at a McDonald’s restaurant? 3. What function(s) should the CEO undertake in managing the Australian operations of

McDonald’s? Do these differ from the functions undertaken by the first assistant manager at a McDonald’s restaurant?

4. In what ways would the technical, human and conceptual skills of the CEO of McDonald’s Australia influence how she aims to maintain an environment that encourages innovation, customer service and sustainability?

5. How would the increasing emphasis placed on customer satisfaction, innovation and sustainability as well as the widespread use of social media influence the expectations and requirements placed on the CEO of McDonald’s Australia? Do these differ for a first assistant manager at a McDonald’s restaurant?

6. Is Catriona Noble still the CEO of McDonald’s Australia? Has she progressed to a higher role within the McDonald’s empire?

Block 2: Illustrative case study

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Building a Tower: an intergroup competition (15 minutes)

Work as a group of 4-5 people to “build” the BEST towerCriteria: height, aesthetic appeal, and sturdiness

Block 3A: Class Activity

Image downloaded from http://www.wallcoo.net/human/building_model/html/wallpaper28.html

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Where the processes of POLC achieved? Did you enjoy working with people? How did you feel as a member of the group? Did you think this task was easier knowing what the goal was as you

started? Did a group leader surface early in the building process? Was there motivation to build the

best” tower in the group? Do you think everyone should be given a chance to participate? Does everyone have to participate? Why or why not? Were any of Mintzberg’s managerial roles and/or Katz’s managerial skills

evident through the exercise? Why or why not?

Block 3B: Discussion

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Short Answer Question (5 marks each)

1. List and briefly explain four ways in which a manager’s job is

changing in the 21st century.

2. List and briefly explain the four functions of management.

Block 4: Exam preparation

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Work in pairs, swap & grade each other’s work using the marking template below:

1. List and briefly explain four ways in which a manager’s job is changing in the 21st century.

Significant changes both within and beyond the organisation have had a measurable impact on management. The fact is that how managers manage is changing and management is becoming an increasingly complex and demanding activity. The factors which have an impact on changing manager’s job include: • Changing technology – Virtual workplaces, empowered employees • Increased threats to security – Work-life balance, discrimination concerns • Increased emphasis on organisational and managerial ethics – Increased accountability, corporate governance • Increased competitiveness – Customer service, innovation, globalization, efficiency/productivity• Increased environmental concerns – Recycling, sustainability, carbon emissions, reduced consumption of energy and other resources

Marking template for Q1

Identifying the aspects Briefly explaining 4 ways in which a manager’s job is changing

Overall quality

0.125 per aspect 1 mark per aspect 0.5 mark

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2. List and briefly explain the four functions of management.

Planning involves defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals and

developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities;

Organising involves arranging and structuring work to accomplish the organisation’s

goals.

Leading involves working with and through people to accomplish organisational goals.

Controlling involves monitoring, comparing and correcting work performance.

As managers perform the management functions, their work activities are done in an

ongoing and continuous manner as a process.

Marking template for Q2

Identifying the functions Briefly explaining 4 functions Overall quality

0.125 per function 1 mark for explanation of each function 0.5 mark

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1. Complete MCQ for week 3;2. Complete the weekly self-reflection for topic 1: Managers, management and organisations;3. Read the McDonald’s case available on Moodle under the Week 3 tab.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

Assignment reminder for NEXT WEEK