22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Main Theories of Situational or Contingency Approaches

Decision Making
Essay on the Main Theories of Situational or Contingency Approaches!The leadership approaches discussed so far attributes leadership performance on the basis of certain traits or in terms of leader’s behaviour. The contingency theories propose that an analysis of leadership involves not only the individual traits and behaviour but also a focus on the given situation. Image Source: i.ytimg.com ADVERTISEMENTS: The effectiveness of leader behaviour is contingent upon the demands imposed by the situation. The focus is on the situation and not on the leader. Different types of situations demand different characteristics and behaviours because each type of leader faces different situations. A successful leader under one set of circumstances may be a failure under a different set of circumstances. For example, Winston Churchill was considered a successful prime minister and…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Bringing changes in the Individual Behaviour Patterns Within An Organisation

Management
Bringing changes in the Individual Behaviour Patterns Within An Organisation !The change agents are those elements that are responsible for bringing about the change in the individual behaviour patterns. This is the most important type of change since other types of changes such as in strategy, structure or process can always be introduced simply by the management and most often these changes are accepted by the workers. Image Source: d223wx6eb72vcz.cloudfront.net ADVERTISEMENTS: Also because behaviour is highly complex phenomenon, it may require a number of strategies to make desirable changes in human behaviour. These change agents may either be the initiators of changes or serve as catalysts for such change. Four types of change agents have been identified. i) Outside pressures: These are pressures from the external envi­ronment and are directed…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Essay on Social Responsiveness (504 Words)

Management
Essay on Social Responsiveness (504 Words)!Social responsiveness is defined as “the degree of effectiveness and efficiency an organization displays in pursuing its social responsibilities”. The more socially responsive attitude the organizations show, the greater the degree of effectiveness and efficiency they have in pursuing their social responsibilities. Image Source: energy.cratos-group.com ADVERTISEMENTS: Deciding on the types of social activities that the management wants to pursue, organizing the resources that are necessary to meet those responsibilities and then controlling the management processes so that these social goals are optimally accomplished without wasting any organizational resources in the process, are the key functions of management in this area in order to maintain a high level of social responsiveness. Approaches to Meeting Social Responsibilities: Various managerial approaches to meeting social obligations determine an organization’s…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Essay on Some Important Organisation Structure Designs

Accounting
Essay on Some Important Organisation Structure Designs!Organizational structure according to George and Jones, “is the formal system of task and reporting relationships that controls, coordinates, and motivates employees so that they cooperate and work together to achieve an organization’s goals”. Image Source: cdn2.slidemodel.com ADVERTISEMENTS: Such a system is primarily influenced by certain contingency factors such as technology used or the organization’s size, as discussed earlier. Depending upon the type of the organization and the philosophy of operations, managers can select any one of the various structured designs available. Some of these designs are explained as follows: 1) The Line Structure: The line structure is the simplest form of organization and is most common among small companies. The authority is embedded in the hierarchical structure and it flows in a direct…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Essay on Managerial Skills for Recognising a Situation

Management
Essay on managerial skills for Recognising a Situation!It has been pointed out earlier that under certain situations, conflict can become necessary and desirable in order to create changes and challenges within the organization. In such situations, management would want to adopt a policy of conflict stimulation so that it encourages involvement and innovation. Image Source: totalcareermastery.com ADVERTISEMENTS: How does a manager recognize a situation which is vulnerable to conflict stimulation? Some of the factors that could create grounds for stimulating conflict are:i. Too much satisfaction with status quo.ii. Low rate of employee turnover.iii. Shortage of new ideas. ADVERTISEMENTS: iv. Strong resistance to change.v. Friendly relations taking precedence over organizational goals.vi. Excessive efforts for avoiding conflict.Some of the specific techniques for inducing conflict as suggested by S.P. Robbins are: a) Appoint…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Short Essay on Product Life-Cycle Model (326 Words)

Strategy
Short Essay on Product Life-Cycle Model (326 Words)!The product life-cycle itself is not really a strategy but it provides a frame work for managers to formulate strategy over time of the product-life. The product life cycle is shown as below: Image Source: cdn.slidemodel.com ADVERTISEMENTS: A product goes through four typical stages, which are: introduction, growth, maturity and decline. When a new product is introduced, it takes some time before it gets accepted. Once it is accepted, it may go through a period of rapid growth.Eventually, the rate of growth for the product slows down and the market for the product matures. Finally, the product may enter into a decline stage. In terms of strategic planning the product life cycle approach suggests that different business strategies should be used to support…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Essay on Various Definition of Organization (613 Words)

Management
Essay on Various Definition of Organization (613 Words)!The word organization is used and understood widely in our daily lives. It has been defined in a number of ways by psychologists, sociologists, management theorists as well as practitioners. Image Source: i.ytimg.com ADVERTISEMENTS: A definition of organization suggested by Chester Barnard, a well known management practitioner, nearly sixty years ago still remains popular among organization and management theorists.According to him, an organization is, “a system of consciously coordinated activities or efforts of two or more persons”. In other words, a formal organization is a cooperative system in which people gather together and formally agree to combine their efforts for a common purpose.It is important to note that the key element in this rather simplistic definition is “conscious coordination” and it implies a…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Various Factors that describe the Macro-Environment of an Organization

Decision Making
Various Factors that describe the Macro-Environment of an Organization!The external environment can be divided into two levels, namely, the “macro-environment” and the “task environment”. The macro- environment of an organization consists of such broad dimensions and forces in the surrounding environment which provides opportunities and poses threats to the organization. Image Source: i.ytimg.com ADVERTISEMENTS: These elements are general in nature and influence the organizations in an indirect way. These factors are shown as follows:These factors and their influences are described in more detail. 1. Economic Factors: The economic environment is the overall health of the economic system in which the organizations operate. Key economic influences include factors such as inflation, interest rates, unemployment, disposable income, balance of payments, stage of the economic cycle and so on.These influences are very strong…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

Useful Essay on Decision Making (704 Words)

Decision Making
Since the importance of the right decision cannot be overemphasized enough, it is imperative that all factors affecting the decision be properly looked at and fully investigated because the quality of the decision can make the difference between success and failure. Image Source: savingforsomeday.comIn addition to technical and operational factors which can be quantified and analyzed, other factors such as personal values, personality traits, psychological assessment of the decision maker, perception of the environment, intuitional and judgmental capabilities and emotional interference must also be understood and credited in the decision making process. ADVERTISEMENTS: Some researchers have pin-pointed some areas where managerial thinking needs to be re-assessed and where some common mistakes are made that affect the decision making process as well as the efficiency of the decision, and these mistakes…
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22Sep 2018 by Reese Bannister

The Various Challenges face by the Management of Today and that of the Future

Decision Making
The managers today face an increasingly complex and dynamic environment. The forces of change, from both within and outside the organization, are constantly providing new challenges for management. Image Source: enfongspeaks.comAs the twenty first century approaches, the complexity of managerial environment would require a complete overhaul of management functions, roles and skills in order to successfully meet the challenges that such complexity will pose. Elizabeth Kanter has suggested five key elements that are expected to be an integral part of the change process. These are: ADVERTISEMENTS: 1. Greater number and variety of channels for taking action and exerting influence.2. Relationships shifting from the vertical to horizontal, from chain of command to peer network.3. The distinction between emanagers and those managed is diminishing.4. External relationships are increasingly important as sources of…
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