Unit 1 Introduction to Management管理学的介绍 (2).doc

Unit 1 Introduction to ManagementPart OneTeaching objectivesThe learning goals of this unit is to:* Identify the functions of management* Identify the levels of management* Describe the skills that managers need* Describe roles that managers playPart TwoNotes for vocabulary* managers: someone who coordinates and oversees the work of other people in order to accomplish organizational goals.* first-line managers: the lowest level of management who manage the work of non-management employees and typically are directly or indirectly involved with producing the organizations products or serving the organizations customers.* middle managers: managers between the lowest level and top levels of the organization who manage the work of first-line managers.* top managers: managers at or near the upper levels of the organization structure who are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and establishing the goals and plans that affect the entire organization.* planning: a management function that involves defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals, and developing plans to integrate and coordinate activities.* organizing: a management function that involves arranging and structuring work to accomplish organizational goals.* leading: a management function that involves working with and through people to accomplish organizational goals.* controlling: a management function that involves monitoring, comparing, and correcting work performance.* management roles: specific categories of managerial behaviors.* interpersonal roles: managerial roles that involve people and other duties that are ceremonial and symbolic in nature.* informational roles: managerial roles that involve collecting, receiving, and disseminating information.* decisional roles: managerial roles that involve making choices.* technical skills: job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to proficiently perform work tasks.* human skills: the ability to work well with other people individually and in a group.* conceptual skills: the ability to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations.（注：专业词汇注释，备注在课文第一次出现该词汇一页下方。）Part ThreeReading comprehension: An Introduction to Management1. Definition of management With the development of economy and the trend of globalization, the world is changing quickly. It is true that the extensive use of Internet, the knowledge blast, the severe competition in cost, quality, speed and innovation change the context of business and the specifics of doing business, but there are still plenty of timeless principles that make great managers and great organizations. While fresh thinking and new approaches are required now more than ever, successful management shall be relevant and adaptable to the 21st century environment. From the very beginning of Scientific Management presented by Frederick Winslow Taylor to nowadays, management have been being attached with different definitions and study emphasis. For example, one management scholar, Mary parker Follett, described management as “the art of getting things done through people.” Peter Ducker, a noted management theorist, explains that managers give direction to their organizations, provide leadership, and decide how to use organizational resources to accomplish goals. Getting things done through people and other resources and providing direction and leadership are what managers do. These activities apply not only to top executives but also to a leader of a cleaning crew, a supervisor in a bottling plant, or a director of marketing. Moreover, management is often considered universal because it uses organizational resources to accomplish goals and attain high performance in all types of profit and not-for-profit organizations. Richard L. Daft defines management as the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, leading and controlling organization resources. There are two important ideas in this definition:(1)the four functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling and (2)the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner. Exhibit 1.1 illustrates the process of how managers use resources to attain organizational goals.Exhibit 1.1 The Process of Management2.Management Levels Managers are responsible for different departments, work at different levels in the hierarchy, and meet different requirements for achieving high performance. 2.1 Vertical Differences An important determinant of the managers job is hierarchical level. Exhibit 1.2 illustrates the three levels in the hierarchy. Exhibit 1.2 Management Levels in the Organizational Hierarchy 2.1.1 Top-level managers Top managers are at the top of the hierarchy and are responsible for the overall management. They have such titles as president, chairperson, executive director, chief executive officer (CEO), executive vice-president, and top executives, and focus mainly on long-term issues and emphasize the survival, growth, and overall effectiveness of the organization, e.g., setting organizational goals, defining strategies for achieving them, monitoring and interpreting the external environment, and making big decisions. Top managers are concerned not only with the organization as a whole, but also with the interaction between the organization and its external environment, so they work extensively with outside individuals and organizations. 2.1.2Middle-level managers Middle managers, such as department head, manager of quality control, director of the research lab, work at middle levels of the organization and are responsible business units and major departments. They are called tactical managers and act as the bridge between higher and lower levels. They carry out top managers directives primarily by delegating authority and responsibility to their subordinates and coordinating schedules and resources with other managers. Middle managers generally are concerned with the near future and are expected to establish good relationship with peers around the organization, encourage teamwork, and resolve conflicts. Middle managers often spend much of their day talking on the phone, attending committee meetings, and preparing and reviewing reports. Of course, they must be good at developing their subordinates, creating a harmonious environment for communication, and making the subordinates visible to other middle managers and to top managers. 2.1.3 First-line managers First-line managers, also called frontline managers or operational managers, are directly responsible for the production of goods and services. Such managers often have titles as supervisor, line manager, section chief, and office manager and act as the link between management and non-management personnel. Their primary concern is the application of rules and procedures to achieve efficient production, provide technical assistance, and motivate subordinates. Thus, they usually need strong technical expertise to teach subordinates and supervise their day-to-day tasks. 2.2 Horizontal Differences The other major difference in management jobs occurs horizontally across the organization. Functional managers are responsible for departments that perform a single functional task and have employees with similar training and skills. Functional departments include advertising, sales, finance, human resources, manufacturing and accounting. As corporations continue to reduce hierarchical levels and move toward flatter, more horizontal structures, and more people with project management skills will be needed. Project managers need significant human skills, because they coordinate diverse people to attain project goals.3. Management skills In the business world today, the great managers not only adapt to changing conditions, but also apply the fundamental management principles consistently. A manager shall perform the management functions well and create a competitive advantage. However, just understanding those functions cannot ensure success in management. Managers must understand and adapt to what is happening, and the success lies heavily in knowing and applying the proven skills of management. The necessary skills, that is, the specific abilities that result from knowledge, information, practice and aptitude, can be summarized in the following three categories: conceptual skills, interpersonal skills and technical skills. As illustrated in Exhibit 1.3, the application of these skills changes as managers move up in the organization.Management levelTop managersMiddle managersFirst-line managersNon-managers (Personnel) Exhibit 1.3 Relationship of Conceptual, Human and Technical Skills to Management Levels 3.1 Conceptual skills Conceptual skill is the cognitive ability to see the organization as a whole and understand the relationship between the various tasks of a firm. Such skills have close relationship with managers thinking, information processing, and planning abilities, and involve knowing where ones department fits into the total organization and how the organization fits into the industry, the community, and the border business and social environment. Conceptual skills are needed by all managers but are especially important for managers at the top. These skills are necessary to well develop employees and use other resources in a manner that can achieve the organizations goals. Managers with good conceptual skills tend to be creative and are willing to consider various methods of achieving goals. 3.2 Interpersonal skills Interpersonal skill is the managers ability to work with and through other people and to work effectively as a team member. Managers spend the great majority of their time interacting with people, so they must develop their ability to lead, motivate, coordinate, and communicate effectively with those around them. A manager with such skills allows subordinates to express themselves without fear of ridicule and encourages participation. 3.3 Technical skills Technical skill is the ability to perform a specific task that involves a certain methods or process. They include not only mastery of the methods, techniques, and equipment, but also specialized knowledge, analytical ability, and the competent use of tools and techniques to solve problems. Such skills are particularly important at lower organizational levels, and many managers get promoted to their first management job by having excellent technical skills, so these skills give them the background for their new responsibilities and an appreciation of the activities of others in the organization. However, managers may rely less on their technical skills as they rise through an organization.4. Manager Roles A role is a set of expectation for a managers behaviors. The manager roles can be divided into three categories: informational (managing by information), interpersonal (managing through people) and decisional (managing through action). Each role represents activities that managers undertake to ultimately accomplish the functions of planning, organizing, leading and controlling. The manager who only communicates or only conceives never gets anything done, while the manager who only “does” ends up doing it all alone. Exhibit 1.4 provides examples of manager roles. CategoryRoleActivityinformationmonitorSeek and receive information, scan periodicals and reports, maintain personal contacts.disseminator Forward information to other organization members; send memos and reports; make calls.spokespersonTransmit information to outsiders through speeches, reports, erpersonalfigureheadPerform ceremonial and symbolic duties such as greeting visitors, signing legal documents.leaderDirect and motivate subordinates; train, counsel, and communicate with subordinates.liaisonMaintain information links both inside and outside organization; use mail, calls, meetings.decisionalentrepreneurInitiate improvement projects; identify new ideas, delegate idea responsibility to others.disturbance handler Take corrective action during disputes or crises; resolve conflicts among subordinates; adapt to environmental crisis.resource allocatorDecide who gets resources; schedule, budget, set priorities.negotiatorRepresent department during negotiation of union contracts, sales, purchases, budgets; represent departmental interests. Exhibit 1.4 Ten Manager Roles 4.1 Information roles Information roles describe the activities used to maintain and develop an information network. General Managers spend about 75% percent of their time to other people. The monitor role involves seeking current information from many sources. The manager acquires information from others and scans written materials to stay well-informed. The disseminator and spokesperson roles are just opposite: the manager transmits current information to others, both inside and outside the organization. With the trend toward empowerment of lower-level employees, many managers are sharing as much information as possible. 4.2 Interpersonal Roles Interpersonal roles pertain to relationship with others and are related to the human skills described earlier. The figurehead role involves handling ceremonial and symbolic activities for the department or organization. The manager represents the organization in his or her formal managerial capacity as the head of the unit. The leader role encompasses relationships with subordinates, including motivation, communication and influence. The liaison role pertains to the development of information sources both inside and outside the organization. 4.3 Decisional roles Decisional roles pertain to those events about which the manager must make a choice and take actions. Those roles often require conceptual as well as human skills. The entrepreneur role involves the initiation of change. Managers are constantly thinking about the future and how to get there. Managers become aware of problems and search for improvement projects that will correct them. The disturbance handler role involves resolving conflicts among subordinates or between the managers department and other departments. The resource allocator role pertains to decisions about how to allocate people, time, equipment, budget, and other resources to attain desired outcomes. The manager must decide which projects receive budget allocations, which of several customers complains receive priority, and even how to spend his or her own time. The negotiator role involves formal negotiations and bargaining to attain outcomes for the managers unit responsibilityExercises:I. Mark the following statements with T(True) or F(False) according to the passage.1. Management is coordinating work activities so that they are completed efficiently and effectively with and through people. 2. A manager works with and through other people by coordinating their work activities in order to accomplish organizational goals.3. Managers can do what the want anytime, anywhere, or in any way. 4. Middle managers are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and establishing the plans and goals that affect the entire organization. 5. Human skills include the ability to work well with other people. 6. Technical skills become more important as the manager moves to higher levels in the organization.7. Conceptual skills are the ability to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations. 8. The emphasis that managers give to the various roles seems to change with their organizational level. II. Fill in the blanks with the words and expressions listed below.bonuses abilities rewarding motivated goals support outcomes recognition imagination compensation Despite the challenges, being a manager can be _1_. As a manager, you are responsible for creating a work environment in which organizational members can do their work to the best of their _2_ and thus help the organization achieve its _3_ . You help others find meaning and fulfillment in their work.You get to _4_ , coach and nurture others and help them make good decisions. In addition, as a manager, you often have the opportunity to think creatively and use your _5_. Youll get to meet and work with a variety of people both inside and outside the organization. Other rewards may include receiving _6_ and status in your organization and in the community, playing a role in influencing organizational _7_, and receiving attractive _8_ in the form of salaries, _9_ , and stock options. Finally, organizations need good managers. Its through the combined efforts of _10_ and passionate people working together that organizations accomplish their goals. As a manager, you can be assured that your efforts, skills, and abilities are needed. III. Complete the following sentences by translating the parts given in Chinese.1. Management is the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner _（通过对组织资源的计划、组织、领导和控制）.2. Top managers are _（位于层级结构的最高层，需要对整个组织负责）.3. Middle managers carry out top managers directives primarily by delegating authority and responsibility to their subordinates and _（与其他管理者协调进度与资源）. 4. First-line managers primary concern is _（应用规则和程序）to achieve efficient production, provide technical assistance, and motivate subordinates.5. Conceptual skills involve _（了解某个部门如何适合整个组织）and how the organization fits in