管理学问答题

第一章WHO ARE MANAGERS?127.In a short essay, explain how the definition of a manager has changed over time. Provide an example that illustrates the current definition.AnswerManagers used to be defined as the organizational members who told others what to do and how to do it. In the past, it was easy to differentiate managers from nonmanagerial employees. Nonmanagers were organizational members who worked directly on a job or task and had no one reporting to them. Managers were those who supervised other employees.Today, the changing nature of organizations and work has blurred the distinction between managers and nonmanagerial employees. Many traditional nonmanagerial jobs now include managerial activities. For example, managerial responsibilities are shar ed by managers and team members at General Cable Corporation’s facility in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. Most of the employees at Moose Jaw are cross-trained and multi-skilled. Within a single shift, an employee can be a team leader, equipment operator, maintenance technician, quality inspector, or improvement planner.(easy; pp. 4-5)128.In a short essay, describe the similarities and differences between managerial and nonmanagerial positions in today’s work environment. Answera.Similarities—In today’s w ork force, both managers and nonmanagers may at times have responsibility forcertain managerial activities. In addition, like nonmanagerial employees, managers may carry out some duties that do not involve supervising others.b.Differences—A nonmanager’s job tends to be focused on personal achievement. By contrast, a manager’s jobis not about personal achievement but rather helping others to do their work. In addition, nonmanagers focus primarily on accomplishing specific tasks. Managers may have their own tasks to accomplish, but they also focus on coordinating the work of others.(easy; pp. 4-5)129.In a short essay, describe and provide examples of first-line, middle, and top managers.Answera.First-line managers are the lowest level of management and manage the work of nonmanagerial individualswho are directly involved with the production or creation of the organization’s products. First-line managers are often called supervisors, but may also be called line managers, office managers, or even foremen.b.Middle managers include all levels of management between the first-line level and the top level of theorganization. These managers manage the work of first-line managers and may have titles such as department head, project leader, plant manager, or division manager.c.Top managers are responsible for making organization-wide decisions and establishing the plans and goals thataffect the entire organization. These individuals typically have titles such as executive vice president, president, managing director, chief operating officer, chief executive officer, or chairman of the board.(easy; pp. 6-7)WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?130.In a short essay, discuss the difference between efficiency and effectiveness and include a specific example to support each concept. Answera.Efficiency refers to getting the most output from the least amount of inputs. Because managersdeal with scarce inputs—including resources such as people, money, and equipment—they are concerned with the efficient use of resources. For instance, at the HON Company plant in Cedartown, Georgia, where employees make and assemble steel and wooden office furniture, efficient manufacturing techniques were implemented by doing things such as cutting inventory levels, decreasing the amount of time to manufacture products, and lowering product reject rates.From this perspective, efficiency is often referred to as ―doing things right‖—that is, not wasting resources.b.Effectiveness is often described as ―doing the right things‖—that is, those work activities that will help theorganization reach its goals. For instance, at the HON factory, goals included meeting customers’ increasingly stringent needs, executing world-class manufacturing strategies, and making employee jobs easier and safer.Through various work methods and programs, these goals were pursued and achieved. Whereas efficiency is concerned with the means of getting things done, effectiveness is concerned with the ends, or attainment of organizational goals.(moderate; pp. 7-8)WHAT DO MANAGERS DO?131.In a short essay, list and explain the four basic functions of management.Answera.Planning—involves the process of defining goals, establishing strategies for achieving those goals, anddeveloping plans to integrate and coordinate activities.anizing—involves the process of determining what tasks are to be done, who is to do them, how the tasks are tobe grouped, who reports to whom, and where deci sions are to be made.c.Leading—when managers motivate subordinates, influence individuals or teams as they work, select the mosteffective communication channel, or deal in any way with employee behavior issues, they are leading.d.Controlling—to ensure that work is proceeding as it should, managers must monitor and evaluate performance.The process of monitoring, comparing, and correcting is what is meant by the controlling function. (moderate; pp. 8-9)132.In a short essay, list and discuss 7 of the 10 managerial roles developed by Mintzberg. Include specific examples of each role and group each according to interpersonal, informational, and decisional roles.AnswerInterpersonal Rolesa.Figurehead—symbolic head; obliged to perform a number of routine duties of a legal or social nature.Examples include greeting visitors and signing legal documents.b.Leader—responsible for the motivation and activation of subordinates; responsible for staffing, training, andassociated duties. Examples include performing virtually all activities that involve subordinates.c.Liaison—maintains self-developed network of outside contacts and informers who provide favors andinformation. Examples include acknowledging mail, doing external board work, and performing other activities that involve outsiders.Informational Rolesa.Monitor—seeks and receives wide variety of internal and external information to develop thoroughunderstanding of organization and environment. Examples inc lude reading periodicals and reports, and maintaining personal contacts.b.Disseminator—transmits information received from outsiders or from subordinates to members of theorganization. Examples include holding informational meetings and making phone calls to relay information.c.Spokesperson—transmits information to outsiders on organization’s plans, policies, actions, results, and so on.Examples include holding board meetings and giving information to the media.Decisional Rolesa.Entrepreneur—searches organization and its environment for opportunities and initiates ―improvementprojects‖ to bring about changes. Examples include organizing strategy and review sessions to develo p new programs.b.Disturbance handler—responsible for corrective action when organization faces important, unexpecteddisturbances. Examples include organizing strategy and review sessions that involve disturbances and crises.c.Resource allocator—responsible for the allocation of organizational resources of all kinds—making orapproving all significant organizational decisions. Examples include scheduling, requesting authorization;performing any activity that involves budgeting and the programming of subordin ates’ work.d.Negotiator—responsible for representing the organization at major negotiations. Examples includeparticipating in union contract negotiations.The interpersonal roles are roles that involve people and other duties that are ceremonial and symbolic in nature. The three interpersonal roles include being a figurehead, leader, and liaison. The informational roles involve receiving, collecting, and disseminating information. The three informational roles include a monitor, disseminator, and spokesperson. Finally, the decisional roles revolve around making choices. The four decisional roles include entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, and negotiator.(difficult; pp. 10-11; AACSB: Communication)139.In a short essay, discuss which approach is more useful for describing the job of a manager—functions or roles? Describe the contributions of both approaches.AnswerFayol’s functions approach represents the most useful way of describing the manager’s job. This is because Fayol’s functions pro vide ―clear and discrete methods‖of classifying management activities and techniques. Though less effective than the functions approach, Mintzberg’s roles approach does offer important insights into managers’ work. Many of his roles align well with one or more of the functions. For instance, resource allocation is part of planning, as is the entrepreneurial role, and all three of the interpersonal roles are part of the leading function.(moderate; p. 12)140.In a short essay, describe the three main types of managerial skills identified by Robert Katz. Which skills are most important to each level of management, and why?Answera.Research by Robert L. Katz concluded that managers needed three essential skills. These are technical skills,human skills, and conceptual skills. Technical skills are the job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to perform specific tasks proficiently. Human skills involve the ability to work well with other people both individually and in a group. Conceptual skills are the skills managers use to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations.b.Technical skills tend to be more important for lower-level managers. This is because lower-level managerstypically manage employees who use tools and techniques to produc e the organization’s products and services.Human skills are equally important at all levels of management, because all managers must deal directly with people. Conceptual skills are most important at top levels of management. Managers at top levels must use conceptual skills to see the organization as a whole, to understand the relationships among various subunits, and to visualize how the organization fits into its broader environment.(moderate; pp. 12-13)140. In a short essay, describe the three main types of managerial skills identified by Robert Katz. Which skills are most important to each level of management, and why?Answera. Research by Robert L. Katz concluded that managers needed three essential skills. These are technical skills, human skills, and conceptual skills. Technical skills are the job-specific knowledge and techniques needed to perform specific tasks proficiently. Human skills involve the ability to work well with other people both individually and in a group. Conceptual skills are the skills managers use to think and to conceptualize about abstract and complex situations.b. Technical skills tend to be more important for lower-level managers. This is because lower-level managers typically manage employees who use tools and techni ques to produce the organization’s products and services. Human skills are equally important at all levels of management, because all managers must deal directly with people. Conceptual skills are most important at top levels of management. Managers at top levels must use conceptual skills to see the organization as a whole, to understand the relationships among various subunits, and to visualize how the organization fits into its broader environment.(moderate; pp. 12-13)WHY STUDY MANAGEMENT?141.In a short essay, discuss the importance of studying management.Next, list at least five rewards and five challenges of being a manager.AnswerBy studying management, you’ll be able to recognize poor management and work to correct it. In addition, you’ll be able to recognize good management and encourage it, whether it’s in an organization you’re simply interacting with or whether it’s in an organization where you’re employed. Another reason for studying management is the reality that for most students, once they graduate from college and begin their careers, they will either manage or be managed. A final reason to study management is the rewards and challenges of being a manager.Rewards of Being a Managera.most important work of an organization is creating a work environment in which organizational members canwork to the best of their abilityb.have opportunities to think creatively and use imaginationc.help others find meaning and fulfillment in workd.get to support, coach, and nurture otherse.get to work with a variety of peoplef.receive recognition and status in organization and communityg.play a role in influencing organizational outcomesh.receive appropriate compensation in the form of salaries, bonuses, and stock optionsi.good managers are needed by organizationsChallenges of Being a Managera.it’s hard workb.have to deal with a variety of personalitiesc.often have to make do with limited resourcesd.motivate workers in chaotic and uncertain situationse.be able to successfully blend knowledge, skills, ambitions, and experiences of a diverse work group (moderate; p. 21; Exhibit 1-11)第二章HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF MANAGEMENT1.Which two historical events were especially significant to the study ofmanagement? Describe these events and discuss how they helped develop the management profession.AnswerTwo historical events are especially significant to the study of management. First, in 1776, Adam Smith published The Wealth of Nations, in which he argued the economic advantages that organizations and society would gain from the division of labor(or job specialization). The division of labor involved the breakdown of jobs into narrow and repetitive tasks. Smith’s work showed that division of labor increased productivity by increasing each worker’s skill and dexterity. I t also saved time lost in changing tasks, and it encouraged the development of labor-saving inventions and machinery. Division of labor continues to be popular as a principle for managing work.The second important event is the Industrial Revolution, which started in the late eighteenth century. During the Industrial Revolution, machine power was substituted for human power. This made it more economical to manufacture goods in factories rather than at home. The shift to factory work increased the need for management professionals. Large efficient factories needed managers to forecast demand and to ensure that enough material was on hand to make products. Managers were also needed to assign tasks to people and to direct daily activities. The increase in managers in turn necessitated the development of formal theories to guide managers in running large organizations.(moderate, pp. 28-29)SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT2.In a short essay, discuss Frederick T aylor’s work in scientificmanagement. Next, list T aylor’s four principles of management.AnswerFrederick Taylor did most of his work at the Midvale and Bethlehem Steel Companies in Pennsylvania. As a mechanical engineer with a Quaker and Puritan background, he was continually appalled by workers’ inefficiencie s.Employees used vastly different techniques to do the same job. They were inclined to ―take it easy‖ on the job, and Taylor believed that worker output was only about one-third of what was possible. V irtually no work standards existed. Workers were placed in jobs with little or no concern for matching their abilities and aptitudes with the tasks they were required to do. Managers and workers were in continual conflict. Taylor set out to correct the situation by applying the scientific method to shop floor jobs. He spent more than two decades passionately pursuing the ―one best way‖ for each job to be done.Taylor’s Four Principles of Managementa.Develop a science for each element of an individual’s work, which will replace the old rule-of-thumb method.b.Scientifically select and then train, teach, and develop the worker.c.Heartily cooperate with the workers so as to ensure that all work is done in accordance with the principles ofthe science that has been developed.d.Divide work and responsibility almost equally between management and workers. Management takes over allwork for which it is better fitted than the workers.(difficult; pp. 30-31)3.In a short essay, discuss the work in scientific management done byFrank and Lillian Gilbreth.AnswerFrank Gilbre th is probably best known for his experiments in bricklaying. By carefully analyzing the bricklayer’s job, he reduced the number of motions in laying exterior brick from 18 to about 5, and on laying interior brick the motions were reduced from 18 to 2. Usi ng the Gilbreth’s techniques, the bricklayer could be more productive on the job and less fatigued at the end of the day. The Gilbreths were among the first researchers to use motion pictures to study hand-and-body motions and the amount of time spent doing each motion. Wasted motions missed by the naked eye could be identified and eliminated. The Gilbreths also devised a classification scheme to label 17 basic hand motions, which they called therbligs. This scheme allowed the Gilbreths a more precise way of analyzing a worker’s exact hand movements.(moderate; pp. 31-32)GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE THEORYS4.In a short essay, discuss the work of Henri Fayol as it relates to thegeneral administrative approach to management. Next, list and discuss7 of Fayol’s 14 principles of management.AnswerFayol described the practice of management as something distinct from accounting, finance, production, distribution, and other typical business functions. He argued that management was an activity common to allhuman endeavors in business, in government, and even in the home. He then proceeded to state 14 principles of management—fundamental rules of management that could be taught in schools and applied in all organizational situations.Fayol’s 14 Principles of Managemen ta.Division of work—specialization increases output by making employees more efficient.b.Authority—managers must be able to give orders. Authority gives them this right. Along with authority,however, goes responsibility.c.Discipline—employees must obey and respect the rules that govern the organization.d.Unity of command—every employee should receive orders from only one superior.e.Unity of direction—the organization should have a single plan of action to guide managers and workers.f.Subordination of individual interests to the general interest—the interests of any one employee or group ofemployees should not take precedence over the interests of the organization as a whole.g.Remuneration—workers must be paid a fair wage for their services.h.Centralization—thi s term refers to the degree to whi ch subordinates are involved in decision making.i.Scalar chain—the line of authority from top management to the lowest ranks in the scalar chain.j.Order—people and materials should be in the right place at the right time.k.Equity—managers should be kind and fair to their subordinates.l.Stability of tenure of personnel—management should provide orderly personnel planning and ensure that replacements are available to fill vacancies.m.Initiative—employees who are allowed to originate and carry out plans will exert high levels of effort.n.Esprit de corps—promoting team spirit will build harmony and unity within the organization.(difficult; p. 32-33)5.Describe the six elements of Max Weber’s model of bureaucracy.Explain the significance of each.AnswerIn Max Weber’s model, an ideal bureaucracy contains six elements. The first of these is a division of labor, through which jobs are broken down into simple, routine, and well-defined tasks. The second element is an authority hierarchy, in which job positions are organized within a clear chain of command. The third element is formal selection, through which personnel are selected for jobs based on their technical qualifications.The fourth element of Weber’s model is formal rules and regulations. Weber believed that a bureaucracy should be organized according to a system of written rules and standard operating procedures. Fifth, Weber believed that bureaucracies should be characterized by impersonality. Through this element, rules and controls could be applied in a uniform way, not according to individual personalities. Finally, Weber’s bureaucratic model includes a sixth element: career orientation. Weber saw managers not as owners of the units they manage, but instead as career professionals.(difficult; p. 32-34)TOWARD UNDERSTANDING ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR6.In a short essay, describe the Hawthorne Studies. Next, discuss the roleof Elton Mayo in these studies and list some of the findings of his research.AnswerWithout question, the most important contribution to the developing organizational behavior field came from theHawthorne Studies, a series of studies conducted at the Western Electric Company Works in Cicero, Illinois.Western Electric industrial engineers initially designed these studies as a scientific management experiment. They wanted to examine the effect of various illumination levels on worker productivity. Based on their research, it was concluded that illumination intensity was not directly related to group productivity. In 1927, the Western Electric engineers asked Harvard professor Elton Mayo and his associates to join the study as consultants. Through additional research, Elton Mayo concluded that group influences affected individual behavior, that group standards establish individual worker output, and that money is less a factor in determining output than are group standards, group sentiments, and security. These conclusions led to a new emphasis on the human behavior factor in the functioning of organizations and the attainment of their goals.(difficult; p. 37)THE SYSTEMS APPROACH7.In a short essay, explain three primary ways in which the systemsapproach contributes to our understanding of management.AnswerThe systems approach contributes to our understanding of management first by helping us to understand that organizations are made up of interdependent factors. As managers coordinate work activities in the various units of the organization, they must ensure that all of the interdependent units are working together so that the organization’s goals can be achieved. The systems approach recognizes that an organization’s overall performance is dependent upon the efforts of many units working together.Second, the systems approach helps us to understand that decisions and actions taken in one organizational area will affect others and vice versa. For example, if the purchasing department of a company doesn’t acquire the right quantity and quality of inputs, that company’s production department will not be able to do its job effectively.Third, the systems approach recognizes that organizations are not self-contained. They rely on their environments for essential inputs. They also use their environments as outlets to absorb their outputs. No organization can survive for long if it ignores government regulations, supplier relations, or the varied external constituencies upon which it depends.(difficult; pp. 38-39)THE CONTINGENCY APPROACH8.Describe four popular variables established by the contingencyapproach. Explain how each variable might affect management approaches in different organizations. Provide an example of each.AnswerOne important contingency variable is the size of an organization. As the size of an organization increases, so do the problems of coordination. For instance, the type of organization structure appropriate for an organization of 50,000 employees is likely to be inefficient for an organization of 50 employees. A very large organization might require a more hierarchical management structure. A small organization, on the other hand, might thrive with less hierarchy in its management structure.A second popular contingency variable concerns the routineness of task technology. To achieve its purpose, anorganization must use technology. Routine technologies require organizational structures, leadership styles, and control systems that differ from those required by customized or nonroutine technologies. An auto manufacturing plant, for instance, might use routine technologies such as robots to perform automated work. These robots wouldrequire a much different type of management than would be required within a service business, such as a fast food restaurant, where employees’ customer service performance must be supervised.A third contingency variable is environmental uncertainty. The degree of uncertainty caused by environmentalchanges influences the management process. What works best in a stable and predictable environment may be totally inappropriate in a rapidly changing and unpredictable environment. A company that is going through a merger, for instance, might require its managers to focus on helping employees cope with management transitions.A company that is in a more stable environment might encourage its managers to focus on employee productivityand company growth.A fourth contingency variable concerns individual differences. Individuals differ in terms of their desire forgrowth, autonomy, tolerance of ambiguity, and expectations. These and other individual differences are particularly important when managers select motivation techniques, leadership styles, and job designs. An individual who desires a great deal of autonomy on the job might need to be managed in a very ―hands off‖ style, for example. An individual who is very motivated by team success might need to have his or her work activities structured to involve a great deal of group interaction.(difficult; p. 40)CURRENT TRENDS AND ISSUES three ways in which globalization has changed the manager’sjob. Describe and provide an example of each.Answera. Working with people from different cultures. Even in your own country, you’re likely to find yourself workingwith bosses, peers, and other employees who were born or raised in different cultures. What motivates you may not motivate them. Or your style of communication may be direct and open, but they may find this approach uncomfortable and threatening. To work effectively with a group of diverse people, you’ll need to understand how their culture, geography, and religion have shaped their values, attitudes, and beliefs and adjust your management style accordingly.b. Coping with anticapitalist backlash. Capitalism’s emphasis on profits, efficiency, and growth may be generallyaccepted in the United States, Australia, and Hong Kong, but that emphasis is not nearly as popular in places like France, the Middle East, or the Scandinavian countries. Managers at global companies like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, or Procter & Gamble have come to realize that economic values aren’t universally transferable.Management practices need to be modified to reflect the values of the different countries in which an organization operates.c. Movement of jobs to countries with low-cost labor. Globalization means businessescan hire, source, and sell wherever they want. It’s increasingly difficult for managers in economically advanced nations, where minimum wages are typically $6 or more an hour, to compete against companies who rely on workers from developing nations where labor is available for 30 cents an hour. It’s not by chance that a good portion ofAmericans wear clothes made in China, work on computers whose parts came from Thailand, and watch movies filmed in Canada. In a global economy, jobs tend to flow to places where lower costs provide businesses with a comparative advantage. The implication for managers is that they must be prepared to deal with the difficult task of balancing the interests of their organization as it looks for ways to keep costs low and remain competitive with their responsibilities to the communities within which they operate.(difficult; pp. 40-41)。