A manager and management skills.

A number of different terms are often used instead of the term «manager», including «director», «admin­istrator» and «president». The term«manager» is used in profit-making organizations, while the others are used in government and non-profit organizations such as universities, hospi­tals and social work agencies.

So, who do we call a «manager»?

In its broad meaning the term «managers» applies to the people who are responsible for making and car­rying out decisions within a certain system. A personnel manager directly supervises people in an organization. Financial manager is a person who is responsible for finance. Sales manager is responsible for selling goods.

Almost everything a manager does involves decision-making. When a problem exists a manager has to make a decision to solve. In decision-making there is always some uncertainty and risk.

Management is a variety of specific activities. Management is a function of planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and controlling. Any managerial system is characterized in terms of these general functions.

Managing is a responsible and hard job. There is a lot to be done and relatively little time to do it. In all types of organizations managerial efficiency depends on manager’s direct personal relationships, hard work on a variety of activities and preference for active tasks.

The characteristics of management often vary ac­cording to national culture, which can determine how managers are trained, how they lead people and how they approach their jobs.

The amount of responsibility of any individual in a company depends on the position that he or she occu­pies in its hierarchy. Managers, for example, are re­sponsible for leading the people directly under them, who are called subordinates. To do this successfully, they must use their authority, which is the right to take decisions and give orders. Managers often dele­gate authority. This means that employees at lower levels in the company hierarchy can use their initia­tive, that is make decisions without asking their man­ager.

ASSIGNMENTS

Answer the following questions:

1. What is manager's role in an organization?

2. What concrete activities is a production manager (financial manager, personnel manager, marketing manager) responsible for?

3. What is the difference between sales manage­ment and marketing management?

4. What does it mean to delegate authority?

5. What does managerial efficiency depend on?

6. Can you say how a manager’s approach to his work influences its results?

7. Does the amount of a manager’s responsibility depend on his position in the company’s hierarchy?

8. Who takes decisions in the company: employees or mangers?

9. How does the act of delegating authority to employees influence their initiative?

10. How does freedom of action effect employees’ creativity?

Reproduce the text after reading and discussing.

Date: 2015-01-12; view: 2396