But knowledge of theories and principles doesn’t provide practical results. It is necessary to know how to apply this knowledge. Practical application of knowledge in the management area requires certain abilities or skills. Here is an example:
Depending on its size, an organization may employ a number of specialized managers who are responsible for particular areas of management. A very large organization may employ many managers, each responsible for activities of one management area. In contrast, the owner of a sole proprietorship may be the only manager in the organization. He or she is responsible for all levels and areas of management.
What is important to an organization is not the number of managers it employs but the ability of these managers to achieve the organization’s goals, and this ability requires a great skill.
In other words, the management is the process of coordinating the resources of an organization to achieve the primary organizational goals.
MAIN RESOURCES
Managers are concerned with the following main resources:
Material Human Financial Informational Organizational
Resources resources resources resources goals
1 2 3 4
1. Material resources are physical materials and equipment used by an organization to make a product. For example, cars are made on assembly lines. These assembly lines and the buildings that house them are material resources.
2. The most important resources of any organization are its human resources – people. Some firms believe that their employees are their most important assets. To keep employees content, a variety of incentives are used, including higher-that-average pay, flexible working hours, recreational facilities, lengthy paid vacations, cafeterias offering inexpensive meals, etc.
3. Financial resources are the funds the organization uses to meet its obligations to various creditors. A grocery store obtains money from customers and uses a portion of that money to pay the wholesalers from which it buys food. A large bank borrows and lends money. A college obtains money in the form of tuition, income from its endowments, and federal grants. It uses the money to pay utility bills, insurance premiums, and professors’ salaries. Each of these transactions involves financial resources.
4. Finally, many organizations increasingly find they cannot ignore i nformation. External environment – including economy, consumer markets, technology, politics, and cultural forces – are all changing so rapidly that an organization that does not adapt will probably not survive. And, to adapt to change, the organization must know what is changing and how it is changing. Companies are finding it is increasingly important to gather information about their competitors in today’s business environment.
It is important to realize that these are only general categories or resources. Within each category are hundreds or thousands of more specific resources, from which management must choose those that can best accomplish its goals. Managers must coordinate this complex group of specific resources to produce goods and services.
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Answer the questions.
What can you say about management in general?
Why does a large organization employ many managers?
What is important to an organization?
Does the ability to achieve organizational goals require a great skill?
What can you say about management as a process?
What main resources are managers concerned with?
What incentives are used to keep employees content? Why?
How does an organization obtain financial resources? Give some examples.
Is external environment including the economy, consumer markets etc. changing rapidly?
What must an organization do to survive?
MANAGEMENT SKILLS
VOCABULARY
| skill activity depend on certain divide decision-making conceptual interpersonal 1. A conceptual skill ability duty fit together proper way require (required) super goals develop whole 2. A decision-making skill choose (chose, chosen) action objective implement distribute kind responsible carry out 3. An analytical skill determine identify cause especially solve complex 4. An administrative skill keep (to) rule specify production act within flow 5. A communicational skill opinion both… and… orally in writing decisive success investigation spend (spent, spent) approximately communicate enable hold (held, held) explanatory note report 6. An interpersonal skill psychological deal with inside outside need motive consequently relation get (got, got) support development 7. A technical skill specific competence accomplish connection provide guidance subordinate | мастерство, навыки, способности, умение деятельность, работа зависеть от определенный делить принятие решений концептуальный мастерство, умение общаться с людьми, психологическое мастерство способность обязанность согласовываться соответствующий образ требовать (требуемый) сверхцель разрабатывать, развивать весь, целый выбирать действие цель (часто краткосрочная) осуществлять распределять ряд, вид ответственный выполнять определять узнать, определить причина особенно решать сложный исполнять, придерживаться правило устанавливать, предписывать производство, продукция действовать в пределах поток мнение как…, так и … устно в письменной форме решающий успех исследование проводить приблизительно общаться давать возможность проводить объяснительная записка отчет, доклад психологический взаимодействовать внутри вне, за пределом нужда стимул следовательно отношение получать поддержка развитие особый, специфический компетенция исполнить, выполнить связь обеспечивать руководство подчиненный |
Effectiveness of a manager’s activity depends on certain important skills. These skills can be divided into seven different categories: conceptual, decision making, analytic, administrative, communicational, interpersonal and technical.
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1. A conceptual skill is the ability of a manager to see the “general picture” of an organization. Managers must understand how their duties and the duties of other managers fit together to plan their activity in a proper way and get the required results. This skill is very important for top managers because it helps them to plan “super goals” and to develop proper strategies for the whole organization.
2. A decision-making skill is the ability of a manager to choose the best course of actions of two or more alternatives. A manager must decide the following: