Foundations of Management - Case Study Example

Foundation of management Student’s name Professor Date INTRODUCTION Contemporary workplace experiences managerial challenges because of the fast changes in workplace environments including the nature of work. Managers offer supportive environments for the efficient, professional experience of the employees. The supportive environments enable the full utilization of employee talents to the benefit of the organization (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). There exist growing diversity among individuals in the workplace caused by increasing globalization that has led to drastic changes in the workplace. Institutions, therefore, need to carry out its activities in the most ethical and moral ways. Managers should put in the whole organization to be ethical, morally, and socially upright (Waddock, 2005, 334-345). Current expectations that every organization has to meet include; sustainable development, environmental concern, consumer protection through fair practices and safety in products (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). For organizations to meet these expectations the formation of an active and efficient management board dedicated to their work is necessary. This paper, therefore, involves the study of the management concepts and theories and their application to the contemporary workplace. Moreover, the contemporary workplace leads to changes in management roles to include a more general management role. For instance, the managers should be able to measure the organizational performance through productivity, performance efficiency and performance effectiveness of the employees. Employee productivity is the quality and quantity of work performance of an employee to the resource allocation. Performance effectiveness is the measure of employee output on every duty that the employee carries out. On the other hand, performance efficiency is how best resource utilization meets the accomplishment of organizational goals and objectives (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). . Approaches to management There are various classical approaches to management that include; 1) The scientific approach to management 2) The administrative principle of management 3) Bureaucratic organization management The classical approaches to management focus on the same assumption that employees in an organization always behave in a rational way considerably driven by the economic concern of the organization. A behavioral approach to management maintains that an individual is always self-actualizing and social (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). Therefore, individuals in a workplace always seek to have a satisfying social relationship and a search for personal fulfillment. Hawthorne studies involve a scientific management concept that seek to determine various ways on how economic incentives of a workplace affect workers output. The studies try to argue that it would be reasonable enough to improve employee performance if there is better lighting among them. Moreover, social setting of the workplace enables the productivity increase from the workers. Therefore, Hawthorne studies state that individuals feeling and co-worker relationship is necessary for management considerations. MANAGEMENT THEORIES The primary objective of the application of management theories in the contemporary workplace is to increase organizational productivity and increase service quality. Most managers use various combination of management approaches. The combination depends on the workforce, workplace and purpose (Karsten, 2006, 111-115). Contingency theory Under this approach, the manager makes decisions on the matter at hand. The manager makes the decision in consideration of the current subject and situation. For instance, managers in a business set up may want to use the combined workforce that may include every employee’s participation in the achievement of organizational goals (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). Managers should not only make decisions for the future growth of the organization but also have to consider the current situations affecting the organization in their decision making. McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y It is a management theory whereby an individuals’ choice gets influence from the workers beliefs and attitude. In theory Y, individuals are naturally driven to take up responsibilities while managers who value theory x use a style of leadership that is authoritative (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). Theory X makes an assumption that individuals lack ambition, dislike work and are irresponsible and, therefore, would prefer to be led by others. Conversely, Y assumes that individuals are willing to work, are creative, self-directed and accepts any responsibility allocation. McGregor explains that managers should, therefore, give more and more attention to employee social and self-actualizing needs. He also encourages contemporary managers to shift their view of human nature from Theory X assumption to Theory Y assumption (Review of Classical Management Theories, 2012, 512-522). Managers that holds on to the Theory X approaches work responsibilities with a view that the employees dislike work and are resistant and are only there to be led by the others (Ghoshal, 2005,75-91). Managers should, therefore, create self- fulfilling personalities through their behavior and actions that confirm original expectations. Chaos theory The chaos theory assumes that change is always constant in nature. Chaos Theory recognizes inevitable changes in an organization (Review of Classical Management Theories, 2012, 512-522). Organizations are in the process of growing and, therefore, the management needs to increase the energy so as to incorporate new organizational levels. The corporate system is a continuous system that has to change (Ohreen, 2012, 242). Every administration in the current workplace has to keep in mind that the organization is growing and, therefore, there is a need to maintain this growth through the use of effective workforce and management body. Every organization should, therefore, accept system change such as an overall change in the organizational structure, change in the management and personnel. Systems theory Managers who understand the system theory comprehend how workers are affected by different systems and how employees influence the systems that are around them. Managers using the system theory in the contemporary workplace can carry out pattern and event examination in the workplace (Douglas, 2003, 6). Moreover, the manager is also able to make efficient coordination of the organization meet the overall objectives of the firm, other than meeting goals of a single department. Workers can change the system around them through their attitudes and ability to incorporate these systems into their daily working experience (Review of Classical Management Theories, 2012, 512-522). For instance, ethnic values may be different from one individual from ne individual to another. The ability of a worker to learn the ethnic company values would mean that the individual will have to change his ethnic values to the correspondent organizational values. Maslow’s theory of human need Maslow’s theory focuses on two primary principles; • Motivator of behavior does not come about due to the satisfaction of a need. According to Maslow’s theory, people always make actions to satisfy pressing needs that have limited satisfaction. • The five needs exist in a hierarchical manner of importance to an individual. The next need becomes actual after satisfaction of the need for the lower level in he hierarchy. According to Maslow, the satisfaction of needs is always in a sequence that has a step by step progress from the lowest to the highest in the hierarchy (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). Every employee should derive the utmost benefits in his working environment to be productive. Productivity does not only come about by constant management supervision but through personal motivation and appraisals, excellent vertical and horizontal relationship including the dedication of the employee to his job. International dimension of management Businesses and organizations are now turning to the international recognition. Globalization is the major factor that leads businesses to become international businesses. Globalization is the worldwide movement and interaction of resources, business competition, and product market. Globalization offers the numerous opportunity of worldwide sourcing of personnel and other resources. Currently, it is normal to find an individual from the Korean, American or Japanese origin, working and staying in Australia (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). For organizations to survive internationally, managers have to ensure that employees are ready, willing and able to work in the global market. Firm diversification has led to the creation of new offices in other countries that has made it difficult for an organization to have a common organizational culture. Moreover, obtaining the right workers in the right place is the major success of international growth of any company Culture and global diversity Culture and diversity lead to the efficient operation and working of the contemporary workplace environment since there is a derivation of various benefits (Egan and Bendick, Jr., 2008, 387-393). Diversity leads to a variety of problem solution since the management has a wide area to source resources. Employees from diverse backgrounds always offer unique talents and suggestions that would greatly influence the organization (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). A manager that encourages diversity in the working environment always inspires employees to be able to aim at their highest capabilities. Challenges facing minority groups and women in the contemporary workplace Minority groups are often major targets of cultural jokes, insensitivity, and discrimination (Schermerhorn, 2014). Women also undergo sexual harassment from other co-workers, including some individuals in the management sections. Sexual harassment may be in the form of unwanted sexual advances, and motivated sexual communications that has led to the inefficient productivity of female workers in the workplace today. Moreover, discrimination against pregnant women makes the productivity of such individuals low. They may end up losing the self-motivation to work, and self-trust in working experience (Albert and Weatherbee, 2005, 121-154). Australia and other state laws ensure there is an equal employment opportunity available to every individual. Every participant in the employment sector needs to critically and comprehensively understand their rights and responsibilities in the workplace (Roy, 2007, 311). CONCLUSION Application of various management concepts and theories has been evident in the contemporary marketplace. For instance, the theory of contingency enables current managers to have a quick valuation on decision making by focusing decision making on the present situation in an organization. The McGregor Theory X and Theory Y give us the different ways that managers view their employees. A manager who uses theory X sees employees as lazy, resistant to change and expects to be led. McGregor argues managers to see their employees using the Theory Y assumption whereby the managers need to see employees as self-realizing and able to undertake any responsibility allocation (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). The contemporary workplace has gone through various managerial and organizational changes. From this study, there is evidence that management roles have not only changes to suit the national demand but has also been driven by the increase in globalization. Organizations are now able to source and outsource resources across various international regions (Schermerhorn, 2014, 1-31). There is a realization of the discrimination of minor groups and women in the contemporary workplace such as discrimination of minors and pregnant women, sexual harassment and insensitivity that results in inefficiency in the productivity of such individuals REFERENCE LIST Albert, K. and Weatherbee, T. (2005). Management Decision. Maslow: man interrupted: reading management theory in context, 8(5), pp.121-154. Douglas, D. (2003). Grounded theories of management: a methodological review. Management Research News,, 26(5).pp6 Egan, M. and Bendick, Jr., M. (2008). Combining Multicultural Management and Diversity Into One Course on Cultural Competence. 7(3), pp.387-393. Ghoshal, S. (2005). Bad Management Theories Are Destroying Good Management Practices. [online] 4(1), pp.75-91. Available at: http://amle.aom.org/content/4/1/75.short [Accessed 28 Aug. 2015]. Karsten, L. (2006). Management concepts: their transfer and implementation. Critical perspectives on international business, 2(3), pp.111-115. Ohreen, D. (2012). Social responsibility: concepts and normative ethics. IJMCP, 6(4), p.242. Review of Classical Management Theories. (2012). International Journal of Social Sciences and Education, 2, pp.512-522. Roy, A. (2007). Corruption in business: management theory and practice. IJBG, 1(3), p.311. Schermerhorn, J. (2014). Management. Milton, Qld.: John Wiley and Sons Australia.pp1-31 Waddock,S. (2006). Forging a Path for Ethics and Business in Society. 5(3),p 334-345 Read More