UNIT I

OVERVIEW OF MANAGEMENT

1) State any one definition of management.

According to McFarland, management is defined for conceptual,

theoretical and analytical purposes as that process by which managers create,
direct, maintain and operate purposive organizations through systematic,
coordinated, cooperative human efforts.

2) What is scientific management?

Frederick Winslow Taylor has defined scientific management as follows:

Scientific management is concerned with knowing exactly what you
want men to do and then see in that they do it in the best and cheapest way.

3) What do you understand by management science theory?

Management science theory utilizes various quantitative techniques to

maximize resources. Quantitative Management, Operations Management,
Total Quality Management and Management Information System are coming
under Management Science Theory.

4) Explain chain of command.

Unbroken line of authority is known as chain of command. The line

of authority flows from top to bottom through the chain of command.

5) Who is referred to as the Father of Scientific Management? What is the goal

of Scientific Management?
Frederick Winslow Taylor is known as the ‘Father of Scientific
Management’. The main goal of Scientific Management is to replace rules
of thumb and trial and error methods by scientific methods, dividing the
workers scientifically, selecting people based on scientific principles,
performing all the works in accordance with principles of science.

6) What is the contribution of Taylor to the evolution of scientific

management?

Taylor noticed that managers were supposed to pick up their

managerial skills through trial and error. He was against the use of rules of
 thumb. He believed that productivity could be increased by the application
of scientific methods and increased pay of workers.

7) Explain scalar chain.

Scalar chain refers to the ‘chain of superiors’ ranging from the highest
to the lowest ranks. The line of authority must flow from the top of the
organization to the bottom. The line of authority should be very clear and this
must be clearly indicated in the organization chart.

8) What is esprit de corps?

This is the principle that ‘union is strength’. Harmony is the greatest

strength to an organization. Team work should be encouraged. The success
of a business activity depends on the unity of work.

9) List the functions of managers (or) management.

The functions of managers (or) management are

a. Planning

b. Organizing

c. Staffing

d. Directing

e. Controlling

10) Define Administration.

Spriegal states that:

Administration is that phase of a business enterprise that concerns itself

with the overall determination of institutional objectives and the policies
necessary to be followed in achieving those objectives. Management, on the
other hand, is an executive function which is primarily concerned with
carrying out broad policies laid down by the administration.
11) Distinguish between management and administration.

Administration Management

1. Administration lays down corporate Management executes the

objectives and policies. objectives and policies set by the
administration.

2. Administration resembles Management resembles executive.

legislative.

3. Administration is associated with Management is associated with

top level management. lower level activities.

4. The term administration is used in The term management is used in

governmental, military and profit making business
educational organizations. organizations.

5. Administration is needed in long Management is needed in short

term finance to make decisions on term finance decisions.
how to collect capital needed to
start or expand business.

6. Administration determines the size Management makes use of

of the organization structure. organizational resources to
achieve organizational objectives.

7. Administration exercises control Management is accountable to

over management. administration.
12) List the three essential skills according to Katz that managers need
to perform the duties.

Katz (1974) talks of three types of skills that are recognized by all
managers. These are the technical, the human and the conceptual skills.

i. Technical skill:

It is the ability to work with resources in a particular area of

expertise.

ii. Human skill:

It is the ability to work effectively as a group member and to build

cooperative effort within the team he leads.

iii Conceptual skill:

This skill means the ability to see the organization as a whole and it
includes recognizing how the various functions depend on one another.

13) List the roles of managers according to Mintzberg.

Mintzberg identified ten roles and the roles are classified into three
categories:

I. Interpersonal roles:
i. Figurehead role

ii. Leader role

iii. Liaison role

II. Informational roles:

i. Monitor role

ii. Disseminator role

iii. Spokesperson role

 III. Decision role:

i. Entrepreneur role

ii. Disturbance handler role

iii. Resource allocator role

iv. Negotiator role

14) What are the schools of management thought?

i. Scientific management

ii. Administrative management

iii. Behavioral management

iv. Management science

v. Organizational environment

15) What is Hawthorne effect?

The improvement in productivity was due to social factors such as morale,

satisfactory inter relationships between members of a work group and
effective management- a kind of managing that would understand human
behavior, especially group behavior and serve it through such interpersonal
skills as motivating, counseling, leading and communicating. This
phenomenon is known as Hawthorne effect

16) Describe briefly about the features of management.

i. Organized activities

ii. Existence of objectives

iii. Relationship among resources

iv. Working with and through people

 v. Decision Making

II. Explain the importance of management.

i. Effective utilization of resources

ii. Development of resources

iii. To incorporate innovations

iv. Integrating various interest groups

v. Stability in the society

17) Explain in detail about Taylor’s scientific management.

I. Introduction

II. Elements and Tools of Scientific Management:

i. Separation of Planning and Doing

ii. Functional Foremanship

iii. Job Analysis

iv. Standardization

v. Scientific Selection and Training of Workers

vi. Financial incentives

vii. Economy

viii. Mental Revolution

III. Principles of Scientific Management:

i. Replacing Rule of Thumb with Science

ii. Harmony in Group Action

iii. Cooperation
 iv. Maximum Output

v. Development of Workers

IV. Followers of Scientific Management

V. Critical Analysis of Scientific Management

18) Describe in detail about Henry Fayol’s Administrative
management.

I Introduction

II. Managerial Qualities and Training

III. General Principles of Management

i. Division of Work

ii. Authority and Responsibility

iii. Discipline

iv. Unity of Command

v. Unity of Direction

vi. Subordination of Individual Interest to General Interest

vii. Remuneration of Personnel

viii. Centralization

ix. Scalar Chain

x. Order

xi. Equity

xii. Stability of Tenure

xiii. Initiative

xiv. Esprit de Corps

 IV. Elements of Management
V. Relevance of Fayol’s Principles

19) Describe the various functions of management.

i. Planning

ii. Organizing

iii. Staffing

iv. Directing

v. Controlling

II. Explain the three levels of management in organizations with diagram. (8)

b. First Line Managers

c. Middle Level Managers

d. Top Level Managers

20) Explain in detail about the various views on management and

administration.

I. Administration:
1. Formulation of corporate policy

2. Coordination of finance, production and distribution

3. Settlement of the compass of an organization

4. The ultimate control of executive

II. Management:

III. Three different views of administration and management:

i. Administration is broader than management

ii. Administration is part of management

 iii. Administration and management are identical

21) Write an essay on the evolution of management thought.

I. Management in the ancient times

II. Management in the medieval period

III. Management during the industrial revolution

IV. Schools of Management thought:

i. Scientific management

ii. Administrative management

iii. Behavioral management

iv. Management science

v. Organizational environment