The managerial job

There are many aspects to the job of a manager and there is no complete agreement as to what exactly constitutes the job of a manager. Some focus on the entrepreneurial aspect of managing and their main concern is innovation, risk taking and similar activities. Others emphasize decision making, especially the kind of decisions that cannot be easily programmed.

An additional view of the managerial job draws attention to leadership with emphasis on particular traits and managerial styles. Closely related to this approach is the discussion about power and influence, that is, the leader’s control of the environment and subordinates.

Others focus their attention on the behavior of leaders by examining the content of the manager’s job. Despite different approaches, the key tasks of managers can be organized into the five functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling which constitutes the framework of managerial activities. Managers are different; they have different needs, desires, and motives. Managing offers rewards but also involves stress. An individual aspiring to a managerial position should evaluate both the advantages and the disadvantages of managing before pursuing this career.

How many managers do we need?

The number of managers needed in an enterprise depends not only upon its size but also upon the complexity of the organisation structure, the plans for expansion and the rate of turnover of managerial personnel. The ratio between the number of managers and employeesdoes not follow any law. It is possible, by enlarging or contracting the delegation of authority, to modify a structure so that the number of managers will increase or decrease regardless of the size of an operation.

Analysis also reveals the relative importance of age for retirement, vacancies created by ill health, and the steady demand of other enterprises for able young subordinates whom the firm has trained but is unable to hold. On the basis of this analysis, external and internal sources are used in the process of recruitment, selection, placement and promotion. The annual rate of appointmentsto managerial positions can be determined by a review of past experience and future expectations. The qualifications for individual positions must be defined so that the best-suited managers can be chosen. Other essential aspects of staffing managerial positions are appraisal, career strategy, training, and development of managers.

Дата добавления: 2015-08-13