Mintzbergs Managerial Roles Explained

(12 marks)

Mintzbergs managerial roles are divided into 3 main categories:

Informational

Interpersonal

Decisional

Informational roles include:

Monitor - seeking of information that is work related through reports, attending seminars, press and special training.

Disseminator - communication of sought information to various departments in the organization through memos and internal reports

Spokesperson disseminates the information to outsiders by attending related conferences.

Interpersonal roles include:

Figurehead - performing of legal and social duties such as greeting visitors.

Leader - directing subordinates such as through training and motivation.

Liaison - creating and maintaining contacts with outsiders such as business correspondence.

Decisional roles include:

Entrepreneur identifying new ideas and implementing innovations.

Negotiator defending the best interests of the business.

Disturbance handler responsible for resolving disputes by applying the corrective action CITATION Pet08 \l 1033 (Drucker and Maciariello 2008).

Question 2

Explain how modern managers apply scientific management principles at the Workplace.

(12 marks)

There are four main scientific management principles namely:

Science, not rule of thumb.

This principle is applied by modern managers whereby they are open to new ideas and ways of doing things rather than getting stuck in the same old routine just because it is the set technique.

Harmony, not discord.

The principle is applied where managers aim to set a peaceful working environment in the organization free from any form of chaos for the best results. Modern-day managers are also conflict resolvers between any two employees or departments within their organizations.

Cooperation, not individualism.

Application of this principle by modern managers is where they promote teamwork and encourage brainstorming while coming up with solutions to solve the various problems that the business is facing. Modern managers are involving the employees more in coming up with decisions on matters affecting the company.

Promoting individual development

Modern managers employ this principle where they allocate duties to employees according to their qualifications. This enhances the growth of the employees' competency in the same field while equipping him/her with experience CITATION Fre67 \l 1033 (Taylor 1967).

Comment on the drawbacks of the human relations approach to management.

(12 marks)

Basically, the approach that people have on management is mostly negative. The few that are positive about management are those that people believe are managers puppets and would do anything to win their managers' favor. Whereas this misconception has some truths behind it if one was to look keen and long into such, it is not entirely true. Not only those who work hard to please the managers are in their favor, managers generally like hardworking and determined employees; ones who are self-motivated and can work under minimal supervision unlike those employees who are most productive when under surveillance (servants of the eye).

Secondly, people believe that the management is there to control and punish the employees. My opinion is that it doesn't have to be that way. I am certain no manager would come bothering a diligent employee for the sake of it. Management is there to see to it the smooth running of the business and it has the employees' best interests at heart. According to me, management is something that should be embraced rather than feared as most people do.

Question 3

Describe the seven (7) dimensions of organizational culture as defined by the Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) model.

(10 marks)

Detail Oriented - these companies are built on the framework of OCP that they follow with such precision and very keen on detail.

Team Oriented - these are the collaborative companies that promote cooperation among employees and departments respectively.

People Oriented - companies respect individual human rights and they value being fair and supportive.

Stable - comprises the predictable companies that are bureaucratic and based on set rules

Outcome Oriented companies put emphasis to achievements and general overall result.

Aggressive - companies value being competitive and outclassing their competitors.

Innovative - companies are flexible, experimental and quick to adapt to changes CITATION Jam03 \l 1033 (Sarros and University. 2003).

Explain how a strong corporate culture can help a company achieve success.

(12 marks)

A strong corporate culture is one that pays attention to all areas of a business. It considers the employees to be the most valued assets that a company possesses. With that in mind, a strong corporate culture can help a company achieve success in the following ways:

Proper training of employees for a company to be successful, the employees need to be highly qualified to be conversant with what is required of them and enhance their competency.

Job specialization a successful culture promotes job specialization. This ensures that only the qualified and skilled employees in a certain field work in that field. This specialization promotes optimum productivity of each employee and subsequently helps the company achieve its set goals easily.

Cooperation a strong corporate culture that puts an emphasis on team work among the employees, departments and different organizational level is bound to be successful. This cooperation in turn promotes unity and social cohesion among the employees providing a very smooth and peaceful working environment.

Motivation a corporate culture that continuously motivates its employees is more likely to be successful. Once again, employees are the most valued assets of a company and motivating them time after time in ways such as salary increment, better working conditions, increased allowances is sure to make them work harder to achieve success.

Question 4:

List the components of the general environment.

(5 marks)

Economic Environment.

Social Environment.

Political Environment.

Legal Environment.

Technological Environment.

Discuss how the various components of the general environment impact the fast-food business of McDonalds in Malaysia.

(20 marks)

Economic Environment

Malaysia as a country has good infrastructure, the transport and communication system is well developed and this favors McDonald as an industry because customers are able to access their information easily as well as approaching the fast-food joints easily without much hustle.

Malaysia also facilitates the nourishment of the private sector such as Mcdonald's as it allows the participation of private sector in financial institutions.

Social Environment

The standards of living of the inhabitants of Malaysia are high enough to make them afford the products and services of Mcdonald's comfortably. The people of Malaysia have a taste and preference for fast foods and this further promotes the success of McDonald's.

Malaysia is highly populated especially with the youth who provide a ready market for the products and services offered by McDonald's fast food.

Political Environment

Malaysia is a country that experiences political stability. This promotes the flourishing of McDonald's fast food business as it cannot thrive in a chaotic country. The government of Malaysia is stable and this factor encourages the investors to invest in the country. McDonald's as an investor is more likely to succeed under a stable government as compared to an unstable one.

Legal Environment

McDonald's as a business cannot play blind to the legislations and legal requirements expected of them by Malaysia as a country. This means they have to operate in the framework of the legal environment. Common laws affecting a business are in the likes of common laws regulating the advertisements. Fortunately, such laws are mostly imposed on tobacco and alcohol companies hence McDonald's remains unaffected by such.

Technological Environment

This refers to the changes taking place in the method of production, improvement of production equipment and product quality associated with the same. For optimum results, Mcdonald's should keep tabs on the rapidly changing technological world and catch up so as to remain competitive in this line of fast-food industry. Such changes are associated with improved customer satisfaction and service quality.

Bibliography

Drucker, Peter F, and Joseph A Maciariello. Management. New York: Collins, 2008.

Robbins, Stephen P, and Mary K Coulter. Management. Upper Saddle River, 2005.

Sarros, James, and Monash University. The organizational culture profile: an Australian perspective. Clayton, 2003.

Taylor, Frederick Winslow. The principles of scientific management. New York : Norton, 1967.