Functions Of A Manager

Submitted By mfarm88
Words: 4681
Pages: 19

Research into Management

Tony Farmer
University of Minnesota – Crookston

Contents

Introduction 3
Four Job Functions of a Manager 3
Key Roles and Qualities of a Good Manager 5
Company Research 7
Challenges and Trends of Managing in 2013 10
Conclusion 11
References 12

Introduction
All organizations, business, political, or social, are involved with some type of management that purposely directs various efforts to achieve organizational goals. Typically, at various levels, managers are responsible for directing or guiding the personnel towards these organizational goals.

So, how do they do this? We look into a manager’s position to answer this question, and use the principles of management to define their role in how they help plan, organize, lead, and control, so that an organization can meet their desired objectives. We will also define what makes a good manager and consider the management styles that an effective leader should use.

We will also discuss how the McDonald’s Corporation used their mission and value statements which helped them propelled into one of the largest fast-food restaurants in the world, without wavering from its original 1955 mission statement.

Future challenges and trends abound the management concept, and we look closer into how managing various groups, technology, and intelligent people affect our management skills.
Four Job Functions of a Manager
As in any organization, management concepts are required to help secure the vision or the future of an organization. Henri Fayol, considered the founder of modern management, translated management concepts into certain functions, such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling that help achieve the success for future plans of the organization. These functions are not inseparable from one another, but tend to overlap and blend into the other, as each affects the performance of the other.
Planning
Planning is the main principle of management, and considered the foundation of all other management functions. Planning is determining in advance the course of actions to achieve desired goals. Determining the goals of an organization and then planning an effective way to achieve those goals are essential part of a manager’s duty. Planning may include the basic business model that includes the financial aspect, marketing plans, advertising plans, sales plans, and the vision and mission statement of the organization. All these and more will be required for an organization to function in a structured manner. Planning is required throughout, and not just at the start of an organization.
There are different types of planning within this function, which consist of strategic planning (long range plan), tactical planning (short range plan), and operational planning (less than a year). Strategic planning analyzes internal and external factors that may affect the organization’s objectives and goals. One of the primary tools of strategic planning is the use of SWOT analysis, which is a technique that helps organizations find the organization’s strengths and weaknesses, and identify areas of opportunity and take preventive measures against threats arising from both internal and external environmental factors. Tactical planning relates to executing actions of the strategic planning strategy. These actions comprise what is to be done, in what order, using which tools and personnel. You may employ a number of tactics and involve many different departments and people in this effort to reach a common goal. Operational planning is designed to develop daily organizational action that support the strategic and tactical plans.
There must be timely reviews to judge whether the plans are operating according to the given objectives. A well designed plan may look attractive initially, but executing the plan on the production line may be a different story. A review is considered a primary aspect of the planning process, in which any changes