COURSE OVERVIEW:
A manager is a person responsible for work performance of other people. Management is the process of using organisational resources to achieve specific objectives through the functions of planning, organising and staffing, leading, and controlling. Organisational levels consist of top-level managers, middle-level managers, first-level managers, and individual contributors.
Categories of managers include functional managers (who deal with specialties within the firm), general managers, administrators (typically managers in non-profit firms), entrepreneurs (those who start innovative businesses), small-business owners, and team leaders. Entrepreneurs and small-business owners are particularly passionate about their work.
To accomplish organisational goals, managers use resources and carry out the basic management functions. Resources are divided into four categories: human, financial, physical, and informational. The four managerial functions are planning, organising and staffing, leading, and controlling.
The work of a manager can be divided into 17 roles that relate to the four major functions. Planning roles include strategic planner and operational planner. Organising and staffing calls for the organiser, liaison, staffing coordinator, resource allocator, and task delegator roles. Leading roles include figurehead, spokesperson, negotiator, motivator and coach, team builder, team player, technical problem solver, and entrepreneur. Controlling involves the monitor and disturbance handling roles.
Managerial work has shifted substantially away from the controller and director role to that of coach, facilitator, and supporter. Top-level managers occupy more external roles than do lower-ranking managers. A useful perspective on the nature of management is that it is a practice, rather than a science or profession. The use of evidence-based management helps professionalise the work of managers.
Managers need interpersonal, conceptual, diagnostic, and political skills to accomplish their jobs. An effective way of developing managerial skills is to follow a general learning model. The model involves conceptual knowledge, behavioural guidelines, examples, skill-development exercises, feedback, and frequent practice. Management skills are acquired through a combination of education and experience.
The best practices of managers today include elements of the six major developments in management thought. Management thought continues to evolve. A leading-edge trend is evidence-based management in which managers base their decisions and practices on principles derived from good evidence.
This course explains the nature of managerial work with a particular emphasis on managerial skills, roles, functions and tasks.
This course begins by explaining the term manager, then identifies the different types of managers. Then describes the process of management, including the functions of management. Also, describes the seventeen managerial roles within the managers work. Then identifies the key managerial skills and discusses how they can be developed. Finally, identifies the major developments in the evolution of management thought.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:
- Who is a manager?
- The managerial levels and job titles
- The top-level managers
- The C-level positions often found in large organisations
- The middle-level managers
- The first-level managers
- The types of managers
- The functional and general managers
- The administrators
- The entrepreneurs and small-business owners
- The process of management
- The resources used by managers
- The four managerial functions
- The strategic planner managerial role
- The operational planner managerial role
- The organiser managerial role
- The liaison managerial role
- The staffing coordinator managerial role
- The resource allocator managerial role
- The task delegator managerial role
- The motivator and coach managerial role
- The figurehead managerial role
- The spokesperson managerial role
- The negotiator managerial role
- The team builder managerial role
- The team player managerial role
- The technical problem solver managerial role
- The entrepreneur managerial role
- The monitor managerial role
- The disturbance handler managerial role
- The managerial role analysis
- The influence of management level on managerial roles
- Management as a practice
- The five key managerial skills
- How to develop managerial skills?
- The evolution of management thought
- The classical approach to management
- The behavioural approach to management
- The Hawthorne studies
- The theory X and theory Y of Douglas McGregor
- The Maslow’s need hierarchy
- The quantitative approaches to management
- The contingency approach to management
- How information technology modified managerial work?
COURSE DURATION:
The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.
COURSE DELIVERY:
Purchase and download course content.
ASSESSMENT:
A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.
CERTIFICATION:
Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.