Modern Management

A task can either be done single handedly or as a group. The need for management and organization comes into picture when multiple people are involved in completing a task. Modern Management specifically talks about existence of segregated duties of

1. Decision making
2. Execution

and importance of  non-financial awards like work satisfaction to executers/workers in an organization. Modern view consists that a worker does not work for only money. They work for their satisfaction and happiness with good living style.

Tower Building Example:

The concept of modern management and its differences from single handed work completion were illustrated by Prof. Mandi through a simple tower building exercise.

Case1:  One person was asked to build the tower (Single handed approach)

Case2: The tower had to be built by a blind folded person being guided by another person and a third person overlooking the whole process (Multiple people approach with one acting as top level manager, other as middle level manager and the third as the worker)

Lets see the differences in the two approaches on different parameters:

                                             One Person                          More than one person
 
 

Work allocation/progress     Ambiguous                          Crystal clear( Responsibilities are

                                                                                                          clearly outlined) 

Skill level                               Skilled                                   Deskilled/fragmented skill set

Output                                   'X' (22 block tower made      Greater than 'X' (25 block tower 
                                                       in current example)                            in current example) 

Satisfaction  level                  'Y'                                          Lesser than 'Y'
                                                                                               
Time Taken                            'Z'                                          Lesser than 'Z'

 

Managerial Skills:
The main factors coming into play in effective management include:

1. Conceptual Skills:

Conceptual skill is the ability to visualize the organization as a whole. It includes Analytical, Creative and Initiative skills. It helps the manager to identify the causes of the problems and not the symptoms.

In the tower building example, this could include making available vacuum space, flat platform, equal sized cubes etc. to achieve higher storey tower.

Conceptual skills are mostly required by the top-level management because they spend more time in planning, organizing and problem solving.

2. Technical/ Operational Skills:

A technical skill is the ability to perform the given job. Technical skills help the managers to use different machines and tools. It also helps them to use various procedures and techniques.

In current example, this would include, the manager providing the right instructions/procedure to the worker. 

The low-level managers require more technical skills. This is because they are incharge of the actual operations.

3. Human Relations skills:

Human relations skills are also called Interpersonal skills. It is an ability to work with people. It helps the managers to understand, communicate and work with others. It also helps the managers to lead, motivate and develop team spirit. 

Motivation: Employees are not motivated by only money (bonus scheme and incentive).

Communication:  communication helps the management and employees to have better mutual understanding. Through proper communication, management can easily identified the problem faced by its employees and can easily solve out.

Social factors: Social factors are responsible for deciding the level of output.

Behavior of workers: workers are not as individual identity but as members of a group in an organization and they have their own norms and beliefs. Workers behavior depends upon his mental level and emotions. Workers began to influence their group behavior towards management.

Relationship: Employees do not like order and command. They preferred to maintain amicable relationship with their co-workers. They want co-operative attitude from their superiors.

Production level:  Teamwork and Group psychology increases productivity. 

 

Human relations skills are required by all managers at all levels of management. This is so, since all managers have to interact and work with people.



 

All the above principles of Modern management can be applied to the tower building example.