MANAGERS AND MANAGING
What is Management?
"Management is the organizational process that includes strategic planning, setting objectives, managing resources, deploying the human and financial assets needed to achieve objectives, and measuring results. Management also includes recording and storing facts and information for later use or for others within the organization. Management functions are not limited to managers and supervisors. Every member of the organization has some management and reporting functions as part of their job." (Knowledge Management Terms, 2009)
Essential Managerial Tasks
A manager's job uniquely describes the functions of management, which are most commonly cited as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, although some managers' jobs identify additional functions. The process of management is defined by the functions of management, which are distinct from accounting, finance, marketing, and other business functions. " These functions provide a useful way of classifying information about management, and most basic management texts since the 1950s have been organized around a functional framework."
(Cengage, 2006)
Levels and Skills of Managers
Most organizations have three levels of management. First-line, middle, and top managers.
While first-line managers are responsible for the day-to-day supervision of non-managerial employees, middle managers are responsible for developing and utilizing organizational resources efficiently and effectively, and top managers have cross departmental responsibility.
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There are three main kinds of managerial skills which include conceptual, human, and technical.
Organizations divide managers into departments according to their job responsibilities because of the need to develop and build technical skills. "Top managers must establish appropriate goals for the entire organization