Principles of Management – MGT503 MANAGERIAL LEVELS AND SKILLS

VU Lesson 2.5

Level of Managers in an Organization: Top Managers Middle Mangers First-Line Managers Non-managerial Employees First-line managers (or first-line supervisors) are those managers having the least authority and are at the lowest level in the hierarchy of the organization. First-line managers are at the lowest level of management and manage the work of non-managerial individuals who are involved with the production or creation of the organization’s products. They’re often called supervisors but may also be called line managers, office managers, or even foremen. They are directly responsible for the work of operating (nonmanagerial) employees. a. Titles often include the term, “supervisor.” b. Factors changing the jobs of first-line managers include emphasis upon worker participation and teamwork and the use of computers to regulate many activities formerly regulated by first-line managers. c. The jobs of first-line managers are likely to change toward a greater emphasis on dealing with internal human relations. Middle-level managers are those managers beneath the top-levels of the hierarchy and directly supervise other managers below them. It includes all levels of management between the first-line level and the top level of the organization. These managers manage the work of first-line managers and may have titles such as department head, project leader, plant managers, or division manager. a. Typical titles include “manager,” “director of,” “chief,” department head,” and “division head.” b. Middle managers are mainly responsible for implementing overall organizational plans so that organizational goals are achieved as expected. c. They plan, allocate resources to meet objectives and coordinate and link groups, departments, and divisions within a company. d. They monitor and manage the