PRINCIPLES OF

MANAGEMENT
BFB 3103
Introduction

Management as a field of study has evolved over the years and enjoyed contribution
from different people. This has taken place since the 19 th century and is still evolving
just like other fields. A key aspect of managing is recognizing the role and
importance of other people.
Good management is working through others to accomplish tasks that fulfill
organizational objectives as efficiently as possible.
There have been different eras of the evolution, each one depicting a school of
thought.

 Divergent theories contributed by different actors are also eminent in each school
of thought ( Look at this later)
MANAGEMENT: Definition:

MANAGEMENT:

 This is getting things done through people

 This concerns the direction and control of the various activities to attain business
objectives( (Wiliam Spriegel),

 It’s the art of getting things done through the efforts of other people.( Lawrence A,
Appley). The process of achieving organisational goals by engaging in the four
 major functions which are: planning, organising, leading and controlling (Bartol et
al., 2001)

 The capacity to create a work environment in such a way that each person is
uniquely motivated to achieve the organisational goals and feels recognised for so
doing (Carlopio et al., 2004)

 Management is about coping with complexity. Dealing with planning and

budgeting, organising and staffing, and controlling and problem solving.
(Kotter.,2003).

Manager:An individual who is in charge of a certain group of tasks, or a certain

subset of a company

IS MANAGEMENT AN ART OR SCIENCE

 The debate about whether management is an 'art 'or 'science' is far from being
complete.

 Most scholars feel that management draws on both art and science.Follet for
example defined management as an art, but her definition is not universally
accepted. What is obvious is that like most other arts management involves some
degree of skill.

 Another man Henry M. Boe Hinger who was a corporate officer and management
lecturer argues that management is an art. It requires the components of most arts
like poetry or painting. i.e. vision. In the respects advanced by Follet and BoeHinger
management is an art.

The science of management:

 Approaching many management problems and issues in ways that are rational,
logical, objective and systematic

 Managers can gather data, facts and objective information.

 They can use quantitative models and decision making techniques to arrive at correct
decisions and they need to take such a scientific approach to solving problems
whenever possible especially when they are dealing with relatively routine and
straightforward issues.

 Technical diagnostic and decision making skills are especially important when
approaching a management task or problem from a scientific perspective

ART OF MANAGEMENT

• Art of Management: even though managers try to be scientific as often as possible,

frequently they need make decisions and solve problems on the basis of intuition,
experience, instinct and personal insights

Relying heavily on conceptual, communication, interpersonal and time management

skills e.g. deciding among a multiple course of action that look equally attractive.

NB: Effective management is a blend of both science and art. And successful
executives recognize the importance of combining both the science and the
management as they practice their craft.

EVOLUTION OF MANAGEMENT( to be COVERED LATER, AN ASSIGNMENT)

MANAGEMENT LEVELS/Kinds of Managers

A) Top managers: e.g. chief executive officer, chief information officer, chief
operating officer-
i) Responsible for overall direction of organization create context of change

ii) Develop employees commitment and ownership of co’s performance iii)

Create positive organizational culture through language and action
iv) Impact company values , strategies, lessons through what they do and
say

v) Monitor their business environments- closely monitor customer needs,

competitors, moves ,long-term business economic and social trends
B) Middle managers: e.g plant managers, regional managers, divisional manager

• Roles:

i) Set objectives consistent with top managements goals ii)

Plan and allocate resources to meet objectives

iii) Coordinate and link groups, departments, divisions in the company iv) Monitor and
manage performance of subunits and individual managers who report to them

v) Implement changes or strategies generated by top manage

C) FIRST LINE MANAGERS eg office manager, shift supervisor,

or department manager • Roles:

i) Manage performance of entry level employees directly responsible for

producing company’s
goods and services

ii) Teach entry level employees how to do their jobs

Iii) Make detailed schedules and operating plans based on middle
managements intermediate plans
• Iv) Encourage, monitor, reward performance of their workers
D) TEAM LEADER

• Facilitate team activities toward goal

accomplishment

• Manage external relationships i.e liase between

team and other teams • Internal team
relationships

MANAGERIAL ROLES

A)INTERPERSONAL ROLES; - Dealing with the maintenance of relationships with

others within and outside the organization

 Figure head-Formal, representational and symbolic duties ,ceremonial duties e.g.

greeting co visitors, speak at opening of facilities, represent company at community
luncheon,

 Leader role: Relationship with subordinated – motivating, communicating,

coaching, etc

 Liaison: Contacts with others outside work unit, for assistance, information, etc

B)INFORMATONAL ROLES:– Dealing with the gathering and provision of

information, again within and outside the organization.

1. Monitor – scan environment for information ,ensuring acquisition of information

necessary for work.

2. Disseminator – Distributing information throughout organization and outside.

3. Spokesperson – Formal provision of information on behalf of organization outside
the company
• C) DECISIONAL ROLE: Dealing with organizational and operational problems and
difficulties

Entrepreneur: Initiating, developing and facilitating change and innovation.

Disturbance handler–Troubleshooting problems as and when they arise and resolve

them.eg if sales down, production problems

Resource allocator- Distributing and arranging use of resources (staff, finance,

materials, time), and determining who gets resources and how much

Negotiator- Representing organization in negotiations within area of

responsibility e.g.schedules, projects, goals, outcomes employee raises, with
suppliers for better delivery

Management skills

Management is a challenge and complex task and performing it effectively requires a

variety of skills. Skills are the various talents managers need to perform their roles
effectively. These skills are grouped into four categories, conceptual, human,
technical and diagnostic skills.

• A) Conceptual Skills - The ability to see the whole organization as a single unit of
operation, to visualize the interrelations between different components of the
organization and how they should collaborate for achieving its global mission; to
deeply understand the external environment of the organization as well as the new
possibilities, threats and challenges it presents for the organization.
• These skills are more important for the top level management

b)Technical skills:

 Enable managers to perform specific activities involving methods processes or

techniques
Frontline managers require this skill to effectively monitor employees performance,
provide meaningful feedback and help employees solve unusual problems
Technical knowledge and skills are more important for frontline managers than for
senior positions. The reasoning is that managers in the lower part of the hierarchy
work directly with technical staff. Whereas managers further up the hierarchy work
more with other managers
Higher level managers also require technical knowledge and skills across a broader
spectrum of functional areas eg marketing production, accounting etc

c) HUMAN SKILLS

Ability of a manager to relate well with other managers/employees within the

organization.
They should have the ability to communicate, persuade, conflict management,
motivate, coach, negotiate all that.
Successful managers use their human skills to reunite the needs and goals of their own
than members with people in other work units
Ability to address the needs of customers, suppliers e.t.c
 also relate to manager self awareness and self management. In this managers should
be mindful of their needs, emotions and impulses

• NB: human skills are more than technical and conceptual skills
D) Diagnostic Skills

 These are skills used to define and understand situations.

They are most important at the top moderately important in the middle and least
important at the bottom of the managerial hierarchy
Why Organizations Need Managers

1. To ensure the organization serves its basic purpose – efficient production of goods
and services.

2. To design and maintain the stability of the operations of the organization.

3. To take charge of strategy making and adopt the organization in a controlled way
to changes in its environment.

4. To ensure the organization serves the ends of those people who control it.

5. To serve as the key informational link between the organization and the
environment, and

6. As formal authority to operate the organizations status system.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL MANAGER

1.Will to manage – A good manager must be willing to accept responsibility and

have the confidence to be accountable for the work of others. Some people have
low desire to manage for the following reasons; • They lack confidence.

• Are afraid of making decisions.

• Fear responsibility/accountability.
• Are happy with their current positions.

2.Knowledge of management process -A manager should have an understanding of

the management process and management functions through formal training and
education in management.

3. Intellectually capable – He should possess the necessary level of intelligence

and ability to make logical decisions.

4. Ability to command respect–A manager must be able to earn respect from his
subordinates so that they are able to obey him, he must therefore be able to understand
employees, be honest, fair and have a positive attitude.

5.Have good communication skills - He must be able to make himself understood either
orally or through writing. Ineffective communication leads to misunderstanding which
results in mistakes.

6.Integrity – Managers act on behalf of the organization. They must have a high sense
of what is right and what is wrong and practice it. They must conduct business and trade
in a straight, ethical and acceptable manner.

7.Loyalty – They must show loyalty to the organization. They must always try to give
good image of the organization both within and without.

8.Good personality- A good manager should be one ready to work with others and one
who does not always insist on doing things his own way. He should have a stable
character
– with few personal problems which might be a liability to the firm, for example,
alcoholism, drug addiction or domestic problems.
MISTAKES MANAGER’S MAKE( DISCUSSION)

• Insensitive to others: Abrasive, intimidating, bullying style,

• Arrogant

• Betrayal of trust

• Overly ambitious., thinking of next job, playing politics

• Specific performance problems with the business

• Over managing, unable to delegate or build a team

• Unable to staff effectively

• Unable to think strategically

• Unable to adapt to boss with different styles

• Overdependent on advocate or mentor