Basic Concepts in Management (AMS 101)

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental management concepts, theoretical evolutions, organizational functions, staffing, control systems, and contextual management practices.

Management

The process of designing and maintaining an organizational environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims and objectives.

Administration

The activity associated with policy formulation and the determination of broad organizational objectives, traditionally distinguished from management's focus on policy execution.

Scientific Management

A school of thought ($c.\text{ 1880–1920}$) associated with Taylor, Gantt, and Gilbreth, centered on the idea that work should be measured, standardised, and scientifically designed.

Classical / Administrative School

A school of thought ($c.\text{ 1916–1948}$) associated with Fayol and Weber, advocating a universal body of principles and a rational, hierarchical organizational structure.

Human Relations School

A management school ($c.\text{ 1924–1960s}$) emerging from the Hawthorne studies that views workers as social beings whose morale, social needs, and group relationships determine output.

Systems Approach

A management perspective ($c.\text{ 1950s–1970s}$) that conceptualises the organisation as an open system of interdependent parts operating through input, transformation, output, and feedback mechanisms.

Contingency Approach

A management framework ($c.\text{ 1960s–present}$) asserting that there is no single best way to manage; management practice and structure must fit situational circumstances.

Technical Skills

Mastery of the specific methods, processes, and techniques of a specialised field, typically of highest importance at the first-line supervisory level.

Human Skills

The ability to understand, communicate with, motivate, and work effectively with people both individually and in groups.

Conceptual Skills

The cognitive capability to perceive the organisation as an integrated whole, recognize systemic interdependencies, and think strategically and abstractly.

Planning

The management function involving the systematic determination of goals and objectives and the definition of the appropriate courses of action to achieve them.

Organising

The management function of establishing the formal structure of authority, arranging resources, and grouping activities to execute plans.

Directing / Leading

The motivational, interpersonal, and change-oriented management function that guides, instructs, and influences people to perform toward organizational objectives.

Staffing

The managerial function of filling and keeping filled organizational positions with competent personnel through manpower planning, recruitment, selection, appraisal, and development.

Controlling

The process of monitoring actual performance, comparing it against established standards, identifying variances, and taking corrective actions.

Unity of Command

A management principle stating that an employee should receive orders from and be directly accountable to only one superior to prevent conflicting instructions.

Unity of Direction

A management principle dictating that all activities having the same objective should be directed by one manager following a single coordinated plan.

Scalar Chain

The unbroken line of authority and formal communication linking all positions from the highest executive down to the lowest operational level.

Span of Control

The specific number of direct subordinates that a manager can effectively supervise and coordinate.

Graicunas' Relationship Formula

A mathematical formula calculating the potential relationships a manager faces with $n$ subordinates: $\text{Relationships} = n + \frac{n(n - 1)}{2} + \frac{n(n - 1)(n - 2)}{6}$.

Line Authority

Formal command authority flowing downward through the scalar chain that entitles a manager to direct the work of immediate operational subordinates.

Staff Authority

Advisory and supportive authority based on specialist expertise that provides recommendations and counsel to line managers without the right to command them.

Functional Authority

The delegated authority permitting a staff specialist to enforce procedures or make binding decisions within a specific technical area across other departments.

Matrix Structure

An organizational structure that combines two reporting dimensions simultaneously (such as functional department and project/product line), creating dual-reporting relationships.

Job Analysis

The systematic examination of a job to determine the tasks, duties, working conditions, and personal qualifications required to perform it.

Job Description

A written statement outlining the tasks, duties, working conditions, reporting lines, and major responsibilities of a specific position.

Person Specification

A profile defining the essential and desirable knowledge, skills, qualifications, experience, and personal attributes a candidate must possess to perform a job.

Employee Selection

The process of evaluating and choosing from an applicant pool the candidate who best matches the job specification and has the highest probability of success.

Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS)

An appraisal method combining qualitative critical incidents with quantitative ratings by anchoring numeric scale points to specific, observable job behaviours.

Management by Objectives (MBO)

A performance appraisal and goal-setting process in which managers and subordinates collaboratively define specific objectives and periodically review progress toward them.

360-Degree Feedback

A comprehensive performance appraisal system gathering performance data and evaluations from superiors, peers, direct subordinates, and external stakeholders or clients.

Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model

A four-level framework evaluating training and development: Reaction (level 1), Learning (level 2), Behaviour (level 3), and Results (level 4).

Two-Factor Theory

Herzberg's motivation model stating that hygiene factors (e.g., pay, working conditions) prevent dissatisfaction, while motivators (e.g., achievement, recognition) generate job satisfaction.

Expectancy Theory

Vroom's process theory stating motivation is determined by: $\text{Motivation} = \text{Expectancy} \times \text{Instrumentality} \times \text{Valence}$.

Equity Theory

Adams' cognitive model positing that employee motivation depends on whether they perceive their ratio of job inputs to job outcomes to be fair compared to referent others.

Managerial Grid

Blake and Mouton's leadership framework plotting concern for production against concern for people along a 9-point scale to identify behavioural leadership styles.

Situational Leadership Theory

Hersey and Blanchard's model matching four leadership styles (Directing S1, Coaching S2, Supporting S3, Delegating S4) to the competence and commitment levels of subordinates.

Feedforward Control

A preventive control approach designed to anticipate deviations, errors, and problems before operational activities or inputs take place.

Feedback Control

A retrospective control method that measures actual completed performance, compares results against historical standards, and corrects past variances.

Responsibility Accounting

A control system that structures financial recording and reporting so that budgeted and actual costs and revenues are assigned to the specific manager responsible for them.

Budgetary Control

A control technique comparing actual operational revenues and expenditures against predetermined, approved monetary targets to identify variances.

Groupthink

A group decision malfunction identified by Janis where excessive desire for harmony, cohesion, and unanimity suppresses realistic, critical evaluation of alternative actions.

Bounded Rationality

Herbert Simon's concept showing that human decision-makers deviate from pure rationality because of cognitive capacity limits, imperfect information, and restricted time.

Anchoring Bias

A cognitive bias in decision-making characterized by disproportionately weighting and relying upon the first piece of information received.

Escalation of Commitment

The tendency of decision-makers to commit additional resources to a failing course of action because of prior investments, rather than accepting the loss.

Paternalism

A cultural management style where a senior leader behaves like a protective, authoritative family head toward subordinates, creating relational loyalty but potential operational dependency.

'Big Man' Syndrome

An organizational phenomenon where decision-making authority and information networks are concentrated entirely within a dominant founder or individual rather than institutional systems.

'Settling In' vs 'Settling Down'

A Nigerian workplace distinction between learning to do a job competently ('settling in') and focusing primarily on acquiring social status, assets, and perks ('settling down').