Module 1 Content Reading and Videos

What is Harold Koontz’s definition of management?

Management is the art of getting things done through and with people in organized groups.

What is efficiency in management?

Efficiency is using resources wisely and cost-effectively (process-focused).

What is effectiveness in management?

Effectiveness is achieving goals and desired results (results-focused).

What is “soldiering” in Taylor’s scientific management?

When workers slow their work to match the slowest worker, raising labor costs.

What are the 4 principles of Taylor’s scientific management?

Study tasks scientifically, select/train workers, monitor and incentivize, divide work between managers and workers.

What did Frank and Lillian Gilbreth contribute to management?

Motion studies (bricklaying) increased efficiency by 300% and innovated job design methods.

What are the characteristics of Weber’s bureaucracy?

Rules and SOPs, hierarchy, division of labor, impersonality, and merit-based advancement.

What was Weber’s main goal for bureaucracy?

Standardization, predictability, and efficiency.

What are Fayol’s 4 functions of management (POLC)?

Planning, Organizing, Leading, Controlling.

What are the three levels of planning?

Strategic (1–5 yrs), Tactical (6 mo–2 yrs), Operational (<1 yr).

What is a main criticism of classical management theories?

Too rigid, mechanistic, and ignored social/psychological needs of workers.

What was the Hawthorne Effect?

Productivity increased simply because workers were observed, showing social factors matter.

What did Elton Mayo’s studies highlight?

Importance of human relations, motivation, and attention in productivity.

What are the five levels of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Esteem, Self-Actualization.

What is a main limitation of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Needs do not always follow a strict hierarchy and vary by culture and context.

What are the assumptions of Theory X?

Workers are lazy, avoid responsibility, dislike change, and need control.

What are the assumptions of Theory Y?

Workers are responsible, motivated, creative, and self-directed.

What is management science?

Using quantitative methods (stats, simulations, optimization) to improve efficiency and processes.

What is systems management?

Viewing an organization as interrelated parts (subsystems) that create synergy.

What is the difference between an open and closed system?

Open systems interact with their environment; closed systems do not.

What is contingency theory (Fred Fiedler)?

There is no one best way to manage; the best approach depends on context and situation.

What is a learning organization (Peter Senge)?

An organization that creates, acquires, transfers knowledge, and adapts its behavior.

What is knowledge management (KM)?

Capturing, storing, and sharing knowledge to improve performance.

What is tacit vs. explicit knowledge?

Tacit = experiential and hard to share; Explicit = easily recorded and taught.

What did Peter Drucker say about knowledge in 1993?

“The basic economic resource is no longer capital, nor labor, but knowledge.”

What are Mintzberg’s three categories of roles?

Interpersonal, Informational, Decisional.

What is the figurehead role?

Performing ceremonial duties.

What is the liaison role?

Building external contacts with clients, peers, and government.

What is the monitor role?

Scanning the environment for information.

What is the disseminator role?

Passing internal information to subordinates.

What is the spokesperson role?

Sharing information externally.

What is the entrepreneur role?

Driving change and initiating new projects

What is the disturbance handler role?

Responding to crises and unexpected problems.

What is the resource allocator role?

Managing time, budgets, and attention.

What is the negotiator role?

Representing the organization in negotiations and conflict resolution.

What is Mintzberg’s main observation about managers’ work?

It is fast-paced, fragmented, and heavily reliant on oral communication.

What is the scarcest resource for managers, according to Mintzberg?

Their own time.

Why is management not considered a profession?

It lacks licensing, universal ethics, and a single body of specialized knowledge.

How is management different from professions like law or medicine?

It is broad, variable, and context-dependent, focusing on integration not fixed rules.

What is the MBA debate about?

Whether MBA programs should adopt a professional code like law or medicine.

What is the core takeaway of Barker’s argument?

Management is about integration, reflection, and judgment, not rigid knowledge mastery.