Page 21 - DMGT402_MANAGEMENT_PRACTICES_AND_ORGANIZATIONAL_BEHAVIOUR

Management Practices and Organisational Behaviour

Notes Conformity, when carried out in a rigid and scrupulous manner, may affect employee
behaviour in a negative way and destroy the creative potential of employees. The
chief executive, therefore, must encourage his employees to move in new directions
and respond to new challenges in a dynamic way instead of merely applying rules
and regulations in a mechanical manner.

(e) Linkage building role: The chief executive must be able to develop appropriate linkages
between the organisation and outside constituencies such as government, financial
institutions, community and society at large. Without enlisting support from these
outside constituencies, it might be difficult for the organisation to obtain licenses, to
expand business activity, to carry out research and to initiate rural development
programmes.
(f) Futuristic role: The chief executive must prepare the organisation for future challenges.
To this end, the organisation must look into market opportunities and encash these
in a prudent way. The chief executive must be able to steer the ship to safety, facing
the turbulent environments in a bold manner.
(g) Creating an impact: This means making an impact of one’s organisation on others, by
way of superior technology, marketing skills, innovative abilities, etc.
(h) Provide superordination: The chief executive must be able to create a sense of pride and
importance in the subordinates – making them feel that they are working in a very
important field of work which is very useful for the society.

1.11 Functions of a Manager

As we have seen above, there are many management functions in business and, therefore, many
manager titles. Regardless of title, the manager is responsible for planning, directing, monitoring
and controlling the people and their work.
1. An Operations Manager is responsible for the operations of the company.
2. A Night Manager is responsible for the activities that take place at night.
According to Reitz, Managers generally work for long hours, their days are broken up into a
large number of brief and varied activities, they interact with large number of different people,
they do little reflective planning and spend most of their time engaged in oral communication.
They spend a lot of time getting, giving and processing information.
According to Stoner, managerial work is characterised by the following things:
1. Managers work with and through other people: Managers work with internal (subordinates,
supervisors, peers) as well as external groups (customers, clients, suppliers, union
representatives etc.) in order to achieve corporate goals. They integrate individual efforts
into teamwork. They plan things, create a structure, motivate people and achieve goals.
2. Managers are mediators: People working in an organisation do not always agree on
certain things, say, the establishment of goals and the means to achieve them. At the
corporate headquarters of a large bank, managers may think about expanding into merchant
banking, leasing, credit card business, whereas at the branch level, people may focus on
expanding deposits by venturing deep into rural areas. Unless such differences are resolved
quickly, employees find it difficult to think and act like a well-knit group. Their morale,
too, may suffer. Managers often step in to put things in order, clear the paths to goals,
clarify things to people, put out fires and meet goals.
3. Managers are politicians: Managers must develop healthy relationships with various
groups in order to achieve the goals smoothly. They may have to nurture groups and join

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