Management Developments

 

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The word manager has been used to mean people at different levels of hierarchy. Needless to say that their actions have significant impact on the performance of the part or whole of the organization. A worker may be considered a potential manger for the purpose of management development. 

2.0 OBJECTIVES

At the end of this note, you should be able to:

· define management development

· identify management knowledge and skills

· list and explain various methods used in management development.

 3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Definition and Scope Definition Management development is a systematic process of growth and development by which managers develop their abilities to manage. It is the result of not only participating in formal courses of instruction but also the actual job experience.

It is concerned with the improving the performance of the managers by giving them  opportunities for growth and development. It is also any planned effort to improve current or future management performance. The role of the company in management development is to establish the programme and the developmental  opportunities for its present and potential mangers. 

Scope of Management Development By scope is meant, the field management definition or area of coverage. The scope is to bridge the gap between present performance and the expected performance.

Here we have:

 - The command of basic facts

 - Relevant professional knowledge

- Continuing sensitivity to events

- Analytical, problem-solving, decision-making and judgment making skills

 - Social skills and abilities

- Emotional resilience

- Pro-acting

– the inclination to solve problems before the occur.

- Creativity

- Mental Agility

 - Balanced learning habits and skills

 - Self-knowledge.

Management development is needed in order to keep the manager in possession of expertise so that he is wanting in skills and knowledge in any of the above – activities. This is how wide the scope of management development needs are.   

3.2 Management Development Methods

 There are mainly two types of techniques by which managers can acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes and make themselves competent managers. One is through formal training and the other is through on – the – job experiences. 

3.2.1 Formal Training/on–the Job Training On the job training is of utmost importance as the real learning takes place only when the learner uses what he has learnt. But it should also be remembered that classroom training or pedagogical techniques have also got their own importance in gaining new knowledge, and learning techniques and broader concepts. Learning is haphazard without theoretical background and learning can never be called true learning if it is just theory without practice. When on – the – job training is properly balanced with the classroom training the real learning takes place.

  Some of the techniques on – the – job techniques are:

Coaching – Here the trainee is placed under a particular supervisor who acts as an instructor and teaches job knowledge and skills to the trainee. He tells them what he wants him to do, how it can be done and follows up while it is being done and corrects errors. Coaching should be distinguished from counseling as counseling involves a discussion between the boss and his subordinates in areas concerned with man’s hopes, fears, emotions and be done correctly.

Counseling demands considerable background and ability on the part of the counselor. Coaching can be done through routine work, talking of some complex problems and giving then chance to participate in decision – making. Though the limitations lies in the fact that the individual cannot develop much beyond the limits of the superior.

 Job – Rotation - This is the transferring of executives from job – to – job and from department–to–department in a systematic manner. The idea behind this technique is to give the manager the required diversified skills and a broader outlook, which are very important at the senior management levels.

It is up to the management to provide a variety of job experiences for those judged to have the potential for higher ranks before they are promoted. Job rotation increases the inter-departmental co-operation and reduces the monitory of work. It makes the executives in general management and does not allow them to confine themselves to their specialized field only.

 Under Study - An “Understudy” is a person who is in training to assume at a future time, the full responsibility of the position currently held by his superior. This method supplies the organization a person with as much of competence as the superior to fill his post which may fall vacant because of promotion, retirement or transfer.

 An understanding maybe chosen by the department or its head. He will then teach what all his job involves and gives him a feel of what his job is. This understudy also learns the decision making, as his superior involves him in the discussion of daily operating problems as well as long-term problems. The leadership skills can also be taught by assigning him the task of supervising two or three people of the department. 

Multiple Management - Multiple management is a system in which permanent advisory committees of managers study problems of the company and make recommendations to higher management. It is also called Junior Board of Executives System. These Committees discuss the actual problems and different alternative solutions after which discussions are taken. 

3.2.2 Off-The-Job Techniques

Due to the fact that on – the – job techniques have their own limitations off- the – job techniques are considered important to fill those gaps.

 Some of the off – the – job techniques are:

- Case Study

- Incident Method

- Role Playing

- In Basket Method

- Business Game

- Sensitivity Training

 - Simulation

- Grid Training

- Conferences

- Lectures 

Case Study: Here, cases are prepared on the basis of actual business situations that happened in various organizations. The trainees are given cases for discussing and deciding upon the case. Then they are asked to identify the apparent and hidden problems for which they have to suggest solutions. 

Incident Method: This method was developed by Paul Pigors. It aims at developing the trainee in the areas of intellectual ability, practical judgment and social awareness. Incidents are prepared on the basis of actual situations which happened in different organizations. Each employee in the training group is asked to study the incident and to make decisions. 

Role Playing: A problem situation is simulated by asking the participants to assume the role of a particular person in the situation. The participant interacts with other participants assuming different roles. Mental set of the role is described but no dialogue is provided. Role playing gives the participants vicarious experiences which are of much use to understand people better. This method teaches human relations skills through actual practice the examples of role playing situation are a grievance discussions, employment interview, a sales presentation.

 In Basket Method: Here the trainees are first given background information about a simulated company, its product, key personnel, various memoranda, requests and all data pertaining to the firm. Abilities that this kind of exercise develops are:

 (1) Situational judgement in being able to recall details, establishing priorities etc

 (2) Social sensitivity in establishing courtesy in written noted, scheduling meetings with personnel involved and explaining reasons for actions taken.

(3) Willingness to make decisions and take action. 

Business Game - Here trainees are divided into groups. Each has to discuss and aim at decisions concerning such subjects as production, pricing, research expenditure etc. assuming itself to be the management of a simulated firm. The other teams assume themselves as competitors and react to the decision. This immediate feedback helps to know the relative performance of each team. This promotes greater interaction among participants and gives them the experience in co-operative group processes. All this developed organizational ability, quickness of thinking, leadership and the ability to cope under stress.

Sensitivity Training - The main objectivity in this type of training is the development of awareness of and sensitivity to behavioral pattern of oneself and others. This development result in increased openness with others, greater concern for others, increased tolerance for individual differences and less ethnic prejudices.

Simulation - Under this technique the situation is duplicated in such a way that it carries a closer situation. The trainee experiences a feeling that he is actually encountering all those conditions. He is asked to assume a particular role in the circumstances and solve the problems by making a decision. He is immediately given a feedback of his performance.

Management Grid - It is a six-phase programme lasting from three – five years. It starts with upgrading management skills to group relations, goes into corporate planning, develops implementation methods and ends with an evaluation phase. The end represents several possible leadership styles. Each style represents a different combination of two basic orientations – concern for people and concern for production.

 Conferences - It is a meeting of several people to discuss the subject of common interest, better contribution from members that can be expected as each one builds upon ideas of other participants. This method is best suited when a problem has to be analyzed and examined from different view points. It helps the members develop their ability to modify their attitudes. Participants enjoy this method of learning as they get an  opportunity to express their views.

Lectures - It is the simplest of all techniques. This is the best technique to present and explain series of facts, concepts and principles. The lecturer organizes the material and gives it to a group of trainees in the form of a talk. 

4.0 CONCLUSION

In this note we have provided you a number of definitions of management development. We have said that a number of reasons bordering on the gap between knowledge and skills that managers possess makes it imperative for undertaking management development initiatives. In this note we availed you of various methods of management development. 

5.0 SUMMARY

This note covered the definition, scope and methods of management development.   



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