Chapter 2

The Nature of Managerial Work

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-1

 Learning Objectives
 Understand what methods have been used to
study managerial work
 Understand the typical activity patterns for people
in managerial positions
 Understand the different roles required for
mangers and how they are changing

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-2

 Learning Objectives
 Understand how managerial roles and activities
are affected by aspects of the situation
 Understand how managers cope with the
demands, constraints, and choices confronting
them
 Understand the limitations of descriptive research
on managerial activities
 Understand how managers can make effective use
of their time

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-3

 Typical Activity Patterns in
Managerial Work
 Pace of work is hectic and unrelenting
 Content of work is varied and fragmented
 Many activities are reactive
 Interactions often involve peers and outsiders

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-4

 Typical Activity Patterns in
Managerial Work (Cont.)
 Many interactions involve oral communication

 Decision processes are disorderly and political

 Most planning is informal and adaptive

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-5

 The Content of Managerial Work
 Job description research
 Supervising
 Planning and organizing
 Decision making
 Monitoring indicators
 Controlling
 Representing
 Coordinating
 Consulting
 Administering

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-6

 Mintzberg’s Managerial Roles
 Interpersonal Roles
 Leader
 Liaison
 Figurehead
 Information Processing Roles
 Monitor
 Disseminator
 Spokesperson
 Decision-Making Roles
 Entrepreneur
 Disturbance Handler
 Resource Allocator
© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-7
 Role Conflicts
 Role senders
 Role expectations
 Conflicting demands
 Perceptions of role requirements

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-8

 Unique Role Requirements
Stewart (1967, 1976, 1982)
 Demands – required duties, activities, and
responsibilities
 Constraints – limiting characteristics of the
organization and external environment
 Choices – activities that a manger may do but is
not required to do

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-9

 Unique Role Requirements
Situational Determinants
 Pattern of relationships

 Work patterns

 Exposure

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-10

 Research on Situational
Determinants
 Level of management
 Size of organizational unit
 Lateral interdependence
 Crisis situation
 Stage in the organizational life cycle

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-11

 Changes in the Nature of
Managerial Work
 Globalization
 New computer and telecommunications
technology
 Structure of organizations
 Outsourcing and just-in-time inventories

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-12

 Managerial Activities

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-13

 Applications for Managers
Guidelines for Managing Time
 Understand the reasons for demands and
constraints
 Expand the range of choices
 Determine what you want to accomplish
 Analyze how to use your time
 Plan daily and weekly activities

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-14

 Applications for Managers
Guidelines for Managing Time (Cont.)
 Avoid unnecessary activities
 Conquer procrastination
 Take advantage of reactive activities
 Make time for reflective planning

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-15

 Applications for Managers
Guidelines for Problem Solving
 Identify important problems that can be solved
 Look for connections among problems
 Experiment with innovative solutions
 Take decisive action to deal with crises

© 2006 Prentice Hall Leadership in Organizations 2-16