Angel Jake N.

Lobaton ENCh4B

Importance of Management in Chemical Engineering

Management is the process of planning, controlling, and directing resources (human,

financial, processes, material's etc.) of a business to achieve certain objectives. A chemical

engineer works in an organization where inputs are bought which is supply chain and products

are sold that is sales and marketing. The organization has human resources who are recruited,

managed, disciplined, rewarded and who work according to labour and other laws. That is

human resource management.

Things are bought are sold for money and payments made or received and someone has

to know how to account for these hence the need for financial management. Markets change due

to actions in and outside the organization such as government action, competitor activity and

processes changes due to automation and innovation. Someone needs to plan for these hence the

need for strategic thinking which part of management is.

All these activities need to be coordinated so that they support each other and seamless

operations is achieved. For a chemical engineer to achieve his objectives, management must

work properly supporting all other activities within the organization. That manager may be a

chemical engineer or specialist managers qualified and experienced in their line of expertise but

managerial roles must be done.

 One thing I learned in management course is that the theory Z by W. Ouchi helps many

managers. According to Ouchi, the theory Z promotes stable employment, high productivity and

high morality and employee satisfaction. The loyalty of employees is increased by offering them

a job for life with a strong focus on employee well-being both on the job as well as in their

private lives.

The theory Z revolves around the assumption that employees want to enter into

partnerships with their employer and colleagues. Employees have a strong desire for connection.

This requires a high level of support from the manager and the organisation in the form of a safe

working environment and the right facilities. The possibility for development and training can

also be included on this list. Another assumption is that employees expect reciprocity and

support from their organisation. Employees find a work-life balance important and want to

maintain this. Family, culture and traditions are therefore just as important as working

conditions. The theory Z also assumes that employees trust that they can carry out their work

properly with the right support from management. The characteristics of theory Z is as follows.

LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT

Traditional U.S. organizations are plagued with short-term commitments by employees,

but employers using more traditional management perspective may inadvertently encourage this

by treating employees simply as replaceable cogs in the profit-making machinery. In the United

States, employment at will, which essentially means the employer or the employee can terminate

the employment relationship at any time, has been among the dominant forms of employment

relationships. Conversely, Type J organizations generally make life-long commitments to their

employees and expect loyalty in return, but Type J organizations set the conditions to encourage

this. This promotes stability in the organization and job security among employees.

CONSENSUAL DECISION MAKING

The Type Z organization emphasizes communication, collaboration, and consensus in

decision making. This marks a contrast from the traditional Type A organization that emphasizes

individual decision-making.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY

Type A organizations emphasize individual accountability and performance appraisal.

Traditionally, performance measures in Type J companies have been oriented to the group. Thus,

Type Z organizations retain the emphasis on individual contributions that are characteristic of

most American firms by recognizing individual achievements, albeit within the context of the

wider group.

SLOW EVALUATION AND PROMOTION

The Type A organization has generally been characterized by short-term evaluations of

performance and rapid promotion of high achievers. The Type J organization, conversely, adopts

the Japanese model of slow evaluation and promotion.

INFORMAL CONTROL WITH FORMALIZED MEASURES

The Type Z organization relies on informal methods of control, but does measure

performance through formal mechanisms. This is an attempt to combine elements of both the

Type A and Type J organizations.

MODERATELY SPECIALIZED CAREER PATH

Type A organizations have generally had quite specialized career paths, with employees

avoiding jumps from functional area to another. Conversely, the Type J organization has

generally had quite non-specialized career paths. The Type Z organization adopts a middle-of-

the-road posture, with career paths that are less specialized than the traditional U.S. model but

more specialized than the traditional Japanese model.

HOLISTIC CONCERN

The Type Z organization is characterized by concern for employees that goes beyond the

workplace. This philosophy is more consistent with the Japanese model than the U.S. model.

These characteristics may improve one’s performance and can yield into a productive

outcome. This may help a Chemical Engineer to perform well in his or her job and can improve

the company’s performance. Theory Z help me as a student to improve my capabilities in order

to excel in life and improve my personality.