Peter Lim IT Organization and Management

170055 Integration Paper (Chapters 1 – 3)

The Functions of Management

The four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading and

controlling. These elements are present in a manager as he/she works in every aspect.

1. Planning

- Planning involves setting objectives and a step-by-step instruction on what actions

you will take in order to achieve the set objectives. With the use of planning, you will be able to
monitor situations from beginning to end. You will also be able to identify opportunities along
the way.

2. Organizing

- Organizing is the action of managers to execute plans. They assign people with certain
tasks and they help them by contributing time, technology, resources etc... In addition to
organizing, if you want to get your job done, assign it to a person who has no time left because
by doing this, those people can craft ways on how to finish everything including the job you
assigned to him/her. Unlike other people with more time and breaks available, they will rather do
it later than to finish the job first before relaxing.
3. Leading

- Leading “is the process of arousing people’s enthusiasm and inspiring their efforts to
work hard to fulfill plans and accomplish objectives.” (Schermerhorn, 03/2015). Managers lead
with the use of encouragement in order for the people to work harder in achieving common
goals.

4. Controlling

- Controlling “is the process of measuring work performance, comparing results to

objectives, and taking corrective action as needed.” (Schermerhorn, 03/2015). Controlling
requires the managers to see the problems that hinders the team to achieve the objectives and
they will be responsible for taking an action that will correct the course of the team.

Classical Management Approach

The study of management focused on three approaches namely: the scientific

management, Administrative principles and bureaucratic organization

1. Scientific Management

- Frederick W. Taylor first noticed that the routine of the workers had wasted motion
and this resulted to low performance results. He then used the concept of “time study” in order to
prevent this problem from continuing. One way to prevent wasted motion is by doing the most
efficient action for that specific job. In this way, a more precise and consistent routine, in the best
possible way performed, can be done by the workers.
This approach includes 4 guiding principles namely:

1. A Develop a “science” that includes rules of motion, standardized

work implements, and proper working conditions for every job.

1. B Carefully select workers with the right abilities for the job.
1. C Carefully train workers to do the job and give them incentives to cooperate with
the job “science.”

1. D Support workers by carefully planning their work and by smoothing the way as they
do their work.

2. Administrative Principles

- Henry Fayol was able to point out 5 “duties” or “rules” of management, which
supports the 4 functions namely: Planning, organizing, leading and controlling.

2. A Foresight—to complete a plan of action for the future.

2. B Organization—to provide and mobilize resources to implement the plan.

2. C Command—to lead, select, and evaluate workers to get the best work
toward the plan.

2. D Coordination—to fit diverse efforts together and to ensure information is

shared and problems solved.

2. E Control—to make sure things happen according to plan and to take

necessary corrective action.
 - There are also 3 principles, which he pointed out, in order to support managers

2. A Scalar chain principle—communication from both ends of the organization

must be consistent and unbroken.

2. B The unity of command principle—there should be only one boss, who will
give instructions to the people individually.

2. C The unity of direction principle—there should be a person in charge of the

activity with the same objective.

3. Bureaucratic Organization

- Max Weber saw a company’s deficiencies because of those people who are assigned in
positions with authority. Their positions are handed to them due to their social status and not
their skills. In short, a person’s capabilities must be the measurement in judging if he/she is
worthy of having a position with authority.

- These include the defining characteristics of Weber’s concept

1. Clear division of labor: Jobs are well defined, and workers are highly skilled at
performing them.

2. Clear hierarchy of authority: Authority and responsibility are well defined for
each position, and each position reports to a higher level.

3. Formal rules and procedures: Written guidelines direct behavior and decisions
in jobs, and written files are kept for historical record.

4. Impersonality: Rules and procedures are impartially and uniformly applied,

with no one receiving preferential treatment.

5. Careers based on merit: Workers are selected and promoted on ability,

competency, and performance, and managers are career employees
of the organizations.
 Ethics

In my point of view, the majority often assume that something legal is ethical and
something illegal is unethical. These assumptions lead to misunderstandings and wrong
perspectives because judging actions whether it is ethical or unethical requires observation on
which values are involved. There are specific kinds of values that lead to the ethical side and the
absence of these values lead to the unethical side.

In relation to management, there are kinds of views that explains whether an action is
ethical or unethical. Two of these that are familiar to me are the Utilitarian view and the Individual
view. The Utilitarian view focuses on the common good in which most of the people present are
getting benefits from the action executed while the Individualism view focuses on the own self’s
happiness and satisfaction.

Learnings from the chapters

At first, I did not know that management had lots of perspectives, elements and
requirements. I learned a lot of new things that could help me in the future because most of the
basics were present in the first three chapters namely: how to properly manage, how to fix
problems and conflicts in management and the ethical actions taken inside an organization. With
these basics, one person can grow in order to become a great manager; and this kind of manager
is what company’s need nowadays.

References: Schermerhorn, John R., Daniel Bachrach. Introduction to Management,

International Student Version, 13th Edition. Wiley, 03/2015. VitalBook file.