There are 7 lessons as follows:
1. Determining Research Needs
2. Searching For Information
3. Research Methods
4. Using Statistics
5. Conducting Statistical Research
6. Research Reports
7. Reporting On A Research Project.
Research Project II
There are 6 lessons in this module as follows:
- Identifying research issues
- Acquisition of technical information
- Specialised research techniques
- Research planning and designing
- Statistics
- Conducting research
Modules
Note that each module in the Diploma In Management is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.
MANAGEMENT THEORIES
There are many different ways of looking at management. Understanding the various management theories can provide some very real insights into how a manager might approach their job.
The Main Schools of Management Theory
The following section examines the three main schools of management theory.
The Classical School
Under The Classical School, the manager is responsible for planning, directing, controlling and staffing. This school of thought involves a rational, organisation focused approach which might not always take into account the situation of the individual employee.
Management has occurred since prehistoric times. Classical management can be divided into two schools the classic organisation theory and the scientific school. Scientific management has been said to depend on four basic principles as follows:
1. Development of a "Science of Management" so that the best method of performing each task can be determined.
2. Scientific Selection of Workers...so each employee is given tasks to which they are most suited.
3. Scientific development of the employee....so they are educated and trained to achieve continuing improvements in performance.
4. Friendly relations between management and workers.
Henri Fayol was a leader in the development of the classical organisation theory. Fayol divided business operation into the following six activities.
• Technical production or manufacture of commodities.
• Commercial buying raw materials and selling products.
• Financial Obtaining and using capital.
• Security protection of employees and property.
• Accounting recording and taking stock of money and keeping statistics.
• Management
Fayol listed the functions of management as: planning, organising, commanding, coordinating and controlling. Fayol listed 14 principles of management as follows:
1. Division of labour
2. Authority
3. Discipline
4. Unity of Command
5. Unity of Direction
6. Individual interest comes second to interest of the common good.
7. Remuneration
8. Centralization
9. The hierarchy
10. Order
11. Equity
12. Stability of staff
13. Initiative
14. Team Spirit
All of the above need to be achieved.
The Behavioural School (Also Called the Human Relations Approach)
The Behavioural or Humanistic approach to management is more focused on the individual and social groups; attempting to achieve organisational goals through applying an understanding and sensitivity to the people who are involved.
This approach aims to balance the needs of the individuals and social groups those individuals belong to, with the needs of the enterprise or organisation in which they are working. This was developed primarily because managers found that the classic approach did not achieve complete harmony in the workplace. However, this method still has difficulties because people do not always follow predicted paths of behaviour.
The behavioural approach concentrates on managing through understanding and application of sociology and psychology. A behavioural approach might be:
• Finding the best person for a job with the best mental attitude towards their work.
• Creating the best work the ultimate environment and conditions for the worker.
• Utilising psychological influence to achieve the best affect from the manager/worker relationship.
The Management Science School
The third main school of thought is defined in different ways and given different titles (depends on the text or authority you refer to). All variations share common ground in that this school is more complex, aiming to apply and balance thinking from both other schools. This way of thinking may be referred to as “Contingency Theory”, Situational Approach” or “Management Science”.
This involves a team of specialists with different backgrounds pooling their knowledge and opinions to analyse a problem and suggest a solution.
Statistics and computer technology are common tools in this process.
Other Management Theorists
There have been many theorists in the field of management. Each one has provided a new perspective on how to think about the subject, and through a study of their varying thoughts we are able to extend our understanding of the different ways we can manage a workplace or organisation.
Do not allow your thinking to be limited by any of these ideas; but take the best from them, and save the thoughts. They will provide you with an extended repertoire of possible solutions which you can consider whenever faced with a management decision in the future.
Max Weber (1864-1920)
A German sociologist and economist who developed what he considered an ideal form of “organisation”, labelling it the “bureaucracy”.
Weber’s bureaucracy is characterized by the following:
• Division of labour to optimise efficiency (i.e. different people are allocated different work tasks. In theory, by being able to concentrate on a smaller range of tasks, they become better at doing what they do).
• Well defined organisational hierarchy.
• Each work unit (e.g. office) has a differentiated and defined range of responsibilities.
• Employment and advancement is based upon merit; and clearly defined career paths are in place for those who merit promotion, to be able to achieve promotion.
• Personal and work lives are kept separate.
• Management is kept impersonal (the theory being this avoids conflict due to personality conflicts). This impersonality might be achieved by orders being delivered by supervisors who have not been involved in developing those orders (ie. Senior management determines an order, junior management then delivers and implements the order).
Charles Barnard (1886-1961)
A statistician and manager, best known for his “Acceptance Theory”, which states that authority and power does not rest solely with management, but is also heavily dependant upon the acceptance of orders by the subordinate.
Mary Parker Follett (1868-1933)
Follet recognised that groups (e.g. Work groups, groups of friends, etc) within an organisation are very influential. This might be described in another context as recognising the affect of peer group pressure.
Follet suggested that power in any organisation should be held cooperatively by employees and managers, rather than just managers. She believed that by sharing power with work groups, management would achieve improved cooperation, and better productivity.
Abraham Maslow (1908-1970)
Maslow is well known for the “Hierarchy of Needs Theory” which considers the basis for motivation and behaviour to be the needs of the individual. His work emphasised the fact that each worker is an individual, different to the rest.
Frederick Herzberg (1923-)
Herzberg undertook research to determine how different things in the workplace motivate workers; and based on results developed his “Two Factor Theory of Motivation”. This theory encourages a management approach which removes “negative” elements and increases “positive” motivating elements. Positive elements might be such things as remuneration and quality supervision (which should be strengthened). Negative elements might be such things as conflict with fellow workers and safety hazards.
WHY CHOOSE US?
- Distance education doesn't mean you're going it alone - you have tutor support every step of the way
- Don't follow the crowd - develop uniqueness and skills unlike others in your field
- Resources are extensive and under continuous revision
- Study to suit your commitments - your education doesn't need to stop as life make demands
- Our program design has less focus on assessment and more on your lifelong learning
- Affordable study and payment options available
- Our independence from government means we can offer courses suited exactly to employer needs and wants chance of business success.
