The Concepts of the Main Roles and Activities of Managers

 The concepts of the main roles and activities of managers

The main roles of a manager could be grouped into three categories which are ‘the interpersonal roles’, ‘the informational roles’ and ‘the decisional roles’ respectively. The interpersonal roles mean that the manager mainly plays the role of getting relates to people both inside and outside the organization. For instance, being a figurehead, liaison and leader. The informational roles mostly correspond to the monitor, spokesperson and disseminator that are normally responsible for searching for, receiving and acquiring information. The decisional roles are referred to rules such as resource allocator, entrepreneur and disturbance handler that be concerned about making decisions and managing changes.

The main activities of a manager could be described as follows: forecasting, planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling. ‘Forecasting’ means that manager should predict the future events. ‘Planning’ indicates that manager needs to set out a series of action to meet anticipated demand. ‘Organising’ illustrates that manager takes the duty to mobilise resources, people, materials and allocate them to departments. ‘Commanding’ demonstrates that managers direct staffs to assume tasks. ‘Coordinating’ points that a manager insures people, resources and equipment every links is working together. ‘Controlling’ means that manager places the quality controls to safeguard consistency of tasks.

On this case, we will analyse how the roles are being carried out by managers in Shangri-la Hotels. Firstly, with the interpersonal roles, on section 4 it describes that Ailsa was preparing to bid for the visitor business and she just got an extremely important contract from at least one of the multi-national companies. It’s apparent to us that Ailsa plays the interpersonal role of a manager. In terms of the informational roles, on section3 we can find that Antonio’s team had a weekly meeting and Antonio usually asked for suggestions on that meeting, over the years, the team had come up with a number of ideas. This could identify that Antonio had played the informational role of a manager. When it comes to decisional roles, on section3 it mentions that Craig ran the restaurant under his strict guidelines and each day he personally prepared menu for the restaurant, allocated specific tasks to the waiters and kitchen staff. This shows that Craig plays the decisional role of a manager.

 The concepts of the Likert’s Systems theory

The contents of the Likert’s system theory include four main management systems as follows: ‘Exploitive authoritative system’, ‘Benevolent authoritative system’, ‘Consultative system’ and ‘Group participative system’.

The ‘Exploitive authoritative system’ involves the employees who are tally with the description of theory x that people dislike work and responsibility and negative tasks gave by centred managers. Managers usually make decisions without consulting anyone else and dictate work methods by themselves. There is no any employees’ participation and delegations that leads to no trust and confidence in staffs. And it usually results in dissatisfaction, poor quality with task. The heads of opponents will be undertaken by threats and punishment. The ‘Benevolent authoritative system’ contains the employees who are similarly accord with the description of theory x and boss-centred standard. Leaders will excise strong control to safeguard the consistency of tasks and prefer to make decisions on their own way. But there are still some rewarding motivation, occasional delegation and rare employees’ participation. Only the information that management want to hear could be flowed from subordinates. The ‘Consultative system’ mentions the employees who are fit in the description of theory y that physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest and employee-centred standard. Employees are involved in decision making process to some extent, but the major decisions will be made by the senior. There are limited delegation and rewarding motivation and more information could be flowed from subordinates. The ‘Group participative system’ includes the employees who are similarly satisfied with the description of theory y and complete confidence and trust in staffs. Managers encourage employees to be fully involved in decision-making. There are lots of teamwork and lots of information flowing from subordinates.

Then we will pick out the corresponding systems that apply to Craig and Ailsa’s approach to management. Firstly, with Craig, Craig applies the ‘Benevolent authoritative system’ to his personal management. On section 3 we can find that Craig ran the restaurant under his strict guidelines and he personally allocated tasks to the subordinates. It is the showing of boss-centred pattern that leader will excise strong control and make decisions by himself. Also, the section 3 mentions that Craig depended greatly on Saskia and only he and Saskia had the necessary experience to check the restaurant. It is the reflection of occasional delegation and rare employee’s participation. What is more, Craig always provided free drinks for his team to celebrate, this could be refereed as the symbol of rewarding motivations. Upon all the evidences above, we could say that Craig applies the ‘Benevolent authoritative system’ to his management. However, Ailsa applies the ‘Consultative system’ to her personal management. On section 3 it demonstrates that Ailsa knew that her business was highly dependent on Antonio’s team (she had received a number of useful suggestions form the Antonio’s team) and trusted him and the team to implement this strategy. Those are embodiment of the Consultative system’s characteristics. And compared with Craig’s style of management. Ailsa’s managing way is more kindly and amiable. So, we could say that Ailsa applies the ‘Consulting system’ to her managing approaches.

 The concept of the Tannenbaum and Schmidt Theory and The Bass Theory of leadership

The Situational leadership theory is a development of the contingency approach. Unlike considering that a person’s leadership style is fixed. The situational leadership theory suggests that leader should be flexible and choose to use appropriate leadership style towards certain situations. More specifically, the manager should choose the most appropriate method to apply into different situations on the basis of each situation’s variables.

Different situations require different qualities from leaders. The situational leadership lists up four main styles of leadership appropriate for the combinations of relationship orientation to high/low task.

 ‘Telling’--------- this type corresponds to the combinations of high task to low relationship. That means that there are high amounts of task need to be done and managers will tell subordinates what to do, when and how with a little relationship behavior way. Usually, specific and clear directions will be given by the leader.

 ‘Selling’--------- this type corresponds to the combinations of high task to high relationship. That concretely means that there are high amounts of both task and relationship behavior. Often, leaders are both supportive and directive.

 ‘Participating’---- this type corresponds to the combinations of low task to high relationship. That particularly means that there are lots of relationship support and behavior, but relatively little direction or task behavior. The decisions will be made by leaders and followers together.

 ‘Delegating’------ this type corresponds to the combinations of low task to low relationship. Which means that there are not much task or relationship behavior. The leader provides minimal direction and support in managing and do nothing practical for organization.

Also, the situational leadership theory classified follower maturity into four main groups as the extent to which employees have the ability and willingness to fulfill a job assignment.

 ‘M1’------- it demonstrates that in this group of followers, they are unable and unwilling to take their responsibility for accomplishing a work task. They are neither competent nor confident.

 ‘M2’------- it illustrates that in this group of followers, they are unable but willing to do their work tasks, they accept to be motivated but do not have corporate skills.

 ‘M3’------- it gives information that in this group of followers, they are able but unwilling to do work tasks, they possess the skills and abilities to accomplish their work, but they are refused to be motivated.

 ‘M4’------- it explains that in this group of followers, they are both able and willing to finish their work tasks and they are both motivated and capable.

Hersey and Blanchard draw their conclusion that:

 ‘Telling’ style of leadership