CS Foundation Level

Management Principles and Practice flashcards

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Complete Flashcard Reference

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What is management, and why is it called both a science and an art?

Management is the process of planning, organising, staffing, leading and controlling an organisation's resources (people, money, materials, information) to achieve its objectives efficiently and effectively. Science: it rests on principles that can be studied, tested and taught. Art: applying those principles well in a specific situation is a practised skill, not a formula.

What are Mintzberg's ten managerial roles, under their three categories?

Interpersonal: figurehead, leader, liaison. Informational: monitor, disseminator (shares information internally), spokesperson (shares it externally). Decisional: entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, negotiator.

How does Fayol's unity of command differ from his unity of direction?

Unity of command: each employee should receive orders from one superior only. Unity of direction: one plan and one head for each group of activities with the same objective. The first is about the person taking orders, the second about the activities being planned.

What are the two ways of classifying plans?

By horizon: strategic (long-term, top level), tactical (medium-term, departmental) and operational (short-term, day-to-day). By frequency of use: standing plans, made once and used repeatedly (policies, procedures, rules), and single-use plans for a situation that will not recur (programmes, projects, budgets).

What is span of control, and how does it shape an organisation?

The number of subordinates reporting directly to one manager. Narrow span: close supervision, but more managers and more levels, a tall structure that is expensive and slow for information moving upward. Wide span: a flat structure, cheaper and faster with more staff autonomy, at the risk of overloading the manager.

What is the difference between Herzberg's hygiene factors and motivators?

Hygiene factors (pay, supervision, working conditions) prevent dissatisfaction when adequate, but do not motivate. Motivators (achievement, recognition, responsibility) produce satisfaction. Paying people more removes a grievance; it does not on its own make the work engaging.

What are the three types of control by timing, with an example of each?

Feedforward: checks inputs and conditions before an activity begins, for example inspecting raw materials before production. Concurrent: monitors an activity while it is in progress, for example direct supervision on a production line. Feedback: evaluates results after the activity, for example a post-project review.

What are the three steps of Lewin's change model?

Unfreeze: build awareness of the need for change and reduce resistance. Change: move to the new way of working. Refreeze: stabilise the new state so it does not revert.

What are the five phases of the project life cycle, in order?

1. Initiation: define the project at a high level and confirm it is worth doing. 2. Planning: detail scope, schedule, budget, resources and risk. 3. Execution: carry out the planned work. 4. Monitoring and control: track progress against the plan and manage change requests. 5. Closure: hand over deliverables and capture lessons learned.

What are the elements of the marketing mix, and which are added for services?

The four core Ps: product, price, place and promotion. The extended mix for services adds three: people (the staff who deliver the service), process (the procedures by which it is delivered) and physical evidence (premises, branding, documentation that signal quality).

What does each of the three levels of management do?