ICSAN Management Principles flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Management definition

The process of planning, organising, leading and controlling resources to achieve organisational goals efficiently and effectively; efficiency concerns means, effectiveness concerns ends.

Mintzberg's managerial roles

Ten roles grouped as interpersonal (figurehead, leader, liaison), informational (monitor, disseminator, spokesperson) and decisional (entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator, negotiator).

Katz's three skills

Technical skills matter most at first-line level, human skills at all levels, and conceptual skills at top management; the mix shifts upward with hierarchy.

Hawthorne effect

The finding from Mayo's studies that workers' productivity changes simply because they are observed and given attention, illustrating the influence of social factors.

Unity of command

Fayol's principle that each employee should receive orders from only one superior, preventing conflicting instructions and unclear accountability.

Theory X and Theory Y

McGregor's two assumptions: Theory X holds workers dislike work and need close control; Theory Y holds work is natural and employees seek responsibility and self-direction.

Contingency theory

The view that there is no one best way to organise or lead; the appropriate structure or style depends on environment, technology, size and task uncertainty.

SMART goals

Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound; this format improves clarity and later performance measurement.

SWOT analysis

A planning tool that matches internal strengths and weaknesses with external opportunities and threats to generate strategies that exploit or defend.

Porter's five forces

Industry rivalry, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, bargaining power of buyers and bargaining power of suppliers; together they shape industry profitability.

Bounded rationality

Simon's concept that managers cannot process all information, so they satisfice - choose the first acceptable alternative rather than the optimal one.

Span of control

The number of subordinates reporting directly to a manager; a narrow span creates a tall hierarchy, while a wide span creates a flatter one.

Delegation

Assigning responsibility and granting authority to a subordinate; accountability for results remains with the delegating manager, who cannot delegate it away.

Matrix structure

A dual-reporting design combining functional and project lines; it improves coordination but creates ambiguity and potential conflict over priorities.

Mechanistic structure

A rigid, highly specialised and centralised structure suited to stable environments; organic structures are more flexible and decentralised for uncertain environments.

Transformational leadership

Bass's approach using idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualised consideration to raise followers' commitment beyond self-interest.

Herzberg's two factors

Hygiene factors (pay, conditions, policy) prevent dissatisfaction but do not motivate; motivators (achievement, recognition, responsibility, growth) create satisfaction.

Expectancy theory

Vroom's formula: motivation = expectancy × instrumentality × valence; if any factor is zero, motivation is zero.

Tuckman's group stages

Forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning; groups move through these stages as roles, norms and relationships develop.

Equity theory

Adams's theory that employees compare their input–output ratio with a referent; perceived inequity motivates them to reduce effort or change the comparison.

Channel richness

The capacity of a communication channel to convey information and cues; face-to-face is richest, followed by phone, email and written reports.

Active listening

A communication skill involving attending, reflecting, clarifying and summarising to ensure the receiver understands the sender's meaning.

Thomas–Kilmann styles

Five conflict-handling styles: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating; the appropriate choice depends on issue importance and relationship value.

Control process

Set standards, measure actual performance, compare against standards, and take corrective action; controls may be feedforward, concurrent or feedback.

Balanced scorecard

Kaplan and Norton's performance framework using four perspectives: financial, customer, internal processes, and learning and growth.

Management by objectives

Drucker's approach in which managers and subordinates jointly set specific goals, monitor progress and appraise performance against results.

Agency problem

The conflict between shareholders (principals) and managers (agents) arising from separation of ownership and control; governance mechanisms aim to align interests.

Carroll's CSR pyramid

Four levels of social responsibility: economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic; economic and legal duties are required, while ethical and philanthropic are expected or desired.

Triple bottom line

Elkington's framework measuring performance across profit, people and planet - economic, social and environmental dimensions.

Lewin's change model

Unfreeze, move and refreeze; change succeeds when driving forces overcome restraining forces in a force-field analysis.

Kotter's eight steps

Create urgency, form a coalition, build a vision, communicate it, empower action, generate short-term wins, consolidate gains and anchor changes in culture.

Risk treatment options

After identifying and evaluating risk, managers can avoid, reduce, transfer (e.g., insurance) or accept it, then monitor and review the treatment.