Applying the Concept Answers

Applying the Concept 1-1: Management Skills

Identify each activity as being one of the following types of management skills:

A. technical
B. interpersonal
C. decision making

1. The manager is trying to figure out a way to solve a problem.
C. Decision-making. Part of the definition of decision-making is solving problems.

2. The manager is giving an employee praise for a job well done.
B. Interpersonal. Thanking someone with praise is a form of motivation.

3. The manager is working on fixing a broken machine.
A. Technical. Fixing a machine takes technical skills.

4. The bank president is letting the branch managers know they exceeded the loan quota for the month in an email.
B. Interpersonal. Although writing an e-mail does require some limited technical ability everyone seems to have in business today, the focus is on communication of information. And communication is an important part of interpersonal skills.

5. The manager is scheduling which machines will produce each product next week
c. Decision-making. Scheduling requires the manager to make decisions.
 

Applying the Concept 1-2: Management Functions

Indicate which type of function the manager is performing in each situation:

A. planning
B. organizing
C. leading
D. controlling
E. nonmanagement

6. The manager is conducting an employee’s annual performance evaluation.
b. Organizing. As stated in the text, evaluating employees is part of the staffing-organizing function.

7. The manager is checking how many new bank accounts have been produced so far today.
d. Controlling. The manager is monitoring and measuring progress, which is in the definition of controlling.

8. The manager is encouraging an employee to get a college degree so he can advance in the company.
c. Leading. The manager is trying to influence the employee; influencing is in the definition of leadership.

9. The manager is conducting a job interview to select a new employee for a new open position in accounting.
b. Organizing. As stated in the text, selecting is part of staffing-organizing function.

10. The manager is emptying her trash down the hall from her office.
e. Nonmanagement. The manager get the job done through others, and this is not really performing any of the management functions.

11. The manager is scheduling employee work hours for the next two weeks.
a. Planning. Scheduling future work hours is part of planning.

12. The manager is giving the workers a pep talk to motivate them to work hard to meet the production quota today with an absent employee.
c. Leading. The pep talk is given to motivate employees, which is intended to influence their performance
 

Applying the Concept 1-3: Management Roles

Identify each of the managerial activities as part of one of the three role categories:

A. interpersonal role
B. informational role
C. decisional role

13. The manager shows a police officer how to complete the paperwork for an arrest.
a. Interpersonal role. The manager is playing the leader role by showing the employee how to fill out the form.

14. The manager discusses next year’s budget.
c. Decisional role. As stated in the text, Budgeting is part of the resource allocation role

15. The CEO is cutting the ribbon at the groundbreaking for the new restaurant.
a. Interpersonal role. The manager is playing the figurehead role—ceremonial activity.

16. The manager develops a new app that will be sold as an additional source of income.
c. Decisional role. The manager is playing the entrepreneur role by developing a new app.

17. The manager is reading the monthly production report before beginning work.
b. Informational role. The manager is playing the monitor role by reading the report to receive information.
 

Applying the Concept 1-4: Differences Among Management Levels

Identify the level of management in the following five instances:

A. top
B. middle
C. first-line

18. Managers who tend to spend more time planning and organizing.
A. Top. Top managers spend more time planning and organizing than do first-line or middle managers.

19. Managers who have operative employees reporting to them.
C. First-line. First-line managers supervise operative employees.

20. Managers who take the long-term strategy and develop short-term operating plans.
B. Middle. Middle managers have a more balanced need for the management skills and functions.

21. Managers who report to executives.
B. Middle. Middle managers report to an executive.

22. Managers who need technical skills more than decision-making skills.
C. First-line. First-line managers have a greater need for technical skills than do top or middle managers.