- •From the History of Management Ideas
- •Contemporary Management Theory
- •Unit 1. My future profession
- •My future profession
- •Phonetic Exercises
- •Vocabulary Exercises
- •International, foreign, luggage, potential, cybernetics, auditing, tourism, widespread
- •VIII. Match and learn the synonyms:
- •IX. Match and learn the antonyms:
- •X. Complete the sentences using the words
- •IX. Put questions to the italicized words:
- •X. Restore the word order:
- •Speaking Exercises
- •XIV. Answer the following questions to the text:
- •XV. Use the prompts to make sentences, as in the example. Mind the word order:
- •XVII. Work in pairs. Choose a job from the list above. Imagine it's your job. Think about:
- •XVIII. Discussion of the text:
- •Reading Exercises
- •XIX. Travel Tips' is a website where people can get information or advice about travel and holidays from travel experts. Match the questions (1-3) with the answers (a-c).
- •Travel tips
- •Unit 2. What is tourism?
- •I. Read and learn the following words and word combinations:
- •What is tourism?
- •Phonetic Exercises
- •Vocabulary Exercises
- •VIII. Match and learn the synonym?
- •IX. Match and learn the antonyms:
- •X. Complete the sentences using the words from the previous exercise (the first letter is given):
- •XI. Put questions to the italicized words:
- •XII. Restore the word order:
- •XIII. Translate into English:
- •Speaking Exercises
- •XIV. Answer the following questions to the text:
- •Reading Exercises
- •XIX. Choose the correct answer:
Contemporary Management Theory
Modern approaches to management recognize that prescriptions of the classical, behavioural, and quantitative schools do not apply universally to every situation. Instead, current approaches recognize a need for managers to know what will work best in any given situation. The major components of contemporary management theory include systems theory, contingency theory, and Theory Z.
Systems theory is an approach to understanding how organizations function and operate. According to systems theory any organization is an open system that receives from the environment the four kinds of inputs, or resources: human resources, physical resources, financial resources, and informational resources. These various resources are transformed into product or service outputs, which are returned to the environment for consumption. Finally, feedback from the environment provides the organization with information about how well its products or services are being received. Thus, the interaction with the environment is a critical element for the manager. lt is the manager’s job to monitor the feedback from the environment and help the organization to maintain or improve its productivity.
Contingency theory suggests that there is no “one best way” to manage. When a manager is confronted with a problem or situation, he or she must examine several potential solutions or actions, or contingencies, not just “one best way” to respond to the situation. As environmental demands, technological factors, and work-group characteristics vary, managers’ actions will vary accordingly, from one situation to the next. What is a good managerial solution for one situation may be a poor one for another. The contingency theory advises managers to carefully analyze the unique characteristics of situation and choose responses that best work in each circumstance.
In the early 1980s a great deal of attention was given to the success of Japanese organizations and the difference between American and Japanese management practices. It was suggested that companies which would apply the strengths of both the American and Japanese models in their business practices would gain success in competition. This approach is known as Theory Z.
New perspectives on management are successfully being developed now and provide useful methods and approaches that managers should understand.
Assignment 3. Answer the following questions 1. Do prescriptions of the classical, behavioural or quantitative schools apply to every situation in contemporary management practice? 2. What are the main components of contemporary management theory? 3. How is any organization viewed according to systems theory? 4. What is the essence of the interaction between the organization and its environment? 5. What information do managers gain from feedback? 6. What responsibilities do managers have according to systems theory? 7. How does contingency theory treat any situation?