Motivation

Motivation is a person's readiness to pursue objectives. According to Douglas McGregor's The Human Side of Enterprise, there are two opposite sets of ideas about motivation.

The first set, which called "Theory X", is the traditional approach. In this view, average people are naturally lazy, want only security, dislike responsibility and prefer to be led. Therefore, they must be forced, rewarded and punished in order to get them to make an effort.

"Theory Y" takes the opposite view: that people are fond of their job and consider it as play or rest. They exercise self-control and a high degree of responsibility in the solution of organizational problems.

There are the two extreme viewpoints. In really we can see something close to Theory Y and something close to Theory X.

Decision-making

In carrying out management functions, such as planning, organizing, motivating and controlling, a manager will be continually making decisions. Decision-making is a key management responsibility.

Some decisions are of the routine kind. They are made fairly quickly and are based on judgement.

Other decisions are often intuitive ones.

Many decisions are involve problem-solving.

The process of decision-making consists of four phases: 1) defining the problem 2) analyzing and collecting information 3) working out options 4) deciding on the best solution

As a first step the manager must identify and define the problem.

The second step is to analyse the problem.

Once the problem has been defined and the facts collected the manager considers the options available for solving it.

Before making a decision the manager assesses the options, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each one. Having done this, he will have to take a decision.

Management by objectives

In order to perform effectively an organization must have clear and realistic goals. According to «Theory Y», managers at every level must have a part in setting objectives for themselves, so that they will have a sense of responsibility. Such a system is called Management by Objectives or MBO.

As the first step in MBO manager at any level meets with his/her immediate superior to agree on specific goals which the subordinate manager will try to reach during a certain period of time. For a relatively high-level manager, this period might be a year, for a lower-level supervisor it could be only a few weeks. The superior helps the subordinate set objectives.

At the end of the agreed period the superior and subordinate meet to appraise the subordinate’s performance. Together they attempt to identify problems, to plan solutions for these, and to set new objectives for the following period.

The advantages of MBO are obvious. The manager has to plan not only operations but improvements.

The Manager’s role

There are certain activities common to all managers. A French industrialist, Henry Fayol, said that to manage is ‘to forecast and plan, to organize, to command or direct and lead other workers.

The activities of a manager depend on the level at which he/she is working. Top managers will be more involved in policy making and the relations of the company with the outside world. They will be making decisions on the future of the company.

Middle management and supervisors are making the day-to-day decisions, which help an organization to run efficiently and smoothly. Managers at this level spend a great deal of time communicating, coordinating of their organization.

In opinion American writer Mr. Peter Drucker, managers perform five basic operations. Firstly, managers set objectives. Secondly, managers organise. Thirdly, they are to motivate and communicate effectively. The fourth activity is measurement. Finally, managers develop people, including themselves, make them bigger and richer persons.

Successful managers are people who set high standards. Good managers must bring character to the job. They are people of integrity, who will look for that quality in others.