UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/22

MANAGEMENT THEORY & PRACTICE/ADVANCED PRINCIPLES OF

MANAGEMENT (MAN4037/MAN4028)

Tutorial Discussion Questions – Individual Presentation (In pairs)

1. Discuss the Traditional, Modern (Contemporary) and Post-modern era of management

theories what are the main influences of change across each period

2. “Management Theories have no place in Modern Organizations because they are redundant”!
Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Using the Classical Approach to Management
justify your response.

(a) In your own words, comment upon Henri Fayol’s attitudes towards:
(a) authority and responsibility; and
(b) discipline

3. Describe the features of a bureaucratic organization as advocated by Weber, and mention a

major argument made against his preferred style of bureaucratic organization.

4. Management is the act of handling different activities within a company or an organization.

Management theory is used by people all around the world every day. Without management,
the world would be chaos. Use this statement to explain the Management Science and
Chaotic Theories.

5. Many management theories are used to discuss the evolution of thoughts in relation the
execution of management. Using Organizational Environment Theory, explain the evolution
and execution of management in today’s organizations.

1
Building Management Skills – Managing Your Own Business

Now that you understand the concerns addressed by management thinkers over the last
century, use this exercise to apply your knowledge to develop your management skills.

Imagine that you are the founding entrepreneur of a software company that specializes in
developing computer games for home computers. Customer demand for your games has
increased so much that over the last year you have grown from a busy one-person
operation to employ 16 people.

In addition to yourself, you employ six software developers to produce the software,
three graphic artists, two computer technicians, two marketing and sales personnel, and
two secretaries. In the next year, you expect to hire 30 new people, and you are
wondering how best to manage your growing company.

With the increase in online usage and the stay at home regulation the usage and purchase
of your has game as increased. You are required to

1. Use the principles of Weber and Fayol to decide on the system of organization and
management that you think will be most effective for your growing organization.

2. Discuss how many levels will the managerial hierarchy of your organization have?

3. Suggest how much authority you will you decentralize to your non-management
staff?

4. Explain how you will establish the division of labour among your non-manage staff

5. Will your non-manage staff work alone and report to you or work with other
managers?

2
6. Discuss the management approach (for example, Theory X or Theory Y, Scientific
Management, Contingency, etc.) do you propose to use to run your organization?

7. In 50 words or less, write a statement describing the management approach you

propose to use to motivate and coordinate your non-management, and tell why you
think this style will be best.