TUTORIAL 1

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Essential Managerial Tasks

The job of management is to help an organization make the best use of its resources in
order to achieve its goals. Managers at all levels and in all departments—whether in small or
large companies, in for-profit or not-for-profit organizations, or in organizations that operate
in one country or throughout the world—are responsible for performing four essential
managerial tasks: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
It is managers' responsibility to help organizations use their resources efficiently in order to
achieve their goals effectively. Although anyone can be a manager, to be an effective
manager an individual needs knowledge and skills. One must understand the nature of
organizations and of management, and in every type of organization and every level within
them, managers need to plan, organize, lead, and control efficiently and effectively.

Instructions: Select the most appropriate category of managerial skill for the descriptors.
(Planning/Organizing/Leading/Controlling)

1. David is reading the company’s quarterly financial statements and assessing the
contribution of his work unit to the overall goals of the company.

Answer:

2. Kelvin is busy assigning employees to teams based on their strengths, and also
gathering the sports equipment and prizes needed for the company picnic on
Saturday.

Answer:

3. Victor is deciding between a low-cost strategy and a differentiation strategy

Answer:

4. Bridget is explaining the reasons behind the new reorganization plan and inspiring
everyone to pitch in and make it work.

Answer:

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5. Lauren in describing her vision of being able to provide much-needed medicine at a
low cost to the poorest people of the world to a group of potential investors.

Answer:

6. Carina is assigning mentors to the current group of new hires. She has 15 new hires
but only three available mentors.

Answer:

7. Yichen is working on the department’s hiring forecast for next year, deciding how
many new employees will be needed.
Answer:

8. Steve is motivating his team to succeed by describing how important their task is.

Answer:

9. Buzz is overseeing the arrangement of the space for the new R&D center. It needs to
be set up so there is maximum interaction among the workers in order to stimulate
creativity.
Answer:
10. Josh is measuring the quality of items ready for shipment.

Answer:

11. Aimee is involved in performance reviews of her top sales associates.

Answer:

12. Grace is busy deciding on the best goals for her team.

Answer:

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 Theorists and Theories
Changes in management practices occur as managers, theorists, researchers, and
customers look for ways to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of management.
The driving force behind the evolution of management theory is the search for better
ways to use organizational resources to make goods and services. Advances in
management thought typically occur as managers and researchers find better ways
to perform the principal management tasks: planning, organizing, leading, and
controlling human and other organizational resources.

This exercise is intended to help you remember the major management theories of
the early to mid-20th century. These theories are the foundation on which current
management theory was built. It is important to recognize and understand them and
appreciate the contribution made by them.

Instructions: For each action or theory, choose the appropriate theorist.

Taylor, Scientific Weber, Administrative The Gilbreths, Scientific

Management Theory Management Theory Management Theory
Mayo and Roethlisberger, McGregor, Behavioral Fayol, Administrative
Behavioral Management Management Theory Management Theory
Theory

1. Influenced the HP Way

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2. A need for unity of direction

Answer:

3. Theory X and Theory Y

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4. Studied effect of fatigue on performance

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5. The Hawthorne studies

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6. Bureaucracy

Answer:

7. Father of management thought

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8. Four principles to increase efficiency

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9. 14 principles of management

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10. Refined analysis of work movements

Answer:

11. The Human Relations Movement

Answer:

13. Rules, SOPs, and norms provide guidelines

Answer:

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The Decision-Making Process

Managers often must make decisions quickly, many times with incomplete or

ambiguous information, in risky or uncertain situations, and with high information costs.

The administrative model of the decision-making process outlines steps that managers

follow to determine the best course of action to take from among various alternatives.

Companies like PUMA encounter numerous challenges to their profitability and

survival. Review the actions taken by PUMA in the case and relate them to the steps of

the decision-making process model.

PUMA was facing major threats back in 1993. It had lost money for the past eight

years and was facing imminent bankruptcy. In response, PUMA CEO Jochen Zeitz

considered changing the company's strategy to focus more on style, colors, and lines of

athletic shoes and less on performance capabilities. Other actions considered included

reducing production costs and revising distribution in the United States. As a result,

PUMA created a new division, called “Sport Lifestyle,” and focused on creating

experimental fashion products. For example, PUMA transformed cleated soccer shoes

into trendy, colorful suede fashion sneakers. These new sneakers were sold in a variety

of venues, such as Foot Locker, Barneys, and upscale boutiques and department stores.

By shifting their strategy and focus, PUMA became the fourth-largest athletic apparel

company worldwide. By making the appropriate decisions, PUMA is now the third largest

sportswear manufacturer in the world.

Sources:

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1. “The Top 3 Brands in Sportswear,” sportsleisurewear.com. Accessed July 17, 2020.

2. “Puma,” Brandz.com. Accessed July 17, 2020.

Instruction:

Place the actions that PUMA took to address the problem in the correct order on the

timeline. You must think about the steps in the decision-making process as your actions.

Step: Identifying opportunities and diagnosing problem

Facing bankruptcy

Step: Identifying objectives

Reduce costs

Step: Evaluating alternatives

Suede fashion sneakers

Step: Generating alternatives

Sell at many venues

Step: Choosing implementation strategies

Sport Lifestyle division

Step: Reaching decisions

Fourth-largest athletic apparel