HASANIE MINDALANO ALI

PA 214: Management Approaches and Control Techniques

Prelim Examination
Sunday, October 4, 2020 @ 9:00-12:00nn

1. How would you distinguish between efficient management and effective

management?
How can managers achieve excellence in their organizations?

ANSWER: It is important to note that in identifying or in distinguishing the difference of

these two interconnected words, the easier way is to look back at how the staff or a
manager of a certain organization or agency works to achieve a goal. In Managing an
organization, a management is efficient when the staff uses a limited resource to get the
job done in a more professional manner, such as avoiding mistakes, or creating things
that could bring chaos to the system of the organization. Making my agency as an
example which is the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the
provisions of services coming from the different programs of the agency are efficient
because they see to it that the targeted numbers of beneficiaries will received and will
enjoy all the benefit of being a 4ps beneficiary for example. It is efficient because the
staff focuses on the process and had achieved the given timeline. In short to be efficient
in managing staff should do things in a right way in the best possible manner, in
contrast, effectiveness in managing an organization has something to do with the result
or output of the organization making the objective or goal as the basis, one way to
achieve effective management is when the staffs are motivated and had developed the
spirit of team work then there will be a high probability that they will achieve a high
quality output. As an example, one indicating factors to be effective in managing a
certain organization or agency is when you have a staff who has the willingness to do
work, aligns with objectives and goals of the agency, and also the agency is visionary
with the future plans for the goods of the agency. These could also be the reasons or
way to achieve excellence in the organization, when all the staffs are motivated and
satisfied by how the agency works, and by being comfortable with environment they are
in, more likely the positive result will follow.

2. As defined by several experts, planning is the process of stating

objectives and then determining the most effective activities or
accomplishments necessary to reach the objectives.
So looking at it in the context of Public Administration, how does our
planning ensure sustainability in government?

ANSWER: Sustainable Development is the concept that is increasingly used in the field
of public administration. In considering long-run planning of resources in administrative
planning, sustainability may have a significant contributory role. In the application of
broad-based sustainable development, it finds the reflection of efficiency, effectiveness,
and citizen participation. By asking, Are the goals of sustainable development a match
with public administration practice?, it finds that sustainable development may be
applied to much of the work of the public sector, including to the provision of
transportation, public housing, human services, and environmental protection. Finally, it
suggests the unique contribution of sustainability to the field of public administration.

In ensuring the well-being of the public sectors, the government through the help of
various departments designed a variety of programs that addresses sustainability, such
as programs for poverty, health, education, security and many others. These are the
common issue that our country is facing for several years that should be resolve.
Planning as a process of stating the objective, plays a major role in ensuring
sustainable government, for we can strategize the best possible ways on how to identify
mistakes, avoiding misconceptions of ideas and personal beliefs that could clash
making the policy complicated, by just looking at the plan through the objective and
activities then it would be easy for the government to sustain a good policy or program.

3. Why is it important for you to understand the various management

theories that have developed?

ANSWER: it is deemed necessary for a person who works in an organization to

understand the management theories, these help the organization to focus,
communicate, and evolve. Using management theory in the workplace allows
leadership to focus on their main goals. When a management style or theory is
implemented, it automatically streamlines the top priorities for the organization.
Management theory also allows us to better communicate with people we work with
which in turn allows us to work more efficiently. By understanding management theory,
basic assumptions about management styles and goals can be assumed and can save
time during daily interactions and meetings within an organization.

On my part, understanding various theories relating to Management has become

advantageous given that I work in an organization that is multi-faceted. By educating
myself to these theories will serves as my guide in understanding the system of the
organization, its resources, the culture, the environment, and of course the way to deal
with the behavior of your co-workers. Some theories that I have encountered are the
following; 1st Scientific Management Theory developed by Frederick Taylor, This theory
is not practiced much today in its purest form, but it demonstrated to leaders the importance of
workplace efficiency, the value of making sure team members received ample training and the
need for teamwork and cooperation between supervisors and employees. 2nd Principles of
Administrative management theory developed by Henry Fayol. 3 rd Contingency Theory
developed by Fred Fiedler, this theory’s primary focus is that no one management approach
works for every organization. Fiedler suggested that a leader’s traits were directly related to
how effectively they lead their team. He asserts that there are leadership traits that apply to
every kind of situation and that a leader must be flexible to adapt to a changing environment.

4. Which of Fayol’s principles and functions of management do you believe

still apply today?
ANSWER: As to my observation for four years in the service, I think some of the
principles that Fayol had designed are still relevant and could really be applied
nowadays. First is the Division of Labor, this principle asserts that the overall action of
management should be divided and that team members should be given responsibilities
based on their skills and interests to make them more effective and efficient. Second is the
Discipline according to this principle, employees should be respectful and obedient, and
an organization should outline rules and regulations that clarify rules, good supervision
and a reward-punishment system. Third is Remuneration of personnel, this principle
refers to the assertion that there should be both monetary and non-monetary
remuneration based on performance levels to create a bond between the employee and
the organization. Fourth is the Subordination of individual interest to general
interests there must be harmony between the interests of the individual and the
organization, although the organizational interest should be given priority since it will
bring rewards for the individual. And fifth is Centralization according to this principle, the
topmost level of authority should be centralized to the top level of management, who has
the power to make the most important decisions in an organization.

5. Why is the systems approach more appropriate today than it would have been in
Fayol’s time?

ANSWER: The systems approach to management is one of the most popular theories in
studying management. Essentially, we have systems for doing everything we do in our
lives. In this theory, we take a collection of parts to accomplish an objective. When we
remove a part from our system, it can impair its functionality. Several industries use this
theory to bring their systems around the world to run the organizations, companies
business, with minor modifications. It is appropriate nowadays because it increases
organisation’s adaptability to environmental changes. The organisation is studied as a
whole and not through its parts. This enables it to adapt to the needs of the
environment. Decisions are made keeping in mind the macro as well as micro
environment. The focus is on achieving the individual as well as overall goals of the
organization and focuses on multiple dimensions of management. In contrast to the
theory of henry fayol which is administrative management theory that Lack of
Importance to Informal Organisation, the administrative management theory does not
give any importance to informal organisation or groups. It gives importance only to the
formal organisation structure. Some of the concepts of administrative management
theory were borrowed from military science. They tried to apply these concepts to the
social and business organisations. For e.g. Henri Fayol gave importance to
commanding and not directing the workers.

6. Which approach or school of management thought makes the most sense to you?
Why?
ANSWER: I find the Empirical School or Case Approach Management more interesting and
relevant among other approaches for some reasons that this approach to management is
taken by scholars who identify management as the study of experience, followed by
efforts to learn from the experience and then transfer the knowledge to practitioners and
students. Accordingly, this is done through a case study approach or through the study
of decision making. This school of thought believes that by analyzing the experience of
successful managers or the mistakes of poor managers, we somehow can learn about
applying the most effective management techniques. Part of the approaches are its
features first is that it is the study of managerial process, second, managerial
experiences can be passed over to the practitioner the techniques used in successful
cases can be used by future managers for further references, another is that the
techniques used in successful cases can be used by future managers for further
references.

7. What is the major task of the manager according to the contingency studying
approach?

ANSWER: Contingency School of Management is a trend of management thought,

which is based on the premises that there is no single best way to manage because
every situation and every manager is different. Therefore, there are only a few universal
management principles, and an appropriate management style depends on the
demands of a particular situation. See also classical school of management,
quantitative school of management, and systems school of management.
The contingency school of management can be summarized as an ‘it all depends’
approach. The appropriate management actions and approaches depend on the
situation. Managers with a contingency view use a flexible approach, draw on a variety
of theories and experiences, and evaluate many options as they solve problems.

According to the contingency approach, the task of managers is to identify which

technique will, in a particular situation, under particular circumstances, and at a
particular time, best contribute to the attainment of management goals.
For example where workers need to be encouraged to increase productivity, the
classical theorist may prescribe a new work simplification scheme.
The behavioural scientist may seek to create a psychologically motivating climate and
recommend the opposite- work enrichment. But the manager trained in the contingency
approach will ask – Which method will work best here? If the workers are unskilled and
training opportunities and resources are limited, work simplification might be the best
solution. With skilled workers driven by pride in their abilities, a job enrichment program
might be more effective.
The contingency view of management lead to Recognition of situational nature of
management and Response to particular characteristics of situation.