Management Course Reflection: Key Concepts and Managerial Roles

This report reflects on a management course, exploring key concepts and their application. The student identifies three key artefacts: Fayol's functions of management (planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling), ethical and responsible management practices, and the application of emotional intelligence in the workplace. The report details each function, emphasizing the importance of planning, organizing resources, giving clear instructions, coordinating activities, and controlling performance. It also examines the importance of ethical practices like legal compliance and meeting consumer expectations. Furthermore, the report discusses the development of emotional intelligence, methods to motivate employees (providing time, feedback, and ownership), and strategies for controlling employee emotions to enhance productivity. The student highlights the practical implications of these concepts, emphasizing the importance of ethical behavior, employee motivation, and effective leadership for organizational success.

Introduction to management
Introduction to management
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Introduction to management
PART A.
Introduction.
In simple words management entirely means managing an activity. This is to suggest
that when we talk managing an activity means to make an activity to succeed (Anderson et al,
2018 p.75). For example, let’s consider a new organization wanting to start a business. The
aim will how will the business be controlled? What is the exact number of employees we
need to have? What capital do we need to start? All these questions are involved in
management .Therefore, it means that coming up with solution for these question is what we
define as management.
Generally management we can say that it is purely needed by all organization. Either the
organization is commercial, social or political it needs management concepts so as to achieve
the goals planned for. This suggests that management is needed whenever people work
together and strive so as to achieve a common goal (Alvesson & Willmott, 2012. p.32).
Managers are seniors and more experienced and they control other workers in the
organization.
In my discussion about what I have learned in the entire course have tried to identify three
artefacts from the models which fully describes what have learned as a manager. Each
module gave an artefact which provided adequate information to answer the three questions
that is; what is management? What is involved in management of the organization? And what
are key functions managers need to address in order to be effective?
These artefacts describes various concepts in management.
The first artefact is based on function of manager by Fayol as discussed in lecture 2.
Management has been identified as the social process that entails responsibility for the
economical and effective regulation and planning operations that helps the organization to
fulfil its purpose in the market. Management originated from different approaches and it
always faced by drawbacks which manager work hard to control. Some of these functions in
the workplace includes planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling.
The second artefact is based on ethical and responsible management practices in the
organization (Crane & Matten, 2016 p.20).For an organization to achieve its goals effectively
then managers have to follow all the ethics needed within the organization. This means that

Introduction to management
the manager's behaviour and values form the core part of the organization. Good behaviour
and values from managers in the organization lead to better performance within the
organization. In this artefact, I as a learner have been able to understand those ethics, values
and behaviour are apt for the manager.
The last artefact is the issue of emotional intelligence in workplace and how managers can
control emotions and motivate workers. Emotions in the organization affects the
performance. Every worker goes to work with different emotion and feelings every day. This
means that unless managers find apt measures to control emotions then the performance of
the organization will fluctuate that is decreasing. Generally, a manager in an organization
must find ways or mechanism that target to motivate, control emotion of employees and also
boost the emotional intelligence. This is to suggest that motivation depends on the leadership
skills and how managers work to control employee’s emotions within the workplace.

Introduction to management
Part B.
Introduction.
In this section have identified various concepts which will help me as a manager. The
idea in the discussion is based on familiarizing with the key concept used in management.
This means understanding and manipulating the artefacts identified in the entire course.
These artefacts in my reflection are based on ethical and responsible management practices,
describing function of manager by Fayol as discussed in lecture 2 and applying issue of
emotional intelligence in workplace and how managers can control emotions and motivate
workers.
Reflection from the artefacts.
(a).Artefact on function of manager by Fayol as discussed in lecture 2 in module 1.
This section gives a clear description on function of a manager in the organization as
it has originated in management. Therefore, managers plays the following roles.
Planning.
It involves checking out the future effects or actions and then trying to come up with
strategies needed to handles future course anticipated in the organization (Becker et al, 2013
p.67).Therefore planning in real sense bridges the gap between where the organization is for
now to where it wants to be in future. This suggests that is purely a future course of actions in
the organization.
Organizing
Refers to the process of bringing together all entities such as financial, physical and human
resources in order to develop a strategy for achieving the desired goals of the organization.
According to Henry Fayol , business organization entails bringing together all useful
materials such as raw material, human labour, tools, and capital .Therefore organizing as a
process in the organization involves;

Introduction to management
Identifying the activities to be carried out by the organization and grouping activities and
assigning them to specific individuals.
Commanding.
Managers give orders and clear working instructions to the employees in the workplace
(Dumas et al, 2013 p.123). These instructions shows clearly what to be done by the
workers .Returns from the employees are optimized by managers to check whether all
employees adhered to the instructions given. Managers communicates clearly and base their
decisions on the daily audits in organization. They motivate workers and encourages them to
take initiative.
Coordinating
Managers coordinates all activities in the organization. The degree at which all activities
harmonize in workplace determines the effectiveness of the organization. This is to suggest
that positive influence to the workers by managers is very important (Dumas et al, 2013
p.173).Therefore, coordinating targets on increasing motivation level and stimulating
disciplinary action to the organization. For this to happen then managers have to possess
appropriate skills such as good communication skills and leadership skills. Intended
objectives in the organization will be realized through use of positive employee management
behaviour.
Controlling.
This function requires managers to check whether everything in the organization is going
according to the plan designed (Kerzner & Kerzner, 2017 p.86). This suggests both manager
and the entire organization knows whether a certain activity is in conformity with the plan or
not. The function takes four steps that is; designing performance standards , identifying actual
performance, comparing both performance and organizational standards and lastly coming
up with corrective and preventive measures to be used by organization.
Factors managers applies in case of any deviation on preferences.
Sometimes functions of a manager may not perform as required. This means that
manager will have to look back apt measures to be followed (Dumas et al, 2013 p.303).Some
of these factors are;

Introduction to management
Identifying new strategies of motivating workers in the organization, encouraging auditing
practices in the organization so as to identify problems within the organization, forming
strategic planning procedures that will summarize the entire corporate strategy of the
organization and carrying out SWOT and issue analysis procedures in the organization to
identify weaknesses and strengths as well as emerging issues in the organization.
(b).Artefact on ethical and responsible management practices.
This section discusses the core values and ethics which managers ought to observe in
the organization. Management explains how employees in the organization have to
understand the importance of business ethics in workplace (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2014 p.87).
This suggests that management in organization stresses on the ethical practices which are to
be adhered to. Concentrating on ethics leads to increased responsibility in the company or
any firm. Therefore managers should stress on the programs that will increase ethics and
responsibility so as to build the image of the firm in the market. Some of the ethics and
responsibilities management need to check on includes;
Legal compliance.
Managers have to ensure that company complies with the laws and recognised regulations.
There laws made by each country whereby they tend to regulate the working of the firm in
the market place. Observing these laws then it means compliance to business ethics.
Managers have to communicate to the employees on the importance of giving appropriate
results regarding the business (Crane & Matten, 2016 p.100).For instance, employees should
not enter inaccurate data when preparing financial records. The records should comply with
the laws.
Meeting consumer expectation.
All customers expect the company to do business in ethical manner. This is to say that
business should observe all legal and ethical practices so as to ensure there is customer
satisfaction (Weiss, 2014 p.66).Managers ensures that no issue of overcharging and
customers are treated fairly. Managers also checks on the products purchased from the
manufactures to ensure ethic is observed.
What I have learned from the artefact.

Introduction to management
Through this artefact as identified from the modules then as a manager have learned
that ethics and responsibility are important aspects needed by the organization.
I have realized that meeting the customer needs in the organization is based on ethics and
responsibility.
Have also realized that commitment to the organizational goals and purpose is important for
the manager. Employees want a direction and planning strategies that will help them to
follow ethical procedures when serving customers.
(c).Artefact on applying issue of emotional intelligence in workplace and how managers
can control emotions and motivate workers.
This part describes how managers develops emotional intelligence to workers, how
emotion can be controlled and how managers can motivate workers.
Managers uses the following steps to develop emotional intelligence to the workers.
The first step is based on the preparation whereby managers assesses the needs of the
organization in respect with the needs of the employees (Hong et al, 2011 p.45).After
assessing then manager tries to motivate employees, encouraging participation and
maximizing the choices from the workers.
Second process is about training. This forms a foster whereby there is positive relationship
between the workers and trainers on the emotional intelligence in workplace. Managers in
this part sets clear goals, giving insights and providing utmost support needed by the
employees in workplace.
Thirdly is based on transfer whereby managers provides the appropriate organizational
culture that aid in supporting learning and motivating workers to use new skills when
working.
The last process is evaluation. Managers here checks the results and then come up with data
that target on efficiency of emotional competence from training programs in the organization
(Hong et al, 2011 p.345). This forms the integral part of the entire process in workplace.
How managers motivates workers in the organization.

Introduction to management
Giving employees adequate time. This suggests that managers should be willing to
visit employees in their respective departments. Through this managers will be able to listen
to views from the employees and then identify what employees want.
Providing feedback after performance (Ryback, 2012 p.62).Giving results after workers have
done a certain task in the organization forms a basis for motivation.
Encouraging workers in the organization to have a sense of ownership.
What I have learned from the artefact.
I have learnt that;
It’s important to measure the emotion intelligence of employees so as to come up with apt
direction on how to control workers.
I have also understood what specifically motivates workers in the organization. As a
manager, I have to understand what motivates each employee in the organization.
Have also realised methods of controlling employee’s emotion in workplace.
How managers can control emotions.
Employee emotion and moods affects the productivity in the company. The impact
can be on decision making, creativity and labour turnover. Managers identifies appropriate
procedures to control the feelings and emotion of workers (Ryback, 2012 p.231).They control
emotions of workers in different ways. Some of these ways are;
Educating employees on the importance of emotional intelligence. Managers give books,
allow talks on emotional intelligence and encourage workers in the organization to test their
IQ in designing electronic portfolio. Also, creating awareness on issue of emotion in
workplace. Communicating to employees how to control emotion when working.
Motivating workers on daily basis .This controls employee’s emotion and at the end workers
feel recognised thus working hard enough to attain the goals of the company. Encouraging
social skills whereby managers interacts with workers in order to find the apt way to control
emotion of workers in workplace.
Conclusion.

Introduction to management
In conclusion, I have realized that management is the major part of the organization.
From the identified artefacts it's now clear that management is made up of the function of
manager, the concept of ethical and responsible management practices and emotional
intelligence whereby managers need to come up with apt measures to control emotion and
motivation of workers (Zhang et al, 2015 p.71). Organization uses planning activities so as to
prepare for the future meaning that managers here are required to design apt strategies that
will align with what is expected in the organization. On the issue of motivation, managers
have to consider those motivating factors that will enable an employee to work appropriately
and check on their emotions. Motivating workers not only entails rewards or incentives but
also ensuring there is direct conduct between managers and employees in the organization.
Directing will summarise what is to be done after effective planning, organizing and staffing
approaches in the organization. Therefore, as a manager, I will be in the position to use the
discussed artefacts in the organization and thus increasing the production level hence
enabling the organization to enjoy profits. Therefore, as a learner I have understood that
manager is the role model in the organization (Côté & Hideg, 2011 p.111). In general, the
organization has to understand the entire process and function carried out by the management
body. Management should check on legal ethics and motivate workers so as to control their
emotion.

Introduction to management
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Introduction to management
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