Management and Organizational Behavior: Mintzberg's Roles, KNUST

This essay explores Henri Mintzberg's ten managerial roles, categorized into interpersonal, informational, and decisional functions. The interpersonal roles encompass figurehead, leader, and liaison, emphasizing the manager's role in establishing corporate culture and teamwork. Informational role...Read More

KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BSc HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
MANAGEMENT (HTM)
MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL
BEHAVIOR ( HTM 264)
NAME: OSEI SAMUEL ABOAGYE
INDEX NUMBER: 8242421

HENRI MINTZBERG MANAGERIAL ROLES
Managers are very important figures and play a crucial role in organisation whether they are
public or private, small or large in relation to their size. They are responsible for the day-to-day
operations, including planning, leading, organizing and controlling the actions of employees, in
order to achieve their organizational goals. A management theorist, Henri Mintzberg, who did an
observational studies, in order to group managerial role into ten different types, which fall under
three main categories; interpersonal, informational, and decisional.
1. INTERPERSONAL :
Interpersonal roles consist of figurehead, leader, and liaison.
 Figurehead: In accordance with the figurehead role, the manager is considered to
be the organization’s figurative leader. So, in addition to carrying out symbolic
task and serving as an inspiration to his staff, the manager is also required to hold
social, legal and ceremonial responsibilities. The staff members view the manager
as a person in a position of power
 Leader: In this role, the manager serves as the head of the department, the team,
or even the entire business. A manager’s duties as a leader include inspiring and
leading personnel as well as training, influencing and providing advice to them.
Another component of being a leader is overseeing the responsibilities and
outcome of each group member.
 Liaison: It is important for managers to communicate with both employees and
customers. Managers need to build a network of both internal and external
interactions in order to successfully communicate and maintain the information
ties within and outside of the company.
All These roles are crucial in establishing a positive corporate culture, promoting
teamwork, and boosting employee morale.
2. INFORMATIONAL:
Component of informational role include Monitor, Disseminator, Spokesperson
 Monitor: The manager’s responsibilities in this position include gathering
important information for the business and keeping an eye out of relevant

environmental development. The manager personally examines all gathered
information, carefully reviews documents and reports, monitors team output
wellbeing, and protects interpersonal connections in order to comprehend the
organization.
 Disseminator: In this function, the manager communicates any important details
gathered from or received from outside sources to the team of coworkers within
the company. The manager also uses phone calls and memos to provide
information.
 Spokesperson: Since managers are viewed as representatives of the organization
they work for, they are expected to speak and act on behalf of such organizations
in speeches and report. The manager in this role is responsible for communicating
the company’s strategies, objectives, policies and activities to individuals outside
the organization.
These roles are vital in ensuring timely access to information that informs decision-
making.
3. DECISIONAL
Entrepreneur, Disturbance handler, Resource allocator and Negotiator are all component
of decisional role
 Entrepreneur: when it comes to starting, seizing and managing change within
the business, managers are continuously looking for chances. They begin new
initiatives, develop original ideas, resolve problems, recognize opportunities, and
decide future cooperate expansion strategy.
 Disturbance handler: Unexpected issues that influence the business must be
handled by manager. He is in charge of putting emergency measures into action,
resolving workplace conflict, and adapting to outside changes.
 Resource allocator: In this role, the manager chooses how to allocate resources
and where they could be put to best use inside the business. This includes
selecting who receives resource, allocating funding, assigning staff, creating a
schedule, defining a budget, and creating a budget.

 Negotiator: On behalf of the company, the manager could take part in important
discussions. Along with handling conversations inside his team, department, or
firm, this also includes handling negotiations with unions, suppliers and other
groups.
In conclusion, Mintzberg’s managerial function provide a crucial foundation for understanding
the many duties that managers should take on. For improving managerial skills and establishing
organizational success, it is a helpful tool. Managers should have the skills necessary to navigate
the difficult social, political, and economic environment in which they are aware of their various
obligations.