MNG10247 Assignment 2: Managerial Functions and Responsibilities

This report provides an analytical insight into the application of managerial functions in business, focusing on the core function of planning. The report is based on an interview with a manager and links the collected data to contemporary management theories. The report explores the challenges faced by managers in implementing plans, particularly in a dynamic market environment. The report discusses the core managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling, and highlights the importance of communication, transformational leadership, and continuous evaluation for better planning. The findings suggest that while managerial theories provide a framework, their practical application can be challenging due to the changing needs of the market and the need for future insights. The report also provides recommendations for better planning, including improved communication, transformational leadership, and ongoing evaluation and monitoring.

Running head: MANAGING ORGANISATIONS
Managing Organisations
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Content
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Discussion..................................................................................................................................3
Core managerial functions: An Overview..............................................................................3
Observations...........................................................................................................................4
Manager’s roles and responsibilities.....................................................................................4
Challenges the Manager had to face in Planning..............................................................5
Evaluation..........................................................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
Recommendations for Better Planning......................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................8

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Executive Summary
The fundamental aim of the report is to analyse and evaluate managerial theories in practice.
Report particularly sheds light on how a manager applies the core managerial functions in
practice. To analyse the context of the study, interview data has been used in the content
which helped to compare the theoretical knowledge with the real-world facts. Finding of the
report implies that there are many theories related to managerial functions which can be
applied to address the real-world activities but the interview data implied that application of
managerial functions can be sometimes challenging. Changing nature of business
environment can bring new challenges.

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Topic- Managerial functions and responsibilities in practice
Introduction
This research report gives an analytical insight about manager’s responsibilities and
functions in business. The underlying aim of the report is to explain and evaluate managerial
theories in practice. The report particularly sheds light on how a manager applies the core
managerial functions in practice. Managerial functions need serious attention, as the business
environment today has been dynamic in nature. This means that market needs and
requirements are changing rapidly; thereby, managers’ role in dealing with the same has been
a crucial context in business studies today. So, in order to explore core managerial functions
in business practice, particularly the function of planning, this research report includes the
data from the interview conducted with a manager. To perform the analysis the collected data
has been linked to contemporary theories of management.
Discussion
Core managerial functions: An Overview
As put forward by Nielsen (2013), management is more of a technique along with
social elements and it requires an effective use of resource combined with guidance of people
to reach specific organizational goals or objectives. Managerial functions must include a set
responsibilities to accomplish the objectives and fulfil organizational purposes through
planning, organising, staffing, leading and controlling.
Planning: According to Mom, Fourné and Jansen (2015), planning is about mapping
out specifically how to accomplish a particular goal; for instance, business’s goal is to
maximize company’s sales. In this stage, the manager needs to decide what steps in specific
are highly required to achieve the goal. This step can be about establishing a good plan.

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Organising: According to Filippov et al. (2014), organising is the step where the
manager needs to organise the groups and resources given the plan. The step of organising
allows managers to assign the work and grant the authority to implement the responsibilities.
Staffing: No business activities or managerial functions can be implemented without
people or workforce. Thus, in this step the managers usually shapes the workforce by
staffing, recruiting, selecting and training. As put forward by Altamony and Gharaibeh
(2017), managers have to prepare the workforce as per the task requirements.
Leading: According to Nielsen (2013), leading is a broad managerial function, as
here the manager must have to lead the whole operation simultaneously leading people
towards the same. Hence, manager must have to motivate its people, communicate, guide and
encourage them, so that every task given to individual is performed accordingly.
Controlling: This is one of the most important ongoing steps in performing
managerial functions in practice. During the implementation of the above stated process, the
manager must have to check in between and take important actions to ensure that plans are in
place.
Observations
Interview data with the manager helps to observe the fact that even though there have
been contemporary theories about managerial functions like planning for instance proves to
be a challenge.
Manager’s roles and responsibilities
For example, Mcdonald;s in Australia was supposed to launch online payment method
through third party payment gateway called 2Checkout

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The major responsibility of manager was to prepare a plan for a suitable payment
method for the customers which was a short-term plan. Hence, the core responsibility of the
managers was to organise the plan by evaluating the efficiency of online payment vendors
The manager stated the fact that planning stage seems to be easier for the managers
but later half of scenario can be challenging because especially in the context of business, it is
worth mentioning that market environment has been changing; any short-term or long-term
plan which was going to be accomplished will hold no significance at the end if the market is
not aligned with the same.
The manager stated the fact that McDonald’s in Australia at the planning stage
wanted to tie up with online payment gateway agency 2Checkout to facilitate the payment
method online. This plan of action would have generated additional revenue because many
customers order food online from downtown areas of Australia but existing payment gateway
are filled with errors such as lack of server support.
Challenges the Manager had to face in Planning
However, according to the manager statement, managers at McDonald’s faced the
challenge of market competition in relation to tying up with the vendors because other small
restaurants stepped in and market reacted differently. The managers had to deal with
challenge of implementing alternative plan to help customers with ease of payment but due
to lack of planning and communication, the contingency plan took a lot of time and virtual
booking flocked towards the competitors like Domino’s.
Evaluation
When asked about the suitability of the plan of action towards online payment
gateway extension, responses given by the manager were in the affirmative. As the plan
would have increased the sales margin because Australians are accustomed to online payment

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methods and the trend of offline payment method was being obsolete. So, the plan
implemented by managers was effective but during the organisation of idea, manager lacked
future insight about the same that the market may turn. Managers did not organise the plan
considering the time period required to be implemented.
Conclusion
The major aim of the report was about evaluating managerial roles and functions
when applied to real-world managerial activities. The finding of the report indicates that
there has been a set of theories related to managerial functions which can be applied to deal
with real-world activities but the interview data implied that application of managerial
functions can be sometimes challenging. This happens because market needs and
requirements today are rapidly changing and as a result any plan requires future insight and
resource availability and without the same unexpected challenges that often arise during the
implementation cannot be tackled.
Recommendations for Better Planning
Communication: Communication during the implementation of core managerial
functions in business management plays a great role. Thus, when taking any decision towards
the implementation, each party or each member involved in the plan remain updated.
Transformational leadership approach: A transformational leadership approach
would help the manager to facilitate the process and incorporate the emerging ideas from the
group members. Thereby, the process can be applied through cognitive approach.
Evaluation and monitoring: When applying a long-term managerial plan, the
manager should keep the evaluation slot in the plan in a periodical manner. Evaluation should
be done on a frequent basis to avoid sloppy mistake.

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References
Altamony, H. and Gharaibeh, A., 2017. The role of academic researcher to Mintzberg’s
managerial roles. International Journal of Business Management and Economic
Research, 8(2), pp.920-925.
Filippov, S., van der Weg, R., van Ogtrop, F., Beelen, P. and Mooi, H., 2014. Exploring the
Project Portfolio Manager's Role: Between a Data Manager and a Strategic
Advisor. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119, pp.95-104.
Mom, T.J., Fourné, S.P. and Jansen, J.J., 2015. Managers’ work experience, ambidexterity,
and performance: The contingency role of the work context. Human Resource
Management, 54(S1), pp.s133-s153.
Nielsen, K., 2013. How can we make organizational interventions work? Employees and line
managers as actively crafting interventions. Human Relations, 66(8), pp.1029-1050.