Analyzing Managerial Functions: A Report on an Interview

This report presents an analysis of an interview conducted with the assistant store manager of Coles, focusing on the managerial function of control and supervision. The report begins with an executive summary that outlines the key managerial functions and the study's objective. It then delves into the concept of control and supervision, explaining its role in aligning organizational and individual goals. The report describes the manager's role and the organization, highlighting the key tasks and challenges related to control and supervision, such as inventory management and customer service. It evaluates the practical and theoretical applications of the managerial function. Recommendations are provided to enhance control systems, emphasizing flexibility, adaptability, and timely action to address deviations. The report concludes with a discussion of the interview findings and suggestions for improving control and supervision within the organization. The report uses academic references to support the analysis and provides the interview questions and answers in the appendix.

Running head: MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
Name of Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
Executive Summary
Managerial functions includes planning, staffing, organizing, directing and controlling
activities in order to ensure that the organization performs its functions smoothly and
achieves its objectives efficiently. The manager selected for the purpose of this study is
assistant store manager of Coles Try Wallace. The main aim of the paper was to conduct an
interview with him to identify the managerial functions carried out by him. The paper
therefore discussed about the concept of the selected managerial function, the roles and tasks
of the manager under study and also the recommendations foe effectively implementing the
organizational function.

2MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Body...........................................................................................................................................3
Concept of Control and Supervision......................................................................................3
Observation............................................................................................................................4
Description of the managers role and organization in which the manager is presently
working..............................................................................................................................4
The key tasks or activities of the managers and the way it is related to the function of
control and supervision......................................................................................................5
The key challenges faced by the manger and the way it is related to control and
supervision.........................................................................................................................5
Evaluation and interpretation of the practical and theoretical application of the managerial
function of control and supervision........................................................................................5
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................6
Recommendations......................................................................................................................6
Appropriate Control systems in place for regularly monitoring the performance of the
employees...............................................................................................................................6
The control systems needs to flexible and adaptable to changes...........................................7
Timely action for overcoming any deviations.......................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8
Appendix....................................................................................................................................9
References................................................................................................................................10

3MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW

4MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
Introduction
The managerial functions include planning, organizing, staffing, directing and
controlling with which a manager ensures that the organizational goals are met effectively
and efficiently. These functions includes looking after the activities of individuals for the
purpose of analysing their performance against some pre-set or determined goals and also
includes reporting the same to the top management. Planning refers to determining what is
going to be performed, when and by whom (Campney and Schleiss 2015). Organizing refers
to structuring and making arrangements for all those components within the organizational
environment for achieving the objectives. Staffing refers to election of the right people for the
right job within the organization and controlling or supervising refers to looking after all the
activities of employees to ensure that there is no deviation from the same. The leader selected
for the purpose of this study is Try Wallace whop is presently working as the assistant store
manager at Coles. The main aim of the paper is to conduct an interview with a manager to
identify the managerial function being fulfilled by him. The paper will discuss about the
controlling and supervising function undertaken by the manger selected for the purpose of
this study.
Body
Concept of Control and Supervision
Control and supervision refers to taking all the necessary steps for ensuring that all the
plans that have been set by the top management are carried out or if necessary the same has to
be modified (Fedyk and Bottorff 2017). That work is conducted by the most critical element
of the managerial function that is control and supervision. Management function includes
directing activities of the employees and therefore control and supervision function can

5MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
ensure that the individuals are actually performing and doing activities that they are expected
to do. Therefore the control process comprises of determination of certain standards and then
comparison and evaluation of the actual performance against those standards and then taking
corrective action in case any deviations has been found between the actual performance and
the expected performance. Therefore a good and effective management control system is the
one that helps in the identification of the different variations and informing the same to
individual such that corrective actions can be taken. Control and supervision function is
necessary for organization because it help in aligning the organizational goals with the
individual goals. Therefore through control and supervision, various limitations can be
identified which can be solved timely.
Observation
Description of the managers role and organization in which the manager is presently
working
The manager selected for the purpose of this study is Troy Wallace who is presently
working as the assistant store manner at Coles Supermarket. He has expertise and experience
in assessment and coaching project (Ingram et al. 2015). And he has also worked as a store
manager in Woolworths. He has completed his diploma in occupational health and safety
course from the Gordon and he has done his business administration and management from
RMIT. He has skills in management of store, merchandising and visual merchandising. His
role as an assistant store manager includes- ensuring that all the policies and procedures of
work has duly been complied with and he is also responsible for coordination and supervision
of day to day operations at the store. He is also required to supervise the work of employees
under him and to ensure that all the activities are being done in the way they are expected to

6MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
do. He is also responsible for ensuring exceptional customer service by continually
monitoring the performance of his employees.
The key tasks or activities of the managers and the way it is related to the function of
control and supervision
Some of the major task performed by the assistant store manager includes- providing
coaching to the sales associates working under them, evaluation of needs of the customers
such that it can be created as a standard for comparing the performance of employees against
the same and tracking the employees progress regularly (Leonard and Trusty 2015). It is also
the responsibility of the assistant store manager to monitor the store inventory for
maintaining the same properly. These roles and responsibilities are related to the managerial
function of control and supervision because controlling involves evaluating the actual
performance to see if there is any deviations between actual performance and the pre-set
performance.
The key challenges faced by the manger and the way it is related to control and
supervision
The key challenges faced by the assistant store managers include issues of
overstocking or under stocking that requires regular monitoring of stock. Some of the other
major challenges and issues related to the store manager is that of supervision and control and
in relation to customer complaints and queries (Pohly 2016).
Evaluation and interpretation of the practical and theoretical application of the
managerial function of control and supervision
There is close relationship between the theoretical and practical application of
managerial function because the responsibilities, the key tasks and even the challenges faced

7MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
can be directly linked to the theoretical concept of control and supervision (van Niekerk and
Getz 2019).
Conclusion
Therefore from the above discussion it can be concluded that controlling and
supervising is one of the most important managerial function as it helps in looking after the
activities of individuals to see that their performance is accordance with the organizational
goals and there is no deviation between them. From the paper the various responsibilities
fulfilled by the assistant store manager who has been selected for the study has been
understood and moreover the tasks performed by him can also be understood from the paper.
Further from the paper the challenges faced by the assistant store manager that is related to
the managerial function has also been understood. For the purpose of this study that
managerial function that has been selected includes- controlling and supervising and
therefore the concept of the same has also been understood from the paper.
Recommendations
In order to ensure effective control and supervision functions in the organization it is
necessary to have:
Appropriate Control systems in place for regularly monitoring the performance
of the employees
All organization should have appropriate and effective systems of control that will
ensure regular checks on the performance of the employees and also help in aligning their
performance with the organizational objectives and goals (Morschett, Schramm-Klein and
Zentes 2015). This system can also help in identification of any deviations and therefore can
help in informing the management about the same. An effective control system is one that

8MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
helps in establishment of certain performance goals, then evaluates the actual performance
against those gaols and helps in identification of any deviation between the pre-set objectives
and the actual objectives such that proper actions can be taken.
The control systems needs to flexible and adaptable to changes
It is necessary for the control system to be adaptable such that in case there is any
changes in the gaols and objectives of the organization the system can adapt itself to the same
easily without taking much time (Schermerhorn et al. 2019). It is also necessary for the
control system to be adaptable otherwise there may be various issues related to identification
of deviations and various others.
Timely action for overcoming any deviations
An effective control system can help the management in taking timely actions related
to any underperformance or deviation between the actual results or performance and the
expected performance of the employees. Through controlled supervision, effective execution
and delegation of activities can be ensured. By taking timely actions, organisational gaols and
objectives can also be achieved in time.

9MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
References

10MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
Appendix
Q1.)What are your job responsibilities and tasks?
My tasks includes providing coaching to the sales associates working under me, evaluation of
needs of the customers such that it can be created as a standard for comparing the
performance of employees against the same and tracking the employees progress regularly. It
is also the responsibility of the assistant store manager to monitor the store inventory for
maintaining the same properly.
Q2.)What are your roles?
My roles includes- ensuring that all the policies and procedures of work has duly been
complied with and i am also responsible for coordination and supervision of day to day
operations at the store. I am also required to supervise the work of employees under me and
to ensure that all the activities are being done in the way they are expected to do. I am also
responsible for ensuring exceptional customer service by continually monitoring the
performance of my employees.
Q3.)What challenges do you face in your work?
Some of the major challenges faced by me includes looking after the issues of
overstocking or under stocking and for that it is necessary to carry out regular monitoring of
the inventory. Some of the other major challenges and issues are that of supervision and
control and in relation to customer complaints and queries.

11MANAGERIAL INTERVIEW
References
Campney, B.H. and Schleiss, T.D., Fisher Rosemount Systems Inc, 2015. Graphical view
sidebar for a process control system. U.S. Patent 9,043,003.
Fedyk, D. and Bottorff, P.A., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP, 2017. Filter
tables for management functions. U.S. Patent Application 15/152,306.
Ingram, T.N., LaForge, R.W., Williams, M.R. and Schwepker Jr, C.H., 2015. Sales
management: Analysis and decision making. Routledge.
Leonard, E.C. and Trusty, K.A., 2015. Supervision: Concepts and practices of management.
Nelson Education.
Lussier, R.N. and Hendon, J.R., 2017. Human resource management: Functions,
applications, and skill development. Sage publications.
Morschett, D., Schramm-Klein, H. and Zentes, J., 2015. Strategic international
management (pp. 978-3658078836). Springer.
Pohly, K., 2016. Transforming the rough places: The ministry of supervision. Wipf and Stock
Publishers.
Schermerhorn Jr, J.R., Davidson, P., Woods, P., Factor, A., Junaid, F. and McBarron, E.,
2019. Management. John Wiley & Sons.
van Niekerk, M. and Getz, D., 2019. Applying Stakeholder Theory to the Management
Functions.