MGMT Topic 8 Hw
Topic 8: Communication and Decision making
1. How might managers use the grapevine for their benefit?
The grapevine is the informal organisational communication network. It acts as both a filter and a feedback mechanism, showing managers the issues that employers consider important and that produce anxiety. Managers can use the grapevine to their benefit by analysing what is happening on the grapevine. For example, observing what information is being passed, how information seems to flow along the grapevine and which individuals seems to be key conduits of information on the grapevine. This benefits managers because they become aware of the grapevine’s flow and patterns, which allows them to stay on top of issues that concern employees. They can also use the grapevine to spread important information.
2. Why is decision making often described as the essence of a manager’s job
Managers at all levels and in all areas of organisation make decisions. Almost everything a manager does involves making decisions. For example, a manager may decide how they will motivate employees, how they will determine what needs to be done, how it needs to be done and who should be assigned to do it. Everyday a manager faces many decisions, most of them being routine decisions. Decision making is part of all four managerial functions: planning, organising, leading and controlling. Hence, decision making is an important and core part of a manager’s job.
3. Write a 200 word summary of 3 of the limitations of the study in the article by Alge et. al. 2003
The first limitation was to exclude standing teams who possessed both a history and future. Since their focus was on isolating knowledge-building experience and knowledge building opportunities, they felt that future teams and past teams suited their goal. Through their research, they found that past teams and standing teams may behave differently.
The second limitation was the measures of openness/trust and TMX asked subjects to
1. How might managers use the grapevine for their benefit?
The grapevine is the informal organisational communication network. It acts as both a filter and a feedback mechanism, showing managers the issues that employers consider important and that produce anxiety. Managers can use the grapevine to their benefit by analysing what is happening on the grapevine. For example, observing what information is being passed, how information seems to flow along the grapevine and which individuals seems to be key conduits of information on the grapevine. This benefits managers because they become aware of the grapevine’s flow and patterns, which allows them to stay on top of issues that concern employees. They can also use the grapevine to spread important information.
2. Why is decision making often described as the essence of a manager’s job
Managers at all levels and in all areas of organisation make decisions. Almost everything a manager does involves making decisions. For example, a manager may decide how they will motivate employees, how they will determine what needs to be done, how it needs to be done and who should be assigned to do it. Everyday a manager faces many decisions, most of them being routine decisions. Decision making is part of all four managerial functions: planning, organising, leading and controlling. Hence, decision making is an important and core part of a manager’s job.
3. Write a 200 word summary of 3 of the limitations of the study in the article by Alge et. al. 2003
The first limitation was to exclude standing teams who possessed both a history and future. Since their focus was on isolating knowledge-building experience and knowledge building opportunities, they felt that future teams and past teams suited their goal. Through their research, they found that past teams and standing teams may behave differently.
The second limitation was the measures of openness/trust and TMX asked subjects to