Managerial Skills

Manager:

Manager is a person who undertake the tasks and function of managing at any level, in any kind of enterprise.

Managerial Skills:

There are four skills of managers are expected to have ability of:

(1)Technical skills: Technical skills that reflect both an understanding of and a proficiency in a specialized field. For example, a manager may have technical skills in accounting, finance, engineering, manufacturing, or computer science.

(2)Human Skills: Human skills are skills associated with manager’s ability to work well with others, both as a member of a group and as a leader who gets things done through other.

(3)Concept Skills: Conceptual skills related to the ability to visualize the organization as a whole,
discern interrelationships among organizational parts, and understand how the organization fits into the wider context of the industry, community, and world. Conceptual skills, coupled with technical skills, human skills and knowledge base, are important ingredients in organizational performance.

(4) Design Skills: It is the ability to solve the problems in ways that will benefit the enterprise. Managers must be able to solve the problems.

Skills of management at different levels.

The Skills vary at different levels they are as follows:
Top management ---------------Concept and design Skills.
Middle management ------------Human Skills.
Supervisor’s --------------------Technical skills.

Management Definition

“Management is an art of knowing what do you want to do and then seeing that is is done in the best and cheapest way.”-F. W. Taylor

“To manage is to forecast, to plan, to organize, to command to co-ordinate and control". by Henry Fayol

“Management is a distinct process consisting of planning, organizing, actuating and controlling performance t determine and accomplish the objectives by the use of people and resources,”by george R. Terry

“Management is the creation and maintenance of internal environment is an enterprise where individuals working in groups can perform efficiently and effectively toward the attainment of group goals. It is an art of getting the work done through and with people in formally organized groups". by Koontz and O’Donnel

Office — Meaning and Objectives

If you visit a firm, school or hospital you will find that a number of activities are being performed, such as letters received, dispatched, typing, photocopying, word processing, filing, handling of office machines etc. The place where all such activities are performed is known as office. Thus office is a service department of an organization, which is connected with the handling of records and provision of various services like typing, duplicating, mailing, filing, handling office machine s , keeping records , drafting , using information, handling money and other miscellaneous activities.

Definition of office

Some of the popular definitions of office are as follows:

• ‘‘Office is a place where clerical operations are carried on’’.—Denyer, J.C.

• ‘‘Office is a unit where relevant records for the purpose of control, planning and efficient management of the organization are prepared, handled and preserved. It provides facilities for internal and external communication and coordinates activities of different departments of the organization’’. —Littlefield, Rachel and Caruth.

The above definitions highlight the following characteristics—

• collecting information
• processing information
• storing information
• coordinating information
• distributing information

Therefore, an office may be defined as a place where all the activities concerned with collecting, processing, storing and distributing information for efficient and effective management of an organisation are carried out. In every modern organisation, be it a business concern or a Government department, there has to be an office. It is essential for the efficient management of the organisation.

Objectives of an office

The main objectives of an office are as follows:

1. Aid to Management: The office provides aid to management in performing the following functions:

(a) Direction: Direction and guidance of management to various sections and departments are issued through the office.

(b) Communication: The office serves as a communication channel between different parts of the organisation. It handles mail.

(c) Planning: The office helps management in planning for smooth functioning and progress of the organisation b y providing necessary information and data.

(d) Coordination: The office also facilitates co-ordination by maintaining links among departments.

2. Preserving Records: The office maintains necessary books and records of the organisation.

3. Providing Information: It provides the right kind of information to management at the right time.

4. Providing Office Services: It provides clerical and secretarial services to different executives.

5. Distribution of work: The office distributes the work among various employees and identifies their duties and functions.

6. Selection and Appointment: It also handles selection and appointment of employees. In short, the office is an important and indispensable part of every organisation.

Orgin Of Entrepreneurship in India

EMERGENCE OF THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CLASS IN INDIA

• During earlier times India’s prosperity attracted communities across boundaries

• Strategies adopted by Mughals and Turkish

Turk Mughals settled down in India and shared the prosperity. . They bought currency with them and disrupted the barter system

• Strategy of the British

Wanted to offload surplus supply due to Industrial Revolution in India to balance the demand and supply situation in U.K

Managed to acquire power and became the ruler.

Banned manufacturing in India. Sent all raw materials (cotton, oilseeds etc) to UK for conversion and value addition thus transferring wealth to UK

• 18^th Century

Indian Industry remained non started. Major thrust was on cash crops neglecting food grains resulting in severe famine.Indian Economy was dominated by British economy.

• 1920

World war prevented transfer of raw materials to Manchester. British decided to manufacture in India itself . Initiated the first Indian Industry. The Mumbai Textile Mills

• 1930s to mid 1940s

Mahatma Gandhi directed his captains to set the basic Infrastrure for Industrial and Economic development. Theses are the founder entrepreneurs of India. They developed various areas of basic infrastructure.

a)JRD Tata: Aviation, steel, railway, post & telegraph, power, roads, textile etc

b)G.D Birla-Textgile, vehicles, power, cement, chemicals, heavy industries, aluminum, cement etc

c) S. L Kirloskar-Machine tools, farm equipments, pumps etc

d) Jamnalal Baja-Two wheelers, 3 wheelers etc

• Independence 1947

British went back leaving the business to their employees/agents/market intermediaries.

• Late 1960s

Nationalisation of banks and Insurance companies made available huge funds for SSI and entrepreneurial developemt.It made investment available to common man challenging business monopoly

• 1970s to mid 1985

Emergence of new generation entrepreneurs because of funds and supporting govt policies.

Technocrats , artisans , rural craftsman, educated, uneducated youngsters created the greatest ever SSI development.

Resulted in excellent interdependence of SSI ands organized sector creating highest ever growth rate of 8.9% and very high addition to GDP.

Organised sector could expand, diversify without any direct investment and SSI could share the prosperity.

• Mid 1980s

Indian industry remained protected by license raj, permits, quotas, monopolistic market resulting into losing export and entry of cheaper better goods in gray market(Germany & Japan) resulting in worse BOP Situation and industrial sickness. Closure of several industries in organized sector.

• 1990s

Liberalisation sets reforms rolling by scrapping export regulations.Delicensing, making import and export simpler, direct FDI in all sectors, concessions for technical know-how and collaboration. Indian entrepreneurship started.

• Mid 1990s

Third generation of entrepreneurs Rahul Baja, Mahindra, Ambani, Ratan Tata, Kumarmangalam Birla proved their competencies in managing various large companies

• 2000

Indian Entrepreneurship took great leap in the global market entering in to service Industry (IT, BPO, Bio Technology, hospitality etc)

WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR?

An entrepreneur is a person with a dream, originality and daring, who acts as the boss, who decides as to how the commercial organization shall run, who coordinates all activities or other factors of production, who anticipates the future trend of demand and prices of products.

We can define entrepreneur as one who innovates, raises money, assembles inputs, choose managers and sets the organization going with his ability to identify them.

As per Peter Drucker- “An entrepreneur is one who always searches for change, responds to it as an opportunity. Entrepreneurs innovate. Innovation is a specific instrument of entrepreneurship”.

As per Joseph A. Schumpeter- “Entrepreneur is one who innovates, raises money, and assembles inputs, chooses managers and sets the commercial organization going with his ability to identify them and opportunities which others are not able to identify and is able to fulfill such economic opportunities”.

As per Walker- "An entrepreneur is one who is endowed with more than average capacities in the task of organizing and co-coordinating the various factors of production. He should be a pioneer, a captain of industry".

Functions of a Modern Office

Functions of a Modern Office

An office is primarily concerned with collection and supply of information. Accurate and up to date information relating to organisation and other agencies affecting the organisation is always required for taking decisions and formulating policies. Besides, office has assumed many other responsibilities, such as safe guarding assets, personnel management, and procurement of assets etc., which are incidental to the primary function.

Therefore, the functions of a modern office may be classified into two categories:

(a) Basic functions, and (b) Administrative functions.

Basic functions

Basic functions are those functions of an office which need to be performed in all types of organisations. They are mainly related to receiving and giving of information. These basic functions are as follows:

1. Collecting information. The office receives or collects information about various activities of the organisation. The information may be collected from internal or external sources. Internal sources may be employees and various departments of the organisation. The external sources are customers, suppliers and Government Departments etc. From internal sources information may be received in the form of letters, circulars, reports etc., and external sources provide information through letters, orders, invoices, inquiries, reports, questionnaires etc. The executives of the organisation may also collect information while visiting other organisations.

2. Recording information. The office keeps record of information collected from various sources to make it readily available to the management. The information is kept in the form of correspondence, reports, statements, circulars, lists, charts, registers, books, etc. An office has also to maintain records as prescribed under law. The registered office of a company is required to maintain Register of Members under the Companies Act, 1956.

3. Arranging, analysing and processing the information. The information collected in an office is generally not in the form in which it may be used by the management. Therefore, facts and figures collected have to be arranged, processed, organised and analysed to make them useful to the management. In this connection financial statement, statistical statements, charts, lists, reports, summaries are prepared.

4. Preserving Information. The information is properly sorted out and preserved in the most economic and scientific manner. Various types of equipments, filing cabinets, etc. are used for preserving records. Unnecessary and out-dated records are destroyed to make space for new and valuable records.

5. Supplying information. All accumulated and processed information is useless unless it is communicated. The office serves as a two way channel for communication. On the one hand, it supplies the collected, recorded and processed information to the management and on the other hand, the policy decisions, guidelines and instructions issued by the management to the departments are also routed through the office. The information may be supplied verbally or in writing.

Administrative Functions

Administrative functions are in addition to the basic functions. But the office cannot hope to work smoothly without them. These relate to the tasks of protecting and safeguarding assets, maintaining and enhancing the operating efficiency, stationery control, choice and

use of the office equipments and selection, training, placement, and remuneration of the personnel etc. The following functions are normally considered as administrative functions of an office:-

1. Management functions. Various functions of management are also applicable to the management of an office functions. Office work has to be planned, organised and executed according to the plan. Control is exercised to ensure efficiency of operations in the office. Staffing, directing, communicating, co-ordination, motivating are also important for the management of offices.

2. Instituting office systems and routines An office has to develop systems and procedures for providing better services to other departments. Each phase of office work is carefully analysed and a proper procedure is developed for it. Proper sequencing of different tasks is necessary to ensure continuous flow of work.

3. Procuring stationery and supplies Adequate supply of office stationery of proper quality is necessary for the efficient performance of office work. The office purchases standard quality paper, pens, ink and other stationery items, maintains the stock and issues them only on demand.

4. Designing and control of office forms Use of standardized forms simplifies office operations. It is the responsibility of the office to design, standardize, provide and control the forms to be used in the office as well as in other departments of the enterprise.

5. Purchasing office equipments and furniture Efficient and economical performance of office work requires proper furniture, equipment and machines. Office has to arrange for selection and purchase of these items from reliable suppliers. It has also to ensure timely availability of furniture etc., to departments and employees to facilitate proper utilization, as well as arrange for maintenance, servicing and replacement according to need.

6. Safeguarding of Assets Different types of assets are maintained in an organization. The assets must be protected against damages and losses on account of fire, theft etc. An efficient control system is exercised by office to safeguard the assets.

7. Personnel Management The efficiency of office work depends very much on the employees. Their appointment, training, promotion, appraisal and welfare are the functions of the office.

8. Maintaining Public Relations An organization depends on public reputation and goodwill for its existence and progress. Maintaining public relations is also the responsibility of the office. Most organizations have reception counters to greet and receive visitors to the organization. The above are some of the more important functions of office. The nature of functions differs from organization to organization as per needs.

IMPROTANCE OF AN OFFICE

The importance of an office is discussed below:

1. Office as a service centre Office provides the services of typing, duplicating, printing, providing information from records, supplying forms and stationery etc. No organisation can work smoothly without these services. Therefore, office is sometimes referred to as a service department.

2. Office as a memory centre All types of information are arranged and preserved in the office and supplied to management as and when required. Various transactions and activities of the organisation which are on record are preserved by the office. Therefore, office may be described as the memory centre, information centre or brain of an organisation.

3. Office as a channel of communication It is through the office that communication, especially written communication, takes place between different departments and different levels of the organisation. An organisation would fail, in spite of the best organisational resources, if the communication system is not effective.

4. Office as a co-ordinator Office maintains links with all the departments of an organization and keeps every department informed about what is happening in other departments. Thus, it provides the basis of co-ordination between departments. For example, office informs the production department about changing tastes and fashion in the market as revealed by the market survey conducted by marketing department. Similarly marketing department is supplied information about the cost of production to fix appropriate prices.

5. Office as a controller Control is a necessary function of management executed through office. It requires (i) establishment of standards, (ii) measurement of performance against the standard (iii) ascertainment of deviation, and (iv) correction of deviations from standards and plans.

6. Office as a intermediary The office maintains contact with outsiders and links the organization with customers, suppliers, etc. It attends to the enquiries, orders and complaints, and maintains liaison between government and the organisation.

7. Importance of office to employees Maintenance of attendance records, and preparation of wage and salary sheets for timely payment are the responsibility of the office. It is also responsible for operating different employee benefit schemes, like group insurance, provident fund, etc.

8. Importance of office to customers The office acts as a link between the business and its customers. Enquiries, orders, and complaints of customers are taken care of by the office. It also advertises the products and their uses for information of the customers.

9. Importance to general public The office also acts as a link between general public and the Nature and functions of office organisation. It is responsible for creating a good image for the organisation in the minds of people.