the process of coordinating people and other resources to achieve the goals of an organization
Planning
establishing organizational goals and deciding how to accomplishing them
Mission
a statement of the basic purpose that makes an organization different from others
Strategic Planning
the process of establishing an organization's major goals and objectives and allocating the resources to achieve them
Goal
an end result that an organization is expected to achieve over one to ten year period
Objective
a specific statement detailing what an organization intends to accomplish over a shorter period of time
Plan
an outline of the actions by which an organization intends to accomplish its goals and objectives
Strategic Plan
an organization's broadest plan, developed as a guide for major policy setting and decision making
Tactical Plan
a smaller-scale plan developed to implement a strategy
Operational Plan
a type of plan designed to implement tactical plans
Contingency Plan
a plan that outlines alternative courses of action that may be taken if an organization's other plans are disrupted or become ineffective
Organizing
the grouping of resources and activities to accomplish some end result in an efficient and effective manner
Leading
the process of influencing people to work toward a common goal
Motivating
the process of providing reasons for people to work in the best interests of an organization
Directing
the combined processes of leading and motivating
Controlling
the process of evaluating and regulating ongoing activities to ensure that goals are achieved
Top Manager
an upper-level executive who guides and controls the overall fortunes of an organization
Middle Manager
a manager who implements the strategy and major policies developed by top management
First-Line Manager
a manager who coordinates and supervises the activities of operating employees
Financial Manager
a manager who is primarily responsible for an organization's financial resources
Operations Manager
a manager who manages the systems that convert resources into goods and services
Marketing Manager
a manager who is responsible for facilitating the exchange of products between an organization and its customers or clients
Human Resources Manager
a person charged with managing an organization's human resources programs
Administrative Manager
a manager who is not associated with any specific functional area but who provides overall administrative guidance and leadership
Technical Skill
a specific skill needed to accomplish a specialized activity
Conceptual Skill
the ability to think in abstract terms
Interpersonal Skill
the ability to deal effectively with other people
Decisional Role
a role that involved various aspects of management decision making
Interpersonal Role
a role in which the manager deals with people
Informational Role
a role in which the manager either gathers or provides information
Leadership
the ability to influence others
Authoritarian Leader
one who holds all authority and responsibility, with communication usually moving from top to bottom
Laissez-Faire Leader
one who gives authority to employees and allows subordinates to work as they choose with a minimum of interference; communication flows horizontally among group members
Democratic Leader
one who holds final responsibility but also delegates authority to others, who help to determine work assignments; communication is active upward and downward
Decision Making
the act of choosing one alternative from a set of alternatives
Problem
the disrepancy between an actual condition and a desired condition
Total Quality Management (TQM)
the coordination of efforts directed at improving customer satisfaction, increasing employee participation, strengthening supplier partnerships, and facilitating an organizational atmosphere of continuous quality improvement