What does Emer Hardiman recognize as the key characteristics required by an effective middle
managers?
What are the different levels of management in an organization? What do managers at each level
do?
Give an overview of the functions of management.
Mintzberg (1990) proposed 3 basic roles of managers. Give an overview of each.
HISTORY OF MANAGEMENT THOUGHT
What is scientific management?
Write a note on Taylor – The father of Scientific Management.
Write a note on the Gilbreth’s findings.
What were Taylor’s four main principles of management?
Give an overview of the Classical theories of management.
Give an overview of the Contemporary theories of management.
What were the Hawthorne studies? Why were they so important to the development of
management thought?
Why is an organizations culture important for managers to consider?
What are the main elements of bureaucracy?
What is total quality management? What does it try to achieve?
What is contingency theory?
What is Administrative management theory?
What are Fayol’s fourteen management principles?
Give an overview of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Why did Maslow propose such theory?
Do you think workers are prepared to put up with dull, boring jobs if they are paid high wages?
What theory refutes this thought?
PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING
What is planning?
Explain the three types of planning undertaken by an organistion. Give one example of each plan.
Distinguish between strategic, tactical and operational plans.
Write a note on the following:
Strategic planning
Tactical
Operational
Why is planning an important function of management.
What is the role of a mission statement?
What is a SWOT analysis, give examples?
Conduct a SWOT analysis for an organization you are familiar with.
Give an overview of the corporate planning process.
Give an overview of the hierarchy of plans.
Porter argues that organizations follow one of three generic strategies including a Differentiation
strategy, Cost Leadership Strategy and Focus Strategy. Explain each.
What is related diversification and unrelated diversification?
What are the main characteristics of programmed and non-programmed decisions?
What are the different decision-making conditions under which decisions are taken?
List the steps in the decision-making process.
Give an overview of the steps in the decision-making process.
What is group decision making and why is it important.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of group decision making.
What are the main factors favoring individual decision making.
ORGANISING
Explain the following terms:
• Organising
• organisational structure
• division of labour
• span of control
• hierarchy.
Discuss the different types of departmentalisation an organisation can use. Give an example of
each.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the following Organisational Structures?



Functional Departmentalisation
Production Departmentalisation
Matrix Departmentalisation
Explain the terms
LEADING
What is leading?
Why is leading an important function of management.
Distinguish between leadership and management.
Leading is more than managing. Discuss
Discuss two leaders you are familiar with and give an overview of why they make such good
leaders.
MOTIVATION
Give an overview of Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.
What lessons does motivation theory have for managers?
Compare three different NEED theories of motivation. In what ways are they similar and how do
they differ in their approaches.
Discuss the PROCESS theory of motivation.
How would a manager motivation his/her staff.
Is pay a motivator. Why.
Give an overview of Theory X, Theory Y motivational theory.
CONTROL
Define Control and explain its importance.
Explain the three steps in the control process.
Define and explain the various types of control an organisation can use.
What are the main methods of control in an organisation?
What are the characteristics of effective control?
What is break-even analysis? How can it be used as a control device?
What is a Gantt chart?
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT
What do you understand by the term ‘business environment’?
Why is it important for organisations to consider the macro business environment in which it
operates? Use examples with which you are familiar to support your answer.
Give an overview of Porter’s five forces model of competitive analysis.
How can organisations try to manage their external environments?
SUGGEST SOLUTIONS
What does Emer Hardiman recognize as the key characteristics required by an effective middle
managers?
Decision Maker
Listener and communicator
Teacher
Peacemaker
Visionary
Self-critic
Team captain
Leader