Organisation and management

• Employees may be required to take industrial action even if they don’t agree.
• Organizational Structure refers to the levels of management and division of responsibilities within an organization.
• Chain of Command is the structure in an organisation which allows instructions to be passed down from senior management to lower levels of management.
• An organisation chart shows how everyone is linked together in the organisation.
• Everyone in an organisation is in a department and this gives them a sense of belonging.
• Span of control is the number of subordinates working directly under a manager.
• There are two types of chains of command: a tall structure and a long chain of command, and a wide structure and short chain of command.
• Advantages of a short chain of command include quicker and more accurate communication, fewer levels to pass through before reaching the intended person, and a wider span of control encouraging managers to delegate more.
• Disadvantages of a short chain of command include the potential for managers to lose control of what their subordinates are doing if they are fully trained, and the subordinates could make many mistakes.
• The role of management includes planning, organising, coordinating, and controlling.
• Planning involves setting aims and targets, and planning for the resources needed.
• Organising involves organising people and resources effectively to ensure specialisation occurs.
• Coordinating involves managers trying to make sure that all departments in the organisation closely work together to achieve the aims of the business.
• Controlling involves managers trying to evaluate the work of all individuals and groups to make sure they are on target.
• Delegation means giving a subordinate the authority to perform particular tasks.
• Advantages of delegation include managers being able to measure the success of their staff more easily and see how well they have done in performing the tasks delegated to them, and the employee feeling more important and believes that trust is being put in them to perform a job well.
• A democratic leadership style is when other employees get involved in the decision-making process.
• If the task is complex, autocratic will be used, if the task requires creativity and innovation, laissez-faire will be used.
• The advantage of an autocratic leadership style is that it enables decisions to be made quickly during a crisis.
• A trade union is a group of workers who have joined together to ensure their interests are protected.
• The disadvantage of an autocratic leadership style is that there is no opportunity for employees to input key decisions, which can be demotivating.
• In the absence of good managers, it is the responsibility of the subordinate to accept the responsibility for the job done badly.
• The disadvantages of trade union membership for an employee are that it costs money to be a member.
• The task to be completed is a crucial factor in choosing a leadership style.
• Laissez-faire leadership makes the broad objectives of the business known to employees, but then they are left to make their own decisions and organise their own work.
• The disadvantage of a democratic leadership style is that unpopular decisions made by the minority of employees are often ignored and so decisions will not be made effectively.
• An autocratic leadership style is where the manager expects to be in charge of the business and to have their orders followed.
• The advantage of a democratic leadership style is that better decisions could result from consulting with employees and using their ideas and experience.
• The benefits of joining a trade union include improved conditions of employment and improved benefits for members who are not working because they are sick, retired or have been made redundant.
• The personality of the manager is a crucial factor in choosing a leadership style.
• The importance of good managers is to motivate employees and keep costs under control.
• If the subordinate does the task better than the manager, it could risk the manager feeling very insecure.
• Some managers are naturally autocratic or democratic, making it very difficult to use a leadership style opposite to their personality.