Introductory Management Questions and Issues

1. There are four basic functions of management...planning, organizing, managing, and controlling. Rank order these in order from most important to least important them provide supporting narrative to justify your decision.

2. The culture of an organization has a tremendous effect on how the workers feel about their jobs. A good workplace results in employee happiness and increased productivity. As a senior manager describe how you would influence the culture of your company and how you would follow through to ensure the momentum of your efforts was not lost.

3. It seems that over the last few years more and more corporate executives have failed ethically to conduct honesty business activities. With more and more news of these unethical reports what do you think has driven the corporate world to such levels? What is your prediction of how the ethical evolution will unfold in future years?

4. Future managers of U.S. corporations will no doubt find themselves involved in international trade and related plant operations. How can these managers' best prepare themselves for the challenges of the foreign business operations which they will encounter?

5. Do you prefer a functional or a product oriented organizational structure?
Discuss the positive and negative aspects of each.

6. The three basic elements of management (3M's) are manpower, machinery, and money. Obviously the manpower or human element is the most critical and the one which occupies the majority of a manager's time. During the last 40 years we have made gigantic strides to improve the workplace and make it safer for the workers. We gave them safety, flexitime, TQM, telecommuting, etc. What three other things haven't yet been added to the employees basket of benefits which would make them more productive (and happy) in the workplace?