Here are some questions on Behavioural Management taken from the 2004 paper. Try answering these and put your answers in the comments of this post so that other people can add to your answer or provide alternative suggestions.
Question 22 (10 marks)
(a) Identify TWO distinctive features of behavioural management theory.
(b) Describe ONE strength and ONE weakness of the behavioural approach to management.
(c) Identify TWO changing work patterns and explain how business responses to management theories have catered for these changes.
14 comments ↓
Question 22
(a) Identify TWO distinctive features of behavioural management theory.
Workers/employees are the main focus of the business. Because the more managers take notice of their workers and understand them on a number of levels such as dreams hopes and expectations the high job satisfaction the workers have and thus(see I do use ‘thus’) increasing in productivity. So the situation becomes a win-win.
An excellent start to answering that question Claudia.Now who would like to add to this?
Other points about behavioural management include that employees are trained in more than one area and the encouragement of socialising and teams.
Good answer …. key terminology to use would be multi-skilling
A strength of the behavioural mgt theory is that employees are given greater participation in decision making, and communication. This makes the employee feel valued within the company and according to the Hawthorne Studies (how i love to refer to Mayo) when the managers and business shows an interest in the worker, productivity increases, which ultimately leads to increase in the bottom line; profitability.
i will get bac to the other half of that question later… gotta finish my assignment…
Excellent. V.good answers from both of you. Good to see another reference to Mayo in there Mel
Now how about the rest of part b) and part c)…
Behavioural mgt in a business is seen as highlighting the importance of communication, teamwork, motivation and leadership. Together, these aspects essentially acknowledges the human dimension of work, with an also greater empowerment of employees (due to a flatter management structure). This greatly benefits employee inititaive and establishes a positive outlook for the worker on their particular job. However, there are also disadvantages linked to this theory. Human behaviour is dynamic, and is often difficult to predict. Vast amounts of research for managers is required to be read, digested and implemented, in order to sustain business success and overall profitability.
Nice work again Mel. The response is well written and nicely ties in the negatives of Behav. Theory to show that no theory is ideal.
One suggestion – you link empowerment of employess to a flatter management structure. This may be the case but you need to explain how flatter structures allow for, and indeed insist on, employees taking more responsibility for their own actions and by taking on responsibility they feel greater ownership of their tasks and this then leads to empowerment.
hey! that second one wasnt me!
are you sure? hehe
whoa… someone’s schizophrenic!
hey! im serious! whoevers the stupid wannabe-me, u should go get ur own name!!!!
besides, ur answer was good!!!! take credit 4 it!!!
lol …. It was a good answer
Leave a Comment