Management work has been researched through a large number of studies Essay

Management work has been researched through a large number of studies using a wide range of methods over the last four or to fiv - Essay Example Katz, Henri Fayol and Henry Mintzberg, who conducted studies independently at different times in history. It also tries to understand what the management of a company needs to do. Robert Katz’s views on management Robert L. Katz conducted extensive study in the field of management. Based on the results of his studies as well as direct scrutiny of managers at the place of work, he concluded that there are three vital expertises that every manager should have: cognitive abilities, technical knowhow and interpersonal qualities (Katz, 1974; Virkus, 2009; Sutevski, 2009; SAGE Publications, 2014). Cognitive abilities Cognitive abilities collectively refer to the aptitude of a manager. They refer to the capability to consider and rationalise both theoretical and intricate scenarios. They also refer to a manager’s capacity to understand and apply thoughts and proposals. Cognitive abilities of a manager may include the ability to generate innovative thoughts, create concepts, as sess difficult circumstances and provide effective solutions. Together, these abilities allow a manager to comprehend and make a better decision about the steps to be taken for a particular situation. Managers with cognitive abilities can connect better with a company’s philosophies, working mechanism, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; and generate practical plans of action. Cognitive abilities are crucial to managers who sit at the top of the organisational hierarchy and are faced with difficult situations such as, complying with governmental regulations, managing acquisitions and assessing competitor’s business mode. Technical know-how Technical know-how refers to the knowledge and degree of proficiency that a manager has in his/her particular line of work. It helps a manager to complete the job in a smooth and efficient fashion. Technical know-how not only refers to the ability to operate and use equipments and complex electronics, but also the acade mic qualifications, in-depth theoretical understanding and previous job experience, which will interact together and decide how good the person is at the job assigned. Strong technical know-how is critical for Level-1 executives such as, supervisors. As a manager jumps up higher in the organisational hierarchy from the base level, technical know-how becomes less and less important, since the scope for practical application of such knowledge becomes severely limited. Examples of technical knowhow may include proficiency in software applications, number-crunching abilities and highly specialised expertise to sell products. Interpersonal qualities Interpersonal qualities of a person refer to the ability to connect with senior managers, fellow executives, juniors and subordinate employees and maintain a healthy work environment; provide leadership to the team and help achieve objectives; keep the employees focussed and motivated; help them acquire skills and qualities required for their jobs; and measure and monitor their quality of work. People with high interpersonal qualities can bond with others, collaborate and achieve high quality work and prioritise company’s visions and objectives over personal issues. Interpersonal qualities are a must-have for all executives of a company, regardless of their position in the