In: Accounting
management is a process of getting things done with the aim of achieving goals effectively and efficiently. Obviously, if one person is asked to manage a whole organisation, it would prove to be too herculean of a task.
Evidently, the workload of management is divided into a hierarchy. Each person in the hierarchy is provided with just enough amount of authority and responsibility. Definitely, as we move up the hierarchy the authority and responsibility (and the salary too!) seems to increase.
Management Levels and Types:
1) Top Management
The top managers are the masterminds of all organisational policies. They are responsible for heading and putting forth the plans and ideas to ensure the welfare of the whole organisation. Further, they are responsible for all activities and their implications for the society.
Many high-level managers become part of an executive team by mastering their functional disciplines across various roles, becoming the Chief Operations Officer (COO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Chief Technology Officer (CIO or CTO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) or Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Top management teams are also often industry experts, having a close association with the long term trajectory of the businesses they operate in. They often benefit from being charismatic, powerful communicators with a strong sense of accountability, confidence, integrity, and a comfort with risk.
The primary role of the executive team, or the top-level managers, is to look at the organization as a whole and derive broad strategic plans. Company policies, substantial financial investments, strategic alliances, discussions with the board, stakeholder management, and other top-level managerial tasks are often high-risk high return decision-making initiatives in nature.
2. Middle Management
The main task of middle managers is to carry out plans which are a brainchild of top managers. Additionally, they are responsible for extracting work productivity out of first-line managers. This means that middle managers are subordinate to top managers and superior to first-line managers. Division heads, plant superintendents and operations managers qualify as middle managers.
functions of the middle-level management in the organization briefed below:
3. Lower Level of Management
The lower level Management is also referred to as the supervisory or the operative level of managers. They oversee and direct the operative employees. They spend most of their time addressing the functions of the firm, as instructed by the managers above them.
The lower-level managers are the first line of managers as they feature at the base of operations, so they are essential personnel that communicates the fundamental problems of the firm to the higher levels. This management level is made up of the foreman, the line boss, the shift boss, the section chief, the head nurse, superintendents, and sergeants.
They are the intermediary, they solve issues amidst the workers and are responsible for the maintenance of appropriate relationships within the organization. They are also responsible for training, supervising, and directing the operative employees.
The lower level managers represent the management to the operative workers as they ensure discipline and efficiency in the organization. The duty of inspiration and encouragement falls to them, as they strengthened the workforce. They also organize the essential machines, tools, and other materials required by the employees to get their job done.
Briefed below are the primary functions of lower-level management: