A manager is responsible for the planning, organizing, leading, and controlling of human and other resources to achieve organizational goals efficiently and effectively. Each of these tasks must function cohesively to achieve organizational goals and gain a competitive advantage in the industry. To perform these tasks, managers are differentiated by their skill levels, which range from a first-line manager to a middle manager to a top manager. Organizations have three levels of management: first-line, middle, and top. Each of the managers at these levels has different levels of skills and responsibilities. First-line managers are generally responsible for the daily supervision of nonmanagerial employees and are often called supervisors. Middle managers generally oversee first-line managers and report to top managers. Middle managers ensure that organizational goals are being met by devising the best way to organize resources. Top managers are responsible for all departments and determine organizational goals and how departments achieve goals. The top management team is responsible for ensuring good working relationships among the top managers. a. Joseph has just been hired as a first-line manager at a clothing manufacturer. Within the first few weeks at his position, various employees complained about his supervisory skills to his boss, a middle manager named Greg. The employees complained that Joseph is more interested in acting like a middle manager than a first-line manager. What are the main responsibilities of a first-line manager? How do these responsibilities compare to those of a middle manager and a top manager?
b. Roll over each name to read a description. Decide if each person is performing the duties of a first-line manager, a middle manager, or a top manager. Then drag each name to the correct column on the right.
c. Micheal works at a computer company. He is responsible for 15 fields service technicians, overseeing the quality of their work and the level of customer service they provide. (First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
d. Dana performs an analysis on the efficiency of the sales department at a real estate company and makes recommendations to her boss, Bill, on which goals should be changed. (First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
e. Rochelle is the head nurse of the obstetrics department at the hospital. Her responsibilities include staffing and establishing her employee's shift dates and times. (First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
f. Renee is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the company. She meets with other employees and investors to review the organization's performance.(First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
g. John sets forth a vision for his promotional products organization as to what goods should be produced and communicates that vision to his employees. (First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
h. Cole is a manager of a manufacturing facility, one of four operated by his employer. His responsibilities include examining the efficiency of each of his departments.(First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
i. Brian works at a T. G.I. Friday's. He is responsible for a day shift, and currently is examining the restaurant's utility bills to see how he can help the restaurant save money.(First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
j. Jose is the head mechanic of a new automobile dealership. He is in charge of making sure his employees perform superior service work on client's vehicles.(First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)
k. Jessica works for a hearing-aid manufacturer. She decides how the manufacturing and marketing departments of the organization should interact with each other.(First-line/Middle/Top Manager?)