The Manager & Presentations

Monday, August 30th 2010


THE MANAGER

The last class, the teacher began explaining the different roles that managers play within an organization, which are:
a. Manager as a hero: means that in any situation of success or failure the manager is the target of awards or reviews.
b. Wise manager: is the one that has all the answers and knows everything.
c. Immortal manager: is the manager that is untouchable within the organization.
d. Sexy manager: that is seen as perfect, because the position that they are occupying make them sexy.
e. Manager is never wrong: this is a myth, is connected with the wise manager, because apparently they never make mistakes, the employee is the one that failure.
f. Manager pays the employee: the manager is perceived as the one that has the money and pays the workers.


After this explanation, we had two presentations. The purpose of these presentations were to explain the traditional management, organizational culture and business protocol in Chile and Brazil; and also the explanation of two topics which were Management Styles and Change & Conflict in organizations.

I. Management Style -Brazil-
First of all Brazil, is the largest country in South America, it has a population of 178 million and represents the fifth largest market opportunity in the world. It’s also known for its magnificent culture and landscapes.

a. Traditional Management Style
Based in what was explained, a management style is a method used by managers to leader within an organization, this management will be influenced by the emotions, skills and knowledge of the manager.
There are two classifications of the traditional management styles:
1. Classification (A)
• Democratic
• Autocratic
• Consultative
• Laissez Fare

2. Classification (B)
• Participative
• Directing
• Teamwork
It’s common within Brazilian organization the presence of hierarchical structures, in which the managers are in charge of maintaining the control and giving instructions to their workers to make the assigned tasks.

b. Organizational Culture
According to what was explained in the presentation, basing them in the definition of Schein, organizational culture “is a set of basic assumptions that a group has devised, discovered or developed” in order to face the different external problems of adaptation.


They exposed the case of Embraco S.A., in which its organizational culture is influenced by the Germanic culture, and is characterized for its commitment, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect.

c. Business Protocol
When we talk about business protocol, it means in how people should behave when doing business with others, whether they are of the same culture or another, bearing in mind how to greet, talk, dress, manners and customs that you have to take in account in the business.
Here are some examples of the business protocol in Brazil:
• In Brazil you must say “yes”, “thanks” or “please” during business, “no” is considered rude.
• “Brazilian refers to business colleagues by their first names.”
• The way to talk and communicate is informal.
• Brazilians take a lot of time during the process of negotiation.
• In Sao Paulo and Brasilia is very important the punctuality for meetings.
These are some characteristic of the way to negotiate in Brazil.

II. Conflict & Change -Chile-
a. Management Style in Chile
In Chile, the workers of an organization consider that the ones that are supervisors or managers have that position and role because they have more experience and knowledge to manage.
Chilean organizations are also known for the hierarchical structures within them, in which managers play a role of paternalistic with their employees with the purpose of being guides for them.
Chilean managers are very autocratic, because they assign responsibilities to the workers and expect from them that they make the tasks in the way that they like.

b. Change and Conflict in Organizations
Change in Organizations
According to the text of Primer “Organizational change is any action or set of actions resulting in a shift in direction or process that affects the way an organization works”.
Change is really normal within an organization it helps to continue acquiring the objectives and the vision that the organization has.



There are three types of organizational change, which are:
• Development Change: from something already created, trying to re-create.
• Transitional Change: to stop doing old activities and star doing new ones.
• Transformational Change: it’s a well-planned radical change.

Based on the explanation of the slides and the article of Business Performance Pty; to manage the change process is important to follow the following steps that will assure the success of the process, those steps are:
• Create Tension.
• Harness Support.
• Articulate Goals.
• Nominate Roles.
• Grow capability.
• Entrench Changes.

During the presentation, the team explained an example of Development change within the organization INIA (Instituto de Investigación Agropecuaria) in Chile, this organization decided to make a change with the purpose of being for competitive and have a better performance in the agricultural sector.

Conflict in Organizations
When we talk about organizational conflict, means that there is difference or incompatibility of values, goals or cultures among the individuals of an organization.
Based on the book “Contemporary Management” there are four types of conflict:
• Interpersonal conflict.
• Intragroup conflict.
• Intergroup conflict.
• Interorganizational conflict.



There are many ways to manage conflicts within organization, but taking in account the book Psychology in Organizations there are two ways to manage conflict, which are:
• Bargaining: both parties exchange offers, in order to achieve a successful agreement that will solve the conflict.
• Third party interventions: when parties can’t reach and agreement, they look for the aid of a third party that will act as an arbitrator for the conflict.

c. Organizational Culture
Based on the explanation of the team there is another way to explain this concept, which is “an organizational culture is a mixture of ways of behavior and understandings shared by the members of an organization” this will determine the way in what the organization will work and act.
The Chilean workers are characterized for these particularities:
• Paternalism.
• Respect.
• Shyness.
• Individualism.

d. Business Protocol.
As it was explained in the previous topic, business protocol, is the way to behave during the negotiations of a business; in this case is really important to know the Chilean culture, the way that the executives work and negotiate, and always taking in account the manners and customs of them during the business.
Here are some tips for when you are going to make business with Chilean managers or CEO’s:
• Punctuality is very important in business events.
• Chilean businessmen are conservative and take very seriously ethics for business.
• It’s very important to dress up for business meetings.
• Having a little knowledge of the economy and policy of the country is very important during meetings.
• Foreign executives, must show amiability, respect and be clear in their terms and conditions with their counterparts.

To conclude this blog, I’m going to explain the question made by the teacher about what is a manager in the modern organization.

Currently, managers in modern organizations play an important role. First of all, we are in a globalized world that is constantly evolving, which means that managers must be connected with technology and have to manage it. In addition to this feature, it is important that today's managers assign responsibilities to employees in order to speed up the processes thus managers can take decisions easier.
It is important, the contact between the manager and the employee because managers now play a role of facilitators, which means that they play the role of trainers or guides for workers, but should not lose the functions of control and management over them.
Nowadays, managers must have an open mind to the world, as they are facing different cultures, behaviors and attitudes in their business, with their employees and consumers; that is why they should have all the skills and knowledge to handle these entire variables thus ensuring the success of the organization.


Based on the essay “Functions Of Managers In A Modern Organisation”, the writer according to Henry Mintzberg, said that a manager within a modern organization had to hold and develop three important functions, which are:

• Informational, is important that manager gathers information and encourage research among the employees, with the purpose to maintain the success of the company; spreading all the results among them to analyze the qualities and the errors.
• Interpersonal, within a modern organization is important that the manager keeps in contact with employees motivating and influencing them, in order to maintain the progress of the organization.
• Decisional, it’s important that a manger takes good decisions over the projects’ of the organization.

These are some of the main functions that a manger within the modern organizations should have in order to maintain the order, progress and success of the employees and the organization. To end is important that the actual managers play a role of supporters of their employees and its organization, with the intention to continue being efficient and successful.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Teacher’s explanation.
- Team’s presentations and explanation.
- First image. Achievement Solutions, LLC. The role of the Manager. (Online: http://www.gettingmorewithles.com/tag/managers)
- Image Management Style. CSL, Cartoonstock. Aggressive Management Style Gifts. (Online: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/a/agressive_management_style_gifts.asp)
- Image Change. Making Change Happen When You’re Not The Boss. (Online: http://gwynteatro.wordpress.com/2009/04/20/making-change-happen-when-youre-not-the-boss/).
- Image Conflict. THOMAS, Andrew. What is Alt Associates: conflict Management Consultants?. (Online: . http://www.altassociates.com/alt_associates.htm)
- EssayClub.com. Functions Of Managers In A Modern Organisation. (Online: http://www.essayclub.com/term-papers/Functions-Managers-Modern-Organisation/9355.html)
- Tan Chee Teik. The manager in the modern workplace: to remain relevant, the new manager must accept innovation and take risks. The modern work. (Online: http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/198473956.html)
- Image modern manager. JERRY, John’s blog. Learning Management Skills. (Online: http://myselfspace.net/blogs/jerryjohn/default.aspx).

CORPORATE CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Tuesday, August 17th 2010


Well after the class of organizational culture in the class of August 11th; the teacher began explaining what meant Corporate Cultural Diversity focusing in the organization, which is the multiple interaction of cultures inside of it. This interaction creates a new culture within the company that becomes richer in knowledge and learning. However this cultural interaction creates certain differences between people because they have different thoughts, ideas and values, creating what is known as polarization.

Within the corporate cultural diversity exists a cultural added value, which means that each culture within a company has the ability to change the way that people see them and the rest of the organization.

During the class we did an activity we did an activity of looking for in the cafeteria a group of students identifying if they had a leader, they were doing any activity, and how they communicated, etc. In my group, we found a group formed by seven people, two girls and five boys, they were very sociable, and they seemed like engineers. Two of them were studying and the rest talking and making some jokes. There wasn’t a leader and a specific topic.


To finish is really important to consider the diversity appreciation that is the ability to have sense of tolerance respecting the ideas, thoughts and the other cultures without any limitation. That is why there must be good communication between people that integrates a group or a company, understanding their attitudes and actions in order to overcome any difference, especially the ethnocentrism and the visual obstinacy.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Teacher's explanation and slides.
- First image, Multicultural Cartoons and Comics. Cartoon Stock (Online: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/m/multicultural.asp)
- Second image, Cultural Diversity Cartoons and Comic. Cartoon Stock (Online: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/c/cultural_diversity.asp)

Organizational Culture

Monday, August 9th 2010


Why Organizational Culture?

According with the definition that the teacher gave; culture “is a compound of habits, behaviors, customs and some many different ways to interact in order to have an identity”.
The Organizational Culture is important, because:
1. Generate human resources, which means to be competitive.
2. Generate Cultural paradigms.

The generation of Organizational Culture has different steps, which are very important at the moment of constructing the Organizational Culture inside the company, with the purpose of obtaining good results inside of it, those steps are:
1. Philosophy of the founders.
2. The selection of the criteria.
3. The Top Management
4. The Socialization.
5. The last step is the Organizational Culture, which depends on the proper functioning of the above steps.

The way that people in the company sees the Organizational Culture is known as Subjective Vision, which has the following characteristics:
a. Shared assumptions, which means to have a collective behavior.
b. Shared values, means in what people believe.
c. Shared meanings, means the way that people interpret the actions taken inside the company.
d. Shared Understandings, means, which it helps to understand why certain decisions and changes are taken inside the company.
e. Shared corporate image, means on how people sees the company, its development, actions and image.

There are several characteristics of the Organizational Cultures, which are:
1. Members’ identity.
2. Emphasis on groups, not people.
3. Indirect focus on people.
4. Integration of units.
5. Control.
6. Risk tolerance.
7. Rewards criteria.
8. Emphasis to ends or to means.
9. Open system approach.
These characteristics are really important to the development of the organizational culture, because through the good functioning of these ones would be a great functioning of the company.

As is shown in the picture it's really important to fulfill all these characteristics and steps of the organizational culture, with the purpose of having a good development and accomplishment of it and all the goals that the company has established; and trying to avoid the breaking of the structure.


BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Teacher's slides and explanation.
- Image. "Take CARE of your Organizational Culture: Engage the Frontline Personnel". (Online:http://www.mysteryshoppinglive.com/take-care-of-your-organizational-culture-engage-the-frontline-personnel/)

THE CORPORATION

Monday, August 2nd 2010

Well after my first class of Organizations and Culture, in which the teacher explained all the methodology that we would have during the semester for the subject. In our class of July 28th, we watched the documentary "The Corporation", from the birth of these ones until the perception that the society has of it.

Since many years ago corporations were not really important, was after the process of industrialization that they got an important role and the modern corporations began to appear. Corporations are legal persons that shouldn't just be seen as business, they have been developing important activities with the purpose to benefit them and the society too.
Despite the good deeds that companies have carried out, they have been involved in many social and environmental problems. About the social problems, there have been allegations that important corporations for example Nike Inc, has plants in countries such as China and Bangladesh where labor-hand is cheap and take advantage of it exploiting them. For the environmental problems, important companies like Exxon, General Electric, etc, are responsible for many environmental problems such as toxic waste and pollution that have caused many diseases, and as Samuel Epstein said, "Industries are responsible of epidemic cancer". For this problem, companies like we saw in the documentary are now being punished with fines, trying with this that they reduce the contamination of the environment.

But now corporations are committing with social and environmental problems; trying to improve the conditions of its own workers and the environmental conditions, with the purpose of contributing to the progress of the societies around the world.

After we watched some chapters of the documentary, we made a discussion about five good things that corporations have, here are some classmates’ opinions:
• “They provide employment”
• “They analyze that they are hearting people and the environment”
• “They are realizing that they can’t continue doing the same”
• “They improve the quality of life”
• “They could reach all the places of the world”


Now I’m going to solve the question that was made by the teacher in class, which was: Explain the role of the Corporations in the actual context.

As was showed in the documentary "The Corporation", for some ones corporations do not have a good image to society and world, they are seen as organizations which only seek to make money; however, over time they have been committing more and more with social and environmental situations. As Fidel G. Collazos presented, in his text Las Corporaciones Transnacionales. Una Visión Contemporanea; nowadays corporations have become transnational, because they have a great influence over all the nations of the world. Currently they play an important role, apart to be gaining profits, its role has gone much further, they have committed with the progress of the society. As Mr. Collazos defined “These giant economic organizations, are the result of a long process of business development, is now a colossal force, whose influence goes beyond the economic sphere and became really important in the social and political life of nations"(1). According with Mr. Collazos, "Corporations have been founded by capitals of a single nation and, although they operate in several countries, its headquarter is in the origin country”(2) , which guarantees that its structure be a support for all the global performance of the corporation.

To finish, here is an example of the role of corporations, based on the article "UN highlights role of transnational corporations in transitioning to low-carbon future", which shows the great commitment that all corporations specially the most important of the world, began to make an agreement on trying to reduce the emission of gases, in keep looking for new energy sources for all their activities and in benefit of the world.

Bibliography

- Documentary "The Corporation".
- (1) Collazos, Fidel Guillermo. Corporaciones Transnacionales. Una Visión Contemporánea. Santiago, 2004. (Online: http://www.uo.edu.cu/ojs/index.php/stgo/article/viewFile/14504307/847) Own translation from the original text.
- (2) Collazos, Fidel Guillermo. Corporaciones Transnacionales. Una Visión Contemporánea. Santiago, 2004. (Online: http://www.uo.edu.cu/ojs/index.php/stgo/article/viewFile/14504307/847) Own translation from the original text.
- UN News Centre. UN highlights role of transnational corporations in transitioning to low-carbon future. July 22nd, 2010. (Online: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=35403&Cr=green&Cr1=investment)