2.1.2

Management Theories

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Tannenbaum and Schmidt's Theories on Management

Theorists Tannenbaum and Schmidt also propose their own theory about different styles of management & leadership. They show this on their 'management continuum'.

Left of the continuum

Left of the continuum

  • At the far left of the continuum, managers maintain full authority and decision making power.
  • At the far left of the continuum, managers communicate such decisions to employees who have to comply.
  • The left of the continuum is similar to an approach of autocratic leadership.
Right of the continuum

Right of the continuum

  • At the far right of the continuum, employees are given authority and decision making power.
  • The right of the continuum is similar to an approach of democratic leadership.
Stages on the continuum

Stages on the continuum

  • Towards the left of the continuum, employees are still informed of decisions, though will be involved in discussions to provide employee buy-in.
  • Towards the centre-left of the continuum, employees are invited to question and debate ideas, though overall authority is still maintained by the manager.
  • Towards the centre of the continuum, employees are given an opportunity to inform and challenge decisions and their views may be considered and taken into consideration.
  • Towards the centre-right of the continuum, employees are actively asked questions and are encouraged to make contributions.
  • Towards the right of the continuum, employees are given defined freedom to contribute and make decisions.
Changing styles of leadership

Changing styles of leadership

  • If there is a state of emergency, managers and leaders may prefer to retain all decision making and authority.
  • If managers and leaders require communication to be fast, for example in cases of emergency, like BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill which killed 11 people in 2010, a position on the left of the continuum may be appropriate.
  • If employees’ views are valued, managers and leaders may adopt a position on the right of the continuum so that these views can be gathered from employees.
Jump to other topics
1

What is Business?

1.1

Understanding the Nature of Business

1.1.1Why Businesses Exist1.1.2Business Aims & Objectives1.1.3Revenue & Costs1.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Cost Leadership1.1.5Profit1.1.6End of Topic Test - The Nature of Business
1.2

Understanding Different Business Forms

1.2.1Sole Traders1.2.2Limited Liability1.2.3Non-Profit1.2.4Franchising1.2.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Franchising at Blockbuster1.2.6Key Business Terms1.2.7Shareholders1.2.8End of Topic Test - Different Businesses
1.3

External Environments

1.3.1External Environments
2

Managers, Leadership & Decision Making

2.1

Understanding Management

2.1.1Managers2.1.2Management Theories2.1.3End of Topic Test - Management
2.2

Understanding Management Decision Making

2.2.1Scientific Decision Making2.2.2Intuition Decision Making2.2.3Influences on Decision Making2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Taylorism & Jack Welch2.2.5End of Topic Test - Management Decisions
2.3

Understanding Stakeholders

2.3.1Stakeholders
3

Decision Making to Improve Marketing Performance

3.1

Decision Making to Improve Marketing Performance

3.1.1Setting Marketing Objectives
3.2

Understanding Markets & Customers

3.2.1Market Calculations3.2.2Market Research3.2.3Market Mapping3.2.4Methods of Market Research3.2.5Interpreting PED & YED
3.3

Market Segmentation, Targeting & Positioning

3.3.1Segmentation3.3.2Niche & Mass Markets
3.4

Marketing Mix

3.4.1Marketing Mix3.4.2Product Decisions3.4.3Pricing Decisions & Price Skimming3.4.4Pricing Decisions & Price Penetration3.4.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Pricing & Competition3.4.6Promotional Decisions3.4.7Promotional Decisions 23.4.8Promotional Decisions 33.4.9Distribution Decisions3.4.10Distribution Decisions 23.4.11Digital Marketing3.4.12Evaluating Digital Marketing3.4.13A-A* (AO3/4) - The Marketing Mix & Promotion
4

Decision Making to Improve Operational Performance

4.1

Setting Operational Objectives

4.1.1Setting Operational Objectives
4.2

Analysing Operational Performance

4.2.1Operations Data4.2.2A-A* (AO3/4) - The Problem with Operations Data
4.3

Increasing Efficiency & Productivity

4.3.1Capacity4.3.2Productivity & Efficiency4.3.3Technology & Efficiency
4.4

Improving Quality

4.4.1Importance of Quality4.4.2Measuring & Identifying Quality4.4.3Total Quality Management4.4.4Evaluating Total Quality Management4.4.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Toyota Production System
4.5

Managing Inventory & Supply Chains

4.5.1Improving the Supply Chain4.5.2Inventory4.5.3Outsourcing
5

Decision Making to Improve Financial Performance

5.1

Financial Objectives

5.1.1Setting Financial Objectives5.1.2Influences on Financial Objectives
5.2

Analysing Financial Performance

5.2.1Cash-Flow & Budgets5.2.2Break-Even & Profitability Analysis
5.3

Sources of Finance

5.3.1Internal Sources of Finance5.3.2External Sources of Finance5.3.3Factors for Financing5.3.4A/A* (AO3/4) - Debt
5.4

Improving Cash Flow & Profit

5.4.1Improving Cash Flow & Profits
6

Improving Human Resource Performance

6.1

Human Resource Objectives

6.1.1Setting Human Resource Objectives6.1.2Human Resource Management
6.2

Analysing Human Resource Performance

6.2.1Analysing Human Resource Performance6.2.2Analysing Human Resource Performance 26.2.3Analysing Human Resource Performance 3
6.3

Improving Organisational Design

6.3.1Job Design6.3.2Organisational Design6.3.3Human Resource Flow6.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Amazon & Netflix Org Design
6.4

Improving Motivation & Engagement

6.4.1Motivating & Engaging Employees6.4.2Taylor's Theory6.4.3Maslow's Theory6.4.4Herzberg's Theory6.4.5Different Incentives6.4.6Evaluating Incentives
6.5

Improving Employer-Employee Relations

6.5.1Improving Employer-Employee Relations6.5.2A-A* (AO3/4) - The Winter of Discontent
7

Analysing the Strategic Position of a Business

7.1

Mission, Corporate Objectives, Strategy

7.1.1Business Mission & Corporate Objective7.1.2Mission, Corporate Objectives & Strategy7.1.3SWOT Analysis7.1.4A-A* (AO3/4) - SWOT Analysis
7.2

Financial Ratio Analysis

7.2.1Financial Ratios
7.3

Overall Performance

7.3.1Non-Financial Data7.3.2Core Competences7.3.3Assessing Business Performance7.3.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Assessing Financial Performance
7.4

Political & Legal Change

7.4.1Political & Legal Change
7.5

Economic Change

7.5.1Economic Environment7.5.2Business Considerations from Globalisation7.5.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Interest Rates in the UK
7.6

Social & Technological Environment

7.6.1Social & Technological Environment7.6.2Lifestyle & Technological Environment7.6.3Corporate Social Responsibility
7.7

Competitive Environment

7.7.1Porter's Five Forces7.7.2A-A* (AO3/4) - The 5 Forces
7.8

Investment Appraisal

7.8.1Investment Appraisal
8

Choosing Strategic Direction

8.1

Choosing Areas of Competition

8.1.1Choosing Areas of Competition8.1.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Diversification
8.2

Choosing How to Compete

8.2.1Choosing How to Compete
9

How to Pursue Strategies

9.1

Change in Scale

9.1.1Growth & Retrenchment9.1.2Challenges of Growth9.1.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Diseconomies of Scale
9.2

Assessing Innovation

9.2.1Assessing Innovation
9.3

Assessing Internationalisation

9.3.1Internationalisation9.3.2Sourcing Resources & Entering Markets9.3.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Internationalisation in Guatemala9.3.4Managing Internationalisation9.3.5Impact of Internationalisation
9.4

Digital Technology

9.4.1Assessing Use of Digital Technology9.4.2Impact of Digital Technology
10

Managing Strategic Change

10.1

Managing Change

10.1.1Managing Change
10.2

Managing Organisational Culture

10.2.1Managing Organisational Culture10.2.2Organisational Structures
10.3

Managing Strategic Implementation

10.3.1Managing Strategic Implementation
10.4

Problems with Strategy

10.4.1Problems with Strategy10.4.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Divorce of Ownership from Control

Practice questions on Management Theories

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  1. 1
    Employee responsibilities at the different stages of the continuum:True / false
  2. 2
    When will democratic leaders switch to an autocratic style of leadership?Multiple choice
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Managers

End of Topic Test - Management