The Role Of Manager: What's Really Important In Different M

A study was conducted of the differences in management roles and activities across different levels and functions. A sample of 1,412 managers was asked to rate the relative importance of 57 managerial tasks to their jobs. The study statistically identified 7 major factors of management tasks as: 1. managing individual performance, 2. instructing subordinates, 3. planning and allocating resources, 4. coordinating interdependent groups, 5. managing group performance, 6. monitoring the business environment, and 7. representing one's staff. Research was then conducted to see how important these tasks were to managers at different levels and across marketing, manufacturing, and administration functions. The importance levels of managerial task factors were remarkably similar across functions; marketing and administration appear to differ most in their rating of factors, with manufacturing in between. The similarities suggest that a common approach to selecting, training, and developing managers may be both feasible and desirable for many functions in an organization.