Topic+One+-+Management+and+Change

20% of indicative time The focus of this topic is to examine the nature and responsibilities of management within a changing business environment from a theoretical and practical perspective. ** Outcomes  ** The student: H2.1 describes and analyses business functions and operations and their impact on business success H3.1 explains management theories and strategies and their impact on business H3.2 evaluates the effectiveness of management in the organisation and operations of business and its responsiveness to change H3.3 analyses the impact of management decision-making on stakeholders H4.1 critically analyses the social and ethical responsibilities of management H4.2 evaluates management strategies in response to internal and external factors H5.1 selects, organises and evaluates information and sources for usefulness and reliability H5.3 communicates business information, ideas and issues, using relevant business terminology and concepts in appropriate forms. ** Content  ** Students learn to: // use existing business case studies to investigate and communicate ideas and issues related to business management and change. The focus of these case studies will be to: // • analyse how management theories apply to various business situations • explain and evaluate how change is managed in one or more businesses. Students learn about: // the nature of management // • the importance of effective management • management roles – interpersonal, informational, decisional • skills of management – people skills, strategic thinking, vision, flexibility and adaptability to change, self-managing, teamwork, complex problem-solving and decision-making, ethical and high personal standards • responsibility to stakeholders; reconciling conflicts of interest
 * HSC topic 1: Business Management and Change**

// understanding business organisations with reference to management theories // • classical-scientific – management as planning, organising and controlling – hierarchical organisational structure based on division of labour – autocratic leadership style • behavioural – management as leading, motivating, communicating – flat organisational structure, teams – participative/democratic leadership style • political – uses of power and influence, management as negotiating and bargaining – structure as coalitions – stakeholder view • strengths and weaknesses of the classical, behavioural and political approaches • systems/contingency – adapting management and organisational approaches to circumstances // managing change // • nature and sources of change in business – external influences — the changing nature of markets; economic, financial, geographic, social, legal, political and technological developments – internal influences — effects of accelerating technology including e-commerce, new systems and procedures, new business cultures – structural responses to change — outsourcing, flat structures, strategic alliances and networks • reasons for resistance to change – financial costs — purchasing new equipment, redundancy payouts, retraining, reorganising plant layout – inertia of managers, owners – cultural incompatibility in mergers/takeovers – staffing — de-skilling, acquiring new skills, loss of career prospects/promotional opportunities • managing change effectively – identifying the need for change – setting achievable goals – creating culture of change (encouraging teamwork approach using change agents) – change models — force-field analysis, Lewin’s unfreeze/change/refreeze model // change and social responsibility // • ecological sustainability, quality of working life, technology, globalisation/ managing cultural diversity, e-commerce.