What does a manager really do? What is a manager supposed to do? What is the difference between a manager and a leader?

This book outlines the challenging role of the manager. The main topics such as planning, organizing, leading and controlling are covered, as well as issues such as competitive advantage, team structure, business ethics, trust and flowcharting.

Each section concludes with a comment about the not-for-profit sector. While there are many similarities between the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, there are also differences. These comparisons are explored in some detail.

Each section of the book starts with a running case to bring the material to life.

In addition, there are questions and research opportunities at the end of each section in the text. There are also supplemental questions to the text, and a PowerPoint summary to accompany the text.

Click here to download the supplementary questions and powerpoint slides.

The running case in this book is a fictional case. The name of the company and the location are fictional. It is a case that is based on a real industry, so that readers, instructors and students can research the industry to apply the concepts and expand the application of the material contained in this text.

Management basics

1. Management basics – Calm Seas case

2. The Manager’s job
2.1 Management functions
2.2 Management roles
2.3 Management skills
2.4 Not-for-profit note
2.5 Questions for the manager’s job

3. Planning – Calm Seas case

4. Planning in the organization
4.1 Competitive advantage
4.2 Strategic planning process
4.3 SWOT analysis
4.4 Stakeholders
4.5 Factors inside the organization
4.6 Factors outside the organization
4.7 Grand Strategy
4.8 Mission statements
4.9 Action/implementation plan
4.10 Not-for-profit note
4.11 Strategic planning diagram
4.12 Questions for organizational planning section

5. Organizing – Calm Seas case

6. Organizing the organization
6.1 Structure follows strategy
6.2 Bureaucracy
6.3 Authority – staff and line
6.4 Bureaucratic structures
6.5 “Rules” of a bureaucracy
6.6 Disadvantages of a bureaucracy
6.7 Changing the bureaucratic structure
6.8 The rise of the “group” structure
6.9 Not-for-profi t note
6.10 Checklist for Team or Group Effectiveness
6.11 Questions for organizing section

7. Leading – Calm Seas case

8. Leading in the organization
8.1 Leader vs. manager
8.2 Leadership theories
8.3 Knowing what kind of manager/leader to be
8.4 Motivation Theories and Concepts
8.5 Content Theories of motivation
8.6 Process Theories of motivation
8.7 Maslow
8.8 Expectancy Theory of Motivation explained in simple terms
8.9 Equity Theory explained in simple terms
8.10 What do employees want?
8.11 Motivation summary
8.12 Not-for-profit note
8.13 Motivation exercise
8.14 Questions on leadership/motivation section

9. Control – Calm Seas case

10. Control in the organization
10.1 What does “control” mean?
10.2 What kinds of controls?
10.3 Measure what matters
10.4 What will we monitor?
10.5 Flowcharting
10.6 Critical path planning
10.7 Not-for-profit note
10.8 Questions on the controlling function

11. For further reading

12. Definition of terms

Endnotes