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Ngura works as a research and development manager in a manufacturing firm. He joined the firm five years ago as a research assistant. The organization for which Ngura works has a policy whereby vacant positions are filled from within the organization.
Management relies on the outcome of performance appraisals to identify employees for promotion. The appraisals are carried out annually. The appraisal exercise of the organization has not been dome objectively and superiors have been awarding grades arbitrarily. Many of the employees have been awarded high grades even when their performance does not deserve high grades.
Early in the year, the position of the head of the research and development department fell vacant and employees were encouraged to apply for the job. Ngura felt capable of performing the job, applied and was invited for an interview. Consequently he was awarded the promotion and took up the post of head of research and development department.
It has become apparent that Ngura is not very co-operative with staff in other departments. In his own department he over delegates to his subordinates because he is incapable of handling the tasks involved in the higher job. There have been occasions when assistants have not completed work to the satisfaction of management but when asked to explain, Ngura explains that employees know what is expected of them and they should therefore work, for they are paid for it.
Required:
a) State and explain the guidelines that management should have followed to ensure the success of the performance appraisal.
b) Identify and explain the weaknesses in Ngura’s style of management and suggest measures that should be taken to address the weaknesses.
Date posted:
April 27, 2021
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Managers charged with putting a company on a growth trajectory can pursue its existing markets (customer sales) or enter new markets and can emphasize its existing products or develop new products.
Using Ansoff’s classic product/market matrix, discuss the risks and rewards of the four growth alternatives.
Date posted:
April 27, 2021
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Explain ten major forces that have been responsible for the sweeping changes and re-organizations that have been taking place in Kenyan firms in the recent past.
Date posted:
April 27, 2021
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Modern trends and practices call for firms to pursue wider objectives in addition to the global profitability. Explain the concept of corporate social responsibility and discuss the various components that a socially responsible firm should address.
Date posted:
April 27, 2021
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Leadership is a dynamic process in a group or organization whereby one individual influences the other to contribute voluntarily to the achievement of the group or the organization’s objectives in a given situation.
Discuss this statement with reference to different types of leaders.
Date posted:
April 27, 2021
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One of the functions of management is decision making.
Discuss various types of decisions taken by managers and explain the steps that should be followed to arrive at the right decisions.
Date posted:
April 27, 2021
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A key element in the effective implementation of corporate strategies is the design of the organizational structure of the firm or the organization.
Discuss each of the following types of organizational structure:
a)Holding Company structure;
b)The Functional structure;
c)The matrix structure; and
d)The multi-divisional structure.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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The principal of Management by Objectives was first coined by Peter F. Druker in the 1950’s. Describe the principle and its merits and demerits in the organizations.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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For successful management, managers must come up with objectives before commencing operations. Explain what is meant by the term ‘objectives’ and describe the characteristics that good objectives should have.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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Kirkland Ltd. is a multi -national company that has recently launched its operations in your country. The company wants to immediately conduct research in order to devise the most suitable organizational structure for its operations.
Discuss the various options available to the company indicating the advantages and
disadvantages of each option.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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Marketing experts around the world have generally agreed that there are a number of clearly identifiable variables that comprise of building blocks of marketing. These variables have been labeled “Marketing Mix” elements.
Identify these elements and discuss the concept of product as it relates to each of them.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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The ideas and concepts of management thought as conceptualized by Max Weber crystallized to what came to be known as a bureaucratic system.
Discuss Weber’s propositions and discuss their applicability in today’s organizations.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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The Kenyan corporate sector has been experiencing serious economic difficulties resulting in closure of business. It is now being argued that the future of this country lies in the growth and efficient management of the medium-sized enterprises (SME) discuss.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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Various economic factors have forced firms to downsize their workforce.
Explain the ways in which a manager may best manage a downsized workforce.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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Compare and contrast Total Quality Management (TQM) and re-engineering as change processes.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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Discuss the factors that influence the level of compensation and benefit packages for different employees in an organization.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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Explain the ways in which a manager may apply motivation theories to achieve effective performance by employees in an organization.
Date posted:
April 26, 2021
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How might the concept of Business Process Re -engineering (BPR) be distinguished from other approaches to work design? Give examples to illustrate your answer.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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What steps would you advice management to take to prepare themselves to negotiate over a trade union’s claim for an increase in remuneration at a time of economic downturn?
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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How is visionary leadership different from charismatic leadership?
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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What are the key characteristics of charismatic leaders?
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Outline the role of committees and examine their importance as part of an organization's management structure.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Objectives are needed in every area where performance and results directly and vitally affect the survival and prosperity of the business. Discuss this statement and identify those key objectives considered to be most important to a business.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Describe the traditional functions of channel intermediaries and comment on their applicability to services marketing.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Identify the major barriers to delegation.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Outline the factors that would influence a manager’s decision to delegate authority and assign subordinates.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Michael Porter suggests that “Competition in an industry is rooted in its underlying economics, and competitive forces exist that go well beyond established combatants in a particular industry. The problem for the strategist is to determine which of those forces are relevant, and to what extent”.
You are required to identify the five competitive forces in the environment of a firm and discuss the threat posed to the firm by each of those forces.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Identify and discuss the principal factors that might influence the design of the structure of a major organization.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Leadership is the process of influencing others to work willingly towards an organizations goals, and to the best of their capabilities. How far is it possible and desirable for managers to become leaders?
Date posted:
April 24, 2021
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Organizations are going through a period of major technological change, which is obviously a great challenge to management particularly in the area of employee resistance to change. Give reasons for employee resistance to change and the techniques, which may be used to overcome the resistance.
Date posted:
April 24, 2021