Week 7 Learning Activities
Learning Activity
Traditionally theorist suggest that the managerial function of controlling should not be confused with control in the behavioral or manipulative sense.
This function implies that managers should not attempt to control or to manipulate the personalities, values, attitudes, or emotions of their employees. Instead, this function of management concerns the manager’s role in taking necessary actions to ensure that the work-related activities of employees are consistent with and contributing toward the accomplishment of organizational and departmental objectives.
Is it possible to manage without, in some significant way, manipulating or controlling behavior?
Specifically, how do managers motivate employees today when they may not ever be in the same physical location as that person?
NOTE: For this activity you will be forced to argue for one perspective or the other. (Again, even if you do not actually agree, you must argue for the position you have been assigned!)
If your last name begins with a letter from A-H, you will present arguments for why management-from-a-distance does not require the manipulation of personality, values, attitudes, and emotions, specifically arguing for why management by analytics is superior.
If your last names beings with a letter from K-Z, you will present arguments for why management-from-a-distance, even if objective and data drive, still requires the manipulation of personality, values, attitudes, and emotions.
Again:
last name A-H: management-from-a-distance does not require manipulation
last name K-Z: management-from-a-distance does require manipulation
Create an initial post by:
Addressing Theme 1 by:
- Describing what it means to manage-from-a-distance.
- Identifying and describing three challenges to managing-from-a-distance.
- Identifying and describing three advantages to managing-from-a-distance.
- Describing how to measure and manage from-a-distance using data.
Addressing Theme 2 by:
- Presenting your respective case (last name A-H: no manipulation required; last K-Z: manipulation required), describing at least three reasons why management-from-a-distance does or does not require manipulation.
You must include at least five in-text citations and three references in your initial post.
Your initial post is due by Thursday 11:59 p.m. EST.
NOTE:For this response part of the activity you will respond to two classmates who took the other position. Therefore, if you argued that management does not require manipulation, you will respond to two classmates who argued that it does. (Thus, if your last name begins with a letter A-H, you will respond to someone whose last name begins with a letter K-Z, and vice versa).
Provide follow-up responses to at least two of your classmates by:
- Evaluating the most convincing point made for the counter-perspective.
- Evaluating the least convincing point made for the counter-perspective.
- Offering specific suggestions about how your classmate could have made a more convincing argument.
You must include at least two in-text citations and one reference in each response.
Your two responses are due by Sunday 11:59 p.m. EST.
