Provide Management

The organization requires its management to provide management. The management is expected to find good staff, maintain discipline and sustain the high morale associated with good performance. The inter-level Channels provide these fundamental requirements.

Management, in regard to dealing with employment, is made up of:

■ Necessary prerequisites (CG7 ↔ CG6)
■ Appropriate conduct (CG6 ↔ CG5)
■ Justifications for adapting (CG5 ↔ CG4)
■ Its own credibility (CG4 ↔ CG3)
■ Facilitation of employee working (CG3 ↔ CG2)
■ Management arrangements (CG2 ↔ CG1) — already described.

Each inter-level interaction involves two or more Channels because there are two Centres in at least one of the levels. Except for the lowest:► where the mutual interaction: Assigning Authority-CG2B↔Setting Expectations-CG1B is about arrangements that the management introduces to enable management.

Management Prerequisites (CG7 ↔ CG6)

Use Incentives-CG7↔Adhere to Policies-CG6
This is about providing the possibility of management within an organization. Without incentives there would be no staff; and without a requirement for adherence to strategies and policies, staff would be undisciplined and their work chaotic.
Both Channels are essential:►

By requiring compliance-CG6_U on the basis of incentives offered-CG7_B, management ensures discipline within the organization. Compliance with policies on employment should also generate discipline in regard to the incentives used and offered.
The function-name of the Channel is Discipline.

The posts and roles as defined-CG6D affect the incentives-CG7_B that will have to be used to recruit and retain staff. The incentives offered-CG7_B, like titles and salary levels, are viewed as proxies by potential employees as they seek to understand what sort of role it is, especially the level of responsibility expected.
The function-name of the Channel is Staffing.

Management Conduct (CG6 ↔ CG5)

Adhere to Policies-CG6↔Devise Adaptations-CG5
This is about how management behaves amidst the changing work demands and social pressures that constitute daily life within an organization. There are 4 potential channels.
Two Channels are essential: ►

Requirements for compliance-CG6_U and standardized offerings-CG5_U mutually influence and reinforce each other by using common organizational values. These values form a culture over time. There is also an intensification of conformist tendencies. Conformity around a common culture is desired as a way to get compliance and to facilitate acceptance of standard offerings.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Culture. (Culture is meant as a deliberate process, but «enculturation» is too strange a term. Read more.)

Defining roles-CG6_D and showing consideration-CG5_D also mutually influence and support each other. Each role is distinct and therefore has a natural claim on getting some special consideration. Showing consideration helps to ensure that roles are defined or re-defined in such a way that they get filled and discharged effectively.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Discrimination.

Two Channels should not exist:►

Require Compliance-CG6_U does not link directly to Show Consideration-CG5_D because these are virtually opposites. Influence can however be indirect e.g. via uniform offerings (CG5_U)

Defining Roles-CG6_O does not link directly to Standardizing Offerings-CG5_U because these have nothing to do with each other. However, there can be indirect effects e.g. in regard to any special consideration (CG5_D).

Management Justification (CG5 ↔ CG4)

Devise Adaptations-CG5↔Report on Employees-CG4
Being flexible in an organization is essential and yet inherently problematic. Reports on employees will reveal effects of the offered adaptations and be used to justify them. Conversely reports may indicate the need for flexibility. So this is about how management deals with the evidence of how it is running the organization and handling the employees. Management offers justifications.
Both CG5 Centres are relevant:►

Standardized offerings-CG5_U may need to be used to explain reports on employees-CG4_B because they will react to whatever is offered in some fashion. Conversely, reports on employees may also be used to explain why certain benefits or procedures have been uniformly offered to all.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Explanation.

Consideration-CG5_D shown to an employee will be used to provide a perspective on subsequent reports-CG4_B because they provide the immediate social context. But certainty about the effect of a context not possible. Conversely, reports on employees are liable to alter the attention and particular arrangements made for an employee—which may or may not be appropriate or to their liking.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Interpretation.

Management Credibility (CG4 ↔ CG3)

Report on Employees-CG4↔Apply Resources-CG3.
This is about how reports reflect on the ability of management to get staff to produce the desired results. Reports will affect the resources applied, and the resources applied will affect the reports developed. Credibility here lies in the eyes of other managers and relevant employees. Without credibility, it is hard to manage.
Both CG3 Centres are relevant:►

Reports of employees-CG4_B affect the provision of autonomy-CG3_U in that the more satisfactory the performance, the more a manager will accept as reasonable the freedom enjoyed by a particular employee, or even a whole department. Maximizing autonomy leads to less being known about work activities and this must be accepted in making reports.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Acceptance.

Reports-CG4_B and matching of employees to work demands-CG3_D have a major impact on each other. Reports may be used to alter resource allocation and influence promotions and secondments. Satisfactory matching should show up in the reports. If the reports are poor, then a review of the match may be required.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Confirmation.

Management Facilitation (CG3 ↔ CG2)

Apply Resources-CG3↔Assign Authority-CG2.
This is about how management must act so as to get the best out of the employees for whom they are responsible. Managers put staff into posts, they give them work, they determine authority—if things go badly wrong, then it is highly likely that either staff matching was wrong or the work-definition &/or authority assignment was poor, or managers are breathing down the necks of their subordinates.
Both CG3 Centres are relevant:►

Maximizing autonomy-CG3_U influences assigning authority-CG2_B because the degree of autonomy given an employee will affect the way authority is assigned to those dealing with them. It is also liable to affect the authority assigned to complement the autonomy. Conversely, the degree and disposition of authority has a major effect on how free staff are (or feel they are) to take action on their own initiative.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Liberation.

Matching the person to the work-CG3_D and assigning authority-CG2_B also exert direct mutual influence. The nature of the work to be done should be a major factor in the authority that is assigned. So making the match affects the assigning of authority. Similarly, management may wish to assign a certain authority to particular work and that will affect the fit to a particular employee.
This Channel is named in accord with its function: Legitimation.

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NOW: 

• Check out Channels that bypass one level and probably exist to strengthen management.
  

OR

• Skip this systematic development of Centres and Channels and see the end result and what it reveals.
• See the equivalent to this page for employees handling their employment.
• Go to a review and comparison of Management and Employee frameworks.

Originally posted: 30-Nov-2011