Managerial jobs in organizations fall into three categories: first-line, middle and top management. These categories can be viewed as vertical differentiation among managers, because they involve three different levels of the organization.
Top management is the highest level of management and consists of the president and other key company executives who developed strategic plans. Middle management includes plant managers and department heads who are responsible for tactical plans. Supervisory management or first-line management includes people directly responsible for assigning specific jobs to workers and evaluating their daily performance; they are often known as first-line managers because they are the first level above workers.
First — Line Managers
First-line managers (or first-line supervisors) are managers at the lowest level in the hierarchy who are directly responsible for the work of operating (non managerial) employees. They often have titles that include the word «supervisor». First-line managers are extremely important to the success of an organization because they have the major responsibility of seeing that day-to-day operations run smoothly in pursuit of organizational goals.
Because they operate at the interface between management and the rest of the work force, first-line supervisors can easily find themselves in the middle of conflicting demands. At the same time, the power of first-line supervisors has been gradually eroding because of such factors as union influence and the increasing educational level of workers.
First-line managers supervise and co-ordinate the activities of operating employees. Common titles of first-line managers are foreman, supervisor and office manager. A shift foreman within a Ford assembly plant is a first-line manager. These are often the first positions held by employees who enter management from the ranks of operating personnel. In contrast to top and middle managers, first-line managers typically spend a large proportion of their time supervising the work of subordinates.
Middle Managers
Middle managers are managers beneath the top levels of hierarchy who are directly responsible for the work of other managers below them. The managers for whom they have direct responsibility may be other middle managers or first-line managers. Middle managers also sometimes supervise operating personnel such as administrative assistants and several specialists (such as engineers and financial analysts). Many different titles are used for middle managers. Some typical titles include such words as «manager», «director», «chief», «department head», and «division head». Middle managers are mainly responsible for implementing overall organizational plans so that organizational goals are achieved as expected.
Organizations, particularly very large ones, often have several layers of middle managers.
Middle management is probably the largest group of managers in most organizations. In recent years, many organizations have thinned the ranks of middle managers in order to lower costs and rid themselves of excess bureaucracy.
Top Managers
Top managers are mangers at the very top level of hierarchy who are ultimately responsible for the entire organization. Top-level managers are few in number; their typical titles include « chief executive officer»(CEO), “ 'president'”, “'executive vice president'”, “executive director”, “'senior vice president”, and sometimes “vice president'”. Top-level managers are often referred to as executives, although the term “executive” also is used to include the upper layers of middle managers as well. Top managers have direct responsibility for the upper layer of middle managers. They typically oversee the overall planning for the organization, work to some extend with middle managers in implementing that planning, and maintain overall control over the progress of the organization.
Top managers establish the organization's goals, overall strategy, and operating policies. They also officially represent the organization to the external environment by meetings with government officials, executives of other organizations, etc. The job of a top manager is likely to be complex and varied. Top managers make decisions about such activities as acquiring other companies, investing in research and development, entering or abandoning various markets, and building new plants and office facilities. They often work long hours and spend much of their time in meetings and on the telephone.
XIII. Complete the sentences according to the text.
1. Managerial jobs in organization fall into three categories: ...
2. Top management is the highest level of management and consists of...
3.Top managers are ...
4.Middle managers are ...
5. Many different titles are used for middle managers. Some typical titles include words as ...
6.First-line managers are ...
7.Common titles of first-line managers are...
XIV. Match the following terms with their definitions.
1.Top a. managers beneath the levels of the hierarchy who managers are directly responsible for the work of other managers
below them.
2.Middle b. managers at the lowest level in the hierarchy who managers are directly responsible for the work of operating (non
managerial) employees.
3.First-line c. managers at the very top levels of the hierarchy managers supervisors who are ultimately responsible for the
entire organization
XV. Put the words in order and make the sentences.
1.managers, important, of, success, first-line, to the, are, extremely, organization.
2. financial, is, manager, department, by the, needed, finance, the.
3.influenced, each of us, every day, by the, actions, is, managers, of.
4. responsible for, implementing, organizational, middle, managers, plans, are, overall.
