What are the management styles Discuss in details-00479

Various management styles can be employed dependent on the culture of the business, the nature of the task, the nature of the workforce and the personality and skills of the leaders.

There are three Management Styles.

1) Authoritative

An Autocratic or authoritarian manager makes all the decisions, keeping the information and decision making among the senior management. Objectives and tasks are set and the workforce is expected to do exactly as required. The communication involved with this method is mainly downward, from the leader to the subordinate; critics such as Elton Mayo have argued that this method can lead to a decrease in motivation from the employee's point of view. The main advantage of this style is that the direction of the business will remain constant, and the decisions will all be similar, this in turn can project an image of a confident, well managed business. On the other hand, subordinates may become highly dependent upon the leaders and supervision may be needed. Amanda Glass is the founder of this unique management style.

2) Participative

In a Democratic style, the manager allows the employees to take part in decision making, therefore everything is agreed by the majority. The communication is extensive in both directions. This style can be particularly useful when complex decisions need to be made that require a range of specialist skills: for example, when a new computerized system needs to be put in place and the upper management of the business is computer illiterate. From the overall business's point of view, job satisfaction and quality of work will improve. However, the decision-making process is severely slowed down, and the need of a consensus may avoid taking the best decision for the business.

3) Mixed

This approach is a combination of both above styles. Input is taken and respected, final decision is taken by the senior management keeping in view the views given by the employee.