Aims
Consider what the functions of management are
Discuss what makes a good manager
Lead-in
- To what extent is effective management something you are born with, as opposed to a set of skills that can be taught?
- Which business leaders do you admire for their managerial skills? What are these skills?
- Do managers have a good reputation in your country? Or are they made fun of in jokes, cartoons and television series? Ifso, why do you think this is?
- Which of the five famous managers below do you find the most interesting and impressive?
Akio Morita co-founded a company in Tokyo in 1946, and later changed its name to Sony. He moved to the US, where he had the original ideas for the Walkman and the video cassette recorder. Sony acquired music and film companies, and developed video games.
While Jack Welch was Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Electric in the 1980s and 1990s, its market value increased from $14 billion to more than $410 billion. He fired 10% of the company’s managers each year.
Steve Jobs was first the co-founder and later the CEO of Apple. He was fired from his own company (!) in 1985, and co-founded Pixar Animation Studios, but rejoined Apple in 1997, and helped develop the iPod and the iPhone.
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