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Core Functions of Communication Networks

Communication and information networks serve several key functions within an organization:

• Control: They help regulate the conduct of organization members.
• Motivation (Reasons): They inform staff about their tasks, execution methods, and potential improvements, thereby stimulating their behavior and performance.
• Emotional Expression: They provide a channel for individuals to express frustrations and feelings of satisfaction.
• Decision Support (Reporting): They facilitate decision-making by providing necessary information to individuals and groups.

Directions of Organizational Communication Flow

Communication within an organization can flow in several directions:

• Vertical Downward: Communication from a superior

Organizational Charts as Communication Tools

Using charts as a communication tool serves several key purposes:

• Inform members: To inform members of the organization about their position relative to the rest of the organization.
• Structural picture: To provide an overall picture of the structure.
• Onboarding: To enable persons entering the organization to make contact with and understand its structure.
• Career progression: To facilitate the understanding of the possibilities for each person to move up within the organization.
• Stakeholder information: To inform interested parties on the common organization and how it is structured.

Organizational Charts as Analytical Tools

As an analytical tool, charts help to detect flaws in the structure. The most important... Continue reading "Strategic Use of Organizational Charts" »

Core Management Concepts

Social Aspects: Obligation, sensitivity, responsibility

Organizational Analysis: Strengths, weaknesses, core competencies

Structure: Division of labor, career paths, impersonality, formal rules, formal selection, hierarchy

Organizational Influence: Defines employee behavior, influences marketing, fosters team spirit

Culture: Rituals, symbols, language

Leadership Roles

Authority figure, leader, supervisor, spokesman, entrepreneur, negotiator

Decision-Making Types

Intuitive Decisions

Based on experience, feelings, wisdom, or prior knowledge

Ethical Decisions

Based on cultural or ethical values

Intellectual Decisions

Based on skills, knowledge, and training

Environmental Factors

Legal Environment

Political and legal procedures vary by... Continue reading "Essential Management Principles: Decision-Making and Organizational Culture" »

Management Definition

Administration comes etymologically from the Latin, meaning "action to manage." The latter term is composed of ad and minister, which together mean "to serve." This implies that administration is an activity devoted to service and cooperation.

Purpose of Management

The aim of administration is to get the company to achieve productivity, i.e., a balance between efficiency and effectiveness.

• Efficiency: The ability to minimize the resources consumed to achieve the objectives of the organization. "Do things right."
• Effectiveness: The ability to determine appropriate goals. "Do the right things."

Importance of Management

Administration is very important in this era, full of complexities, changes, and uncertainties. Sustaining a business... Continue reading "Business Management: Definition, Principles, and Importance" »

Theme 1: Company and Organization

Company: An institution where a diverse group of people transform resources into goods and/or services to meet needs and obtain benefits. It must be understood as a technical, economic, social, and political decision-making unit.

Organization: A group of people with the means and/or adequate resources, functioning through a set of established rules and procedures to achieve a particular purpose. They require physical, financial, technological, and human resources.

Difference: Firms are a type of organization that differ from others because, although they may have other purposes, profit is necessary for their creation and maintenance.

Functional Subsystems:

• Procurement: Responsible for decisions relating to the purchasing

PMBOK: Project Management Body of Knowledge

The PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) is a standardized set of practices in project management. These practices are compiled in a reference document (often referred to as the PMBOK Guide).

Key Functions of the PMBOK

• Provides and promotes a common vocabulary for discussing, writing, and implementing project management concepts.
• Based on processes, it systematically describes the work to be performed throughout the project.

Core Project Management Terminology

Stakeholders Defined

People and organizations whose interests may be affected as a result of the project.

Project Life Cycle

Defines the phases that connect the beginning of a project to its end.

Organizational Influences on Projects

Projects are... Continue reading "Project Management Fundamentals: PMBOK Terms and Process Groups" »

Human Capital as a Source of Competitive Advantage

Essential competencies are a set of aptitudes and attitudes that predispose individuals to perform their activities at the highest level. The key components for implementing these competencies are: knowing (knowledge), applying knowledge (skills), demonstrating appropriate attitudes and interests, wanting to perform (motivation), and having the ability to do so (available resources).

Human capital is a source of competitive advantage because:

• People differentiate organizations. Their resources and capabilities are not available to all companies under the same conditions.
• They add value to a company and explain differences in profitability.
• They are scarce; few individuals can guarantee high performance

Defining Motivation and Goal Achievement

Motivation is what drives individuals to seek, through actions, the achievement of specific goals, whether personal or group-oriented.

Group Goals and Organizational Drivers

Groups are motivated by several distinct purposes:

• Power: Seeking positions of prestige and dominance.
• Budget: Ensuring the satisfaction of all financial and resource requirements.
• Transcendent: Driven by religious or philosophical beliefs.
• Business: Interest in improving the situation of others or the community.
• Scientific and Technical: The desire to increase various cultural and artistic knowledge.
• Freedom: The fundamental need for autonomy and independence.

Individual Needs and Personal Development

The goals and purposes of individuals... Continue reading "Achieving Goals: Understanding Motivation, Needs, and Equity in the Workplace" »

Defining the Concept of Organization

An organization is understood as an action, an object, or a goal; it is an intentionally organized group of people. As an action, it involves coordinating the work of several people through defined tasks. Its purpose is to provide teaching or direction, while the object represents the final result.

Types and Characteristics of Organizations

Organizations are shaped by human groups engaged in a common task. For an organization to be stable or lasting, the roles must be organized; the higher the specification, the greater the efficiency. Administration serves a social function, meaning all knowledge must have a productive purpose. Regarding formality, some organizations may lack formal systems for communication... Continue reading "Organizational Theory and Management Principles" »

School Culture: Defining Organizational Styles

The culture of an organization is defined as the set of values, ideas, beliefs, symbols, traditions, rituals, and operational styles that have endured over time and are shared by its members, who, in turn, possess an awareness of belonging. Four distinct styles of organizational culture are applicable in schools:

• 1. Results-Oriented School Culture

  This style features clear and hierarchical authority. It prioritizes the achievement of results over the processes used to attain them. The director acts as the primary driver, with other members involved in the process but having limited input on reflection or decision-making.

• 2. Society-Oriented School Culture

  Authority is shared in this model. It features