Abstract
The research outlines the relative importance of the commonly used management tools among the managerial staff in organizations in selected worldwide areas, with deeper focus on emerging Central and East Europe economy – namely Slovenia. This paper examines the influence of the manager's position on utilization of single management tool. The survey covered 155 managers working in Slovenian organizations. 23 out of 25 considered management tools significantly differ in the level of utilization by managers at various positions in organizations. The middle managers most commonly use the top five most used management tools – outsourcing, benchmarking, total quality management, knowledge management and strategic planning. Further on, the first line managers more frequently than the top managers use outsourcing, benchmarking, total quality management, and strategic planning. The top managers frequently use knowledge management. The paper provides at the end several practical implications and recommendations for practice.
TopBackground
In the global competitive environment, organizations can only survive in the long term by permanently improving their business, especially with innovations of their management ideas (Jennings, 2005; Hartley, 2007; Martin, 2009; Mullins, 2013). Management idea is a generic term and subject to many interpretations (Chandler, 1996; Wren, 2004; Mullins, 2006). In the modern theory and practice of management, the number and diversity of management ideas grow constantly. More about the general methodological and contents framework of management ideas see in Chandler (1996); Crainer (2004); Mullins (2006), etc.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Priority: Emphasize the precedence and outline the order of importance.
Management Tools: Can be defined as an entity of instruments to support implementation of concepts and ideas at all levels of conceptualization and realization of concepts, ultimately aiming to support organizational processes.
Managers: Persons which give direction to their organization, provide leadership and decide how to use limited organizational resources.
Management Hierarchy: Distinguishes between top, middle and first level managers and outlines their main duties and responsibilities.