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Management Reflection Paper Fabiola Lopez November 28, 2019 Azusa Pacific University Principles of Management MGMT 210 Professor Lanelle Chase

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Management Reflection Paper

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This paper will discuss three major topics that I learned in Principles of Management class. It will then go on to reflect on why I decided to choose to focus on these three selected topics, and how they have or will influence me. The three subjects selected are Behavioral Management theory, Leadership vs. Management and Servant leadership approach, and lastly Cultural Relativism and Universalism. Through explaining the topics, I include outside resources that include both the bible and the in-class textbook. I first began to explain what these topics are and what they mean, and then I began to reflect upon them. Through my reflection I explain why I was interested in these topics, to begin with, then I will explain how I can use them in the future, and how/if I have already used them. I finish the paper with a conclusion that summarizes what my chosen topics are and why I decided to choose them.

Management Reflection Paper

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Throughout my first semester in Principles of Management class, with Lanelle Chase, many topics, and lessons were analyzed. Three concepts that had stood out to me during this time were the following: Behavioral Management, and the value of people in business, leadership vs. management and the servant leadership approach, and lastly cultural relativism and universalism. These three concepts stood out to me because I felt that I was able to best apply them to both my past and future experiences in business. I also felt that a lot of what is discussed with these concepts is largely connected to my faith. Through working with people in the past, I have lived out some of the approaches mentioned, mainly because I felt it was ethical and what my faith guided me towards. To be able to learn what these concepts are and properly articulate them, allows me to feel confident in starting a business of my own in the future using the knowledge I now have. Behavioral Management, The Value of People Before behavioral management theory in business, there was a classical approach; a huge focus on efficiency in production, which simultaneously lacked consideration towards human relations and human needs. Due to the fact that classical theory had its shortcomings, many theorists began to look into the human and behavioral aspects of management. This led to the discovery that paying attention to people's well being, both emotionally and physically, has an immensely positive impact on businesses. Some benefits include an increase in motivation, higher expectations, the formation of group dynamics and improvement in productivity. In the book “A Foundation in the Principles of Management” the authors claim “In this kind of

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environment people are treated as human beings, both organizational members and organization itself are given an opportunity to develop to the fullest potential, and there is an attempt to make work exciting and challenging” (Kipley, Jewe, Helm-Stevens 2015 p. 30). This  conclusion is made upon experiments and the human relations movement that was conducted in order to prioritize people in businesses. The Human Relations movement shifted the way that businesses prioritize their assets. In  the past business would focus on productivity and their tangible assets. It wasn’t until the conversation of the humans’ relations movement occurred when business started to pay attention to their intangible assets. In the book “The Strategy Focused Organization” the author discusses the importance of being able to execute strategy as a manager, in relations to building knowledge and relationships in business culture. The author goes on to discuss how companies who value intangible assets rather than tangible, are able to better adapt to changes in technology and the economy (Kaplan & Davenport, 2001). Leadership VS. Management, and The Servant Approach Often confused as the same thing, leadership, and management are quite different. Leadership concentrates on motivating, changing, and inspiring, whereas management focuses on maintaining performance within a business. Some  responsibilities that a leader may have is to offer opportunities, think strategically, develop visions, and demonstrate and live by set values. Managers responsibilities will consist of selecting and assigning staff, planning, setting targets, and monitoring. Being able to discern the difference between the two is important when figuring out what your strengths are and what position will best match them. There are also different

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approaches to leadership. One  method that stood out to me was the servant leadership approach. Contrary to what I had originally thought leadership was, this approach is about “putting followers first”. When thinking about leadership it’s easy to think that the person with the leadership title, will be the one in charge, will call the shots, and will be the first to think about. However, the servant leadership approach says that when you serve your followers with a humble spirit, your workers will be more motivated because of the caring and supportive culture that is created through this method. Paul T. P. Wong and Dean Davey discuss what the servant leadership approach is and the benefits that a business can receive when implementing this method while leading. Some characteristics that a servant leader may portray according to the authors would be having an attitude of a humble and selfless servant, focusing on the development of employees, valuing team building, and including others in making decisions. When these characteristics are portrayed through a leader, it creates a genuine relationship between leaders and followers, which builds a positive culture in the workplace (Wong & Davey, 2017 pg. 3). A great example of the servant leadership approach is the teachings of Jesus in the bible. Jesus was a leader to his disciples and followers, he led through serving the people he encountered, and the people who followed him. In the bible it states, “Even  as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew  20:28, ESV). Jesus teaches us to be servants to others, through his teachings and the way that he lived his own life. This teaching can reflect in the way that we lead in businesses, and it will reap its benefits.

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Cultural Relativism and Universalism When thinking about ethics, and ethical decisions, it’s easy to create your own perception of what is ethical based on your own experiences, environment, and cultural background. When you bring your own morals and beliefs into another environment, it can come to a surprise to some, that not everyone will agree with what you believe is ethical. Cultural relativism and universalism are two different views that relate to this dilemma. Cultural relativism is the view that no culture is superior to another, therefore one culture’s morals, politics, etc., are as equal and valid as another. On the contrary, universalism is the view that if one believes something is ethical and true, then no matter where that person is, it will stay true to them, despite contrary beliefs from the people around them. In  other words, their beliefs are universal. These  two opposing views can cause tension and argument when discussing what is ethically right and wrong. In an article written by Peter Danchin it states, “Strong cultural relativism holds that

 human  rights culture is the principal  source of the validity of a moral right or rule. Universal standards, however, serve as a check on potential excesses of relativism”(Danchin, Preamble Section: 7). An example of these notions is child labor laws in America vs third world countries. In America, child labor is illegal, so when American companies bring their businesses to third world countries the debate begins if they should keep these ethical values of banning child labor, or to just submit to the values of that country. Some may argue that child labor isn’t ethical in any circumstance, others will argue that because it is okay in that country and the children need

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to work to support their families, that the business should allow it. In another article written by Ben White, it states, The problem of cultural relativism in relation to child work and exploitation issues is part of the more general issue raised in many debates on universal (children’s or human) rights and universal norms or standards: can one defend the principle of universality in international conventions and debates, while at the same time promoting openness, flexibility and sensitivity to different cultural contexts in the implementation of standards (Alston, 1994)? Should rights be recognized as different in different cultural settings? (White, p.3)  These questions that Ben White considers about cultural relativism and universalism can and will need to be applied to businesses that decide to extend their companies in other countries that don’t have the same ethical views. Reflection on Behavioral Management The reason why behavioral management stood out to me during my time taking this class is because it was a recurring theme that I saw to be effective in both BizCafe and in my own experiences when working for different companies. During  one of my free summers, I worked as an intern at two different studio spaces. One studio space has been open longer than the other and has the advantage of being mainstream. Despite the many advantages that this mainstream company has over the other, the one attribute that they are missing is a positive culture in the workplace. As an intern there, I felt neglected and taken advantage of. It was a very negative learning experience in comparison to the other studio space, where I was welcomed, and included. The polarity between the two companies’ management was apparent in the way that

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the employees worked with one another. At  the end of both internships I was offered to continue to work at these studio spaces during my next summer, personally, I decided I would only continue to stay at the company that wasn’t mainstream. It was a common theme I saw in the employees as well, when listening to conversations at the mainstream company, they would often complain, and talk about how they want to quit and find a new job. At  the other studio space, however, employees got along well with one another and their managers. I applied this knowledge when working with my team on BizCafe. There is an importance on how employees are treated. When they are treated with respect, and all their needs are met, it will reflect in the way they work. This  stayed true as I and my team made sure our managers and employees had the highest pay compared to the other cafes, we also made sure we had enough employees to split hours evenly in order not to stress our workers out. Because  of the investment we made on our workers, the results were high customer satisfaction, and positive reviews. In an article written by Grace Ferguson, it states, “In understanding employee motivation, finding ways to help meet their needs, and leading by example, you create a work environment in which employees are likely to remain loyal.”(Ferguson,  2019) This further supports the importance of the behavioral aspect of business. Using this experience and knowledge, I can now apply it to the future business that I am hoping to start. When I start my own business I know I will pay attention to the work culture through the way I personally treat my managers and employees. I will make sure their needs are met, and that respect is an important quality that my company will uphold.

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When learning about the differences between leadership and management it made me come to the realization that the skills that I hold are better aligned to the skills of a leader, rather than a manager. Before this class, I didn’t know that there was any difference between the two, and just assumed that because of my interest in leading that management would be a good major to go into. I have a passion for creating change and growth in whatever environment I am working in, I love to dream about how I can improve or start something, and I love to socialize with others and inspire others with my own dreams and visions. Simultaneously I am terrible at planning and organizing, which is skills that managers should have. When learning about this topic in class, I was learning about myself and what job title I would best fit into. Then when we learned about the different approaches of leadership, I was most intrigued by the servant approach. The servant approach reminded me of the teachings of the bible, and I found it interesting that the business world uses the teachings of Jesus. I also realized that when in a leadership position I subconsciously demonstrate the servant approach, because of how I was taught to treat others at a young age. I always make sure that everyone’s opinions and ideas are heard and encouraged, and I help others with work that I don’t necessarily have to do, but that they need assistance with. Because  I am a very social person, I thrive when groups or teams have healthy communication, respect for one another, and a strong work ethic. I have been able to work in teams as a leader and build a team with these qualities just through demonstrating a servant approach. A. Newman, G. Schwarz, B. Cooper, and S. Sendjaya (2017) discuss how the

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servant leadership approach positively affects the behavior of workers in an organization. Their claims are supported by research gathered from social experiments that they had conducted. Seeing through my own experience and with evidence provided through research, I believe it’s safe to say that continuing to use this method in the future would be beneficial. Reflection on Cultural Relativism and Universalism The reason why I took an interest in cultural relativism and universalism during class is that I have always only thought about my own ethical views. I’ve never taken time to consider how my views might be different than someone from a different background and what that would look like in an argument or business setting. I would like to believe that my views are the ultimate truth and apply in any setting, however, if that was the case then any opposing views would be completely disregarded, which results in closed-minded thinking. Learning about this topic in class has allowed me to consider different perspectives on ethical values, and how different environments can shift the way that people think. In class, I remember we had a discussion about this topic and shared our opinion on an example of child labor in third world countries. The argument was, should American businesses who open their companies in outside countries keep the rule that child labor is illegal, or should they allow child labor because the country allows it. My initial thought was “of course they should keep child labor illegal” however, the opposing argument that some of these kids need the work in order to support their families and survive made me re-think and evaluate what I originally decided on. Even now, I am still conflicted on this topic, because I am fully against child labor, but I understand the

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obligation that these kids have to work. Because this topic keeps me thinking and debating, I am interested in learning more about it, in order to better cultivate my own opinion. In an article  he states, written by M  atthew Lower, A common challenge to this view is the concept of cultural relativism. What the West may consider universal norms in human rights are not applicable in other cultures. Human rights are argued to have developed from Western culture and thus they are inappropriate in application to other cultures…(Lower, 2013) These opposing views can cause controversy for many, it is something that needs to be considered for a business that extends their work in places outside their originating country. As someone who wants to start my own business in the future, I’m sure that I will have to make decisions that will be based on these views, which is why I’m glad that I was able to learn about it now. Conclusion During my time in this class, I have appreciated being able to go into depth on certain topics, through lectures, discussions, and through the BizCafe simulation. The topics that stood out to me consisted of the behavioral management theory, servant leadership approach, and cultural relativism versus universalism. These  topics stood out to me because I felt that I was able to apply my own knowledge and experience to the new information and build off of that. These topics, either challenged or supported my way of thinking, which gravitated me towards wanting to understand them more. My faith also played a role in how I felt towards these topics, and I feel that I will also be able to apply this new knowledge to my future career as a whole.

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Crossway Bibles. (2016). Esv: Study Bible: English standard version . ESV: Study Bible: English standard version. Wheaton, IL. Danchin, P. (n.d.). Concepts and Ideas. Retrieved from http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/mmt/udhr/preamble_section_7/concept_history_2.html. Ferguson, Grace. (n.d.). The Importance of Managerial Behavior. Small Business - Chron.com. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-managerial-behavior-34854.html  Kaplan, R. S., Davenport, T. H., & Norton, D. P. (n.d.). The Strategy-focused Organization. Retrieved from https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=6sC_X4DR-WoC&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=h ow+the+humans+relations+movement+impacted+businesses&ots=uVI7eR0xir&sig=yXfdsq 8IQkfTgtH_7cguy2vzgBY#v=onepage&q&f=false. Kipley, D., Jewe, R. D., & Helm-Stevens, R. (2015). A foundation in the principles of management. San Diego, CA: Cognella Academic Publishing. Lower, M. (2019, December 1). Can and Should Human Rights Be Universal? Retrieved from https://www.e-ir.info/2013/12/01/can-and-should-human-rights-be-universal/. Newman, A., Schwarz, G., Cooper, B. et al. J Bus Ethics (2017) 145: 49. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2827-6 P., P. T., & Davey, D. T. (2017, July). PDF. White, B. (n.d.). PDF....