Topic 2.3: Leadership and Management Questions

Lena's Bakery Ltd decides how many loaves to bake each night. Marco wants to use last year's till records; Lena prefers to judge it from her years behind the counter. Distinguish between scientific thinking/management and intuitive thinking/management.

At 6 a.m. Kofi, manager of the Market Square shop, learns that a film crew wants 60 sandwiches by 9 a.m. There is no record of an order like it. Suggest whether Kofi should use scientific or intuitive thinking to decide whether to accept the order.

Define the term leadership.

Describe one leadership style.

The owner of Bean There café holds a monthly meeting at which the staff help agree changes to the menu. Define the term democratic leadership.

Carlos Lopez, founder of Lopez Textiles, goes to his workers’ weddings and expects them to stay with the firm for life. Describe one feature of a paternalistic leadership style.

Which statement best defines planning as a management function?

At Mendel Motors, a family car dealership, owner Hanna Mendel pays for staff health checks and chooses everyone’s holiday dates herself. Describe one feature of a paternalistic leadership style.

Tidewater Ferries runs three boats between two islands. A rival has just added winter sailings. Tidewater's managers will not decide whether to do the same until they have collected a full year of passenger data and run a three-month trial. Explain one disadvantage for Tidewater Ferries of using scientific thinking/management for this decision.

The editor of City Pulse magazine lets her writers choose their own topics and deadlines and rarely checks their work. Define the term laissez-faire leadership.

Ravi Menon has run Hillcrest Tea Estate for 30 years and calls his 200 workers "my children". Describe one feature of a paternalistic leadership style.

Define the term democratic leadership.

Define the term autocratic leadership.

At Wren Guitars, the owner leaves the four master craftsmen to decide how each guitar is built. Define the term laissez-faire leadership.

Which statement best defines democratic leadership?

Which statement best defines laissez-faire leadership?

Explain one disadvantage of autocratic leadership for a business with experienced employees.

Dr Amira Saleh runs Cedar Dental Clinic and decides everything herself, from appointment times to the equipment her twelve staff use. Describe one disadvantage of an autocratic leadership style.

Explain one disadvantage of democratic leadership for a business facing a fast-moving competitive threat.

State the four functions of management.