Management Styles of Ursula Burns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

counsel Styles of Ursula Burns - Essay ExampleThe world continues to grow and flourish because of management and its leaders. This report will involve a study of management and its history in brief further, an attempt will be made to understand management in contemporary times utilize an example of a current thriving business. A brief study on Xerox Corporation and its evolution under the able leadership of its chief operating officer Ursula Burns will help in understanding the challenges in modern businesses. In this process, management qualities of Ms Burns that helped Xerox will be highlighted. 2. Management Management may be defined as the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish selected aims (Koontz, H & Koontz, H.W, p.5). These individuals and groups accomplish their aims through a systematic approach that forms the main functions of management, such as planning, organizing, staffing, leadin g(p) and controlling (p.6). Managers own the responsibility of performing and/or administrate these functions, and hence need specific skills and knowledge link to these functions. 2.1 History of management The concept of management has existed since centuries back, but it has received much attention only during final stage century. One important historical development related to the study of management can be traced back to the writings of Walter Puckeys writings named What is This Management?(Witzel, p.4). Studies related to this concept were begun at the Harvard Business School by the then dean, Edwin Gay, during 1908 (p.5). The main areas of focus in management study at that time included the term manager, factor, administrator and executive, with each term having specific meaning based on the functions performed by these individuals. However, the concept of managers is the around cited one in management texts, owing to their functions (pls actualize appendix 1). 2.2 Curre nt management concerns and challenges Trends in management have been constantly changing because of technological advancements, changes in attitudes of customers and clients, changes in employee expectations, changes in market, globalization etc. Hence, the most prominent challenge in management welkin relates to change. Managers are under constant pressure from superiors and external entities to bring about improvement in their movement outcomes in every manner. This subsequently challenges skills and knowledge. In most of the cases, managers also own leadership responsibilities besides managerial functions, which necessitate constant interaction, coaching, guidance, supervision and motivation of their police squad members. Constantly changing circumstances put greater pressure on managers to meet their employees expectations in terms of skill upgradation, mentoring, motivation, conflict resolution, etc. Managers should also fall by the wayside constant improvement in order to sustain their organizations good performance, or have to compete against better performance from rivals in the field in order to sustain the organizations position in the market. 3. Who is Ursula Burns? Ursula Burns, the CEO and Chairman of Xerox Corp, USA, is one of the most powerful women in the world as per Fortune magazines list. Her success at Xerox stands as an example of efficient and effective management overcoming all hardships and leading the company to success. A brief study on Burns life and career would help in understanding the underlying reasons for her achievement. 3.1