Manegerial Issues: Generalization and Specilization

Good manager have to be balance in managing paradoxes in management world: generalization versus specialization

Role of generalization on managerial functions

A manager has to use generalization in performing his functions. However, he has to have some special knowledge in working in a different special project or working in different department or resolving specific organizational issues in his managerial life. . In addition, in allocating tasks or grouping tasks he must use specialization to improve productivity. If specialization is overly stressed it may have a propensity to sub-optimize performance in one field or area, which may not contribute to over all objectives of an organization. In addition, in motivating staff it may be necessary to have a variety of tasks performed rather than specialization. In this context, a manager must be aware of generalizations than overly dependent on specialization. In any organization some general concepts may apply to all organizational divisions. For example, all organizations must have some hierarchical structure and the manger must be aware of these general principles. However, they must also must have some special knowledge of human element affecting organizational structure based on the knowledge of behavioral sciences. It is also necessary to have an organization how it works based on economics, sociological insights from political sciences to develop strategic planning and to apply appropriate general knowledge given the context of the organizational environment. As discussed above, generalization have some benefits in a manager performing his tasks and have some disadvantages.

However he must be aware that he does not overly dependent on specialization given his managerial issue or concern and the context of his work and its impact on the performance on overall organizational performance. In other words, he must see the organization as a system to some extent particularly in the current contemporary economic, social and political climate and global nature of operations and global impacts on organizations.

It is also important that manager must also recognize in a dynamic environment, the organization must be responsive and must shape the external environment to be competitive and the importance of change management principles as an important general principle. That is the manager must have a generalization that change is inevitable and unpredictable in some situations to perform his tasks efficiently and effectively. It is obvious from the previous discussion that a manager must resolve the complex issue of generalization and specialization so that he strike the correct balance to perform his functions to the benefit of overall organizational desired performance.