The Role of the Manager

Managers are involved in many discrete business functions. The functional areas of business are defined as Management, Law, Human Resource Management, Leadership, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Research and Statistics, Operations Management, Marketing, and Strategic Planning (University of Phoenix, n.d.).

Good managers are doers, thinkers, and leaders. According to Hutt & Speh, “Good managers, in the end, are essentially scorekeepers” (2007, pg. 76). Managers coordinate and oversee a project or work of others to work efficiently toward a common goal. Managers make effective use of initiating, planning, executing, and monitoring. Good managers are excellent collaborators and effectively get work done. Their influence is vital to any business.

The manager's role in business law is important because it is their duty to protect the interest of the company they manage. There may be investors, creditors, and many other stakeholders, all of which will have a vested interest in the business's operation. A manager warrants that the business is operating in compliance with all applicable governing body regulations. Non-disclosure agreements, intellectual property agreements, data licenses, and contractual obligations need to be administered and protected. A manager plays a large role to resolve conflicts and ensures the information is being handled appropriately.

Managers participate in human resource management throughout the project lifecycle. In addition to hiring and training, employee's roles and responsibilities need clearly defined. This includes any risk assistance, quality control, and work packages. It's important to know what skillset you have on a team, what other skills are needed, when and to whom they are expected to report, and what meetings to attend. It is also important to note at what phase you need to add resources and phases to release employees.

Leadership is a core trait for any good manager. It’s nearly impossible to have Leadership without management. The separation of management from leadership is dangerous. Just as management without leadership encourages an uninspired style, which deadens activities, leadership without management encourages a disconnected style, which promotes hubris (Gosling & Mintzberg, 2003). Leadership is the performance of behaviors, which helps a group reach its goals. “It includes behaviors like making procedural suggestions, offering sound opinions, providing relevant information, and presenting counter-arguments” (Coder & Spiller, 2013, pg. 37).

Effective accounting management analyzes information and the outputs are used to make business decisions. Accounting management can be used to find market trends, set budgets, and manage debt. Accounting is used to formulate business strategy to create wealth and shareholder value. Accounting communicates to the stakeholders