# Management and Leadership in Today's Organizations

## Introduction


### Learning Outcomes

After reading this chapter, you should be able to answer these questions:
1. What is the role of management?
2. What are the four types of planning?
3. What are the primary functions of managers in organizing activities?
4. How do leadership styles influence a corporate culture?
5. How do organizations control activities?
6. What roles do managers take on in different organizational settings?
7. What set of managerial skills is necessary for managerial success?
8. What trends will affect management in the future?
Today’s companies rely on managers to guide daily operations using human, technological, financial, and other resources to create a competitive advantage. For many beginning business students, being in “management” is an attractive but somewhat vague future goal. This vagueness is due in part to an incomplete understanding of what managers do and how they contribute to organizational success or failure. This chapter introduces the basic functions of management and the skills managers need to drive an organization toward its goals. We will also discuss how leadership styles influence a corporate culture and highlight the trends that are shaping the future role of managers.