Reflection Summary
In week one, we learned about the management process, which included the concepts, functions, history of, and how it has changed over time. These changes also include how technology has affected the decision process. Successful management begins with a great plan, which involves six steps; including situational analysis, creating alternative goals and plans, evaluating all plans, selecting the best plan, implementing plan, and last monitoring and adjusting the plan as needed. The information we have learned in the last two weeks has already helped a team member to create a more focused business plan for the coming month because she could use the six steps in planning as a guide. We have also analyzed how internal and external factors affect the four functions of management. How internal and external factors affect these functions is even more important to understand as they can quickly change the outcome of the decision. All managers must perform these functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling for the process to work successfully. Management is necessary to maintain order within the various levels of the workforce in an organization. Another key topic the team learned was the decision-making process. The decision-making process is extremely important for any business or manager(s) to implement with any projects and tasks. We make decisions at work, home, and school daily. We are not all managers but we have learned why effective managers follow the four functions of management and utilize the decision-making process. As always, working with a team is helping us grow as team members. In the past, we often had to rely on ourselves at home, at school, or at work to complete a job or task. However, working in a team, teaches us to draw from other team members knowledge and attributes.