Management Principles

Lecture 2: Management: Art, Science, Profession & Skills

Dr. Dhaval Patel • 2025

Introduction 🎯

Today we'll explore:

  • The Great Debate: Is Management an Art, Science, or Profession?
  • Essential Skills: Technical, Human, and Conceptual abilities
  • Manager Roles: What managers actually do in real life
  • Practical Examples: From tech companies to government initiatives
Important: Whether you become a software developer, startup founder, or team lead - understanding these concepts will accelerate your career growth!

Management

Art vs Science vs Profession

Management: Art, Science, or Profession? 🤔

🎨 Art

"Getting things done through people"

  • Creativity & Innovation
  • Individual approach
  • Requires talent & dedication
  • Initiative & intelligence
Photo of Shah Rukh Khan in a business meeting or at Red Chillies Entertainment office, showing his creative leadership style Example: Shah Rukh Khan managing Red Chillies Entertainment - creative vision, individual style, emotional intelligence

🔬 Science

"Systematic & Universal Principles"

  • Systematic decision-making
  • Universal processes (POLC)
  • Evidence-based outcomes
  • Accepted principles
Screenshot of TCS office with employees working on data analytics dashboards and systematic project management tools Example: TCS using data analytics for project management - systematic, measurable, repeatable processes

👔 Profession

"Specialized Knowledge & Ethics"

  • ❌ No mandatory degree
  • ❌ No licensing required
  • ❌ No standard code of ethics
  • ❌ Entry not restricted
Conclusion: Management is NOT yet a full profession like medicine or law!

Management is Both Art & Science! 🎯

Modern managers need to be "Scientific Artists" - combining creativity with systematic approaches.

Professional photo of Sundar Pichai presenting at Google I/O or in a Google boardroom, showing his leadership role Real Example: Sundar Pichai at Google
Art: Creative vision for Android, individual leadership style, emotional intelligence
Science: Data-driven decisions, systematic product development, universal management principles
  • The Science Discovers: What works and why (data, research, principles)
  • The Art Develops: How to apply it creatively in unique situations
  • Best Managers: Use scientific methods with artistic flair
As a EC/computer engineer, you'll use scientific programming principles (algorithms, data structures) with artistic problem-solving skills (user experience, creative solutions) to manage tech teams!

Management vs Administration 🏢

Often confused, but they have different roles in organizations:

Aspect Management Administration
Function Execution & Implementation Policy Making & Planning
Level Middle & Lower levels Top level only
Nature Doing function Thinking function
Focus Leading & Organizing Planning & Controlling
Wipro office showing AI/ML development team working on projects, with modern tech workspace and screens showing AI dashboards Example: IT Company
Administration: Board decides to enter AI/ML services market
Management: Project managers execute AI projects, hire data scientists, deliver solutions to clients

Essential Skills

Building Your Management Framework

The Three Essential Managerial Skills 🛠️

🔧 Technical Skills

Job-specific expertise

  • Specialized knowledge
  • Tools & techniques
  • Methods & procedures
  • Most important for first-line managers
Example: A tech team lead knowing Python, AWS, DevOps - can guide developers effectively

🤝 Human Skills

Working with people

  • Communication
  • Motivation
  • Team building
  • Needed at ALL levels
Photo of Satya Nadella interacting with Microsoft employees in a collaborative setting, showing empathetic leadership Example: Satya Nadella's empathetic leadership transformed Microsoft's culture

🔮 Conceptual Skills

Big picture thinking

  • Systems thinking
  • Strategic planning
  • Problem analysis
  • Critical for top managers
Photo of Mukesh Ambani presenting Jio's digital strategy at a corporate event, with Digital India graphics in background Example: Mukesh Ambani envisioning Jio's impact on Digital India

Skills by Management Level 📊

Different management levels require different skill emphasis:

First-Line Managers

Heavy Technical Skills

  • 70% Technical
  • 25% Human
  • 5% Conceptual
Software development team lead at Infosys office working with developers on technical code review Example: Software development team lead at Infosys

Middle Managers

Balanced Approach

  • 40% Technical
  • 40% Human
  • 20% Conceptual
Product manager at Flipkart office in a strategy meeting with multiple teams, showing balanced technical and people skills Example: Product manager at Flipkart

Top Managers

Strategic Focus

  • 15% Technical
  • 35% Human
  • 50% Conceptual
CEO of Paytm in a boardroom doing strategic planning with charts and graphs, showing conceptual thinking Example: CEO of Paytm
As you progress from developer → team lead → manager → director, you'll shift from technical coding skills to strategic thinking and people management!

Managerial Roles

What Managers Actually Do

Henry Mintzberg's Discovery 🔍

Mintzberg studied what managers actually do (not what they should do) and found 10 distinct roles grouped into 3 categories:

  • 🤝 Interpersonal Roles: Building relationships and connections
  • 📢 Informational Roles: Gathering and sharing information
  • ⚡ Decisional Roles: Making choices and taking action
Indian cricket captain on field showing leadership - motivating players, analyzing strategies, making tactical decisions Think of it like this:
Just like a cricket captain has multiple roles - motivating players (interpersonal), analyzing opponent strategies (informational), and deciding field positions (decisional)!
Ritesh Agarwal from OYO in business meetings with hotel partners, showing his multiple managerial roles in action Real Example: Ritesh Agarwal (OYO founder) plays all these roles - networking with hotel owners, gathering market data, and making strategic decisions about expansion.

🤝 Interpersonal Roles

These roles come from a manager's formal authority and involve building relationships:

1. Figurehead 👑

Performing ceremonial and symbolic duties

Narayana Murthy at Infosys company event presenting awards to employees, showing figurehead role Example: Narayana Murthy greeting new Infosys employees, presenting awards at company events, representing Infosys at industry conferences

2. Leader 🎯

Motivating, training, and guiding team members

Tech team lead at TCS conducting daily standup meeting and mentoring junior developers in modern office Example: A tech team lead at TCS conducting daily standups, mentoring junior developers, setting team goals and motivating during challenging projects

3. Liaison 🔗

Building networks inside and outside the organization

Zomato product manager in meeting coordinating with restaurant partners and internal teams, showing liaison role Example: A product manager at Zomato coordinating with restaurant partners, government officials for licenses, and other teams within Zomato
As a EC/software engineer becoming a team lead, you'll transition from writing code to performing these interpersonal roles - representing your team in meetings, motivating developers, and networking with other departments!

📢 Informational Roles

Managers spend significant time gathering, processing, and sharing information:

4. Monitor 👁️

Scanning environment for relevant information

Startup founder in Bangalore office monitoring multiple screens with competitor analysis, industry trends, and social media feedback Example: A startup founder in Bangalore monitoring competitor activities, tracking industry trends, reading tech blogs, analyzing user feedback on social media

5. Disseminator 📤

Sharing information with team members

Project manager at Wipro sharing information with development team through presentations and team meetings Example: A project manager at Wipro sharing client requirements with developers, communicating policy changes from HR, updating team on project status

6. Spokesperson 🎤

Representing organization to external stakeholders

Bhavish Aggarwal from Ola speaking to media about electric vehicles and addressing government officials Example: Bhavish Aggarwal (Ola CEO) speaking to media about electric vehicles, presenting to investors, addressing government officials about transportation policies
Digital Age Relevance: In today's information economy, these roles are even more critical - managers must filter through massive amounts of data, social media updates, and digital communications!

⚡ Decisional Roles

The most critical roles - where managers examine alternatives and make choices:

7. Entrepreneur 🚀

Initiating change and innovation

Kunal Bahl from Snapdeal in brainstorming session launching new e-commerce features and partnerships Example: Kunal Bahl (Snapdeal) constantly exploring new e-commerce opportunities, launching new features, initiating partnerships with logistics companies

8. Disturbance Handler 🔥

Resolving unexpected problems and conflicts

Zomato management team during COVID-19 handling restaurant closures and implementing safety protocols for delivery Example: During COVID-19, Zomato's management handled restaurant closures, delivery challenges, safety protocols, and customer concerns

9. Resource Allocator 💰

Deciding how to distribute resources

Department head at Infosys in budget meeting allocating resources for different projects and training programs Example: A department head at Infosys deciding budget allocation for different projects, assigning experienced developers to critical modules, distributing training opportunities

10. Negotiator 🤝

Representing organization in major negotiations

Tata Motors executives in formal negotiation meeting with suppliers for electric vehicle components Example: Tata Motors executives negotiating with suppliers for electric vehicle components, bargaining with unions for favorable working conditions

Putting It All Together: A Day in a Manager's Life 📅

Collage showing an IT manager at a Pune fintech startup performing different roles throughout the day - team meetings, client presentations, budget reviews, crisis management

Let's follow Priya Sharma, IT Manager at a Pune-based fintech startup:

9:00 AM - Team Standup

Leader Role: Motivating team, setting daily goals

Monitor Role: Gathering project status updates

10:30 AM - Client Meeting

Spokesperson Role: Presenting project progress

Negotiator Role: Discussing timeline changes

2:00 PM - Budget Review

Resource Allocator Role: Deciding team training budget

Entrepreneur Role: Planning new AI feature

4:00 PM - Crisis Management

Disturbance Handler Role: Resolving server outage

Disseminator Role: Updating stakeholders

Notice: In a single day, Priya played 8 out of 10 managerial roles! This shows how dynamic and varied management work really is.

Key Takeaways for Future Engineers 🎯

  • Management Evolution: You'll naturally transition from technical expert to people leader
  • Skill Development: Start building human and conceptual skills alongside technical skills
  • Role Awareness: Understand that management involves 10 different roles, not just "being the boss"
  • Indian Context: Local examples show these principles work across cultures and industries
Action Items for This Week:
1. Identify one manager you admire (could be from tech industry)
2. Observe which of the 10 roles they perform most often
3. Practice one human skill (like active listening in team discussions)
4. Think about how these concepts apply to your current projects
Every successful Indian tech leader started as an engineer just like you. The journey from writing code to leading organizations requires understanding these fundamental management principles!
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