Mintzberg’s managerial theory

There are many management theories. However, Henry Mintzberg was one of the few researchers who succeeded to convey the manager’s daily roles in a variety of sectors and positions.

1. The Manager’s Roles as Defined by Henry
Mintzberg
2nd February, 2021
Therearemanymanagementtheories.However,HenryMintzbergwasoneofthefewresearcherswho
succeededtoconveythemanager’sdailyrolesinavarietyofsectorsandpositions.Mintzbergproposed
inhisresearchandparticularlyinhistwobooks:“TheNatureofManagerialWork”(1973)and“Insideour
StrangeWorldofOrganizations”(1989),thatamanagermustplaytendiverserolesswitchingbetween
themwheneveritisneeded.ThetenrolesasperMintzberg(1973)are:“figurehead,leader,liaison,
monitor,disseminator,spokesperson,entrepreneur,disturbancehandler,resourceallocator,and
negotiator”.Thesedifferentroleswerealsodividedintothreemaincategories:“interpersonal,
informational,anddecisional”.These10rolesreflectthecomplexityofthemanagerialposition,whereany
givenmanagerhasmanydutiesvis-à-vishisorganization,hissubordinates,hissuperiors,the
shareholders, and the stakeholders.

2. 1-Abriefhistoricalreviewaboutthedevelopmentofmanagement
concepts:
Historically,studiesrelatedtomanagementhavepassedthroughthreeeras.Thefirsterawasbeforethe
industrialrevolution,between1820and1840,wheremanagementactivitieswererestrictedtotheowners
whohadrigorouscontroloveralltheresources.However,thisprimitivemanagementpracticecontained
somesimilaritieswithtoday’smanagementrolessuchascoordinating,planning,andcontrolling.The
secondperiodstartedwithintheindustrialrevolutionwherethecomprehensivetheoriesandfunctionsof
managementsuchasplanning,organizing,commanding,coordinating,andcontrollingappeared
especiallywithHenriFayol(1916).Afterwards,andoncetheindustrialrevolutionerahadended,the
secondindustrialrevolutionstarted.Thisnewepochisalsoknownasthetechnologicalrevolutionasit
wasastageoffaststandardizationandautomationreachingtheearly20thcentury.Outofmany
researchersinthisperiod,ProfessorHenryMintzbergpilotedathoroughexperientialresearchabout
managers’regularactivitiesthroughalargevarietyoforganisationsandpositions.Mintzberg’smanagerial
theory(1973)recommendedmanagerstoplayaselectionoftenrolesdividedintothreemaincategories
based on situational needs as shown in the below image (1).

3. Image (1) source: ("Mintzberg Model: 10 Different Roles of a Successful Manager", 2020)
2- The different manager’s roles as per Mintzberg (1973):
Mintzberg’smanagerialtheoryisfoundedontheideathatmanagersareinvolvedintenroles,dividedinto
threemainclusters:interpersonal,informational,anddecisional.Furthermore,HenryMintzbergdefines
theoperatingeffortofmanagersineachrole.Thebehavioursofthosemanagersarecrucialcomponents
for their success. Of course, the ten roles are inspired by personal and situational considerations.

4. A) Interpersonal cluster includes:
1-Figureheadrole,whereamanagerplaysofficiallytheroleofaprofessionalrepresentinghis
organization in social activities and events.
2-Thesecondroleisleadership.Thisroleisrelatedtopeople’smotivationandinspiration.Asaleader,a
manager must coach, support, and guide his/her subordinates.
3-Thelastrolerequestedfromamanagerintheinterpersonalclusteristobealiaisonandtobuild
contactswithallstakeholders.Managersshouldoverseenetworkingevenbeyondtheirorganization
boundary.
B)Informationalclusterincludesalsoverycriticalroles.Basedontheseroles,themanagerissupposed
tocommunicate,monitor,manage,anddistributetheinformationatalllevels.Therefore,thedetailedroles
in this cluster are the following:
4-Monitor:managersshouldaskforinformationinsideandoutsidetheworkplace.Thiswillhelpthemto
evaluatetheirdepartmentfrominternalandexternalviewpoints,discoverrelatedproblems,andaddress
them in due time.
5-Disseminator:managersmustdelegatemorewhenitisappropriateandconveyimportantinformation
especially to their employees.
6-Spokesperson:asamanageroneoughttotransmitinformationoutsidetheworkplacetakingtheroleof
a brand ambassador.
C) Decisional part encompasses the following roles:
7-Entrepreneur:behavingasanentrepreneur,managersshouldencouragechangeandcreativityby
leading the implementation of new ideas.
8-Disturbance-handler:managersareresponsibleforavoidinganydisruptionsthatcanpreventachieving
the needed outcomes.

5. 9-Resource-allocator:managersneedtoassignandadministeravarietyoffinancial,technological,and
human resources activities.
10-Negotiator:surelyamanagerisresponsibletocarryoutimportantnegotiationswithinhisdepartment
and organization.
Inanutshell,asuccessfulmanagerknowswhentoplayeveryroleseparatelyoracombinationofrolesto
achievesuccess.Themanager’sprofessioncanbedefinedasplayingseveralrolesorplannedsetsof
actionslinkedtohisposition(Mintzberg,1975).However,withtimeandafterthelearningorganization
conceptbyGarvinetal(2008)waswellrecognized,amanager’sroleevolved,anditneedsanewsetof
skillstoempoweremployeestoachievetheirgoalsaswellastheorganizationalgoals.Managersneedto
focusongoals,relations,andparticipation(Yukl,2001).Todoso,amanagerneedstoplaymorethe
leadershiproletoinspirepeopleandsharewiththemthenecessaryinformationtoworktogetherasa
team, cooperate, and learn from each other.
Managersarealwayscomfortableintheirorganizationalsetting.However,theycanalwaysbenefit
themselvesaswellastheiremployeesfromadoptingpositivechange,training,anddevelopment.The
rolesofmanagersasdefinedbyMintzbergareconsideredessentialguidelinesforgoodmanagers,
though,addingnewskillsandcompetenciescanalwaysupliftamanagertoahigherlevel.Alevelof
explorationandpeopleunderstandingthathelpsinimprovingtheoverallperformanceofthe
organization.Ifyouareinterestedinlearningmoreaboutleadershipandmanagement,checkoutour
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