Foundations for managerial productivity
Organizations have to harness the energy and skills of people to achieve effective performance. The competencies of your human capital are the objective reflection in terms of productivity, who will provide you with efficiency, quality and business excellence.
It is also known that productivity, as a vital attitude, implies the desire for progress in people, constant improvement and the will to overcome the present situation; It will never be one hundred percent, but there are always opportunities for higher performance. These would achieve an increase in their personal and professional effectiveness, if they develop skills and competencies that ultimately contribute to the achievement of certain results; making extra efforts to achieve the goals.
In fact, those people on whom the management of the organization falls, the "managers", in order to fulfill their social mandate within the organization and obtain significant results; they must function effectively and efficiently. Martínez (1994) said that "the measurement of management results should be guided by criteria not only of efficiency, but also of effectiveness", therefore, on the basis of this analysis that encompasses and determines in turn the content of the result of the management, the productivity of managers can be measured by considering both effectiveness and efficiency.
Currently, managers at all levels are subjected to strong demands and efforts in search of increasing the effectiveness, efficiency and competitiveness of companies immersed in constant changes in the environment. Their work requires analysis and assessments of the results and consequences of their actions. Therefore, there is an inescapable need to measure the productivity of managers, as a way to place them in essential conditions of effectiveness.
According to Peter Drucker (1973) “effectiveness is doing the right things; and efficiency is doing things correctly ”. Doing the right things is having discipline, organization, complying with what is established; Doing them correctly implies looking for impact, saving, reducing cost, reducing losses, etc. 1 Certainly the effectiveness allows to assess the impact of what is done (that is appropriate); refers to the results in relation to the goals and achievement of objectives; as well as the ability to prioritize tasks and perform them in an orderly fashion, achieving better and faster results. This could never be replaced with increasing efficiency, as there is nothing more fruitless than doing some activity that has no value. Well, you can be very active and be very busy for a whole day,performing a large volume of activities; But if there is no added value at work, for someone or something, productivity will be zero. It is essential to use time in a productive way, doing the things that have the greatest impact, in the shortest possible time.
In accordance with the above, there are two interesting questions to ask. One is, what has been the productivity of managers as an added value in their organizational environment? and the other, what has been obtained in the organization by relating the results obtained with the work carried out by them?
This added value in the case of managers could very well be given by the predominance of:
- Knowledge (what to do and why) Skills (leadership, creativity, originality, innovation, handling situations, understanding and managing processes, teamwork, etc.) Skills (desire to do things, objectivity, optimism), on time to perform.
And on the other hand, the work carried out by them would have to have a level of "result" that reveals all the significant aspects that there was an integrative management, which allowed it to be more functional or effective, and also, that said results respond to the Present and future needs of society and therefore with the expectations of the people who make up the organization and in particular of the group that shares the tasks with the manager (his subordinates and collaborators)
The very need to achieve these "results" seen in a dimension that integrates the tangible (volumes, costs, sales, etc.) with the intangibles (satisfy, lead, motivate; etc.), requests, among other things, to have good defined, which ones and how the functions are carried out. That is, knowing what to do, when and how to do it, and doing it with determination and in the time allotted for it; which results in the maintenance and growth of the manager. From this point of view it can be pointed out that there is a relationship between performance and productivity, because when a worker is evaluated taking into account elements such as: quality of their work, use of resources and equipment, level of knowledge, skills, attitude etc. This information will serve to establish an improvement plan,with the consequent objective of increasing its productivity (effectiveness and efficiency
Multiple functions are performed in this role, each carrying a significant load of meaning. But the "leadership" in the XXI century, seems to demand two basic roles (leader and manager). The first is based on their ability to lead the company to the desired destination, it is said that the objectives are met, with the satisfaction of their followers. The second is their ability to adequately manage and develop their employees, contribute to the good health of the organization, identify conflicts, etc.
It is clear that his work cannot only be limited to these two roles; It must be extended, enriched and projected towards everything that surrounds it, including the administrative process the necessary functions of:
- Design and implement plans or programs Organize work Distribute and allocate resources Lead and influence staff Coordinate work Control and evaluate results Make all decisions Make all necessary communications to ensure compliance with the purposes.
Managers who assume their role with absolute conscience, without a doubt must hone their skills to be good at all these functions. Together, it requires the coordination of efforts and actions (facilitating more dynamic decision making). Be endowed with the will to meet the objectives with the maximum display of initiative and positive energy; in order to get followers.
Develop qualities, such as the practice of critical reflection on their actions and routines undertaken; it is one of the great virtues of teamwork and interpersonal relationships
If we reflect on the previous statements about the role of managers, it must be agreed that the component "work environment" exerts a very strong influence on managers. Where the environment in which they work has to be kept appropriate; since they have the task of feeding the motivations and the desire for achievement in subordinates and collaborators, in order to then be able to act and favor continuity in actions. Likewise, a good climate will help you improve personal relationships, to encourage employees to take responsibility and fulfill commitments.
When managers manage to correctly combine all their functions and manifest effectiveness in their roles (leader, administrator and advisor), they become successful leaders and their applied capacities can be effective and permanently increased. This will even enable the overall success of the organization by being led by competent and effective people.
These are sufficient reasons to measure the productivity of managers, as it is one of the protagonists in organizational results. Since they are the most responsible for the distribution of resources and the most essential decision-making in the organization, they have to use the most advanced contemporary management practices, and use very intelligent strategies. The manager in his work, mobilizes resources and people, therefore the perception of the effectiveness with which this is done, has to be a criterion for evaluating his performance, which is traditionally relegated to the organizational or process figures that are achieved. The managerial performance, compromises the real time and future of the organization and its members, a look at the subject from broader edges,they can provide as accurate a view as is constantly attempted with operational jobs..
Concept of "Management Productivity" and factors associated with the concept
The productivity of managers must be associated with the fulfillment of the responsibilities that they have in the organization. In other words, their performance is framed in achieving effective and quality results in their functions, for the achievement of organizational objectives. This would mean being acting according to the needs and aspirations of the organization, with the application of its knowledge, as a new source of value and wealth creation.
It should be well defined what is understood by productivity for the managerial level, what is to be measured and what is really important for the work they do. This evaluation of the work result status will be important for both the managers and the organization; using measurements that allow any type of corrections to be made.
Measuring means selecting an instrument to carry out said measurement, which can be a complement in performance evaluations that address elements that escape the traditional and common ways of measuring results. The measurement of Directive Productivity could deepen the knowledge of those intangible characteristics that reveal features of their actions, perceptions or behavior; those that would serve to identify the quality and value of their contribution within the organization.
It would be convenient to select a mixture of indicators that identify the total deployment of their capacities, competences, attitudes; by virtue of the effect that all these qualities can have on the level of results of their work, and the impact on the productivity levels of the company. In the same way, those elements and indicators to be used must have a meaning, which provides the information of what is to be measured; taking care that all your responsibilities and objectives are involved.
Taking as a basis the previous fundamentals and concepts, it is possible to define the indicator “Managerial Productivity” as: the value that characterizes the level of relationship between the effectiveness and efficiency of managerial performance in obtaining results; fruit of a productive effort and the perception of those involved in the process.
The measurement of Managerial Productivity tries to recognize and differentiate the levels that allow it to successfully develop an integrated set of productive functions and tasks, with an impact on the work environment and the environment.
Taking into account the place that intangible elements are occupying in management management; it is worth that they develop skills or abilities or adequate competencies that lay the foundations for decision-making, and make the achievement of the objectives or goals of the organization more viable. In addition to facilitating the provision of an integral capacity, which allows it to perform effectively and promote its effectiveness.
To facilitate the operationalization of the concept, it is necessary to explain the two terms that are identified with the definition and are key bearers of value criteria for their analysis. These are:
Effectiveness: refers to the results, in relation to the goals, or the fulfillment of the objectives and everything that is expected from a defined process or management. To be effective, it is necessary to be clear about the steps to be taken or indicators to be managed. Tasks should be prioritized in an organized and orderly manner on the basis of their primacy and importance, and incorporating ingredients of assertiveness in the expressions of analysis, behavior, relationships, decisions and their handling.
Efficiency: it is to achieve the objectives through the choice of alternatives that can provide the greatest benefit. The most efficient result will be given by proper use of resources, at the right time, at the lowest possible cost and complying with the required quality standards. This is used to relate the efforts against the results obtained, the higher the results, the greater the efficiency.
The chosen criteria are related to what you want to define, in order to know in depth, what is the successful contribution of the managerial work activity in the achievement of the organizational objectives. The interaction of these two elements (effectiveness and efficiency), will be a guide to express the fulfillment of its responsibility in the achievement of the objectives within the organization.
In fact, if you want to promote high job performance in them, you could track the behavior of this indicator, through its measurement. Frederick Herzberg (1959) and a group of colleagues published a famous research study showing that intrinsic work factors are potential factors. Therefore it was important that the works be enriched with the increase of these factors; presumably this would increase not only job satisfaction, but also productivity. This without excluding the influence that external factors could have, which can be so strong that they manage to neutralize the results.1
In the same way, in managerial performance there are intrinsic factors that mobilize their interests and behaviors, which, if taken care of, can reverse a process of continuous improvement that leads to an increase in their productivity and therefore that of the workers and the organization.
Figure 1 shows the factors that are used in the concept of “Directive Productivity” and the measurement criteria for each of them.
Fig. 1 Factors and criteria of measures that interact with Directive Productivity.
Factors and criteria of measures that interact with Management Productivity.
Source: Rodríguez, Lourdes and Herrera, Katy, 2003.
For the purposes of analyzing said factors and their measurement criteria; It can be said that the efficiency factor is directly related to the fulfillment of the planned objectives. Hence, its performance must be directed towards the expected results; according to the demands of the process or service and the objectives to be achieved.
When managers accept the responsibility of leading, they acquire the task that the decisions they make will influence various things, but fundamentally other people. Therefore, it is essential that these responsibilities are well defined, so that there are no poor quality results, low productivity or the existence of conflicts between the individuals with whom it collaborates. Perceiving how important your responsibility is in making decisions can lead you to a high degree of motivation and to work for perfect quality, together with your collaborators.
Acceptance is closely related to your characteristics as a leader, since these should be oriented towards decisions accepted by your subordinates and the organization in general, with a maximum of motivation, which helps you influence your collaborators and get them to carry out their tasks with enthusiasm to the achievement of objectives for the common good.
On the other hand, the deployment of competent skills is an essential requirement for them, which allow them to understand and interpret the problems they face on a daily basis. The accumulated experience as well as the applicative reproduction of their knowledge will guarantee growth expectations. This must go beyond individual growth, its reach must reach its collaborators, so that high-impact synergistic results are obtained.
The efficiency factor expresses the quality of your management, which allows you to have better results and with the least possible expense. Management quality is associated with the development of results-oriented management skills
These elements will help you develop integrity and achieve higher levels of efficiencies. Achieved through the maximum use of your talent (knowledge), developing and expanding your skills; All of this would help you stay competitive and increase your productivity. Not only for use in measuring the results of your work, but for its impact on business results. Managers carry out their work by different means, which must be solidly based on specific objectives to be achieved, and in agreement with their collaborators. It is said to achieve an adequate direction; which implies multiplying the efficiency in all orders. Any deficiency in the results of their work directly affects the economic and productive development of the company;and in the end their social responsibility would inevitably be threatened.
This productivity is something that managers look for automatically, there must be something that motivates, drives and in turn provides well-being and satisfaction (either by what they do or by the recognition of the real results of work activities), where they play a fundamental role is the quality of working life and the attention that senior management devotes to this activity, which whenever they are not adequate, their conduct and irremediably their work will be affected. To achieve this, you need to work under certain conditions that help you use all your skills, which are in accordance with your work, values, collaborative capacity and the ability to resolve conflicts. Therefore, administrations must observe all the factors that may affect their productivity,and consider how to eliminate your negative ancestors.
Measurement indicators
The usual practice is to calculate productivity at the company level, and exceptionally this is calculated by each worker; because the economic benefit of the worker is associated with the general production of the company and not with each one of its workers; It is clear that the results in organizations are generally due to the effort of work teams. A study carried out by Ardenson and Sculdder (1985) defines some types of measurements that can be made to measure work individually, answering the following questions:
What has been achieved?
- Customer satisfaction Project success. Utilities.
How has the work been done?
- Degree of innovation Handling of non-standard situations Degree of penetration in the work Limit satisfaction Absence of surprises Documentation and transferability Adaptability to change
This is given, because a balance must be achieved between the result of the work and what was done to achieve that result; That it can be through the effective use of knowledge, the capacity for analysis (the efforts required to achieve the objectives), the competencies that one possesses (how one executes); that it makes available to fulfill the work and with what account to achieve greater efficiency (resources).
There is a strong orientation in seeking productivity reserves for improvements in processes, structures, technology, environment, work organization, etc.; when the managerial work itself possesses a large reserve of productivity. Managers in their leadership exercise seek to effectively take advantage of resources to produce positive results, sometimes developing performance standards in search of higher goals; If you are attracted to the ideal of a desired future, you are able to make commitments to achieve it. In short, his managerial functions are immersed in different tasks, which could well lead him to obtain high levels of productivity.
The effectiveness and efficiency indicators that are used to measure performance were chosen to measure Executive Productivity; that will make it possible to complement the evaluation of managerial activity. These factors are formulated below:
Efficiency indicator - Efficiency indicator
Both proposed indicators (effectiveness and efficiency), to measure Management Productivity, within performance evaluations, confirm the essential unity that must exist between managing effectively and undertaking the proper functions that managers carry out (Planning, organization, direction and control). Therefore this unit of tangible and intangible elements in the evaluations, as well as the application of everything established in the table policy, can form a more comprehensive evaluation of managers.
As established in the definition of "Management Productivity", it is expressed mathematically in the following relationship:
PD = E * e
PD: Directive Productivity
E: Efficacy
e: Efficiency
Productivity in managers will be related to their personal attitude, leadership, skills and their ability to increase their efficiency; which poses renewed demands for training and collaboration. The latter, because as your work is interactive, your productivity will be shared with your collaborators; existing a participatory consensus among all, and an attitude towards teamwork. Their higher stage would be reached as their knowledge, skills, intelligence and attitude contribute to a satisfactory performance; expressed in terms of objectives achieved. And it must obey, among other things, an escalation of their learning, as well as the use of procedures that adjust to the specific conditions and realities of their organization.
The evaluation of these indicators as a whole, will provide a more comprehensive measurement of the results of the work of managers and will inevitably contribute to their personal improvement. Therefore, if you manage things properly, then you would be talking about their effectiveness; because among other things he was able to select the correct targets; if it were stated that they carry out an adequate management and articulation of all resources over time, using their labor skills with dignity, it would be their efficiency. An example can be appreciated by considering the following example.
This productivity evaluation would be a complement to the performance evaluations, because tangible and intangible elements will appear in them; that will reveal their results with uniqueness. In the specific case of intangibles, these tend to focus on the question of "how was it done", to find out if the job is done efficiently. Together you can be aware of what the "effect" of your performance is, it refers to the immediate impact on the environment of your results. In turn, what is the "impact" of this performance, analyze this result to see its impact on the company as a whole and on the environment.
Improving these results requires concentrating them on the weakest parts of your performance. They must be corrected through the selection of new goals. It is precisely the periodic performance evaluations that can help in this, so that there is an attention directed specifically to their administrative functions.
The indicators are aimed at measuring and exposing the intangible results of managers' performance, identifying whether their analytical skills allowed them to take "the lead" to make timely changes to people and processes through the transfer of knowledge, attitudes and skills. On the other hand, the comparisons in the measurement results should allow managers to know what the progress is in relation to their performance, in order to undertake improvement actions whenever necessary
Other facilities of the indicators are related to the possibility of:
- Compare the level of effectiveness and efficiency of current performance with the previous one Know which are the elements that favor it the most and those that least favor it (due to their level of development) to achieve comprehensive performance (effectiveness and efficiency) Establish the grade guidance they need to improve that performance.
Measurement criteria associated with the manager's effectiveness and efficiency
This indicator (Managerial Productivity), like any other, needs to have measurement criteria that show its level of development from its measurement.
Measurement Criteria for Efficacy:
- Performance and responsibility at work Acceptance (satisfaction and recognition) Growth (individual and Collective)
Table 1. Conceptualization of the measurement criteria associated with Efficacy.
| Variables | Conceptualization |
|
Performance and Responsibilities in the workplace |
-The performance means the work performance appropriate to the requirements established for their position, it considers the feeling of
the people about their autonomy in making decisions related to their work. |
|
Acceptance (satisfaction and recognition) |
-It is the approval of authority by subordinates. It is closely linked to the leadership activities that are
developed, the interpersonal relationships that are practiced and the ability to motivate followers to work. |
|
Increase (individual and collective) |
-Increase of intrinsic value. That helps people to behave based on a superior job performance that
responds to personal or collective interests. |
Performance and responsibility at work.
Their performance has to respond to the real requirements of the organization, undertaking the challenge of meeting its demands and needs in all its magnitude and heterogeneity. Demonstrating your ability to consistently deliver a result that allows you to be effective.
Their greatest responsibility lies in carrying out functions or activities that respond to the objectives and aspirations of the organization. And lead people to do their jobs better through motivation.
Acceptance (satisfaction and recognition).
It is based on the ability they have to persuade their collaborators to work to fulfill the goals of the group (leadership), because among other things they recognize their authority and feel satisfaction from their work. Fundamentally because they are in front of a true leader.
Growth (individual and collective).
The development of managers is possible if you practice management with increasing knowledge and skills. For this, it is important that you receive training, this will provide you with more knowledge and experience in the interest of developing adequate criteria for making decisions. But at the same time worrying about the growth of its collaborators, it is said a good level of preparation and performance to undertake their tasks. Staff growth would help them be promoted, as well as being able to fill vacancies when they arise.
Managers must look to the future, and seek to be nurtured by people who have the potential requirements to contribute fully to the well-being of the organization and society.
Measurement criteria to measure efficiency:
Management quality.
Table 2. Conceptualization of the measurement criteria associated with Efficiency.
| Variable | Conceptualization |
| Management quality | Exercise of management skills oriented to results, expressed in performance and superior performance with high impact
on the organization, management of processes and activities, in which the perception of workers towards management is recognized; and that achieving equity between the tangible and intangible results of the management. |
Directive quality.
Management quality is important because it has a direct impact on the productive development of organizations. This includes the use of the knowledge and skills of managers, which should be aimed at conceiving as a priority the fulfillment of the objectives. Coupled with the good use of a motivational system, the development of initiatives, creativity, etc.; to achieve maximum productivity, quality, effectiveness and efficiency of the company, in addition to satisfying the needs of society and workers. The demonstration that there were real reasons for growth, for having achieved the goals set objectively and demonstrating efficiency in all administrative functions.
To measure managerial quality, the indicators already worked on by Galán and Herrera will be used.
- Management competencies and skills Management based on organizational values Management oriented towards social contribution and impact Management of organizational identity Effective management of human capital Status of organizational climate
It is important to note that all the proposed measurement criteria to measure the Managerial Productivity indicator are related to all managerial functions and skills, in order to better estimate the effectiveness of their work. In turn, they will facilitate the reduction of subjective elements in the performance evaluation process; since it will obtain a broader and more direct information about the effectiveness in the work. Performance improvements cannot be achieved without linking it to elements such as: effectiveness and efficiency of results.
Therefore, it should be a business concern to know the degree of productive capacity of the managers, to make a good evaluation of these results. Their tasks must be in congruence with business objectives and strategies, as well as perform the work with quality, efficiency and with the required productivity. Ultimately, there is evidence of elements that can demonstrate that it was able to achieve the required results, in a given circumstance.
Conclusions
Productivity is growth according to intelligence, knowledge, ability, attitude with which human energy is applied that translates into performance. Following this reasoning, a specific combination of effectiveness and efficiency in the work of managers will facilitate better results.
Management Productivity is conceived as the value of the efficiency-performance efficiency gear. Contributing to the comprehensive evaluation of managers based on qualitative and quantitative performance assessments; in order to make it more positive, to raise your productivity to a higher level.
With the inclusion of the Directive Productivity indicator in performance evaluations, it will be possible to move towards superior performance; This is a crucial aspect that needs to be addressed within organizations due to the importance of their work for the entire economy, and how their productivity affects all segments of society.
Bibliography
- Schroeder, RG Operations Management (3 ed., Vol. Ll). ENPES, 1995.Drucker, P. F: Management Challenges for the XXI Century. Editorial Norma, SA, Colombia, 1999. Rodríguez Noris, Lourdes and Herrera Lemus, Katy C. PRODUCTIVITY IN THE MANAGERIAL PERFORMANCE Company de Tabaco Torcido “Miguel Fernández Roig” (La Corona). Thesis presented as an option to the academic title of Master in Management. University of Havana. Havana, 2013.
