Apparel Industry Management

Apparel Industry Management 3(3+0)

Lesson 5 : Top, Middle and Lower Management

Lower Management

It is also known as ‘Supervisory Management’. At the bottom of the managerial hierarchy lies the supervisor, the foreman or the office superintendent. It is for this class of executives to see that work is properly carried out by the rank and file workers, with whom they are in direct relationship. Though classified at the low level, the importance of functions of the personnel employed at the operational level cannot be overemphasized. The plan and policies of the top management will fail if the foreman and operatives do not fully realize the spirit of sustained work. The quality of the workmanship and quantity of output also depends on the hard labour, discipline and loyalty of the operating personnel. This level of management represents the workers before the higher management, and the higher echelons of management to the workers.

The workers look to the supervisor for orders, policies, instructions, guidance, encouragement, advancement, increased pay and so on. The supervisor is the person and workers fear because of his power to punish or dismiss. The success of the supervisor in turn depends on the performance of the workers, their ungrudging effort, mental satisfaction and co-operation.

The supervisor in turn looks to his superior in middle management as the arbiter of his security and promotion and the source of decisions, orders, policy information, help and guidance. He also looks to his fellow-supervisors for co-operation in related parts of the work.

Functions of Supervisors

The various functions of a supervisor may be enumerated as below:

1. To issue orders and instructions to the workers and supervise and control their functioning.
2. To plan the activities of his section, classifying and assigning jobs to the workers.
3. To direct and guide the workers about work procedure
4. To arrange for the necessary equipment, materials, tools, etc. for the workers.
5. To provide on-the-job training to the workers.
6. To look after the proper maintenance of the tools, machinery etc.
7. To solve the problems of the workers
8. To communicate the problems of workers, which are not solved at his level.
9. To advise middle management about working environment
10. To maintain discipline among the workers, and develop in them the right approach for work.
11. To act as the liason officer between the middle management and the rank and file workers.
12. To build up a high group morale or esprit de corps among the workers.
13. To main good human relations

Effectiveness of a supervisor is judged on the basis of how he is contributing to his organization by his work. Some important elements of effective supervisory practices are:

• Leadership,
• Closeness of supervision
• Employee-orientation or Human relations
• Group cohesiveness,
• Delegation and
• Feelings of esprit de corps among the workers.