Page 120 - Encyclopedia of Business and Finance

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Careers in Management

Labor relations managers have an interest in labor law The city manager must also provide reports to the coun-
and are good communicators. They negotiate collective cil members on ongoing and completed projects.
bargaining agreements and develop grievance procedures Health services managers work in clinics, hospitals,
to handle complaints. When problems arise between man- and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). They
agement and labor, they interpret and administer the make most of the business or operational decisions in the
labor contract and resolve the disputes according to the health care facility. The health services manager establishes
terms of the contract. They also work closely with the billing procedures, handles budgets, supervises staff, and
human resources director on issues such as wages, bene- interacts with the public. Health services managers start as
fits, pensions, and work practices. management trainees or assistant administrators.
Administrative services managers coordinate and direct Hotel and motel managers are responsible for the full
supportive services of larger businesses and government range of activities in a lodging establishment. These
agencies. They are responsible for services such as clerical include guest registration and checkout, housekeeping,
support, records management, payroll, conference plan- accounting, maintenance and security, and food service.
ning, information processing, and materials distribution The manager is also responsible for coordinating activi-
and scheduling. However, corporate restructuring has ties, such as meetings and other special events. In large
resulted in many organizations outsourcing their adminis- hotels, assistant managers are responsible for the opera-
trative services. This means that the demand for adminis- tions of various departments. Hotel managers begin as
trative services managers will greatly increase in department heads and, after gaining experience, are pro-
companies providing management consulting, manage- moted to manager.
ment services, and facilities support services. Retail managers supervise employees and deal with
Food service managers have very similar duties to customer complaints. In addition, they are responsible for
restaurant managers, catering managers, and fast-food managing the store inventory. They keep up-to-date
restaurant managers. In fact, the food service manager records of merchandise, make pricing decisions, and
works in a variety of facilities, including fast-food restau- decide on advertising and promotions. The retail manager
rants, hospitals, and school cafeterias. Food service man- works long hours and may be employed in a wide variety
agers coordinate all aspects of the food and beverage of stores, including department stores, discount stores, or
activities for the organization. They set the standard for specialty stores. Retail managers often begin as assistant
quality food service, hire and assign employees, and plan managers responsible for a department in a large store.
menus. They also perform some clerical duties, such as They are then promoted to merchandising manager or to
payroll and inventory. store manager.
Building managers, also called real estate managers, Sales managers exist in almost every firm and perform
administer rental properties, such as apartment buildings one of the most important functions in the organization.
and office buildings, for the owners. As the agents of the They find customers for the company’s products and/or
owners, they market vacant space, negotiate leases, set and services and therefore provide revenues for the company.
collect rents, and arrange for security and maintenance of They recruit, hire, train, and supervise the company’s sales
the properties. They also handle all the bookkeeping and force. Sales managers begin as sales representatives. Being
accounting records and provide periodic reports to the a successful sales representative leads to promotion to sen-
owners. ior sales representative or sales supervisor, then to a sales
manager.
Fitness center managers are physically fit and interested
in exercise science. Companies, government agencies, and Procurement managers, sometimes called purchasing
cruise ships with fitness facilities are looking for managers agents or industrial buyers, buy the supplies and materials
who can develop programs that satisfy customers’ health needed by a company. They must be knowledgeable about
and fitness needs. The fitness center manger conducts the various vendors and their offerings. They must acquire
research to identify customer needs, develops and man- the best possible deals for their company in terms of price,
ages programs for the center and its clients, and monitors quality, delivery, and payment schedules. Managers in
health and safety requirements. In small centers, the man- large companies sometimes specialize in specific types of
ager is also responsible for delivering fitness training and purchases.
maintaining center equipment.
City managers, also called town managers, are respon- EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
sible for the day-to-day operations of various departments Educational requirements for a career in management
of city government. A main responsibility of city man- vary. However, most employers require a college degree in
agers is to prepare budgets for the city council’s approval. either the liberal arts, social sciences, or business adminis-

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION 97