Three levels of Management
Top, Middle and Lower level
These managers are classified in a hierarchy of authority and they perform different
tasks as a manager. In organizations, the number of manager in every level resembles a
pyramid. This level is important to determine the head of the company and also to become
easier to do work, to accomplish their individual duties to achieve their goals.
The first is Top-level managers consists of board of directors, president, vice-president,
and CEO. These managers are responsible for controlling and overseeing the entire
organization. They develop goals, strategic plans, company policies, and make decisions on
the direction of the business. In addition, top-level managers play a significant role in the
mobilization of outside resources. Top-level managers are accountable to the shareholders
and general public. It devotes more time on planning and coordinating functions.
The role of the top management can be summarized as follows -
Top management lays down the objectives and broad policies of the enterprise.
It issues necessary instructions for preparation of department budgets, procedures, schedules
etc. It prepares strategic plans & policies for the enterprise. It appoints the executive for
middle level i.e. departmental managers. It controls & coordinates the activities of all the
departments. It is also responsible for maintaining a contact with the outside world. It
provides guidance and direction. The top management is also responsible towards the
shareholders for the performance of the enterprise.
The second is middle-level managers. Middle management is the intermediate
management of a hierarchical organization that is subordinate to the executive management
and responsible for at least two lower levels of junior staff. According to Peter Aucoin, the
administrative branch is subordinate to the executive branch in a manner which establishes a
critical distinction between those with the authority to determine what governments do.
Middle-level managers devote more time to organizational and directional functions than
top-level managers. Their roles can be emphasized as executing organizational plans in
conformance with the company's policies and the objectives of the top management;
Defining and discussing information and policies from top management to lower
management; and most importantly, Inspiring and providing guidance to low-level managers
towards better performance. Some of their functions are as follows, Designing and
implementing effective group and intergroup work and information systems; Defining and
monitoring group-level performance indicators; Diagnosing and resolving problems within
and among work groups; Designing and implementing reward systems supporting
cooperative behavior.

The third is lower-level managers. Low-level managers consist of Supervisors, section
leads, and foremen. These managers focus on controlling and directing.
Low-level managers usually have the responsibility of: Assigning employees tasks;
Guiding and supervising employees on day-to-day activities; Ensuring the quality and quantity
of production; Making recommendations and suggestions; and even
up channeling employee problems. According to R.C. Davis, “Supervisory management refers
to those executives whose work has to be largely with personal oversight and direction of
operative employees”. In other words, they are concerned with direction and controlling
function of management. Their activities include - Assigning of jobs and tasks to various
workers. They guide and instruct workers for day to day activities. They are responsible for
the quality as well as quantity of production. They are also entrusted with the responsibility
of maintaining good relation in the organization. They communicate workers problems,
suggestions, and recommendatory appeals etc to the higher level and higher level goals and
objectives to the workers. They help to solve the grievances of the workers. They supervise &
guide the sub-ordinates. They are responsible for providing training to the workers. They
arrange necessary materials, machines, tools etc for getting the things done. They prepare
periodical reports about the performance of the workers. They ensure discipline in the
enterprise. They motivate workers. They are the image builders of the enterprise because
they are in direct contact with the workers.
Therefore, in organization this level is very important to manage a company. Also,
there individual duties are to achieve the organizational goal.

References:
https://www.boundless.com/business/textbooks/boundless-business-
textbook/management-8/types-of-management-61/management-levels-a-
hierarchical-view-293-7468/
Peter Aucoin (1989), MiddleManagers, Instituteof Public Administration of
Canada, p. 191, ISBN9780920715024
https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Management_Concepts_and_Applications/Man
agement
© 2016 Management Study Guide
Wikipedia. 10 September 2016
Source:Boundless. “ManagementLevels:A HierarchicalView.” Boundless
BusinessBoundless, 08 Aug. 2016. Retrieved09 Dec. 2016 from
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textbook/management-8/types-of-management-61/management-levels-a-
hierarchical-view-293-7468/