Kraft Foods

Most would agree companies have aspirations for great success and continual, positive growth. If growth and success was not a common goal, there is a probability most companies would not be in business for long. With the exclusion of small, one-man operations, the greatest asset companies possess is staff. However, how well a staff is managed is the difference between a good or bad company and its likelihood for success. According to the (Rue and Byars), there are three areas to the management process, which consist of management's tasks, roles, and skills. Although each process of management are extremely important to develop successful managers, consistent improvements in conceptual, technical, and human relations skills are by far the most important as it relates to the direct influence on staff.

The business world is consistently evolving, and as technology and consumers taste change, companies are forced to think of new and more innovative ways to do business in a competitive marketplace. While in a rush to remain viable, managers sometimes fail to realize change takes times, as conception to implementation often takes years. Senior management is often far removed from the daily functions of each department; they rely heavily on statistics and the input of middle management. As it is impossible to know the working details of every position, to a fault middle management rarely takes into account human error, or trusts the input of staff members who work intimately on the company's objectives daily.

As technology advances, companies are forced to make drastic changes in order to revolutionize the way they are currently doing business. As many workers are not receptive to rapid and drastic changes, managers tend to take the "business as usual" approach. To stay current, senior management often adopts new systems that promise streamlined, efficient processes, but normally at the staff's detriment. This lack of cohesiveness, compounded with training on new systems, workflows and processes usually conflicts with the daily business at hand, and results in poorly trained staff, confusion, and a stressful work environment.

While strong conceptual and technical skills are both important to well versed managers, human relations skills are by far the key component to successful management. It is believed that many managers approach their job vigorously with high expectations. There is also the expectation with the company's continued growth; they will experience their own personal growth and success within the company. However, the same expectation for development does not often carry over to subordinates, or only a few hand-selected individuals are positioned for advancement. Although occasionally inadvertent, these practices tend to create a glass ceiling affect. While Middle level managers eagerly climb the corporate ladder, some shun ideas and suggestions of subordinates