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PART D: LEADING AND MANAGING INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS 
 
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1.8.4 Departmental power 
The power exercised by individual departments will vary. 
Some departments in the technostructure exercise power by the use of 
functional authority
, for instance, 
by specifying procedures. Other departments are important as they deal with 
key strategic 
contingencies
.
1.9 The manager's role in organising work 
Managers have 
key roles
in work planning, resource allocation and project management. 
1.9.1 Work planning 
Work planning
is the establishment of work methods and practices to ensure that predetermined 
objectives are efficiently met at all levels. 
(a) 
Task sequencing 
or 
prioritisation 
ie considering tasks in order of importance for achieving 
objectives and meeting deadlines 
(b) 
Scheduling 
or 
timetabling tasks
, and allocating them to different individuals within appropriate 
time scales 
(c) Establishing 
checks and controls 
to ensure that: 
(i) 
Priority deadlines are being met and work is not 'falling behind' 
(ii) 
Routine tasks are achieving their objectives 
(d) 
Contingency plans: 
arrangements for what should be done if changes or problems occur, eg 
computer system failure or industrial action 
(e) 
Co-ordinating 
the efforts of individuals: integrating plans and schedules so that data and work 
flows smoothly from one stage of an operation to another
 
Some jobs (eg assembly line work) are entirely routine, and can be performed one step at a time, but for 
most people some kind of ongoing planning and adjustment will be required. 
1.9.2 Assessing where resources are most usefully allocated 
In broad terms, managers and supervisors have access to the following resources, which can be 
allocated or deployed to further the unit's objectives. 
(a)