Interview with Senior Manager Summary of Interview with John (Fire Station Chief) The first interviewee was the Chief of a fire department. Concerning his day-to-day work, the Chief reported that most of his work revolves around financial management and allocation of the resources of the fire department and ensuring that the firefighters in the department receive proper training. The Chief reported that the most critical problem facing the department is safety. The firefighters’ job is very risky. The third question asked about the skills needed to succeed in the line of work. The manager’s response related to the skills needed to be a firefighter, and not a manager. The fourth question dealt with the reasons why some people have failed in the line of work. The Chief said that those who fail in the line of work do not have the patience to learn and grown in the trade. In the fifth question, the Chief pointed out that the most important skill needed to be the manager of the fire department is the ability to solve problems. In the final question, the Chief said the qualities he would look for in someone meant to replace him are openness, availability, and a hands-on approach to work. Management Functions The four management functions of planning, controlling, organizing, strategizing in the Chief’s line of work are clear. The Chief is in charge of planning for the operations of the department. He ensures that there are resources for use in the operations of the fire department. In the area of controlling, it is up to him to ensure that the financial resources given to the department are sufficient to run the department for a given period. The Chief said that the money given to the department mainly goes to the payroll, which accounts for ninety percent of the department’s expenses. Organizing the department is also part of the Chief’s work. He is responsible for planning to ensure that all the activities of the fire department take place in an organized manner. Finally, the Chief is in charge of strategizing regarding the operations of the department. He determines the number of staff needed and he finds the best way to meet the shortfall based on his experience as a firefighter. Similarities and Differences to Other Managers The fire station Chief is responsible for higher level thinking for the entire department. The issues the Chief raises cut across the operations of the entire department. In this sense, his work is different from the work of the other managers. The main similarity between the Chief’s work and that of other managers is that they all work with people. This means that it is the job of all managers interviewed to supervise, to motivate, and to organize resources and staff to achieve departmental goals. The unique role that a senior manager plays shows in the high scores the Chief gave to the functional aspects of management that he handles. His scores are the highest in all categories compared to the other two managers. Interview with Middle Level Manager Summary of Interview The second interview was with Sarah, who is the Assistant Dean of Academic Services in the School of Business. Sarah reports to the Dean, but the school’s staff report to her. In this sense, she is a midd