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Where
to Find Online Degrees & Information for:
Business Administration
and Management
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About:
Business Administration
and Management
Significant Points
Administrative services managers
work in private industry and government and have varied
responsibilities, experience, earnings, and education.
Competition should remain keen due to the substantial
supply of competent, experienced workers seeking managerial
jobs; however, demand should be strong for facility
managers and for administrative services managers in
management consulting.
Nature of the Work
Administrative services managers perform
a broad range of duties in virtually every sector of
the economy. They coordinate and direct support services
to organizations as diverse as insurance companies,
computer manufacturers, and government offices. These
workers manage the many services that allow organizations
to operate efficiently, such as secretarial and reception,
administration, payroll, conference planning and travel,
information and data processing, mail, materials scheduling
and distribution, printing and reproduction, records
management, telecommunications management, security,
parking, and personal property procurement, supply,
and disposal.
Specific duties for these managers vary
by degree of responsibility and authority. First-line
administrative services managers directly supervise
a staff that performs various support services. Mid-level
managers, on the other hand, develop departmental plans,
set goals and deadlines, implement procedures to improve
productivity and customer service, and define the responsibilities
of supervisory-level managers. Some mid-level administrative
services managers oversee first-line supervisors from
various departments, including the clerical staff. Mid-level
managers also may be involved in the hiring and dismissal
of employees, but they generally have no role in the
formulation of personnel policy. Some of these managers
advance to upper level positions, such as vice president
of administrative services, which are discussed in the
Handbook statement on top executives.
In small organizations, a single administrative
services manager may oversee all support services. In
larger ones, however, first-line administrative services
managers often report to mid-level managers who, in
turn, report to owners or top-level managers. As the
size of the firm increases, administrative services
managers are more likely to specialize in specific support
activities. For example, some administrative services
managers work primarily as office managers, contract
administrators, or unclaimed property officers. In many
cases, the duties of these administrative services managers
are similar to those of other managers and supervisors,
some of which are discussed in other Handbook statements.
Because of the range of administrative
services required by organizations, the nature of these
managerial jobs also varies significantly. Administrative
services managers who work as contract administrators,
for instance, oversee the preparation, analysis, negotiation,
and review of contracts related to the purchase or sale
of equipment, materials, supplies, products, or services.
In addition, some administrative services managers acquire,
distribute, and store supplies, while others dispose
of surplus property or oversee the disposal of unclaimed
property.
Facility managers have duties similar
to those of administrative services managers, but also
plan, design, and manage buildings and grounds in addition
to people. They are responsible for coordinating the
aspects of the physical workplace with the people and
work of an organization. This task requires integrating
the principles of business administration, architecture,
and behavioral and engineering science. Although the
specific tasks assigned to facility managers vary substantially
depending on the organization, the duties fall into
several categories, relating to operations and maintenance,
real estate, project planning and management, communication,
finance, quality assessment, facility function, and
management of human and environmental factors. Tasks
within these broad categories may include space and
workplace planning, budgeting, purchase and sale of
real estate, lease management, renovations, or architectural
planning and design. Facility managers may suggest and
oversee renovation projects for a variety of reasons,
ranging from improving efficiency to ensuring that facilities
meet government regulations and environmental, health,
and security standards. Additionally, facility managers
continually monitor the facility to ensure that it remains
safe, secure, and well-maintained. Often, the facility
manager is responsible for directing staff, including
maintenance, grounds, and custodial workers.
Working Conditions
Administrative services managers generally
work in comfortable offices. Managers involved in contract
administration and personal property procurement, use,
and disposal may travel between their home office, branch
offices, vendors' offices, and property sales sites.
Also, facility managers who are responsible for the
design of workspaces may spend time at construction
sites and may travel between different facilities while
monitoring the work of maintenance, grounds, and custodial
staffs. However, new technology has increased the number
of managers who telecommute from home or other offices,
and teleconferencing has reduced the need for travel.
Most administrative services managers
work a standard 40-hour week. However, uncompensated
overtime frequently is required to resolve problems
and meet deadlines. Facility managers often are on call
to address a variety of problems that can arise in a
facility during non-work hours. Because of frequent
deadlines and the challenges of managing staff and resources,
the work of administrative services and facility managers
can be stressful.
Employment
Administrative services managers held about 362,000
jobs in 2000. About half worked in service industries,
including engineering and management, business, educational,
social, and health services. The remaining workers were
widely dispersed throughout the economy.
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement
Educational requirements for these managers
vary widely, depending on the size and complexity of
the organization. In small organizations, experience
may be the only requirement needed to enter a position
as office manager. When an opening in administrative
services management occurs, the office manager may be
promoted to the position based on past performance.
In large organizations, however, administrative services
managers normally are hired from outside, and each position
has formal education and experience requirements. Some
administrative services managers have advanced degrees.
Specific requirements vary by job responsibility.
For first-line administrative services managers of secretarial,
mailroom, and related support activities, many employers
prefer an associate degree in business or management,
although a high school diploma may suffice when combined
with appropriate experience. For managers of audiovisual,
graphics, and other technical activities, postsecondary
technical school training is preferred. Managers of
highly complex services, such as contract administration,
generally need at least a bachelor's degree in business,
human resources, or finance. Regardless of major, the
curriculum should include courses in office technology,
accounting, business mathematics, computer applications,
human resources, and business law. Most facility managers
have an undergraduate or graduate degree in engineering,
architecture, construction management, business administration,
or facility management. Many have a background in real
estate, construction, or interior design, in addition
to managerial experience. Whatever the manager's educational
background, it must be accompanied by related work experience
reflecting demonstrated ability. For this reason, many
administrative services managers have advanced through
the ranks of their organization, acquiring work experience
in various administrative positions before assuming
first-line supervisory duties. All managers who oversee
departmental supervisors should be familiar with office
procedures and equipment. Managers of personal property
acquisition and disposal need experience in purchasing
and sales, and knowledge of a variety of supplies, machinery,
and equipment. Managers concerned with supply, inventory,
and distribution should be experienced in receiving,
warehousing, packaging, shipping, transportation, and
related operations. Contract administrators may have
worked as contract specialists, cost analysts, or procurement
specialists. Managers of unclaimed property often have
experience in insurance claims analysis and records
management.
Persons interested in becoming administrative
services or facility managers should have good communication
skills and be able to establish effective working relationships
with many different people, ranging from managers, supervisors,
and professionals, to clerks and blue-collar workers.
They should be analytical, detail-oriented, flexible,
and decisive. They must also be able to coordinate several
activities at once, quickly analyze and resolve specific
problems, and cope with deadlines.
Most administrative services managers
in small organizations advance by moving to other management
positions or to a larger organization. Advancement is
easier in large firms that employ several levels of
administrative services managers. Attainment of the
Certified Administrative Manager (CAM) designation offered
by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers
through work experience and successful completion of
examinations can increase a manager's advancement potential.
In addition, a master's degree in business administration
or related field enhances a first-level manager's opportunities
to advance to a mid-level management position, such
as director of administrative services, and eventually
to a top-level management position, such as executive
vice president for administrative services. Those with
the required capital and experience can establish their
own management consulting firm.
Advancement of facility managers is
based on the practices and size of individual companies.
Some facility managers transfer from other departments
within the organization or work their way up from technical
positions. Others advance through a progression of facility
management positions that offer additional responsibilities.
Completion of the competency-based professional certification
program offered by the International Facility Management
Association can give prospective candidates an advantage.
In order to qualify for this Certified Facility Manager
(CFM) designation, applicants must meet certain educational
and experience requirements.
Job Outlook
Employment of administrative services managers is expected
to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations
through 2010. Like other managerial positions, there
are more competent, experienced workers seeking jobs
than there are positions available. However, demand
should be strong for facility managers because businesses
increasingly are realizing the importance of maintaining
and efficiently operating their facilities, which are
very large investments for most organizations. Administrative
services managers employed in management services and
management consulting also should be in demand, as public
and private organizations continue to contract out and
streamline their administrative services functions in
an effort to cut costs. Many additional job openings
will stem from the need to replace workers who transfer
to other jobs, retire, or stop working for other reasons.
Continuing corporate restructuring and
increasing utilization of office technology should result
in a flatter organizational structure with fewer levels
of management, reducing the need for some middle management
positions. This should adversely affect administrative
services managers who oversee first-line mangers. Because
many administrative managers have a variety of functions,
however, the effects of these changes on employment
should be less severe than for other middle managers
who specialize in only certain functions.
Earnings
Earnings of administrative services managers vary greatly
depending on the employer, the specialty, and the geographic
area. In general, however, median annual earnings of
administrative services managers in 2000 were $47,080.
The middle 50 percent earned between $32,550 and $67,630.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,800, and
the highest 10 percent earned more than $90,120. Median
annual earnings in the industries employing the largest
numbers of these workers in 2000 are shown below:
Computer and data processing services
$54,700
Colleges and universities 51,470
Local government 48,470
Management and public relations 44,420
State government 43,710
In the Federal Government, contract
specialists in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial
positions earned an average of $60,310 a year in 2000.
Corresponding averages were $58,050 for facilities managers,
$57,360 for industrial property managers, $53,830 for
property disposal specialists, $57,400 for administrative
officers, and $48,410 for support services administrators.
Related Occupations
Administrative services managers direct
and coordinate support services and oversee the purchase,
use, and disposal of personal property. Occupations
with similar functions include office and administrative
support worker supervisors and managers; cost estimators;
property, real estate, and community association managers;
purchasing managers, buyers, and purchasing agents;
and top executives.
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