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Decisional managerial roles

The decisional category in Mintzberg’s managerial-role model covers entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource allocator and negotiator. Entrepreneur initiates improvements or change; disturbance handler responds to important unexpected problems; resource allocator determines how scarce resources are used; negotiator represents the organisation in significant negotiations. These are four of the model’s ten roles, alongside its interpersonal and informational categories.

Worked example

A factory manager proposes a new workflow as entrepreneur, deals with a major equipment failure as disturbance handler, assigns overtime funds as resource allocator and negotiates revised delivery arrangements as negotiator.

Common mistake

Entrepreneur in this model is a managerial change role and does not mean the person must own a start-up business.

Where it appears in your exams

QualificationExamRelationshipPeriod
ACCA BT Direct September 2026–June 2027
FIA FBT Direct September 2026–June 2027