MANAGEMENT- DEFINITION AND FUNCTIONS
The Art of getting things done through people.
The process of designing and maintaining an environment
in which Individuals working together in groups efficiently
accomplish selected aims.
Characteristics of Management:-
1. An integrative process – Management involves integration
of different functions, techniques and functions through
which a manager coordinates the activities of other people.
2. A goal-oriented process – Management aims to achieve
Economic and social objectives by integrating all the
activities in a single coordinated effort and a process.
3. A system of Authority – Management is also a rule making
and rule enforcing body of an oeganisation.The authority
To make and implement rules is divided among different
levels of management.
4. A group of people – Management also refers to a group of
individuals who are responsible for getting things done.
5. A profession – Management is an applied and skill based
practice which is taken up as a profession by trained
managers.
FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT
PLANNING :
Planning is the process of selecting mission, goals and
objectives of an activity or an organisation and
determining a systematic process and actions for their
accomplishment.
The steps in the planning process are :
Determining Opportunities for growth – Setting
objectives/goals- Forecasting – Identifying alternatives
courses of action- Evaluating the alternatives – Choosing the
appropriate alternative – Establishing Control systems
ORGANISING :
Organising is the process of establishing an organisational
Structure, assigning roles, responsibilities and tasks to
different positions, establishing hierarchical, reporting and
authority relationships between them to implement plans and
accomplish goals in a coordinated manner.
Organising process involves:
Identifying the various activities for attaining objectives of
the firm – Grouping of these activities into departments –
Assigning people to these departments and resource
allocation – Fixing of vertical and horizontal relationships
between the various positions
DIRECTING:
Directing is the process of influencing people’s
behaviour for achievement of organisational goals
through creation of an effective organisational climate,
provision of proper leadership, motivation, group
dynamics, conflict management and coordination of
various activities.
Directing involves the functions of – Leadership,
Communication, Motivation, Supervision
STAFFING:
Staffing covers different activities aimed at filling and
keeping filled the various positions in the organisation
structure with people of appropriate competency.
Staffing involves the activities of - Recruitment and
Selection, Training, Performance appraisal, Managing
Interpersonal problems
CONTROLLING: Controlling is a managerial process
that ensures conformity of performance with pre-
established standards by measuring individual and
organisational performance, comparing it with the
standards and correcting any significant deviations.
The controlling process involves – Setting performance
Standards –Measuring actual performance –Comparing
actual performance against the pre set standards –
identifying gaps between actual and desired
performance – initiating corrective and preventive
actions
