Functions of Management

In all organizations the same essential managerial functions are carried out. These are:

• planning
• organizing
• leading
• controlling

All managers perform these functions. That's why we can call them general management functions. Let's define each one of them:

Planning: Planning involves determining organizational goals and means to reach them. Managers plan for three reasons: (1) to establish an overall direction for the organization's future, such as increased profit, expanded market share, and social responsibility (2) to identify and commit the organization resources to achieving its goals; and (3) to decide which tasks must be done to reach those goals.

Organizing: After managers have prepared plans, they must translate those relatively abstract ideas into reality. Sound organization is essential to this effort. Organizing is the process of deciding where decisions will be made, who will perform what jobs and tasks, and who will report to whom in the company. By organizing effectively, managers can better coordinate human, material, and information resources. An organization's success depends largely on management's ability to utilize those resources efficiently and effectively. Organizing involves creating a structure by setting up departments and job description.

Leading: After management has made plans, created a structure, and hired the right personnel, someone must lead the organization. Leading involves getting others to perform the necessary tasks by motivating them to achieve the organization's goals. Leading isn't done only after planning and organizing end; it is crucial element of those functions.

Controlling: The process by which a person, group, or organization consciously monitors performance and tasks corrective action is controlling. Just as a thermostat system sends signals to a heating system that the room temperature is too high or too low, so a management control system sends signals to managers that things aren't working out as planned and that corrective action is needed.

What Is management?

In everyday usage, people often refer to management as a group of managers in an organization. For example the CEO and other high level managers often referred to as top management. The managers under them are may be referred to as middle management, and so on.

The term can also be referred to the tasks that managers do. These tasks include planning, organizing, leading and controlling the work of an organization. Thus, in purely academic terms, management can be referred to as the tasks and activities involved in directing an organization or one of its units: planning, organizing, leading controlling.

Types of management

One of the distinction that can be made between different types of management is that between line and staff management. Because business is so complex, one person cannot hope to command the knowledge and skills required to carryout every management role effectively. Hence, it is necessary to for each manager to draw on skills, abilities and knowledge of others. Organizations therefore appoint specialists, called staff managers, who have competence and techniques and methods in their area of expertise.

Staff managers advise, counsel and assist line managers. Line managers are responsible for the achievement of the identified goals of the organization: they are responsible for results. Another useful distinction between staff and line managers is that staff manager is that staff managers advise on the most effective and efficient means of doing the work and achieving organizational goals, while line managers decide what will be done and supervise those who actually do the work.

Source:
Management-A Competency-Based Approach by Hellriegel
Human Resource management by Jeremy Seward