Management

Management in businesses and organizations is the function that coordinates the efforts of people to accomplish goals and objectives by using available resources efficiently and effectively.

Management includes planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization to accomplish the goal or target. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human resources, financial resources, technological resources, and natural resources. Management is also an academic discipline, a social science whose objective is to study social organization.

Functions of Management

Management has been described as a social process involving responsibility for economical and effective planning & regulation of operation of an enterprise in the fulfillment of given purposes. It is a dynamic process consisting of various elements and activities. These activities are different from operative functions like marketing, finance, purchase etc. Rather these activities are common to each and every manger irrespective of his level or status.

Different experts have classified functions of management. According to George & Jerry, “There are four fundamental functions of management i.e. planning, organizing, actuating and controlling”.

According to Henry Fayol, “To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, & to control”. Whereas Luther Gullick has given a keyword ’POSDCORB’ where P stands for Planning, O for Organizing, S for Staffing, D for Directing, Co for Co-ordination, R for reporting & B for Budgeting. But the most widely accepted are functions of management given by KOONTZ and O’DONNEL i.e. Planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing and Controlling.

For theoretical purposes, it may be convenient to separate the function of management but practically these functions are overlapping in nature i.e. they are highly inseparable. Each function blends into the other & each affects the performance of others.

1. Planning

It is the basic function of management. It deals with chalking out a future course of action & deciding in advance the most appropriate course of actions for achievement of pre-determined goals. According to KOONTZ, “Planning is deciding in advance - what to do, when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap from where we are & where we want to be”. A plan is a future course of actions. It is an exercise in problem solving & decision making. Planning is determination of courses of action to achieve desired goals. Thus, planning is a systematic thinking about ways & means for accomplishment of pre-determined goals. Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. It is all pervasive, it is an intellectual activity and it also helps in avoiding confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc.

2. Organizing

It is the process of bringing together physical, financial and human resources and developing productive relationship amongst them for achievement of organizational goals. According to Henry Fayol, “To organize a business is to provide it with everything useful or its functioning i.e. raw material, tools, capital and personnel’s”. To organize a business involves determining & providing human and non-human resources to the organizational structure. Organizing as a process involves:

• Identification of activities.
• Classification of grouping of activities.
• Assignment of duties.
• Delegation of authority and creation of responsibility.
• Coordinating authority and responsibility relationships.
2. Staffing

It is the function of manning the organization structure and keeping it manned. Staffing has assumed greater importance in the recent years due to advancement of technology, increase in size of business, complexity of human behavior etc. The main purpose o staffing is to put right man on right job i.e. square pegs in square holes and round pegs in round holes. According to Kootz & O’Donell, “Managerial function of staffing involves manning the organization structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal & development of personnel to fill the roles designed un the structure”. Staffing involves:

• Manpower Planning (estimating man power in terms of searching, choose the person and giving the right place).
• Recruitment, Selection & Placement.
• Training & Development.
• Remuneration.
• Performance Appraisal.
• Promotions & Transfer.
3. Directing

It is that part of managerial function which actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achievement of organizational purposes. It is considered life-spark of the enterprise which sets it in motion the action of people because planning, organizing and staffing are the mere preparations for doing the work. Direction is that inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding, supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for the achievement of organizational goals. Direction has following elements:

• Supervision
• Motivation
• Leadership
• Communication

Supervision- implies overseeing the work of subordinates by their superiors. It is the act of watching & directing work & workers.

Motivation- means inspiring, stimulating or encouraging the sub-ordinates with zeal to work. Positive, negative, monetary, non-monetary incentives may be used for this purpose.

Leadership- may be defined as a process by which manager guides and influences the work of subordinates in desired direction.

Communications- is the process of passing information, experience, opinion etc from one person to another. It is a bridge of understanding.

5. Controlling

It implies measurement of accomplishment against the standards and correction of deviation if any to ensure achievement of organizational goals. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that everything occurs in conformities with the standards. An efficient system of control helps to predict deviations before they actually occur. According to Theo Haimann, “Controlling is the process of checking whether or not proper progress is being made towards the objectives and goals and acting if necessary, to correct any deviation”. According to Koontz & O’Donell “Controlling is the measurement & correction of performance activities of subordinates in order to make sure that the enterprise objectives and plans desired to obtain them as being accomplished”. Therefore controlling has following steps:

1. Establishment of standard performance.
2. Measurement of actual performance.
3. Comparison of actual performance with the standards and finding out deviation if any.
4. Corrective action.

The Evolution of Management Theories

If you're familiar with management theory background and the evolution that led to present practices, your greater understanding of management principles can help you manage employees more effectively. Management theories have evolved from an emphasis on authority and structure to a focus on employees. There are still competing theories regarding what motivates an employee, but knowing how the theories arrived at their conclusions can help you with your own employees.

History

Management theory originated with "scientific" and "bureaucratic" management that used measurement, procedures and routines as the basis for operations. Organizations developed hierarchies to apply standardized rules to the workplace and punished workers for not following them. With the "human relations" movement, companies started emphasizing individual workers. Contemporary management theories, including system theory, contingency theory and chaos theory, focus on the whole organization, with employees as a key part of the system.

Culture

Management theories have evolved to acknowledge that corporate culture can be a contributor to performance. If you can develop a sense of belonging to a group for your company, you can manage the business for improved financial performance and return on investment. To work well with a positive corporate culture as a manager, you have to work through the culture and not try to control it. A positive corporate culture takes care of a lot of informal exchange of information and behavioral norms.

Quantitative Methods

All contemporary management theories emphasize measurement and quantitative analysis. Management has evolved to focus on fundamental company operating results and business variables that are relevant, specific to goals and quantifiable. Information technology allows you to analyze large data sets and extract trends. You can evaluate key performance indicators, which track data affecting your objectives, to tell you how well you are advancing toward your goals. You can perform these evaluations independently of the management style and organizational structure of the company.

Competing Approaches

Management theories have evolved into two competing orientations. Theory X assumes employees don't want to work and act out of self-interest. Managers have to put in place a disciplinary structure to guide employees in the execution of their work. If you function with theory X, you have to tell employees what to do and encourage them to do it. Theory Y assumes employees want to carry out interesting and rewarding work and seek reward in the achievement. Managers have to set goals and allow employees to find creative ways to reach them. If your company culture is in line with theory Y, you facilitate employee effort and act more like a coach.

Functions roles and skills of a manager

For instance, as well as leading your team, you might find yourself resolving a conflict, negotiating new contracts, representing your department at a board meeting, or approving a request for a new computer system.

Put simply, you're constantly switching roles as tasks, situations, and expectations change. Management expert and professor Henry Mintzberg recognized this, and he argued that there are ten primary roles or behaviors that can be used to categorize a manager's different functions.

In this article, we'll examine these roles and see how you can use your understanding of them to improve your management skills.

The Roles

Mintzberg published his Ten Management Roles in his book, "Mintzberg on Management: Inside our Strange World of Organizations," in 1990.

The ten roles are:

1.      Figurehead.

2.      Leader.

3.      Liaison.

4.      Monitor.

5.      Disseminator.

6.      Spokesperson.

7.      Entrepreneur.

8.      Disturbance Handler.

9.      Resource Allocator.

10.  Negotiator.

Interpersonal Category

The managerial roles in this category involve providing information and ideas.

1.      Figurehead – As a manager, you have social, ceremonial and legal responsibilities. You're expected to be a source of inspiration. People look up to you as a person with authority, and as a figurehead.

2.      Leader – This is where you provide leadership for your team, your department or perhaps your entire organization; and it's where you manage the performance and responsibilities of everyone in the group.

3.      Liaison – Managers must communicate with internal and external contacts. You need to be able to network effectively on behalf of your organization.

Informational Category

The managerial roles in this category involve processing information.

4.      Monitor – In this role, you regularly seek out information related to your organization and industry, looking for relevant changes in the environment. You also monitor your team, in terms of both their productivity, and their well-being.

5.      Disseminator – This is where you communicate potentially useful information to your colleagues and your team.

6.      Spokesperson – Managers represent and speak for their organization. In this role you're responsible for transmitting information about your organization and its goals to the people outside it.

Decisional Category

The managerial roles in this category involve using information.

7.      Entrepreneur – As a manager, you create and control change within the organization. This means solving problems, generating new ideas, and implementing them.

8.      Disturbance Handler – When an organization or team hits an unexpected roadblock, it's the manager who must take charge. You also need to help mediate disputes within it.

9.      Resource Allocator – You'll also need to determine where organizational resources are best applied. This involves allocating funding, as well as assigning staff and other organizational resources.

10.  Negotiator – You may be needed to take part in, and direct, important negotiations within your team, department, or organization.

Applying the Model

You can use Mintzberg's 10 Management Roles model as a frame of reference when you're thinking about developing your own skills and knowledge. (This includes developing yourself in areas that you consciously or unconsciously shy away from.)

First, examine how much time you currently spend on each managerial role. Do you spend most of your day leading? Managing conflict? Disseminating information? This will help you decide which areas to work on first

Next, get a piece of paper and write out all ten roles. Score yourself from 1-5 on each one, with 1 being "Very skilled" to 5 being "Not skilled at all."

Once you've identified your weak areas, use the following resources to start improving your abilities in each role.

Figurehead

Figureheads represent their teams. If you need to improve or build confidence in this area, start with your image, behavior, and reputation . Cultivate humility  and empathy , learn how to set a good example at work , and think about how to be a good role model .

Leader

This is the role you probably spend most of your time fulfilling. To improve here, start by taking our quiz, How Good Are Your Leadership Skills?  This will give you a thorough understanding of your current abilities.

Next, learn how to be an authentic leader , so your team will respect you. Also, focus on improving your emotional intelligence  – this is an important skill for being an effective leader.

Liaison

To improve your liaison skills, work on your professional networking  techniques. You may also like to take our Bite-Sized Training course on Networking Skills.

Monitor

To improve here, learn how to gather information  effectively and overcome information overload . Also, use effective reading strategies , so that you can process material quickly and thoroughly, and learn how to keep up-to-date with industry news .

Disseminator

To be a good disseminator you need to know how to share information and outside views effectively, which means that good communication skills are vital.

Learn how to share organizational information with Team Briefings . Next, focus on improving your writing skills . You might also want to take our communication skills quiz , to find out where else you can improve.

Spokesperson

To be effective in this role, make sure that you know how to represent your organization at a conference . You may also want to read our articles on delivering great presentations  and working with the media  (if applicable to your role).

Entrepreneur

To improve here, build on your change management  skills, and learn what not to do when implementing change  in your organization. You'll also need to work on your problem solving  and creativity skills , so that you can come up with new ideas, and implement them successfully.

Disturbance Handler

In this role, you need to excel at conflict resolution  and know how to handle team conflict . It's also helpful to be able to manage emotion in your team .

Resource Allocator

To improve as a resource allocator, learn how to manage a budget , cut costs , and prioritize , so that you can make the best use of your resources. You can also use VRIO Analysis  to learn how to get the best results from the resources available to you.

Negotiator

Improve your negotiation skills by learning about Win-Win Negotiation  and Distributive Bargaining .

You might also want to read our article on role-playing  – this technique can help you prepare for difficult negotiations.

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