MANAGEMENT
Introduction:
Management can be defined in a number of ways. Generally, management is “the process of getting things accomplished with and through people by guiding their efforts toward common goals.” Management processes include methods that aid the investigation, structuring, analysis, communication and decision-making of business related issues. The function of a management process is to enforce a consistent and disciplined approach to decision making and analysis. They make space for the use of a credible thought process that stays consistent with the goals of the firm. The capital budgeting process, as an example, is based around financial marketing disciplines that encourage intelligent investment
Management and its functions
The basic managerial functions are consistent with all managerial positions. The managerial functions pertaining to a supervisory position are also similar, whether or not they involve supervision of a specific production line, a laboratory, a sales force, or a small office. The basic managerial functions are the similar, regardless of the position in the management hierarchy. These functions are classified under the categories of organizing, staffing, planning, leading, and controlling :
The very first managerial function—deciding on what should be done in the near future—is called planning. It consists of setting goals, goals, policies, procedures, and other plans needed to achieve the goals of the organization. In planning, the manager is supposed to choose a course of action from an array of alternatives. Planning essentially means thinking before taking action, looking ahead and then preparing for the future, laying out in advance the plan of action to be taken, and deciding upon what and how the job is to be done. It involves collecting and sorting data from different sources and utilizing that information for decision making. Planning not only includes deciding how, what, when, and by whom work is to be carried out, however it must also take into account the possibility of “what if” situations.
Organizing
Once plans have been drafted, the organizing function essentially answers the basic question, “How will the work be divided and accomplished?” This in fact means that the supervisor sets out different job duties and categorises these tasks into distinct areas, units, sections or teams. The supervisor has to specify these duties, assign them, and, at the very same time, give subordinates the needed authority to carry out their tasks. Organizing means “arranging and distributing work amongst members of a work group to accomplish the organization’s goals”.
Staffing
This function involves appraising employees performance, promoting employees where appropriate, and providing an equitable compensation and rate of pay. In a lot of companies, some activities involved in this function are handled by the human resources (HR) department.. Supervisors do not perform these tasks, such as setting out the compensation system. However, everyday responsibility for the basic aspects of staffing remains in the hands of the supervisor.
Leading
Leading is defined as guiding the basic activities of employees toward achieving goals. The leading function of the management process involves teaching, guiding, and supervising subordinates. This may include developing employees to their full potential by coaching and directing those employees effectively. It is insignificant for a supervisor to just plan, organize, and have enough employees at disposal. The supervisor must try to motivate employees as they carry out their work. Leading plays a significant role in employee morale, job-satisfaction, productivity, and communication. It is by this very function that the supervisor attempts to set a climate that is vital to employee satisfaction and at the exact same time, is able to achieve the objectives of the department. Finding ways for satisfying the needs of a diverse workforce is a major challenge. In fact, majority of a supervisor’s energy is normally spent on this function, because it is this very function around which activities of a department revolve.
Controlling
The function of controlling involves making sure that actual performance is in line with the intended performance and taking a corrective action where needed. It would be difficult for a supervisor to deduce whether work is proceeding as planned. If plans or quality is superficial or poorly conceived, the controlling function becomes limited. Hence, controlling means not only ensuring that goals are achieved, but also taking proper actions in case a failure exists, in order to achieve planned goals. It also means that plans are to be revised as situations require.
Skills Required By a Manager
Three-Skill Approach
Based on research in administration and firsthand observation of C-level employees in the workplace, Katz (1955, p. 34) made a suggested that effective administration depends on three essential personal skills: technical, human, and conceptual. Katz made an argument that these skills are very different from the qualities of a leader. Skills refer to what leaders can accomplish, whereas traits are the recognition of a leader (i.e., their innate characteristics).
Technical Skill
Technical skill is know-how pertaining to, and proficiency, in a specific type of task or activity. It involves competencies in a specialized subject, analytical ability, and also the ability to use proper techniques and tools (Katz, 1955). E.g., at a computer software company, technical skill may also include knowledge of software language and programming, the company’s software products, and how to make these products works for customers. In much the same way, in an accounting firm, technical skill may include an understanding and the ability to apply widely accepted accounting principles to the audit of a client. In either of these examples, technical skills include a hands-on involvement with a basic product or procedure within an organization. Technical skills tend to play a vital role in production of the actual products a company is meant to produce.
Human Skill
Human skill refers to the knowledge of, as well as the ability to, work with people. It is very different from technical skills, which deals with working with things (Katz, 1955). Human skills are essentially “people skills.” It is the ability that helps a leader to deal effectively with peers, subordinates, and superiors in accomplishing the organization’s goals. Human skills enable a leader in assisting group members in working cooperatively as a team in achieving common goals. For Katz, it means being aware of one’s own perspective on issues and, at the same time, being aware of the opinion of others. Leaders that hold human skills come up with their own ideas as compared to those of others. Furthermore, they also create a surrounding of trust where employees are able to feel comfortable and where they are able to feel encouraged so that they become involved in the planning phase of activities that will affect them. Being a leader with human skills ultimately means being sensitive to the motivations and needs of others and accounting for others’ requirements in one’s decision making. In short, human skills are the capacity to basically get along with others as work progresses.
Conceptual Skill
In broad terms, conceptual skills refer to the ability to work with concepts and ideas. A leader who holds conceptual skills is comfortable enough talking about the various ideas that shape an organization and the intricate details involved. they are good at putting the goals of the company into words and are able to understand and express the economic functions that affect the company. A leader with these skills can work easily with abstractions and hypothetical notions.
Conceptual skills are foundational to creating a vision and strategy for an organization. As an example, it would require conceptual skills for a manager in a struggling manufacturing company to set forth a vision for an array of new products that would pretty much steer the company into growth. The point of this example is that conceptual skills have to do with the mental work required to shape the meaning of corporate or policy issues—having an understanding of what a company stands for and what its stance is and where it should be going next.
Mississipi Power and Hurricane Katrina
Let’s take the example of Melvin Wilson, the marketing manager of Mississippi Power, found himself in quite a situation when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, blowing away 100 miles of power lines, annihilating almost 65% of the company’s transmission facilities and extinguishing power for all 195000 customers. The company’s headquarters were destroyed and its disaster response centre completely flooded. In simple terms, he was responsible for organizing the state’s feeding, housing and healthcare, as were other managers from the all levels who had to face the same conundrum. This job required a great deal of Conceptual skills, because the company had to work around the damage caused by the disaster, as well as a lot of Human skills, due to the fact that the task had to not only be communicated to the 11000 employees, but also they had to motivated towards achieving the job in the prescribed time. Hence, by utilizing his managerial skills and expertise, he was able to guide the Mississippi Power employees towards getting the job done efficiently and smoothly, and the power was restored in 12 days. This illustrated that Wilson had the necessary qualities to handle crisis management. It also showed his human skills; he had to suppress his own emotions in order to show a calmer persona, so that his employees don’t feel discouraged.
Conclusion
Whether it’s a small company or a large company, an entire organization or just a single department, proper management will create business that functions as intended, is structurally fit, and is a desirable place to work at. A manager cannot create only one step that concentrates on firmness, another for commodity, a third for delight. All factors must be taken into account because they are mutually intertwined, not mutually exclusive. A structure that lacks firmness will in essence lack commodity and without both, delight does not exist. A business that lacks stability will not create a very desirable place to work. Bringing these factors together is what management is all about; utilizing imagination, adaptation and innovation.
Bibliography
Daft, R. L., 2008. Management. South-Western College, 8th ed. U.S.A., pp 560-566
Edwin, L., 2008. Supervisory Management. 1st ed. ;South Western.
Reilly, R., 2013. Management Processes, Michigan: Michigan Ross School of Business.
Katz, R. L. (1955). Skills of an effective administrator. Harvard Business Review, pg. 33
