Describe the relationship between the controlling function and other managerial functions - Essay Example

Controlling Function Number: Controlling Function Managerial control is one of the most crucial functions of managements, which involves setting performance standards, evaluating performance, as well as taking the most appropriate actions when necessary. Proper controlling minimizes errors in an organization, help it adapt to environmental changes, minimize cost, and help the management cope with organizational complexity (DuBrin, 2012). Its primary purpose is to ensure that activities in an organization are undertaken and completed in a manner that would ultimately lead to the accomplishment of the set goals.

This essay will discuss the relationship between managerial control and other managerial functions, explain some of possible reasons why many people view controls negatively, and discuss the three primary steps involved in the control process. There is a very close relationship between managerial control and the other functions of management namely planning, coordinating, organizing, and directing. For instance, without proper planning, controlling activities in an organization can be baseless, while ineffective controlling can make planning a meaningless exercise.

Proper management involves starting with planning or laying down strategies, organizing the available resources, coordinating the various departments in an organization, and finally implementing proper controlling measures (DuBrin, 2012). All these managerial functions reinforce each other and they can only be said to be inseparable. Employees in an organization usually view controls negatively with some going to an extent of claiming that managements should not exercise any type of control whatsoever.

Most people claim that managements should be supporting employees’ efforts to be productive members of an organization, rather than imposing control systems for them, which they believe are counterproductive to both the employees and the general management. Research studies focusing on establishing people’s reaction towards the management control indicate that most people find management control as a way of dominating them, being coercive as well as heavy-handed (Daft, 2011). Setting standards Setting performance standards is the first and most crucial step of any control process.

In this context, standards refer to the targets or plans that have to be accomplished in the course of a business function, or the criterion for judging the overall performance in an organization. The standards set can either be measurable (tangible), or non-measurable (intangible) (Newton, 2011). Tangible standards refer to standards that can measured and presented such as output, cost, profit, time and expenditure just to mention a few. On the other hand, intangible standards refer to standards that cannot be measured monetarily such as performance of the employees or their attitudes and deviation towards a certain concern.

Experts suggest that the set standards should be realistic, consistent with the organization’s goals, and preferably acceptable by the people involved. Checking performance against standards Checking performance against the already set standards is the second major step in managerial controlling. Checking the actual performance against the previously set standards can be an easy or a difficult task depending on the type of standards that the management had set. Evaluation of tangible (measurable) standards is easier than for intangible standards since it can be presented in monetary terms, units and cost among others.

Complex quantitative measurements such as measuring the performance of a manager can be measured by considering the attitudes of the workers towards a particular manager, employees’ morale to work, their communication with the superiors as well as their developed attitude towards the physical environment. Management can use sources like oral reports, personal observation, statistical reports, as well as written reports in order to measure employees’ performance (DuBrin, 2012). In this step, managers have to evaluate the extent of the deviation and the root cause of the deviation.

Deviation this context refers to the breach between the planned targets (standards) and the real performance. Managers have to establish whether the deviation is positive or negative, meaning that they have to establish whether the actual performance conforms to the planned performance. Minor deviations can be ignored while major deviations like quality of raw materials and appointment of workers has to be considered (Daft, 2011). After identification of the deviation, the next step is to establish the root causes, which can be erroneous planning, loosening of the co-ordination, defective implementation of the set plans, as well as ineffective communication and supervision among others.

Taking corrective action The final primary step in controlling is taking the most appropriate corrective action, which can entail maintaining the status quo (doing nothing), or taking any other action that may correct the identified deviation in order to bring the operations into compliance with the set standards. Sometimes it may involve changing the set standards, particularly if they were set too low or too high, or if they are unrealistic (Daft, 2011). In critical situations, taking corrective action may involve reshuffling or restructuring the organization, especially if poor planning was the root cause of the negative deviation.

ReferencesTop of FormBottom of FormTop of FormBottom of FormTop of FormDaft, R. L. (2011). Understanding management. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. DuBrin, A. J. (2012). Essentials of management. Mason, Ohio: South-Western/Thomson Learning. Newton, R. (2011). The management book: Mastering the art of leading teams. Harlow, England: Prentice Hall. Bottom of Form