The Five Functions of Management - Essay Example

? The Five Functions of Management and Number Submitted The Five Functions of Management Introduction Managers have been charged with the duty of taking measures that will make it easier for employees to make their best contribution to the organization’s objective. Management practices and functions apply to all types of enterprises, whether small or big, to profit making and non profit making, to production companies and service providing organizations. Enterprise, in this case refers to any kind of business such as government agencies, health centers, education institutions and other organizations. Management is very essential for any organization to achieve their goals and objectives (Koontz & Weihrich, 2006). According to Denhardt and Vinzant (2008), there are five functions of managers in any organization that must be undertaken effectively to ensure successive growth of any organization. The manager must perform the functions of planning, organizing, commanding, reporting and budgeting functions in an organization. These activities are the real meaning of management. They must be performed if enterprises are to achieve any meaningful growth in terms of revenue collection. At the place of work, the manager in his duty of planning makes sure that the organization moves on into the future effectively, the manager is also well organized. To the manager, planning is a full time event. He makes plans for the whole organization while other managers prepare plans for the departments they are in direct control of. In my organization, planning is one managerial function that is often easy to overlook. Some managers often get held up in the hectic pace of conversations, meetings, and deadlines; they therefore neglect their management duties. However, the most effective managers at the work place are aware of the time they take in carrying out planning activities, whether for the business or for their selves. Good planning practices by the general manager pay rich dividends to the organization. Planning is closely linked to the process of making decisions in the organization. The manager gets involved in any aspect of managerial work that cuts across several other areas (Koontz & Weihrich, 2006). In any work place, planning is the primary function of the manager. All other duties come after planning since the manager first plans before he reacts. The manager determines in advance, the objectives and goals and coming up with a course of action in achieving the set objectives. To the manger, planning involves, looking ahead and deciding what is to be done, when and where it is to be undertaken (Randhawa, 2007). On his duty of organizing, the manager performs several other duties including the division of the organization into different departments, drafting levels in the organization’s hierarchy as well as making decisions on those responsible for certain areas and who to report to incase there are problems. At the work place, especially in specific departments or division, organizing involves the task of defining specific positions and jobs. Themanager does the duties of designing the job. However, the assignment of individuals to such positions involves the staffing rather than the organizing function of the manager (Randhawa, 2007). On staffing, the manager performs functions of recruiting, training and developing the skill of the new employees to the organization. Staffing functions are normally described as personnel management or in most cases, hum resources management. Tasks such as hiring, training and firing are examples of the of the staffing or personnel function that the manager undertakes at the work place. The manager, when dealing with employees, employs important communication skills and motivation as well as the capability to make informed choices about whom to recruit or hire into the organization (Rao, 1999). Further, the manager in ensuring the smooth running of the organization performs the functions of directing. Directing is the most complex and most noticeable management duty. There are three important management activities that are carried out by the manager at the work place. The se management activities include the role of leading other employees, motivation, and changing essential things in the organization. Performing direction functions of an organization is a delicate and multifaceted task that consists of the full range of personal and interpersonal skills (Rao, 1999). The manager also coordinates the work of different employees in many different locations in the organization. Without effective coordination of employees, there cannot be any progress in terms of meeting deadlines. Employees must be coordinated in the organization through effective communication skills that foster mutual understanding between the manager and the employees as well among the employees themselves. Coordinating encompasses extraordinary attributes in the problem solving phase. It involves making things work, in addition, it also involves skills necessary in communicating and negotiating. The manager has been actively involved in designing and overseeing employee contribution to the work programs. He has been able to design a well structured methodical approach to the involvement of workers in group decisions affecting work and the work condition with goals that involve product cost, improving the quality of products and services, improving communication, raising morale and reducing any crisis in the organization (Rao, 1999). Consequently, the manger performs his crucial role of reporting. Reporting ensures that there is accountability in the organization. The manager analyzes and keeps records of the organization’s activities and routine. The manager also ensures that he provides meaningful and important information to the employees. Reporting also ensures that elected officials and employees provide useful information to the manager. Further, the manager engages in reporting and record keeping to ensure that he can be able to keep track of tasks and activities as well as analyze performance and progress which are aimed at attaining goals, detecting problems early and finding opportunities for improvement (Randhawa, 2007). On budgeting, the manager manages the organization’s resources, especially finances. The manager also does securing, preparation for, and taking good care of the organization’s funds. According to Denhardt and Vinzant (2008), budgeting involves human skills, particularly those of coming up with funding for the organization’s programs and allocating limited resources among contending programs and people. In addition to the five functions of the manager at the work place, there are also other aspects of management that are undertaken by the manager that are also considered managerial work. One of the most important functions performed by the manager is to deal with people from outside the work environment. Such people include customers, stakeholder, other organizations, as well as suppliers and distributors to the organization (Randhawa, 2007). Conclusion Management tasks such as planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting are very essential for any organization to achieve their goals and objectives. Managers must be in charge of duty and taking measures that will make it easier for people to make their best assistance to the organization’s objective. Management practices apply to all types of organizations, whether small or big, to profit and non profit, to production companies as well as service providing organizations. Enterprise, in this case refers to any kind of business such as government agencies, health centers, education institutions and other organizations. When setting up organizations, individuals should think of who will be in charge of making assignments and delegating tasks, and maybe even setting up some rules and timetables. It is almost a necessity for organizations that need to appear to be be progressive to have some type employee involvement in the management program. Fears about productivity have raised serious concerns in the appropriate relationship between managers and employees. Managers should be democratic, aristocratic forms of management have been blamed for lack of productivity at the work place. Good management practices by the general manager pay rich profits to the organization. Planning is closely linked to the process of making decisions in the organization. The manager gets involved in any aspect of managerial work that cuts across several other areas (Dale, 1969). References Dale, E (1969), Management: theory and practice, New York: John Wiley & Sons. Denhardt, R & Vinzant, J (2008), Public Administration: an Action Orientation, New York: Cengage Learning. Koontz, H & Weihrich, H (2006), Essentials of Management, New York: Tata McGraw-Hill Education. Randhawa, G (2007), Human resource Management, New York: Atlantic Publishers. Rao, P (1999), Bank management, New York: Discovery Publishing House. Read More