Introduction
The management is one the most vital organ in every organization. The success of every business lies in the hands of the management. Effective leadership and management have a responsibility of solving problems, motivating employees and gearing towards the achievement of the organizational set goals and objectives. The management has five core functions which include planning, staffing, organizing, controlling and coordinating. The management attends the above functions through the use of departments. In fact, the managerial functions are separate from other business processes such as accounting, marketing, and finance. Implementation of the five managerial functions has never been easy. Competent and qualified personnel must be employed to attend to various administrative functions (Williams, 2013). For example, a human resource department must be established to control all personal needs and all recruitment in the organization. Thus, this paper attempts to explain how management practices of the five managerial processes are implemented in the workplace. Also, the paper describes the importance of each administrative function in the success of an organization.
Administrative functions cannot be implemented without the establishment of departments within the organizations. I have worked in an IT firm where I witnessed the implementation of five managerial functions through various departments. The IT firm has several departments including that of human resource, finance, planning, and internal operations among others. All the internal and external activities of the IT company run smoothly due to coordination among the various departments. The firm has top executives whose role is to oversee the activities of the different departments in implementing the managerial functions. The top executives also help in building a productive workforce that works towards the company’s mission and objectives. The following include how the administrative functions are implemented in the IT firm (Hill & McShane, 2008).
Planning is one the most important administrative function that plays a significant role in running the operations of an organization. Efficient and proper planning helps a company achieve its set objectives. In fact, the planning function allows a company to run all its activities smoothly. Planning involves defining organizational goals and objectives and determining the best course of action to achieve them. The planning department must have full knowledge of the company's resources and must be flexible to coordinate with all levels of leadership and management in the organization (Williams, 2013). In my previous IT firm, the planning department was responsible for implementing strategies that help the company achieve its goals. The planning and finance department used to coordinate in the capital budgeting process. For example, the planning department used to collaborate with that of finance and human resource to make the annual budget of the company. More so, the company has a planning and development committee that oversees the operations of the company. Particularly, the development committee monitors the implementation of strategic plans in the firm. It is clear that the managerial planning function plays a significant role in ensuring the success of the IT firm. It is the reason behind the expansion of companies and increased market share (Murugesan, 2012). Thus, implementation of the planning function in the workplace is fundamental since it increases organizational benefits.
The organizing function controls the entire structure of the company. Every business has an organizational structure that helps it run its day-to-day operations. Without the structure, it is difficult for a company to become successful (Heras, 2006). The organizing function involves allocation of tasks and duties to employees with specific skills. It also includes the development of the structure of the organization and the chain of command within the firm. My previous workplace has an efficient organizational structure where the company is lead by a C.E.O. Allocation of tasks and responsibilities are done at departmental levels. The culture of the IT firm values teamwork where employees with the same set of skills are grouped together. Each department has its head who oversees the progress of the assigned projects. The project and the functional manager organize the employees to complete the task successfully. Operations in the company are well organized and follow a systematic manner. There is no chance job overlap since work is distributed at the department level. In general, all activities of the IT firm are well organized. There is communication flow between the top executives and the employees. The availability of the departments makes communication easy and fast. Thus, implementing the organizing function is a company is paramount (Koontz, Weihrich, & Aryasri, 2004).
The human resource department does the staffing function in most cases. Moreover, the HR department controls all the recruitment in the organization. The primary purpose of staffing in any organization is to employ qualified people for the available jobs to help the company achieve its goals. The staffing function involves more than employment of new workers. It comprises of promotions, transfers, performance appraisals, development, and training. The staffing function is paramount since, without an efficient HR department, business goals may not be achieved. Moreover, it would be difficult to create a productive workforce. In my previous workforce, the HR department had a vital role in controlling over 1000 workers. The staffing department ensured that all the employees are motivated by ensuring the division of labor, timely payment, and frequent promotions. The company usually employs new workers every year and in most cases when there are job vacancies. The company also has a performance appraisal program (Heras, 2006). The efforts of each employee are accounted for and evaluated for promotion. Moreover, the firm has the reward program for teams that accomplish the projects assigned successfully. Recruits undergo orientation and training sessions to equip them with the skills required for the company. Eventually, implementation of the staffing function helps a business achieve its operational goals and objectives.
Coordination is one of the most crucial and vital roles of the management. The coordinating function controls all planning, organizing, and staffing activities of the organization. In fact, the coordinating function combines all the activities together for the betterment of the organization. In most cases, coordinating function occurs in planning session and meetings with all the department heads in the organization. The coordinating function also allows all the department heads of the company to be on the same page during a meeting or a planning session. Supervision, direction, and communication are the most important aspects of the coordinating function. My previous company used to hold weekly, monthly, and annual general meetings (Currie & Kerrin, 2003). In fact, the meetings brought together all the department heads to discuss the emerging issues. Also, the meetings brought together all the employees from various departments. Thus, the coordinating function plays a significant role in bringing all the departments and employees together and deliberates the emerging issues. Hence, implementation of the coordinating function helps a company to achieve its set goals and objectives (Begg, 2009).
Lastly, the controlling role of the management ensures that all the other functions of the company are operating successfully. It involves creating performance standards and evaluating the productivity of employees. Each employee must meet the performance standards to continue working in the company. The controlling function also helps in identification of problems affecting the performance of the enterprise. It also recommends solutions to various problems affecting the operations of the organization. Creating of new performance standards is one of the strategies used by most companies to solve emerging problems. In fact, the level of performance of the employees directly affects the success of the entire organization. In my previous IT firm, the company has a controlling department which monitors all the day-to-day operations. It collaborates with other departments such as that of staffing to monitor the performance of employees and setting up performance standards (Currie & Kerrin, 2003). Establishment of the controlling departments, therefore, helps in solving emerging problems in the organization.
In conclusion, the management organ determines the success and failures of the organization. The managerial functions play a significant role in ensuring the success of a business enterprise. In fact, business goals cannot be achieved without implementation of the five management function. Therefore, the top executives a company have a fundamental role in ensuring that all the managerial functions are performed diligently to avoid losses in the enterprise (Drucker & Maciariello, 2008). Lastly, it is through the implementation of the administrative functions that a company can achieve its set objectives and maximize revenues. It is evident that organizations cannot operate without staffing, planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling departments.
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