When an organisation is managed well mangers effectively perform four essential management functions Henry Fayol the French management theorist listed a number of functions or elements of management these are:
- Planning
- Organising
- Commanding
- Coordinating
- Controlling
Planning
This involves mangers setting objectives and also the strategies, policies, programmes and procedures for achieving them. Planning might be done by line mangers who will be responsible for performance. However advice on planning may also come from staff management who might have expertise in that are even if they have no line authority. For example, a production may carry out human recourse planning in the production department, but use the skills of the personal manager in planning recruitment for vacancies that may arise. In general, planning involves defining organisational goals and proposing ways to reach them. Managers plan for 3 reasons:
- To establish an overall direction for the organisations future, such as a target say for example to increase profit, expand market share,, etc, etc.
- To identify and commit the organisations resources to achieving its goals.
- To decide which tasks must be done to reach those goals.
- Barclays mangers set up objectives
- Barclays bank makes up smart plans to achieve set objectives.
- Manpower planning
- Production budgets
- Cash budgets
- Sales targets
Organising
Mangers set task, which need to be performed if the business is to achieve its objectives. Jobs need to be organised within sections or departments and authority and authority needs to be delegated so that jobs are carried out. For example: the goal of a manufacturing company may be to produce quality goods that will be delivered to customer on time. The tasks such as manufacturing, packaging, administration, etc. that are part of producing and distributing the goods, need to be organised to achieve this goal. For example in Barclays within Barclay’s managers, supervisors must lead the employees with the delegated job. After mangers have prepared plans, they must translate those relatively abstract ideas into practice reality. Organising is the processes of creating a structure of relationships that will enable employees to carry out management’s plans and meet organisational goals. By organising effectively. Mangers can better coordinate human, material, and information resources. An organisations success depends largely on management’s ability to utilise those resources effectively and efficiently.
- Organise working procedures
- Organisational structure, chain of command needs to be established.
- Organising which member of staff in Barclays does what.
- Distribution channels.
- Quality systems
Commanding
This involves giving instructions to subordinates to carry out tasks. The manger has the authority to make decisions and responsibilities to see tasks carried out. For example in Barclays plc the management team must put plans into action by allocating the best use of resources to achieve the plan. To make sure the plans are achieved mangers use their delegation skills.
Coordinating
This is the bringing together of the activities of people with the business. Individuals and groups will have there own goals, which may be different to those of the business and each other. Management must make sure that there is a common approach, so that the company’s goals are achieved.
- Mangers coordinate the work force
- Mangers in Barclays bank direct employees what they are doing.
- Delegating tasks
- Mangers resolve conflicts of interests in the different functional areas of the business.
- This helps mangers to motivate their staff.
Controlling
Mangers measure and correct the activities of individuals and groups to make sure that their performance fits in with plans. Control is the monitoring of evens and progress within each department. For example within Barclays the organisation a range of departments for example the finance department they will monitor there budget and performance. The process by which person group or organisation consciously monitors performance and takes corrective action this is called controlling, another example would be that Barclays finance department will be controlling and monitoring customers transactions, etc, etc and they will keep a history and they will keep a record file of that customer. Management control system sends signal to managers that things are not working out as planned and that corrective action is needed.
- Barclays bank monitor and measure what is being archived in each of their department.
- Barclays control, monitor there sales performance.
- Barclays control and monitor their cash flow against their budget.
Leading
After management has made plans, created a structure of work practice, and hired the right personal, someone must lead the organisation, leading involves communicating with and motivating others to perform the tasks necessary to achieve the organisations goals. Leading is not done only after planning and organising end, it is a crucial element of these functions.
Razaul Islam
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