4 Functions Of Management
Functions of Management
An untrained individual may typically assume that all managers have the same responsibilities; the only differences being salary and title. This is quite untrue as there are several levels of managerial hierarchy for a reason. Executives, Middle-Management, and Front-Liners all have a great difference in their job functions. There are four functions of management: Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling. One cannot progress without the execution of the other.
Planning
The first function of management, planning, is a large-scale (or long-term) projection or forecast within a company. An Executive officer has both the first word and final approval on any specific project. He or she has a vision that is expected to be carried out by the next level of management, the Middle Managers. Middle Managers work out any final kinks that may hinder progress before submitting results to the Executive visionary. These projects must be “organized” by several determining factors to achieve specific goals.
Organization
Organization is the second function of management. Teamwork is necessary to properly organize (or implement) a company’s plan, which includes the coordination of both human and financial resources. For instance, a person would typically assume that the Engineering Department has absolutely nothing to do with Accounting; when in fact, one cannot accurately organize without the other. I learned of this interdepartmental networking through my employer, Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, by working in its Accounting Department who interacts daily with the company’s Engineers. Upon inquiring on the Engineer’s role in Accounting, a co-worker’s response was, “Engineering tells Accounting how much money they need and Accounting tells Engineering how much they can spend” (T. Boudreaux, 2007). This made complete sense to me, yet I was oblivious because my former employer never directly involved me in its organizational phases. Middle...
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