Introduction
Every organization, in spite of its enormity, has fully developed and implemented management concepts that enable smooth running of activities aimed at realising the projected vision, goals and objectives.
The functions of management break down into four areas that take care of strategic, tactical and operational pronouncements of an organization. Thus, management in an organization is a creative tool of solving problems through planning, organizing, leading and controlling. In essence, the functions of management solve a particular problem facing an organization.
Consequently, the results will provide an avenue of accomplishing the goals, objectives and mission of the organization. The functions of management in an organization is to provide a framework of focussing both short and long term views hence, foster it towards success.
Additionally, management as a decision-making process entails a premeditated vision, fixed goals, a crafted plan, all which if executed and implemented properly, will see an organization achieve its mission.
From in-house operations to industry, the functions of management serve to address issues affecting a certain organization for example, effective utilization of resources, appraisal of core competencies, evaluation of the present and prospect participants, and strategic control among others (Himanshu, 2009, p.1).
Nevertheless, the four function of management cannot bring success into an organization minus sound leadership from the mangers. In most cases, the manager’s style of leadership affects the operation of an organization, positively or negatively. Thus, good managers should exhibit certain traits and skills, which will enable an organization, achieve its mission, goals and objectives.
For example, an organization with highly skilled workers makes managers to be allowing, while an organization with less skilled workforce mandates the manager to take a closer look on production.
Thus, god managers are the ones who flex their style, train and inspire employees to work towards the realization of vision, goals and objectives. The paper will examine the four functions of management namely: planning, organizing, directing and controlling within an organization (Haridimos, 2004, pp. 289-301).
Planning
This is the first contrivance of the four function of an organization’s management process. Primarily, the success of an organization depends on the planning procedure. The planning procedure is the one that determines whether a manager is successful or not. Planning provides logical understanding on how to make decisions, which will drive an organization towards the path of attaining its objectives.
Good managers use a planning process to plan for expectations, and as a blueprint to predict quandaries, which might hinder an organization form achieving its objectives.
In addition, the planning process provides measures for prevaricating intricate issues and a framework of beating competition. Thus, planning is an essential tool of management in that it facilitates control, which is a valuable strategy in decision-making hence averting business ravage.
A good planned business example is GlaxoSmithKline. This is an international pharmaceutical company with a vision of providing superior healthcare services. Both the mangers and employees of this company commit themselves to excellence in line with its mission and vision statement.
The planning process of GlaxoSmithKline entails how to attain quality results, respecting others, and teamwork in order to achieve goals. Since the commencement of this plan, GlaxoSmithKline has grown into an international pharmaceutical company with branches all over the world and a healthcare leader (Bateman &Snell, 2007, p. 16).
Organizing
Organizing helps managers to attain all objectives as delineated in the planning procedure. Primarily, organisation involves appointing of individuals to perform certain assignments, which are paramount in developing a uniform rationale of accomplishing goals.
Thus, this calls upon the manger to exercise personal traits and skills in order to choose competent subordinates who are capable of organising the valuable resources of the organisation to produce results.
A good organisation is the one characterised by management staffing, several trainings among employees, inflow of resources and a prolific workforce. Managers also ought to discuss the developed plans with the subordinates, and break the assignments into smaller segments manageable by one person. In so going, the organisation will have well-structured and manageable units working towards achieving objectives.
For example, the organisation of Microsoft presents one of the best business examples. Characterised by flexibility, changeability and new products, Microsoft has achieved its goals and objectives through its planning process and organisation. Moreover, the managers of Microsoft offers direction for staff that is paramount to personal success hence, organizational success.
Based on experience and personal traits, the managers use communication as a tool of solving any arising issues. In fact, Microsoft would not be a world leader in IT had it not been its exceptional organisation (Bretti, 2009, pp. 15-18).
Leading
The third function of management is direction or leading. This aspect of management helps managers to supervise the actions of the workforce and set the path of achieving goals and objectives of the company. Leading also promotes incentive, good communication, leadership and unit dynamics necessary in attaining goals and objectives.
Many people understand the role of leadership to an organisation as it is the one, which inspires actions in the direction of goals and objectives. Thus, good mangers are those who motivate employees to an eminent aspiration and assign them responsibilities as stated in the planning process. In addition, managers must also maintain a close contact with the employees in order to realise the vision, goals and objectives of the company.
For instance, managers at GlaxoSmithKline motivate employees to work towards achieving the goals and objectives of the corporation and surpass their market competitors. The managers have a daily contact with the staff either individually or as a team.
Thus, the management team plays an important role in the management process by unearthing innovative mechanisms, which solve problems that might hinder the process of achieving goals (Gomez, Luis, Balkin, & Robert, 2008, pp. 18-21).
Controlling
The final stage of a management process is controlling, which involves the implementation of the developed plan. This process involves the establishment of recital standards pedestal to the company’s vision, goals and objectives. In addition, it engrosses evaluating and reporting of all actions within the company and gauging whether they lime with the goals and objectives.
A good control process within a management system is the one that eases the delegation of duties and holds each skilled worker responsible. For example, in GlaxoSmithKline, managers hold departmental meetings on a daily basis. Thus, they are in apposition to review the daily schedule, evaluate any emanating problem, and solve it before it becomes too late.
In GlaxoSmithKline, control sets the standards for performance of the workforce thus, mandating workers to work towards goals and objectives.
It also ensures that workers take and complete assignments within a given duration while following the laid guidelines. Otherwise, workers are liable for disciplinary measures should they fail to comply. In most cases, managers employ work performance evaluations as a form of control aimed at attaining the set goals (Blue, 2007, 135-136).
Conclusion
For any business to achieve its vision, goals and objectives, planning, organizing, leading and controlling are necessary. These four functions of management provide a framework of achieving the company’s objectives. Nevertheless, without guidance from the management team and individual contribution from employees, success is cannot be a reality.
References
Bateman, T. & Snell, S., 2007. Management: Leading and collaborating in a Competitive World. (7th ed.). New York: McGraw – Hill.
Blue, R., 2007. Functions of management. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 40(2), 135-136.
Bretti, A., 2009. Four Functions of management, Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics, 1(1), 15-18.
Gomez, M., Luis, R., Balkin, B. & Robert L., 2008. Management: People, Performance, Change. (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Haridimos, T., 2004. What is Management? An Outline of a Metatheory. British Journal of Management, 5(9), 289-301.
Himanshu, J. 2009. Functions of Management Web.