1.4 Management functions

The four basic management function-activities that make up the management process:-

Planning:

			Planning involves choosing tasks that must be performed to attain organizational goals, outlining how tasks must be performed and indicating when they should be performed.
			Planning activity focuses on attaining goals. Through their plans, managers outline exactly what organizations must do to be successful. Planning is essential to getting the right things done.
			Planning is concerned with organizational success in the near future (short term). As well as in the more distant future (long term).

Organizing:

			Organizing can be thought of as assigning the tasks developed under the planning function to various individuals or groups within the organization.
			Organizing then, creates a mechanism to put plans into action. People within the organization are given work assignments that contribute to the company's goals.
			Tasks are organized so that the output of individuals contributes to the success of departments, which in turn contributes to success of divisions, which ultimately contributes to the success of organization.
			Organizing includes determining tasks and groupings of work. Organizing should not be rigid, but adaptable and flexible to meet challenges as circumstances change.

1.4 Management functions

Leading:

			Leading is another of basic function within the management process in leading the managers articulate a clear organizational vision for the organization's members to accomplish and they energize and enable employees so that everyone understands the part he or she plays in achieving organizational goals.
			Leadership involves managers using their power, personality, and influence persuasion and communication skills to coordinate people and groups so that their activities and efforts are in harmony.
			Leadership revolves around encouraging all employees to perform at a high level to help the organization achieve its vision and goals. Another outcome of leadership is a highly motivated and committed workforce.
			Managers at apple now appreciate Steve Jobs’ new leadership style which is based on his willingness to delegate authority and his ability to help managers resolve differences that could easily lead to bitter disputes and power struggles.

1.4 Management functions

Controlling:

Controlling is the management function through which managers.

			1.	Gather information that measures recent performance within organization.
			2.	Compare present performance to pre-established performance standards.
			3.	From this comparison, determine whether the organization should be modified to meet pre-established standards.

Controlling is an ongoing process. Managers continually gather information make their comparisons and then try to find new ways of improving production through organizational modification.

1.4 Management functions

Figure 1.1: Four function of management

1.4 Management functions

Levels of management

Organizations normally have three levels of management:

		First-line managers.
		Middle managers.
		Top managers. (see figure 1.2)

1.4 Management functions

Figure 1.2: Levels of managers.

Before we discussion the level of managers, must know what is the department:

1.4 Management functions

Department:

A group of people who work together and possess similar skills or use the same knowledge, tools or techniques to perform their jobs.

First-line managers:

			At the base of managerial hierarchy are first line managers, often called supervisors. They are responsible for the daily supervision of the non-managerial employees who perform many of the specific activities necessary to produce goods and services.
			First-line managers work in all departments or function of an organization. Examples: First line managers include the supervisor of a work team in the manufacturing department of a car plant.
			At Dell, First line managers include the supervisors responsible for controlling the quality of its computers or the level of customer service provided by telephone sales people.

Middle Managers:

Middle managers, responsible for finding the best way to organize human and other resources to achieve organizational goals.

1.4 Management functions

			To increase efficiency, middle managers find ways to help first line managers and nonmanagerial employees better utilize resource to reduce manufacturing costs or improve customer service.
			To increase effectiveness, middle managers evaluate the goals that the organization is pursuing are appropriate and suggest to top managers ways in which goals should be changed the suggestions that middle managers make to top managers can dramatically increase organizational performance.
			A major part of middle manager's job is developing and fine-tuning skills and know-how such as manufacturing or marketing expertise that allow the organization to be efficient and effective. Middle managers responsible for major departments.

Top managers:

			Top managers are responsible for the performance of all departments. They have cross departmental responsibility.
			Top managers establish organizational goals such as which goods and service the company should produce, they decide how the different departments should interact.
			Top managers are responsible for success or failure of an organization and their performance. The chief executive officer (CEO) is a company's most senior and important manager, the one all other top managers report to.

1.4 Management functions

			Today the term chief operating officer (COO) is often used to refer to the top managers who is being groomed to take over as (CEO) when the current (CEO) retires or leaves the company.
			Together the (CEO) (COO) are responsible for developing good working relationships among the top managers of various departments (manufacturing and marketing for example) usually top managers have the title vice president.

Top-management team:

A group composed of the ECO, the COO, and the department heads most responsible for helping achieve organizational goals.