Meanings of Management
The term ‘management’
encompasses an array of different functions undertaken to accomplish a task
successfully. In the simplest of terms, management is all about ‘getting things
done’. However, it is the way and the process of how one achieves ones target or
goals and it is in this respect that management is considered an art and a
science as well.
The term management may be recently defined, but it existed at a time when men
started learning the art of organizing, strategizing (during wars) and/or
simply planning. At the core of it, management was quintessentially considered
as an art of ‘managing men’ and hence the term “manage-men-T.”
Management in all business and
organizational activities are the acts of getting people together to accomplish
desired goals and objectives efficiently and effectively. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization (a group of one or more people or entities)
or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation
of human resources, financial resources, technological resources, and natural resources.
Rousseau (1972) pointed out “A real knowledge of
things may be a good thing in itself, but the knowledge of men and their
opinions is better, for in human society.”
Peter Drucker(1993) defined management
as “Supplying knowledge to find out how existing knowledge can best be applied
to produce results is, in effect, what we mean by management. But knowledge is
now also being applied systematically and purposefully to determine what new
knowledge is needed, whether it is feasible, and what has to be done to make knowledge
effective. It is being applied, in other words, to systematic innovation.”
Management today combines
creative, business, organizational, analytical and other skills to produce
effective goal-oriented results! Some of the key functions in management includes
learning to delegate, planning and organizing, communicating clearly,
controlling situations, motivating employees, adapting to change, constantly
innovating and thinking of new ideas, building a good team and delivering
results which are not just figure -bound but results that also focus on overall
growth and development.
Management focuses on the
entire organization from both a short and a long-term perspective. Management
is the managerial process of forming a strategic vision, setting objectives,
crafting a strategy and then implementing and executing the strategy.
Approaches
In general terms, there are two approaches to management:
-The Industrial Organization Approach: This approach is based on economic
theory which deals with issues like competitive rivalry, resource allocation,
economies of scale. This approach to management assumes rationality, self
interested behavior, profit maximization.
- The Sociological Approach: This approach deals primarily with human
interactions. It assumes rationality, satisfying behavior, profit
sub-optimality.
Management theories can also be divided into two sets. One is the set that
concentrates mainly on efficiency and another is the set that concentrates
mainly on effectiveness. Efficiency is about doing things the right way. It
involves eliminating waste and optimizing processes. Effectiveness is about
doing the right things.
Basic functions
Management operates
through various functions, often classified as planning, organizing, staffing,
leading/directing, and controlling/ monitoring, Motivation .i.e
- Planning: Deciding what needs to happen in the
future (today, next week, next month, next year, over the next 5 years,
etc.) and generating plans for action.
- Organizing: (Implementation) making optimum use of
the resources required to enable the successful carrying out of plans.
- Staffing: Job analyzing, recruitment, and hiring
individuals for appropriate jobs.
- Leading/Directing: Determining what needs to be done in a
situation and getting people to do it.
- Controlling/Monitoring: Checking progress against plans.
- Motivation: Motivation is also a kind of basic
function of management, because without motivation, employees cannot work
effectively. If motivation doesn't take place in an organization, then
employees may not contribute to the other functions (which are usually set
by top level management).
Hierarchy of Management
The management of a
large organization may have about five levels:
- Senior management (or "top management" or
"upper management")
- Middle management
- Low-level
management, such as supervisors or team-leaders
- Foreman
- Rank and File
Top-level management
- Require an
extensive knowledge of management roles and skills.
- They have to be
very aware of external factors such as markets.
- Their decisions are
generally of a long-term nature
- Their decisions are
made using analytic, directive, conceptual and/or behavioral/participative
processes
- They are
responsible for strategic decisions.
- They have to chalk
out the plan and see that plan may be effective in the future.
- They are executive
in nature.
Middle management
- Mid-level managers
have a specialized understanding of certain managerial tasks.
- They are
responsible for carrying out the decisions made by top-level management.
- finance, marketing
etc comes under middle level management
Lower management
- This level of
management ensures that the decisions and plans taken by the other two are
carried out.
- Lower-level
managers' decisions are generally short-term ones.
Foreman / lead hand
- They are people who
have direct supervision over the working force in office factory, sales
field or other workgroup or areas of activity.
Rank and File
- The
responsibilities of the persons belonging to this group are even more
restricted and more specific than those of the foreman.
Principles
of School Management
1.
The
policies of the school have been developed according to educational principles,
government policies and the goals of elementary school education.
2.
Reinforce
administrative organization, maintain job responsibilities and boost work
efficiency.
3.
Follow
a democratic approach, make personnel, funds, opinions, rewards and punishment
public in an attempt to lead the school toward united and harmonious direction.
4.
Strengthen
personnel management, increase employees’ motivation. Look, listen and
understand more. Promote a focus on mobile management.
5.
Emphasize
delicate campus planning, improve working environment, and inspire employees’
professional spirit.
6.
Encourage
in-service teacher education to improve teaching methods and counseling skills
in order to more effectively implement educational functions.
7.
To
respect and serve rather than manage
8.
Focus
on teachers’ sense of honor and responsibility
9.
Focus
on research, experimentation, innovation and the teaching profession.
Invigorate teachers’ spirit and stimulate educational renovation.
10. Enhance
teaching equipment and make good use of social resources in order to create
modern well-developed citizens.
11. Incorporate
the five main themes of education, and teach students in accordance with their
aptitudes to maximize their talents.
12. Focus
on the planning and delivery of special education services.
13. Strengthen
life education, moral education, and traffic safety education in order to develop
a harmonious atmosphere.
14. Develop
good relationships with communities, make use of social resources, and continue
school development in order to make the school a center of community
development.
Principles of Management
What is principle? It is a generation that is
widely accepted as true system. Principles always are to be considered helpful
for several reasons.
First:
They help to make more
accurate decision, applying in any situation and eliminating guesswork.
Second:
it saves time.
Principles provide guidelines for actions.
Third:
principles enable the
people to pass information from one generation to another.
There are few Principles which are to be adapted
in management.
1.
Planning Principles
a) Principle of the Primary Objectives
b) Principle of adequate alternative
c) Principle of contingencies
2.
Organizing Principles
a) Unity of Command principle
b) Adequacy of authority principle
c) Scalar (chain-of-command) principle
3.
Staffing Principles
a) Principle of developing a successor
b) Principle of manager evaluation
c) Principle of management development
4.
Directing Principles
a) Principle of harmony of objective
b) Principle of manager’s example
c) Principle of motivation
5.
Controlling Principles
a) Principle of standards
b) Principle of measurement of performance against standards
c) Principle of corrective action
