Functions of Management - Principle of Business

Fourth Form Handout  
Functions of Management

• Planning — This is the process by which a manager prepares for the future: making decisions and formulating policy on the intentions and objectives of the organization and the methods to be used to achieve the objectives. In planning, management is guided by the mission statement. This statement explains the basic purpose of the organization and guides all other activities of the organization.[pic 1]
• Organizing — This is the process of pulling together all other resources such as the capital, labour and the technology and integrating them in such a way that the goals of the organization can be met. It involves assigning responsibilities to people; ensuring that everyone knows who is in charge of what; setting the procedures for completing tasks; providing the materials and the technology to carry out the various jobs and tasks.
• Directing/Supervising — This is the process by which actual performance is guided towards the goals to be met. It is giving instructions to workers so that they are clear as to how their work should be done to best benefit the organization.
• Controlling — This is the process of checking, measuring and supervising how activities are being carried out in the business and steering them toward meeting the goals set by the organization.
• Coordinating — This involves directing and integrating the activities of the team under management's direct supervision and contributing to the overall co-ordination of the activities within the organization in order to form a united strategy of operations to achieve the objectives of the organization.
• Delegating — It involves assigning tasks or goals to subordinates while at the same time granting them the necessary authority to carry out the tasks.
• Motivating — This is the process by which workers are encouraged or influenced to take the right action to get the tasks and jobs done.
• Staffing — is the process of selecting, orienting, assigning, training, promoting, demoting and retiring the workforce of the organization.
• Communicating — process of transmitting information and ideas to people
• Evaluating — process of assessing work performance to determine how well the tasks have been carried out.

Activity for homework
Folder leaf

Mr. Brown is employed to ABC Corporation
As a Stores Manager who is in charge of[pic 2]

Stationery and supplies. He supervises five stores clerks.

Discuss THREE functions of management that Mr. Brown would have to use as a supervisor.

12 mrks

Written cot communication often gets to the point, since the sender has time to organize the message to be communicated.[pic 3]

Written communication tends to be time consuming, especially in its preparation

Feedback is usually delayed or very slow

Can be very impersonal

The transmission of messages can be very expensive, especially where communicating parties are far apart Does not offer the opportunity for immediate clarification of messages that are not understood.

VI        I communication

Visual communication is the transmission of information in a form that can be read or seen. Research has shown that people remember more of what they see than what they hear. Therefore, for some communications, a visual message is very important. Imagine a sales manager trying to present information on the business's performance and predictions based on trends without using some form of visual aid. This presentation would more than likely be on the failing side

- since peopre--1-/o-s-        - -        o        eie
are a number of options available to the organisation for visual communication, including films, videos, graphs and PowerPoint presentations.

Adva:,..ige,s.        ViStlai cummunicathm

Helps to simplify both oral and written communication Suitable for communication over long distances People tend to remember visual images over audio Enables complex information, such as statistical data, to be communicated effectively.

Disad7        qf visual communication

El Visuals may be difficult to understand if they are not accompanied by other methods of communication ki Tends to be expensive

I Its preparation may be time consuming.

EleetrcHit, communication

We will all agree that the world has changed drastically when it comes to how we use technology. These changes have affected the way we communicate. The imernet has opened Up a myriad of opportunities to communicate via electronic means, flectronic communication in \ i)1\ es the sending OF writicn, oral or visual messages he eleolonik means — lot exounle, e-mails. Firms are increasingly developing

and exiLieding their net‘york        hi, la( dilates

intranet n tessage::; which reduce the amount ()I' paper in the office and the time it takes tor a written message to be communicated. There has also been an increase in the use ()I' satellite co mitt no icat ion systems.

• 01)11100,,

Usually a very quick way to transmit information Other than the initial set-up cost, it offers a low-cost way to communicate

Receiver can give instant feedback

Allows employees to work from home

Gives the sender a variety of way to communicate - for example fax, e-mail, video conferencing.

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Can be expensive to maintain equipment

There is an increase in security risks, such as hacking and computer viruses

There are privacy issues which may prevent the transmission of certain information

Unable to retrieve information once it is sent.

Non-verbal communication

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communication is the type that takes place without words (speech or written). It is very difficult for us to transmit a verbal message without non-verbal clues. As a result, it is very important that we consider the non-verbal aspects of communication. The sender of the message must be aware that the way he/she looks, listens and moves sends a signal to other people. This signal can be used to judge whether or not he/she cares, is being truthful or is actively listening. Once the sender's non-verbal signals match with their verbal communication then it can build trust, transparency and good relationships. The reverse could lead to a series of distrust, anxiety, misunderstandings and creating bad relationships. As we communicate we must be mindful that the non-verbal clues that we are using could be contradicting, repeating, complementing, substituting or accenting our verbal communication.