Management, at its core, is the process of coordinating resources (human,
financial, material, etc.) to achieve organizational goals efficiently and
effectively. It involves planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling
activities.
For example a project manager coordinating a team to develop a new
software application, ensuring tasks are completed on time and within
budget.
Introduction to Management:
Management is the process of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling resources to
achieve specific goals, typically within an organization. It involves coordinating the efforts
of people and effectively utilizing available resources to accomplish objectives efficiently
and effectively.
Henri Fayol -
management is the process of forecasting, planning, organizing, commanding,
coordinating, and controlling
Peter Drucker defined management as the process of getting things done through other
people.
Management is a universal process found in all types of organizations, from businesses to
non-profits, and at all levels within those organizations. It’s the art and science of making
decisions and directing efforts to achieve desired outcomes. Effective management
ensures resources are used optimally, leading to increased productivity and the successful
attainment of objectives.
Nature / Characteristics of Management
1.Management is a human activity – It is performed by and through people. it involves
the actions and decisions made by individuals to achieve specific goals. It's
not just a set of abstract principles, but rather the practical application of
those principles by people to organize, direct, and control resources, including
human resources, towards desired outcomes.
2.It is pervasive -. it is needed at all levels in an organization (Top, Middle, Bottom) tough
the nature and scope of tasks may vary. The top executives perform the functions of the
planning, organising,directing, controlling and decision making.The same functions are
also performed by the lower level supervisor.
3.It is universal – It is applicable in business as well as other social and political
organizations. A hospital utilizes management principles to manage patient care, staff
schedules, and resource allocation, similar to how a manufacturing company manages
production.
4.It is a social process – It deals with people and aims at optimum utilization of resources
for the benefit of society as a whole.
4.continuous process: Management is a continuous or never ending function. All the
functions of management are performed continuously, for example planning,
organizing, staffing, directing and controlling are performed by all the managers all the
time. Example: A company might plan to increase sales by 15% in the next quarter. To
achieve this, they organize a sales team, staff it with qualified individuals, direct them
with sales strategies, and continuously monitor their performance against the target. If
sales are not on track, they may need to adjust their strategies, provide additional
training, or even revisit their initial sales targets. This cycle of planning, organizing,
staffing, directing, and controlling continues throughout the quarter and beyond,
adapting to new challenges and opportunities as they arise.
5.It is goal oriented – Management aims at achieving various economic and non-
economic goals. A marketing team setting sales targets for a new product launch is an
example of management’s goal-oriented nature. The team plans, organizes resources, and
executes strategies to achieve those targets.
6.It Is a group activity – Management involves getting things done through people in a
formally organized group and aids in achieving individual as well as organisational goals. A
product development team, consisting of engineers, designers, and marketers, working
together to create a new product demonstrates the group effort aspect of management.
7.It is a system of authority – Authority is the right to give orders and the power to obtain
obedience from employees. A manager gets things done by using authority over his/her
subordinates.
8.It Is a distinct activity and dynamic activity – A manager visualizes the problems in a
business and takes suitable steps to adapt the business with the changing internal and
external environment. A business adopting new technologies to improve its production
process is an example of management adapting to a changing environment.
9.It is a science as well as an Art – It is a systematic body of knowledge based on general
principles which are universally applicable therefore it is a science. But a manager also
requires various skills and creativity to solve complex problems and achieve results and
hence it is also an art.A manager using data analysis (science) to forecast sales and then
motivating the sales team (art) to achieve those targets exemplifies the combination of art
and science in management.
10.It is multi-disciplinary – It is borrows from psychology, sociology, anthropology,
ecology, economics, statistics, operations research executives.
11.leadership quality -
Leadership qualities are integral to effective management. While management
encompasses planning, organizing, and controlling, leadership focuses on
influencing, motivating, and guiding individuals toward a common
goal. Leadership is a crucial part of the "directing" function within
management, and it involves interpersonal skills and the ability to inspire,
whereas management also includes administrative tasks.
12. Formed by practice and experimentation – these are performed by
experiment and collective wisdom of managers as well as experimentation
For e.g. The Hawthorne experiment, conducted in the late 1920s and early
1930s at the Western Electric Hawthorne Works in Chicago, investigated the
impact of various workplace conditions on worker productivity. The studies,
primarily led by Elton Mayo, revealed that worker output was significantly
influenced by social and psychological factors, not just physical conditions or
financial incentives. The most notable finding was the "Hawthorne effect,"
where workers' increased productivity stemmed from the attention and social
dynamics of being observed during the experiment.
