Introduction

The above case is an example of a successful organisation which is amongst the top companies in India. It has risen to the top because of its quality of management. Management is required in all kinds of organisations — those manufacturing handlooms, trading in consumer goods or providing hairstyling services and even in
non-business organisations. Let us take another example.

Smita Rai is a 38-year old entrepreneur who grew up in a rural district called Namchi, South Sikkim. She was very good in art and craft particularly, Wax moulds. She loved to make candles, often she make into toys and small pieces of art with wax and used it as a gift for her friends and relatuves. She was loved and appreciated for these. Smita was never happy with the conditions of the women in her district as most were poor and jobless, so she planned to do something to solve their problems because she knew that imparting skills for livelihood is needed but she had no idea of how to implement her idea.

In August 2012, she met Abishek Lama, the Branch Manager of NEDFI, Namchi Branch, a financial corporation which support local people with skills development programs and also channelize them into revenue generating activities. Smita got interested. “I love making candles, then, why not convert my hobby into a venture and involve these rural women also”, she thought. This led to the establishment of Namchi Designer Candles with the help of NEDFI, some financial institutions and support from different stakeholders in various dimensions.

Since then, the women have never looked back, despite challenges. The women also faced a lot of harassment but they could overcome all
those troubles.

Namchi Designer Candles has 100 per cent women as employees and they also produce varieties of candles. During Diwali, they produce customized candles meant for the occasion. These Diwali themed candle has been a success in Sikkim as its demand increases on a yearly basis.

Namchi Designer Candles has been receiving numerous awards such as North East Women Entrepreneur of the year 2015-2016 for Sikkim and Sreemanta Shankar Mission of Guwahati on 26th April 2018 at
New Delhi.

A typical day in Smita’s life consists of a series of interrelated and continuous functions. She has to plan a special festive collection for Diwali. This means organising more funds and recruiting more workers. She also has to regularly communicate with her suppliers to ensure that deadlines regarding delivery of goods are met. In the course of the day, she meets customers for a general feedback and any suggestions that they
may have.

Smita is managing Namchi Designer Candles. So is the Principal managing your school. They all manage organisations. Schools, hospitals, shops and large corporations are all organisations with diverse goals that are aimed at achieving something. No matter what the organisation is or what its goals might be, they all have something in common-management and managers.

You have observed that Smita’s work as a manager consists of a series of different activities or functions aimed at achieving the goals of the organisation. These interconnected and interdependent functions are part of management. Successful organisations do not achieve their goals by chance but  by following a deliberate process called ‘management’.

Definations of Management

Management is essential for all organisations big or small, profit or non-profit, services or manufacturing. Management is necessary so that individuals make their best contri-bution towards group objectives.

Management consists of a series of interrelated functions that are performed by all managers. Later in this chapter you will understand that although both of them are managers, they function at different levels in the organisation. The time spent by managers in different functions however is different. Managers at the top level spend more time in planning and organising than managers at lower levels of the organisation.

Concept

Management is a very popular term and has been used extensively for all types of activities and mainly for taking charge of different activities in any enterprise. As you have seen from the above example and case study that management is an activity which is necessary wherever there is a group of people working in an organisation. People in organisations are performing diverse tasks but they are all working towards the same goal. Management aims at guiding their efforts towards achieving a common objective — a goal. Thus, management has to see that tasks are completed and goals are achieved (i.e., effectiveness) with the least amount of resources at a minimum cost (i.e., efficiency).

Management, has therefore, been defined as a process of getting things done with the aim of achieving goals effectively and efficiently. We need to analyse this definition. There are certain terms which require elaboration. These are (a) process, (b) effectively, and (c) efficiently.

Process in the definition means the primary functions or activities that management performs to get things done. These functions are planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling which we will discuss later in the chapter and the book.

Being effective or doing work effectively basically means finishing the given task. Effectiveness in management is concerned with doing the right task, completing activities and achieving goals. In other words, it is concerned with the end result.

But it is not enough to just complete the tasks. There is another aspect also, i.e., being efficient or as we say doing work efficiently.

Efficiency means doing the task correctly and with minimum cost. There is a kind of cost-benefit
analysis involved and the relationship between inputs and outputs. If by using less resources (i.e., the inputs) more benefits are derived (i.e., the outputs) then efficiency has increased. Efficiency is also increased when for the same benefit or outputs, fewer resources are used and less costs are incurred. Input resources are money, materials, equipment and persons required to do a particular task. Obviously, management is concerned with the efficient use of these resources, because they
reduce costs and ultimately lead to higher profits.

Effectiveness versus Efficiency

These two terms are different but they are interrelated. For management, it is important to be both effective and efficient. Effectiveness and efficiency are two sides of the same coin. But these two aspects need to be balanced and management at times, has to compromise with efficiency. For example, it is easier to be effective and ignore efficiency
i.e., complete the given task but at a high cost. Suppose, a company’s target production is 5000 units in a year. To achieve this target the manager has to operate on double shifts due to power failure most of the time. The manager is able to produce 5000 units but at a higher production cost. In this case, the manager was effective but not so efficient, since for the same output, more inputs (labour cost, electricity costs) were used.

At times, a business may con-centrate more on producing goods with fewer resources i.e., cutting down cost but not achieving the target production. Consequently, the goods do not reach the market and hence the demand for them declines and competitors enter the market. This is a case of being efficient but not effective since the goods did not reach the market.

Therefore, it is important for management to achieve goals (effectiveness) with minimum resources i.e., as efficiently as possible while maintaining a balance between effectiveness and efficiency. Usually high efficiency is associated with
high effectiveness which is the aim of
all managers. But undue emphasis
on high efficiency without being effective is also not desirable. Poor
management is due to both ineffi-ciency and ineffectiveness.

Characteristics of Management

After going through some of the definitions we find some elements that may be called the basic characteristics of management:

(i) Management is a goal-oriented process: 

An organisation has a
set of basic goals which are the basic reason for its existence. These should be simple and
clearly stated. Different organ­isations have different goals. For example, the goal of a retail store may be to increase sales, but the goal of The Spastics Society of India is to impart education to
children with special needs. Management unites the efforts of different individuals in the organisation towards achieving these goals.

The Management Mantra from GE

ii) Management is all pervasive: 

The activities involved in managing an enterprise are common to all organisations whether economic, social or political. A petrol pump needs to be managed as much as a hospital or a school. What managers do in India, the USA, Germany or Japan is the same. How they do it may be quite different. This difference is due to the differences in culture, tradition and history.

(iii) Management is multidimen-sional:

Management is a complex activity that has three main dimensions. These are:

(a) Management of work: All organisations exist for the performance of some work. In a factory, a product is manufactured, in a garment store a customer’s need is satisfied and in a hospital a patient is treated. Management translates this work in terms of goals to be achieved and assigns the means to achieve it. This is done in terms of problems to be solved, decisions to be made, plans to be established, budgets to be prepared, responsibilities to be assigned and authority to be delegated.

(b) Management of people: Human resources or people are an organisation’s greatest asset. Despite all developments in technology “getting work done through people” is still a major
task for the manager. Managing people has two dimensions (i) it implies dealing with employees as individuals with diverse needs and behavior; (ii) it also means dealing with individuals as a group of people. The task of management is to make people work towards achieving the organisation’s goals, by making their strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.

(c) Management of operations: No matter what the organisation, it has some basic product or service to provide in order to survive. This requires a prod-uction process which entails the flow of input material and the technology for transfor-ming this input into the desired output for consumption. This is interlinked with both the management of work and the management of people.

(iv) Management is a continuous process: The process of manage-ment is a series of continuous, composite, but separate functions (planning, organising, directing, staffing and controlling). These functions are simultaneously performed by all managers all the time. You may have observed that Smita at Namchi Designer Candles performs several different tasks in a single day. Some days she may spend more time in planning a future exhibition and on another day, she may spend time in sorting out an employee’s problem. The task of a manager consists of an ongoing series of functions.

(v) Management is a group activity:
An organisation is a collection of diverse individuals with different needs. Every member of the group has a different purpose for joining the organisation but as members of the organisation they work towards fulfilling the common organisational goal. This requires team work and coordination of individual effort in a common direction. At the same time management should enable all its members to grow and develop as needs and opportunities change.

(vi) Management is a dynamic function: Management is a dynamic function and has to adapt itself to the changing environment. An organisation interacts with its external envi-ronment which consists of various social, economic and political factors. In order to be successful, an organisation must
change itself and its goals according to the needs of the environment. You probably know that McDonalds, the fast food giant made major changes in its menu to be able to survive in the Indian market.

(vii) Management is an intangible force: Management is an intangi­ble force that cannot be seen but its presence can be felt in the way the organisation functions. The effect of management is noticeable in an organisation where targets are met according to plans, employees are happy and satisfied, and there is orderliness instead of chaos.

Objectives of Management

Management seeks to achieve
certain objectives which are the desired result of any activity. They must be derived from the basic purpose of the business. In any organisation there are different objectives and management has to achieve all objectives in an effective and efficient manner. Objectives can be classified into organisational objectives, social objectives and personal or individual objectives.

(i) Organisational Objectives: Management is responsible for setting and achieving objectives for the organisation. It has to achieve a variety of objectives in all areas considering the interest of all stakeholders including, shareholders, employees, cust­omers and the government. The main objective of any organisation should be to utilise human and material resources to the maximum possible advantage, i.e., to fulfill the economic objectives of a business. These are survival, profit and growth.

Survival: The basic objectives of any business is survival. Management must strive to ensure the survival of the organisation. In order to survive, an organisation must earn enough revenues to cover costs.

Profit: Mere survival is not enough for business. Management has to ensure that the organisation makes a profit. Profit provides a vital incentive for the continued successful operation of the enterprise. Profit is essential for covering costs and risks of the business.

Growth: A business needs to add to its prospects in the long run, for this it is important for the business to grow. To remain in the industry, management must exploit fully the growth potential of the organisation. Growth of a business can be measured in terms of sales volume increase in the number of employees, the number of products or the increase in capital investment, etc. There can be other indicators of growth.

(ii) Social objectives: It involves the creation of benefit for society. As a part of society, every organisation whether it is business or non-business, has a social obligation to fulfill. This refers to consistently creating economic value for various constituents of society. This includes using environmental friendly methods of production, giving employment opportunities to the underpreviledged sections of society and providing basic amenities like schools and healthcare, etc., for community.

ITC – Empowering Rural India

(iii) Personnel objectives: Organi-sations are made up of people who have different personalities, backgrounds, experiences and objectives. They all become part of the organisation to satisfy their diverse needs. These vary from financial needs such as competitive salaries and perks, social needs such as peer recognition and higher level needs such as personal growth and development. Management has to reconcile personal goals with organisational objectives for harmony in the organisation.

Importance of Management

Having understood that management is a universal activity that is integral to any organisation we now examine some of the reasons that have made management so important:

(i) Management helps in achieving group goals: Management is required not for itself but for achieving the goals of the organisation. The task of a manager is to give a common direction to the individual effort in achieving the overall goal of the organisation.

(ii) Management increases effici­ency: The aim of a manager is to reduce costs and increase productivity through better planning, organising, directing, staffing and controlling the activities of the organisation.

(iii) Management creates a dynamic organisation: All organisations have to function in an environment which is constantly changing. It is generally seen that individuals in an organisation resist change as it often means moving from a familiar, secure environment into a newer and more challenging one. Management helps people adapt to these changes so that the organisation is able to maintain its competitive edge.

(iv) Management helps in achieving personal objectives: A manager motivates and leads his team in such a manner that individual members are able to achieve personal goals while contributing to the overall organisational objective. Through motivation and leadership the management helps individuals to develop team spirit, cooperation and commitment to group success.

(v) Management helps in the development of society: An orga-nisation has multiple objectives
to serve the purpose of the different groups that constitute it.
In the process of fulfilling all these, management helps in the development of the organisation and through that it helps in the development of society. It helps to
provide good quality products and services, creates employment opportu­nities, adopts new techno-logy for the greater good of the people and leads the path towards growth and development.

Nature of Management

Management is as old as civilisation. Although modern organisations are
of recent origin, organised activity has existed since the time of the ancient civilisations. In fact, organisations may be considered the distinguishing feature that separated civilised society from uncivilised ones. The earliest management practices were a set of rules and regulations that grew out of the experiences of governmental and commercial activities. The development of trade and commerce gradually led to the development of
management principles and practices.

The term ‘management’ today has several different connotations that highlight the different aspects of its nature. The study of management has evolved over a period of time along with the modern organisations; based both on the experience and practice of managers and a set of theoretical relationships. Over a period of time, it has grown into a dynamic subject with its own special characteristics. However, one question that needs to be addressed pertaining to the nature of management is whether it is a science or an art or both? In order to answer this let us
examine the features of both science and art to see how far management fulfills them.

Management as an Art

What is art? Art is the skillful and personal application of existing knowledge to achieve desired results. It can be acquired through study, observation and experience. Since art is concerned with personal application of knowledge some kind of ingenuity and creativity is required to practice the basic principles learnt. The basic features of an art are
as follows:

(i) Existence of theoretical knowledge: Art presupposes the existence of certain theoretical knowledge. Experts in their respective areas have derived certain basic principles which are applicable to a particular form of art. For example, literature on dancing, public speaking, acting or music is widely recognised.

(ii) Personalised application: The use of this basic knowledge varies from individual to individual. Art, therefore, is a very person­alised concept. For example, two dancers, two speakers, two actors,
or two writers will always differ in demonstrating their art.

(iii) Based on practice and creativity: All art is practical. Art involves the creative practice of existing theoretical knowledge. We know that all music is based on seven basic notes. However, what makes the composition of a musician unique or different is his use of these notes in a creative manner that is entirely his own interpretation.

Management can be said to be an art since it satisfies the following criteria:

(i) A successful manager practices the art of management in the day-to-day job of managing an enterprise based on study, observation and experience. There is a lot of literature available in various areas of management like marketing, finance and human resources which the manager has to specialise in. There is existence of theoretical knowledge.

(ii) There are various theories of management, as propounded by many management thinkers, which prescribe certain universal principles. A manager applies these scientific methods and body of knowledge to a given situation, an issue or a problem, in his own unique manner. A good manager works through a combination of practice, creativity, imagination, initiative and innovation. A manager achieves perfection after long practice. Students of management also apply these principles differently depending on how creative they are.

(iii) A manager applies this acquired knowledge in a personalised
and skillful manner in the light
of the realities of a given situation. He is involved in the activities of the organisation, studies critical situations and formulates his own theories for use in a given situation. This gives rise to different styles of management

The best managers are committed and dedicated individuals; highly trained and educated, with personal qualities such as ambition, self-
motivation, creativity and imagination, a desire for development of the self and the organisation they belong to. All management practices are based on the same set of principles; what distinguishes a successful manager from a less successful one is the ability to put these principles into practice.

Management as a Science

Science is a systematised body of knowledge that explains certain general truths or the operation of general laws. The basic features of science are as follows:

Some Interesting Cross-disciplinary Perspectives

(i) Systematised body of knowledge: Science is a systematic body
of knowledge. Its principles are based on a cause and effect relationship. For example, the phenomenon of an apple falling from a tree towards the ground is explained by the law of gravity.

(ii) Principles based on experimen-tation: Scientific principles are
first developed through observation and then tested through repeated experimentation under controlled conditions.

(iii) Universal validity: Scientific principles have universal validity and application.

Based on the above features, we can say that management has some characteristics of science.

(i) Management has a systematised body of knowledge. It has its own theory and principles that have developed over a period
of time, but it also draws on
other disciplines such as Economics, Sociology, Psychology and Mathematics. Like all other organised activity, management has its own vocabulary of terms and concepts. For example, all of us discuss sports like cricket and soccer using a common vocabulary. The players also use these terms to communicate with each other. Similarly managers need to communicate with one another with the help of a common vocabulary for a better understanding of their work situation.

(ii) The principles of management have evolved over a period of time based on repeated experimentation and observation in different types of organisations. However, since management deals with human beings and human behaviour, the outcomes of these experiments are not capable of being accurately predicted or replicated. Therefore, management can be called an inexact science. Despite these limitations, management scholars have been able to identify general principles of management. For example, scientific management principles by F.W. Taylor and Functional Management principles by Henri Fayol which you will study in the next chapter.

(iii) Since the principles of mana-gement are not as exact as the principles of science, their application and use is not universal. They have to be modified according to a given situation. However, they provide managers with certain standardised techniques that
can be used in different
situations. These principles are also used for training and development of managers.

You must have understood from the foregoing discussion that manage-ment has features of both art and science. The practice of management is an art. However, managers can work better if their practice is based on the principles of management. These principles constitute the science of management. Management as an art and a science are therefore not mutually exclusive, but complement each other.

Management as a Profession

You have understood so far that all forms of organised activity need to be managed. You would also have observed that organisations look for individuals with specific qualifications and experience to manage them. It has also been observed that there has been an increase in the corporate form of business on the one hand and increasing emphasis on managed business concerns. Does this imply that management is a profession? To answer this question let us examine the salient features of a profession and see whether management satisfies them.

A profession has the following characteristics:

(i) Well-defined body of know-ledge: All professions are based on a well-defined body of knowledge that can be acquired through instruction.

(ii) Restricted entry: The entry to a profession is restricted through an examination or through acquiring an educational degree. For example, to become a chartered accountant in India a candidate has to clear a specified examination conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

(iii) Professional association: All professions are affiliated to a professional association which regulates entry, grants certificate of practice and formulates and enforces a code of conduct. To be able to practice in India lawyers have to become members of the Bar Council which regulates and controls their activities.

(iv) Ethical code of conduct: All professions are bound by a code of conduct which guides the behaviour of its members. All doctors, for example, take the oath of ethical practice at the time they enter the profession.

(v) Service motive: The basic motive of a profession is to serve their client’s interests by rendering dedicated and committed service. The task of a lawyer is to ensure that his client gets justice.

Management does not meet the exact criteria of a profession. However, it does have some of the features of a profession:

(i) All over the world there is marked growth in management as a discipline. It is based on a systematic body of knowledge comprising well-defined principles based on a variety of business situations. This knowledge can be acquired
at different colleges and professional institutes and through a number of books and journals. The subject of management is taught at different institutions. Some of these have been set up with the specific purpose of providing management education such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) in India. Entry to different institutes is usually through an examination.

(ii) There is no restriction on anyone being designated or appointed as manager in any business enterprise. Anyone can be called a manager irrespective of the educational qualifications possessed.

Unlike professions such as medicine or law which require a practicing doctor or lawyer to possess valid degrees, nowhere in the world is it mandatory
for a manager to possess any
such specific degree. But professional knowledge and training is considered to be a desirable qualification, since
there is greater demand for those who possess degrees or diplomas from reputed institutions. Therefore, as such the second criterion has not been strictly met.

(iii) There are several associations of practising managers in India, like the AIMA (All India Management Association) that has laid down a code of conduct to regulate the activities of their members. There is, however,
no compulsion for managers to be members of such an association nor does it have any statutory backing.

(iv) The basic purpose of manage-ment is to help the organisation achieve its stated goal. This may be profit maximisation for a business enterprise and service for a hospital. However, profit maximisation as the objective of management does not hold true and is fast changing. Therefore, if an organisation has a good management team that is efficient and effective it automatically serves society by providing good quality products at reasonable prices.

Levels of Management

Management is a universal term used for certain functions performed by individuals in an enterprise who are bound together in a hierarchy of relationships. Every individual in the hierarchy is responsible for successful completion of a particular task. To be able to fulfill that responsibility he is assigned a certain amount of authority or the right to take a decision. This authority-responsibility relationship binds individuals as superiors and subordinates and gives rise to different levels in an organisation. Generally speaking there are three levels in the hierarchy of an organisation.

(i) Top Management: They consist
of the senior-most executives of the organisation by whatever name they are called. They are usually referred to as the chairman, the chief executive officer, chief operating officer, president and vice-president. Top management is a team consisting of managers from different functional levels, heading finance, marketing etc. For example chief finance officer, vice president (marketing). Their basic task is to integrate diverse elements and coordinate the activities of different departments according to the overall objectives of the organisation. These top level managers are responsible for the welfare and survival of the organisation. They analyse the business environment and its implications for the survival of the firm. They formulate overall organisational goals and strategies for their achievement. They are responsible for all the activities of the business and for its impact on society. The job of the top manager is complex and stressful, demanding long hours and commitment to the organisation.

(ii) Middle Management: is the link between top and lower level managers. They are subordinate to top managers and superior to the first line managers. They are usually known as division heads, for example production manager. Middle management is responsible for implementing and controlling plans and strategies developed by top management. At the same time they are responsible for all the activities of first line managers. Their main task is to carry out the plans formulated
by the top managers. For this they need to: (i) interpret the policies framed by top management,
(ii) ensure that their department has the necessary personnel, (iii) assign necessary duties and responsibilities to them,
(iv) motivate them to achieve desired objectives, and (v) co­-operate with other departments for smooth functioning of the organisation. At the same time they are responsible for all the activities of first line managers.

(iii) Supervisory or Operational Management: Foremen and supervisors comprise the lower
level in the hierarchy of the organisation. Supervisors directly oversee the efforts of the workforce. Their authority and responsibility is limited according to the plans drawn by the top management. Supervisory management plays a very important role in the organisation since they interact with the actual work force and pass on instructions of the middle management to the workers. Through their efforts quality of output is maintained, wastage of materials is minimised and safety standards are maintained. The quality of workmanship and the quantity of output depends on the hard work, discipline and loyalty of the workers.

Functions of Management

Management is described as the process of planning, organising, directing and controlling the efforts of organisational members and of using organisational resources to achieve specific goals.

Planning is the function of determining in advance what is to be done and who is to do it. This implies setting goals in advance and developing a way of achieving them efficiently and effectively. In Smita’s organisation the objective is production and sale of candles.
Smita has to decide quantities, variety and colour and then allocate resources
for their purchase from different suppliers. Planning cannot prevent problems, but it can predict them and prepare contingency plans to deal with them if and when they occur.

Organising is the management function of assigning duties, grouping tasks, establishing authority and allocating resources required to carry out a specific plan. Once a specific plan has been established for the accomplishment of an organisational goal, the organising function examines the activities and resources required to implement the plan. It determines what activities and resources are required. It decides who will do a particular task, where it will be done, and when it will be done. Organising involves the grouping of the required tasks into manageable departments or work units and the establishment of authority and reporting relationships within the organisational hierarchy. Proper organisational techniques help in the accomplishment of work and promote both the efficiency of operations and the effectiveness of results. Different kinds of business require different structures according to the nature of work. You will read more about this in a
later chapter.

Staffing simply stated, is finding the right people for the right job. A very important aspect of management is to make sure that the right people with the right qualifications are available at the right places and times to accomplish the goals of the organisation. This is also known as the human resource function and it involves activities such as recruitment, selection, placement and training of personnel. Infosys Technologies which develops software needs systems analysts and programmers.

Directing involves leading, influ­encing and motivating employees to perform the tasks assigned to them. This requires establishing an atmosphere that encourages employees to do their best. Motivation and leadership are two key components of direction. Directing also involves communicating effectively as well as supervising employees at work. Motivating workers means simply creating an environment that makes them want to work. Leadership is influencing others to do what the leader wants them to do. A good manager directs through praise and criticism in such a way that it brings out the best in the employee.

Controlling is the management function of monitoring organisational performance towards the attainment of organisational goals. The task of controlling involves establishing standards of performance, measuring current performance, comparing this with established standards and taking corrective action where any deviation is found. Here management must determine what activities and outputs are critical to success, how and where they can be measured and who should have the authority to take corrective action.

The various functions of a manager are usually discussed in the order given above, suggesting that a manager first plans, then organises, puts staff in position, then directs, and finally controls. In reality, managers are rarely able to carry out these functions in isolation. The activities of a manager are interrelated and it is often difficult to pinpoint where one ended and the other began.

Coordination — The Essence of Management

You have understood by now that a manager has to perform five interrelated functions in the process of managing an organisation which is a system made up of different interlinked and interdependent subsystems. A manager has to link these diverse groups towards the achievement of a common goal. The process by which a manager synchronises the activities of different departments is known as coordination.

Coordination is the force that binds all the other functions of management. It is the common thread that runs through all activities such as purchase, production, sales, and finance to ensure continuity
in the working of the organisation. Coordination is sometimes considered a separate function of management. It is however, the essence of management, for achieving harmony among individual efforts towards the accomplishment of group goals. Each managerial function is an exercise contributing individually to coordination. Coordination is implicit and inherent in all functions of an organisation.

The process of coordinating the activities of an organisation begins at the planning stage itself. Top management plans for the entire organisation. According to these plans the organisational structure is developed and staffed. In order to ensure that these plans are executed according to plans directing is required. Any discrepancies between actual and realised activities are then taken care of at the stage of controlling. It is through the process of coordination that a manager ensures the orderly arrangement of individual and group efforts to ensure unity of action in the realisation of common objectives. Coordination therefore involves synchronisation of the different actions or efforts of the various units of an organisation. This provides the requisite amount, quality, timing and sequence of efforts which ensures that planned objectives are achieved with a minimum of conflict.

Characteristics of Coordination

The definitions given above highlight the following features of coordination:

(i) Coordination integrates group efforts: Coordination unifies unrelated or diverse interests into purposeful work activity. It gives a common focus to group effort to ensure that performance is as it was planned and scheduled.

(ii) Coordination ensures unity of action: The purpose of coordination is to secure unity of action in the realisation of a common purpose. It acts as the binding force between departments and ensures that all action is aimed at achieving the goals of the organisation.
At Namchi Designer Candles, 

the production and sales department have to coordinate their work, so that production takes place according to the demand in the market.

(iii) Coordination is a continuous process: Coordination is not a one-time function but a continuous process. It begins at the planning stage and continues till controlling. Smita plans her dewali collection in the month of June itself. She has to then ensure that there is adequate workforce and continuously monitor whether production is proceeding according to plans. Her marketing department also has to be briefed in time to prepare their promotional and advertising campaigns.

(iv) Coordination is an all pervasive function: Coordination is required at all levels of management due to the interdependent nature of activities of various departments. It integrates the efforts of different departments and different levels. The purchase, production and sales departmental efforts have to be coordinated by Smita for achieving organisational objectives harmoniously. The purchase department is responsible for procuring fabric. This then becomes the basis of the activities of the production department and finally sales can take place. If fabric purchased is of an inferior quality or is not according to the specifications of the production department, further sales will also decline. In the absence of coordination there is overlapping and chaos instead of harmony and integration of activities.

(v) Coordination is the responsibi-lity of all managers: Coordi-nation is the function of every manager in the organisation. Top level managers need to coordinate with their subordinates to ensure that the overall policies for the organisation are duly carried out. Middle level management coordinates with both the top level and first line managers. Operational level management coordinates the activities of its workers to ensure that work proceeds according to plans.

(vi)Coordination is a deliberate function: A manager has to coordinate the efforts of different people in a conscious and deliberate manner. Even where members of a department willingly cooperate and work, coordination gives a direction to that willing spirit. Cooperation in the absence of coordination may lead to wasted effort and coordination without cooperation may lead to dissatisfaction among employees.  

Coordination, therefore, is not a separate function of management, but its very essence. For an organisation to effectively and efficiently achieve its objectives coordination is required. Like a thread in a garland, coordination is a part of all management functions  

Importance of Coordination

Coordination is important as it integrates the efforts of individuals, departments and specialists. The primary reason for coordination is that departments and individuals in the organisation are interdependent, i.e. they depend on each other for information and resources to perform their respective activities. Thus, managers need to reconcile differences in approach, timing, effort or interest. At the same time, there is a need to harmonise individual goals and organisational goals.

Definations of Cordination

(i) Growth in size: As organisations grow in size, the number of people employed by the organisation also increases. At times, it may become difficult to integrate their efforts and activities. All individuals differ in their habits of work, background, approaches to situations and relationships with others. It becomes necessary to ensure that all individuals work towards the common goals of the organisation. But employees may have their own individual goals also. Therefore, for organisational efficiency, it is important to harmonise individual goals and organisational goals through coordination.

‘DABBAWALLAS’ – Excellence through Coordination 

However, all departments and individuals are interdependent and they have to depend on each other for information to perform their activities. The activity of each department needs to be focused on attainment of common organisational goals. The process of linking the activities of various departments is accomplished
by coordination.

(iii) Specialisation: Modern organisations are characterised by a high degree of specialisation. Specialisation arises out of the complexities of modern technology and the diversity of tasks to be performed. Organisations, therefore, need to employ a number of specialists. Specialists usually think that they only are qualified to evaluate, judge and decide according to their professional criteria. They do not take advice or suggestions from others in matters pertaining to their area of specialisation. This often leads to conflict amongst different specialists as well as others in the organisation. Therefore, some coordination is required by an independent person to reconcile the differences in approach, interest or opinion of the specialists.

Management in the Twenty-first Century

Management Process Efficiency Effectiveness Art

Science Profession Planning Organising Staffing

Directing Controlling Coordination

 Very Short Answer Type:

1. What is meant by management?

2. Name any two important characteristics of management.

3. Identify and state the force that binds all the other functions of management.

4. List any two indicators of growth of an organisation.

5. Indian Railways has launched a new broad gauge solar power train which is going to be a path breaking leap towards making trains greener and more environment friendly. The solar power DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) has 6 trailer coaches and is expected to save about 21,000 liters of diesel and ensure a cost saving of Rs 12, 00,000 per year. Name the objectives of management achieved by Indian Railways in the above case.

Short Answer Type:

1. Ritu is the manager of the northern division of a large corporate house. At what level does she work in the organisation? What are her basic functions?

2. State the basic features of management as a profession.

3. Why is management considered to be a multi-dimensional concept?

4. Company X is facing a lot of problems these days. It manufactures white goods like washing machines, microwave ovens, refrigerators and air conditioners. The company’s margins are under pressure and the profits and market share are declining. The production department blames marketing for not meeting sales targets and marketing blames production department for producing goods, which are not of good quality meeting customers’ expectations. The finance department blames both production and marketing for declining return on investment and bad marketing. State the quality of management that the company is lacking? What quality of management do you think the company is lacking? Explain briefly. What steps should the company management take to bring the company back on track?

5. Coordination is the essence of management. Do you agree? Give reasons.

6. Ashita and Lakshita are employees working in Dazzling enterprises dealing in costume jewellery. The firm secured an urgent order for 1,000 bracelets that were to be delivered within 4 days. They were assigned the responsibility of producing 500 bracelets each at a cost of Rs 100 per bracelet. Ashita was able to produce the required number within the stipulated time at the cost of Rs 55,000 whereas, Lakshita was able to produce only 450 units at a cost of Rs 90 per unit. State whether Ashita and Lakshita are efficient and effective. Give reasons to justify your answer.

Long Answer Type:

1. Management is considered to be both an art and science. Explain.

2. Do you think management has the characteristics of a full-fledged profession?

3. “A successful enterprise has to achieve its goals effectively and efficiently.” Explain.

4. Management is a series of continuous interrelated functions. Comment.

5. A company wants to modify its existing product in the market due to decreasing sales. You can imagine any product about which you are familiar. What decisions/steps should each level of management take to give effect to this decision?

6. A firm plans in advance and has a sound organisation structure with efficient supervisory staff and control system but on several occasion it finds that plans are not being adhered to. It leads to confusion and duplication of work. Advise remedy.