Management in Different Perspectives

Management as a Process:

• The process is a series of inter-related functions.
• George R. Terry defines it as a distinct process consisting of planning, organizing, actuating and controlling performed to achieve stated objectives.
• In this perspective, management is creation, operation, and direction of the organization through systematic, coordinated and cooperated efforts of human and machine resources.
• Under this perspective, its functions are planning, organizing, staffing, coordinating and directing to achieve the goal of the organization.
• As a process, management consists of four aspects:
• As a social process – Human resource is an important factor in an organization. It is concerned with developing a healthy relationship among people. It is the duty of the manager to create between people, which is productive and supportive of organizational goals.
• As an integrating process – Men, money, and material are resources of an organization. Manager brings together human, physical, and financial resources so as to achieve the organizational purpose.
• As a continuous process – Management is a never-ending process. It is concerned with constantly identifying the problem and solving them by taking adequate steps. The manager should be innovative and up to date.
• A universal Process – Management is not restricted to corporate offices or boardrooms, but it is applicable everywhere in daily life for e.g. human relations, parenting, education etc.

Management as a Function:

• Management includes a set of duties, responsibilities, and relationships to set up an organization. Some scholars see them as functions to be performed by the manager.
• Using these functions manager can decide objectives, prioritize them, prepare an action plan and expedite it to achieve the goals of the organization.
• As a function, management consists of five aspects:
• Planning – According to KOONTZ, “Planning is deciding in advance – what to do when to do & how to do. It bridges the gap between where we are & where we want to be”. A plan is a future course of actions and it is the basic function of management. Strategic management sets the goals of the organization. Planning chalk out the action plan to achieve these goals. Planning is necessary to ensure proper utilization of human & non-human resources. Planning avoids confusion, uncertainties, risks, wastages etc.
• Organizing – According to Henry Fayol, “To organize a business is to provide it with everything useful or its functioning i.e. raw material, tools, capital and personnel’s”. Organizing is the process by which the physical, financial and human resources are brought together to develop a productive relationship amongst the resources so that the goals of the organization can be achieved. Organizing as a process involves: Identification and classification of activities, assignment, and delegation of duties and creating responsibility and coordination between authority and responsibility.
• Staffing- The main purpose of staffing is to put right man on right job According to Kootz & O’Donnell, “Managerial function of staffing involves manning the organization structure through the proper and effective selection, appraisal & development of personnel to fill the roles designed in the structure”.  Staffing gained importance due to the advancement of technology, increase in size and nature of the business, the complexity of human behaviour etc. Staffing involves manpower planning, recruitment, selection, placement, training and development, remuneration, appraisals, promotions, transfers, layoffs, retrenchment etc.
• Directing – This is a very important function of management because it actuates the organizational methods to work efficiently for achieving the goal of the organization. The direction is an inert-personnel aspect of management which deals directly with influencing, guiding, supervising, motivating sub-ordinate for achieving the goal of the organization. Directing involves supervision (directing and overseeing the work of subordinates), motivation (inspiring and encouraging subordinates through monetary or non-monetary methods), Leadership (manage, influence and guide activities of subordinates) and communication (transferring information, experience, suggestions and opinions from one person to another verbally or written).
• Controlling – According to Koontz & O’Donnell “Controlling is the measurement & correction of performance activities of subordinates in order to make sure that the enterprise objectives and plans desired to obtain them as being accomplished”.  According to Theo Haimann, “Controlling is the process of checking whether or not proper progress is being made towards the objectives and goals and acting if necessary, to correct any deviation”.  The purpose of control is to make sure that everything in the organization occurs in accordance with the standards and plans. Controlling involves Establishment of standard performance, measurement of actual performance,  comparison of actual performance with the standards and finding out deviation if any and taking corrective action.

Management as an Activity:

• According to Koontz, “Management is what a manager does”. As management is an activity it can be studied, mastered and practiced. Management as an activity cannot be studied in isolation. The management is an activity because a manager is a person who accomplishes the objectives of the organization by directing and controlling the efforts of others. Management as an activity includes three aspects:
• Informational activities – These activities involve transferring information, experience, suggestions, and opinions from one person to another verbally or in written form. The manager maintains a communication link between the subordinates and superiors. It guarantees the effective functioning of an enterprise.
• Decisional activities – Basically management is decision making. Therefore, managers are continuously involved in decisions of different kinds. These decisions become the basis for the actions of subordinates and associated departments
• Inter-personal activities – The managers have to interact with superiors as well as the subordinates.  He must maintain good relations with them and between them.

Management as a Team:

• Management is a task carried out by a group of people who share the responsibility of guiding and coordinating the efforts of other team members. Managers have the responsibility of guiding and directing their respective teams from the different hierarchical position. Considering a team there are three types of managers
• Patrimonial / Family Manager: Those who have become managers by virtue of their being owners or relatives of the owners of the company.
• Professional Managers: Those who have been appointed on account of their specialized knowledge and qualifications.
• Political Managers / Civil Servants / Military Personel: Those who manage have been appointed by virtue of training and experiences.

Management as a Science:

• Science is a systematic body of knowledge pertaining to a specific field of study that contains general facts which explain a phenomenon. Management satisfies following criteria of science
• Cause & Effect Relationship – Principles and laws of science put cause and effect relationship between various variables. e.g. Under the action of gravity (the cause), the apple falls down (the effect). All the outcome (effects) in management can be explained with reasons (cause) behind it. Similarly, the outcome (effect) can be predicted by studying the action (cause).
• Universally acceptance principles – Principles of science can be applied in all situations, at all time & at all places without any anomalies. E.g. – the law of gravitation which can be applied universally. Some principles of management like the Principle of Unity of Command (one man, one boss) is true everywhere.
• Experimentation & Observation – In science new principles can be discovered, studied and implemented in laboratories on a smaller scale. Observations are made during experimentation. Its merits, demerits, and applications are studied. Then this principle can be applied on a large scale. The Same thing is true for management.
• Test of Validity & Predictability – Validity of scientific principles can be tested at any time or any number of times. Similarly, the principles of management can be verified.

Management as an Art:

• Art has the following characteristics
• Practical Knowledge: Every art requires practical knowledge, therefore, learning of theory is not sufficient. It is very important to know the practical application of theoretical principles. In the management, mere knowledge of management is not essential but to apply effectively so as to achieve organizational goal economically.
• Personal Skill: Every artist has his or her unique style of working or performing. The level of success and quality of performance depends on this uniqueness. Every manager has his own way of managing things based on his knowledge, experience, and personality. This personal skill decides the success of the manager.
• Creativity: Creativity is the basis of art. Using their intuition, imagination, and intelligence they produce something which is unique and may not be present before. Successful manager combines this creativity to combines human and non-human resources in a useful way to achieve desired goals.
• Perfection through practice: Practice makes a man perfect. After achieving success artist never stop practicing. Similarly, managers learn through the method of trial and error initially but by practice becomes perfect in the job of managing.
• Goal-Oriented: Every artist has a clear idea of what he is going to create and achieve. In the same way, the management also directed towards the accomplishment of pre-determined goals.

Management as a Discipline:

• Any branch of knowledge that fulfills the following two requirements is known as a discipline: a) There must be scholars & thinkers who communicate relevant knowledge through research and publications. and b) The knowledge should be formally imparted through education and training programs. Management satisfies both the conditions.