Functions of Management

Essay by chatter2101University, Bachelor'sA+, June 2010

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Functions of Management � PAGE �4�

Functions of Management

Management is defined as "the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals" (Bateman & Snell, 2009, p. 19). When business is adequate, smaller emphasis is placed on managers and their roles. When times or markets change "it becomes evident that management is a challenge requiring constant adaptation to new circumstances" (Bateman & Snell, 2009, p. 6). Managers must be both effective and efficient to be successful. To achieve being effective and efficient there are four traditional functions of management that must be completed.

The first of the functions that management is responsible for is planning. Planning is a process of developing individual or group goals and determining what actions are necessary to achieve those goals. The planning process involves both current situations of an organization as well as anticipating future needs. In the past planning could be described as a top-down approach in which top executives established a business plan and told others how to implement them (Bateman & Snell, 2009).

In today's competitive business world, employees must be included in the planning process. Any ideas that can strengthen competitive advantage should be shared with management, so that they can be followed through with.

Once ideas and thoughts are developed, management must assemble the correct resources. Organizing assembles the needed financial, human, informational, physical, and other resources to achieve desired goals (Bateman & Snell, 2009). Organizing is a process in which managers hire employees for specific jobs and provide the necessary resources for those employees to produce a product or service. The more organized a plan is the easier it will be for management to implement. Although other functions of management can never be removed, the more organizing that goes into implementing a goal the easier the...