Healthy Control in Management

Healthy Control in Management Effective management requires the use of all four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. Control is the function that links all other functions together. Planning, organizing and leading can result in a wasted effort if an effective and healthy control process is not implemented. Companies are dynamic; constantly changing. Leaders and managers may come and go. Processes may change as products evolve to meet customer desires. Organizations change as new structural theories emerge. Control processes are needed to ensure the quality of the company, its employees, and its products (Ford and Greer, 2005).

In order for control to happen, people must be appointed to be in charge of control. Traditionally, this happens two-fold. In structural terms, it occurs functionally and divisionally. Divisionally, managers within each department or team are responsible for controlling the processes of employees under his or her management. Managers are to evaluate the performance of employees and the success of processes.

Monitoring and Control project activities

Exhibit#1: Management control as an interdisciplin...

[Portrait of Duke Ellington and Sonny Greer, Aquar...

Functionally, individual departments exist for the sole purpose of control. For example, quality control and utilization are common departments that audit the checks and balances and production quality internally for companies (Ford and Greer, 2005).

Bateman and Snell (2007) define control as “any process that directs the activities of individuals toward the achievement of organizational goals” (Bateman & Snell, 2007). Management control systems set personnel and productivity standards and provide control mechanisms to ensure that these standards are met, (Ford and Greer, 2005). In order for control systems within an organization to be effective, control of leaders must remain balanced, leaders must maintain proper working relationships with employees, and control mechanisms must be clearly defined and operational.

Balancing ControlControl mechanisms are important to an organization. Without the first three functions of management, planning, organizing and leading, control could not take...