The Management Process

Since the late nineteenth century, it has been common practice to define management in terms of four specific functions of managers: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.
A process is a systematic way of doing things. We refer to management as a process to 132 emphasize that all managers, regardless of their Cartier Replica Watches particular aptitudes or skills, engage in certain interrelated activities in order to achieve their desired goals.
Planning
Plans give the organization its objectives and set up the best procedures for reaching them. In addition, plans are the guides by which (1) the organization obtains and commits the resources required to reach its objectives; (2) members of the organization carry on activities consistent with the chosen objectives and procedures; and (3) progress toward the objectives is monitored and measured so that corrective action can be taken if progress is unsatisfactory.
The first step in planning is the selection of goals for the organization. Goals are then established for each of the organization's subunits - its divisions, departments, and so on. Once these are determined, programs are established for achieving goals in a systematic manner. Of course, in selecting objectives and developing programs, the top manager considers their feasibility and acceptability to the organization's managers and employees.
Plans made by top management charged with responsibility for the organization as a whole may cover periods as long as five or ten years. In a large organization, such as a multinational energy corporation like British Petroleum, those plans may involve commitments of billions of dollars. On the other hand, planning in particular parts of the Cartier Roadster Replica organizations spans much shorter periods.
Organizing
Organizing is the process of arranging and allocating work, authority, and resources among an organization's members so they can achieve the organization's goals. Different goals require different structures. An organization that aims to develop computer software, for example, needs a different structure than does a manufacturer of blue jeans. Producing a standardized product like blue jeans requires efficient assembly-line techniques, whereas producing software requires organizing teams of professionals such as systems analysts and programmers. Thus, managers must match an organization's structure to its goals and resources, a process called organizational design.
Leading
Leading involves directing, influencing, and motivating employees to perform essential tasks. Relationships and time are central to leading activities. In fact, leading gets to the heart of managers' relationships with each of the people working for them. Managers lead in an attempt to persuade others to join them in pursuit of the future that Replica Watches emerges from the planning and organizing steps. By establishing the proper atmosphere, managers help their employees do their best Controlling.
Finally, the manager must be sure the actions of the organization's members do in fact move th< organization toward its stated goals. This is the controlling function of management, and ii involves these main elements: (1) establishing standards of performance; (2) measuring curreni performance; (3) comparing this performance to the established standards; and (4) taking corrective action if deviations are detected. Through the controlling function, the managei keeps the organization on track.