Four Functions Of Management

Running head: FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT

Functions of Management

Functions of Management

Week one of University of Phoenix course, bachelor of science in human services (BSHS) 330, Management Theory, Practice and Application, introduces the topics for weeks two through five by providing an overview of the functions of management. The functions being studied in BSHS 330 are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Definitions of these four functions will be discussed and relevance of them will be tied to the author's current employer.

The four functions of management as listed here, are gathered from the book; Management: The New Competitive Landscape (Bateman and Snell, 2004). References are noted in the text.

Planning

The first key to being successful in business is planning. Without planning, there is nothing to organize, no one to lead and nothing to control. So planning is the place to start when looking at management functions because success in any organization must be planned. Planning is most effective when the business or organization has established clear direction and desired outcomes.

A business must understand the service or function the business will provide. This is the reason for planning. In order to provide a product or service, the business or organization establishes goals which allow them to focus the assets of the company on the product or service. The goals provide a focus for the management team who must plan how they will accomplish the goal(s).

After establishing the business goals, planning is the activity that plots the path to achieving the goals (Bateman and Snell, 2004, p15). Management looks for obstacles that might prevent success, resources necessary to bring success, and infrastructure that support success. Recognizing these obstacles or hindrances allows the business to determine how to avoid or minimize the impact of the obstacle(s). The obstacles and the path around them are put together into a document called the business plan. The business plan is the navigation aid that will be used by the company to improve the chances of success.

Organizing

The second function of management is organizing. Once planning has been initiated, the resources identified in the plan must be organized. Managers have the responsibility to match resources such as equipment, facilities, personnel, training, and materials in such a way that each part remains successful. This requires a continued focus on the business plan as the resources are allocated to the proper place in the flow path of the business product or service. Organization is the ability to coordinate resources in a manner that effectively and efficiently implements the plan so the organization can reach maximum potential. (Bateman and Snell, 2004, p15).

Organization is a difficult function to work with. The ability to organize and to maintain organization can vary from day-to-day. Conditions will change within the business or organization. The changes will impact the organization and the manager will find himself/herself adjusting the organization to account for the change. In some cases, change will require the company to adjust the plan in an effort to smooth perturbences and allow for a more streamlined operation.

Leading

The manager who is able to organize now begins to look at the resources provided to accomplish the plan. Resources must be chosen to be compatible with the organization and the plan laid out for the company's success. The resources are most often people; employees. Finding the right skill mix, knowledge base, and motivation are marks of leadership.

Having placed the resources, the manager exercises leadership to maintain and improve the motivation of the employees and the overall functioning