Functions Of Management In A Domestic Environment

Functions of Management in a Domestic Environment

The four functions of management are planning, organizing, leading and controlling. While these functions are applied to the business world, they are also applied to everyday family and household matters. The accepted labels attached to these kinds of managers are Domestic Engineers. These managers never leave their humble abodes to work for someone else's company, but hold just as important and responsible positions within their own company. These individuals make up a company within themselves and are responsible for making life acceptable for their families and themselves. This paper will attempt to describe how the four functions of management apply to domestic engineers.

Management

The definition of management can be applied to a domestic engineer in the way that working with family and resources will lead to effectively and efficiently achieving the goals of the household and family needs (T. Bateman & S. Snell, 2007, p. 16). These executives "not only adapt to changing conditions but also apply--fanatically, rigorously, consistently, and with discipline--the fundamental management principles. These fundamentals include the four traditional functions of management: planning, organizing, leading, and controlling" (T. Bateman & S. Snell, 2007, p. 16).

The effective domestic manager will achieve goals that are set by not only the family unit as a whole, but also achieve the goals set by herself for the continued well-being of her family. Some of these goals would be to make sure that every member in the household ate the proper foods and got enough exercise and rest to stay healthy; pays all of the bills on time; maintains a clean environment in which to live; and also maintains the proper inventory of shoes and clothing for all members of the family unit. And even though the domestic manager controls how and if these goals are achieved, she still has to work within the confines of the expectations that are placed upon her from outside or previous obligations.

The efficiency of the domestic manager is determined by her minimal waste of resources and her best possible use of money, time and materials (T. Bateman & S. Snell, 2007, p. 16). Efficient actions that she could take are to take note of the foods that were left after each meal and find a way to use the leftovers within the next couple of days; making sure that all electronics that are not being used are turned off; checking for locked doors and windows at bedtime; household bills are kept at an affordable limit; acceptable water usage; limited waste products and recyclables; and that all family members are self disciplined in how to clean up after and for themselves.

Planning

We can apply the definition of planning as the management function of systematically making decisions about the goals and activities that the family and household will pursue, or delivering strategic value (T. Bateman & S. Snell, 2007, p. 16). This would include, but not be limited to, all individual medical and/or therapy appointments being kept on a timely basis; family and household goals being periodically reviewed and decisions being updated as a unit; family outings and vacation times being scheduled; and the supervision of individual disciplines being reminded and understood by all family members in regards to children, teenagers, and parents work and activity schedules.

Organizing

The definition of organizing could be applied as the management function of assembling and coordinating a family members or household financial, physical, informational, or other resource needs to achieve the desired goals of the unit as a whole; or building a dynamic family unit (T. Bateman & S. Snell, 2007, p. 17). Keeping household costs down is a main concern within the family unit. The domestic manager will be attentive to ways in which the utility costs that help keep a household running can be kept to a minimum without undue stress on any of the family members.

Leading

The definition