O S M – Prof. Rajesh Satpathy

What is management? is to provide basic understanding on the following key features of management:

> Management is a collaborative work.> Management is a process wherein all managers engage in certain interrelated activities in order to achieve the desired goals.> It uses all resources of the organization, both physical and human.> It aims at achieving the organization’s goals.> Management has the features of a science, an art and a profession.> Primary functions of the management are planning, organizing, staffing and controlling.> The normal structure of the management is in a pyramid shape with three levels.

The objective:

The verb manage comes from the Italian maneggiare (to handle —especially a horse), which in turn derives from the Latin manus (hand). The French word mesnagement (later ménagement) influenced the development in meaning of the English word management in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The word Management

There is no universally accepted single definition for Management. Management means many things to many people.

One of the simple definitions of management by Mary Parker Follet will be a good start for our study. She called management as "the art of getting things done through people".

Definition of Management

The most appropriate definition of management is: "Management in simple terms means the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals. Management comprises planning, organizing, resourcing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal.

Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human resources, financial resources, technological resources, and natural resources".

Definition of Management

For realizing its declared objectives every organization, whether business or non-business, receives certain inputs from the external environment, process them and delivery outputs. The outputs in turn goes to the external environment, and the external environment continues to supply the inputs.

Therefore the whole process of managing is related to this chain of events.

Process of Management

Process of Management

INPUTSTRANSFORMATION

PROCESS OUTPUTS

EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

The diagram of the Input-Output Model

From the diagram, a process uses inputs to generate outputs. Therefore we can say that a process is an integrated set of activities that uses resources to transform inputs into outputs.

A system exists whenever several processes are interconnected using such input-output relationships. Processes are interconnected because the output from one process becomes the input for another process.

Therefore the process of management is facilitating, regulating and improving a network of processes for planned outputs from planned inputs. The process is made up of people, work, activities, tasks, records, documents, forms, resources, rules, regulations, reports, materials, supplies, tools, equipment etc. These are all the things needed to transform inputs into outputs.

Process of Management

Management has the features of a Science, an Art and a Profession.Management as a science…

Management is a near-Science branch of knowledge because it is systematic and principles are being evolved on the basis of constant enquiry and experimentation. In the formulation of principles the science of management can be developed.

A management principle distils & organizes knowledge that has been built up through experience & analysis. Management is not likely to become an exact science as personal judgment will always be needed to supplement available knowledge but, by understanding & applying accepted principles can be greatly improved.

Nature of Management

Management as an art…

Management is an Art because it deals with the ways of doing things in a perfect way with organized knowledge and skills. Therefore, as a practice, management will always be an art.

Nature of Management

Management as a profession…

The study of management is chiefly aimed at developing skills to manage a business or organization. It also brings social responsibilities and a fees for the service. Based on these qualities, we can call it a profession, but it is not a profession by all means.

Nature of Management

Three major specifications for a profession are:

> There must exist a body of principles, skills & techniques and specialized knowledge.> There must be formal methods of acquiring training & experience.> An organization should be established which forms ethical codes for the guidance & conduct of members.

Nature of Management

When we consider the above standards, management cannot really be called a profession. Because, there are no licenses for managers, nor is there an accepted code of ethics, but there are movements towards professionalization and in many countries apex bodies for management have been established.

Therefore, we can say, professionalization of management is in progress.

Nature of Management

Thank you!