Management has been as old as the human beings and with the evolvement of humans management has also evolved. The history of management and its theories can be traced back to thousands of years. However, systematic development of the theories of management is generally viewed from the end of nineteenth century with the emergence of large industrial organizations and the ensuing problems associated with their structure and management. This is the time when work of various writers on the management has started to come into the light. These works can be clubbed together to form different approaches to the theory of management. Two of the most popular and widely accepted approaches to management are: Classical Approach to Management, and Behavioral Approach or Human Relation Approach to Management In order to be able to compare and understand the contrast of these two approaches to management, let’s understand the basics of theseContinue reading
Principles of Management
Evaluation Concept in Management
Definitions of Evaluation in Management Evaluation is the analysis and comparison of actual progress vis-Ã -vis prior plans. Evaluation is oriented toward improving plans for future implementation to ensure improved performance. Evaluation is part of a continuing management process consisting of planning, implementation, and evaluation. Ideally each of these steps follows the other in a continuous cycle until successful completion of the activity. Evaluation involves comparison of actual performance against benchmarks or standards of performance to establish the extent of fulfillment of goals and identify gaps in performance to suggest remedial courses for ensuring that in the end all ends well, that is fulfillment level is 100%. The goals vary depending on the situation, participants and issues. Evaluation is the systematic and objective assessment of the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, and impact of development interventions or programs. Evaluation is the assessment of how well a project/activity achieved its objectives. Evaluation mayContinue reading
Multidivisional Organizational Structure
In Multidivisional Organizational Structure, each business unit is placed in a self-contained division and supplied with all support functions. Thus each part essentially operates separately from the other parts of the company. The office of corporate headquarters is created to control and oversee the divisions. Headquarters also provides corporate support functions, such as finance and R&D. Divisional managers have operating responsibility; corporate managers have strategic responsibility. Each division is treated as a profit center and can adopt the structure and control systems that best serve its strategy. A multidivisional structure has several advantages. Enhanced corporate financial control is one advantage of the multidivisional structure. The profitability of the different divisions is very clear, allowing the corporate staff to readily determine the best resource allocation scheme. Enhanced strategic control is another benefit, because corporate staffs are freed from operating responsibilities, and can concentrate on corporate strategy. The structure overcomes limits toContinue reading
Relationship Between Organizational Behavior and Management Control System
Organizational Behavior and Management Control There is a close relationship between organizational behavior and management control system. A management control system seek to evaluate and regulate the performance of responsibility centers. The manager in charge of a responsible center is rewarded for good performance. At the same time when the performance of a responsibility center is dismal, the manager in charge is punished. Thus, a management control system acts as a double-edged sword. That is why manager are afraid of a control system and, may resist it. In order to make a control system successful, it is necessary to understand the factors that motivate, managers to achieve the results. Behavioral sciences have given several concepts that are relevant to management control. Some of these concepts at described below. 1. Perception. Whether a management control system is accepted and implemented successfully does not depend on the system. It depends largely onContinue reading
Requirements for an Effective Management Control System
The following are the essential or basic requirements of an effective management control system: Suitable: The control system must be suitable for the kind of activity intended to serve. Apart from differences in the systems of control in different business, they also vary from department to department and from one level in the organization to the other. A system of control useful at a higher level of management will be different in scope and nature from that in use at the operative level. Several techniques are available for control purposes such as budgets, break-even points, financial ratios and so on. The manager must be sure that he is using the technique appropriate for control of the specific activity involved. The tool appropriate are not necessarily the same as between different departments or between two different organizations. For example, the sales department and production department may use different tools of control.Continue reading
Problems with Management Control Systems
Despite of the benefits, there are some issues with the implementation of management control system in an organization.They are: Magnitude of Change. Management control system is designed to cope with changes of a limited magnitude. While designing the control system certain as assumptions are made concerning the variables expected to change and the degree of change. Corrective actions are decided on the basis of-these-assumptions. For example, overtime may be decided on the assumption that five per cent of the employees will on an average be absent. When the magnitude of change is too high, the corrective action cannot work. For example, if 90 per cent of the employees remain absent, on a particular day due to a strike, management can do little to correct the change. Thus, the control system fails when the variables go outside the range, which the system was designed to handle. Time Rate of Change. ControlContinue reading