Functions of management

1. MR. RAMAR. G,
PROFESSOR,
PSYCHIATRIC NURSING,

2. Introduction
• Management is a generic function that includes similar
basic tasks in every discipline and in every society.
• Management and administration appear to be
synonymous, they are not synonymous terms.
• We consider the administration as one side of coin, the
management is the other side of the same coin.
• To translate any policy into action people need structure,
that is organization, when structure is there, there are
some functions to be performed to accomplish goals, that
functional aspect of organization is dealt by management.

3. Management is defined as the art of securing
maximum results with a minimum of effort so as to
secure maximum prosperity and happiness for
both employer and employee and give the public
the best possible service.
- (John Mee, 1963)

4. Usually the actions of the manager (planning,
organizing, directing, coordinating and controlling) are
referred to in the management literature as the functions
of the management process.
1. Planning:
Planning means to decide in advance what is to be done.
It charts a course of actions for the future.
It is an intellectual process and it aims to achieve a
coordinated and consistent set of operations aimed at
desired objectives.

5.  Good planning
 Yields reasonable organizational objectives and develops alternative
approaches to meet these objectives.
 Helps to eliminate or reduce the future uncertainty and chance.
 Helps to gain economical operations.
 Lays the foundation for organizing.
 Facilitates co-ordination.
 Helps to facilitate control.
 Dictates those activities to which employers are directed.
The main activities in the planning are the formulation of strategies and
setting the objectives. Strategy is the set of decisions that determine the
character (size, scope and mix of services) of a health services
organization and give it the direction in the market place.
In a real sense objectives are the key to the entire management process.

6. 2. Organizing:
Once the objectives have been established through
planning, management concern must turn to
developing an organization that is capable of carrying
them out.
The management function of organizing can be
defined as ,”relating people and things to each other
in such a way that they are all combined and
interrelated into a unit capable of being directed
toward the organizational objectives.”

7. The most basic premise of organization is
 Division of work (is essential for efficiency)
 Work activities required for the organizational
performance are separated through
 Horizontal differentiation (i.e.. Dividing the
organization into operational units for more
effective and efficient performance.)
 Vertical differentiation (i.e.. Establishes the
hierarchy and the number of levels in the
organization

8. The formal organization depends on two basic
principles:
a) Responsibility:
responsibility in an organization is divided among
available personnel by grouping the functions that are
similar in objectives and content. Responsibility may be
continuing or it may be terminated by the
accomplishment of a single action.
b) Authority:
when responsibility is given to a person, he must also be
given the authority to make commitments, use resources
and take the actions necessary to carry out his
responsibilities.

9. 3. Staffing
 Staffing – is the selection, training, motivating
and retaining of a personnel in the organization.
Before selection we have to make analysis of the
particular job, which is required in the
organization., then comes the selection of the
personnel.
 It involves manpower planning to have the right
person in the right place and avoid ―square peg
in the round hole.

10. Manpower planning involves the following steps.
1. Scrutiny of present personnel strength.
2. Anticipation of manpower needs.
3. Investigation of turnover of personnel.
4. Planning job requirements and job
descriptions.

11. 4. Directing
 Directing means the issuance of orders,
assignments and instructions that permit the
subordinate to understand what is expected of
him, and the guidance and overseeing of the
subordinate so that he can contribute effectively
and efficiently to the attainment of organizational
objectives.
 Directing includes the following activities
 Giving orders
 Making supervision
 Leading
 Motivating
 Communicating

12. Giving orders:
the central task in directing is giving orders. The order is
the technical means through which a subordinate
understands what is to be done.
characteristics of good orders
 order should be clear, concise , consistent & sufficient
information
 Order should be based on obvious demands of a
particular situation, it seems logical to the
subordinates
 The tone of the order is important. - manner in which
the manager delivers the order has a great deal to do
with its acceptance by the subordinate.
 Whenever possible, the reason for the order should
be given.

13. Supervision:
Supervision is the activity of the management that is
concerned with the training and discipline of the
work force. It includes follow up to assure the
prompt and proper execution of orders.
Supervision is the art of overseeing, watching and
directing with authority, the work and behaviour of
other.
Leading:
Leadership is the ability to inspire and influence
others to contribute to the attainment of the
objectives. Successful leadership is the result of
interaction between the leader and his subordinates
in a particular organizational situation.

14. Motivating:
Motivation refers to the way in which the needs
(urges, aspirations, desires) control, direct or explain
the behaviour of human beings. The manager must
motivate, or cause, the employee to follow directives.
Communicating:
Communication is the passing of information and
understanding from a sender to receiver.

15. 5. Coordinating:
It is the act of synchronising people and activities so
that they function smoothly in the attainment of
organization objectives.
Coordination is more important in the health services
organization, because functionally they are
departmentalized. Different kinds of organization
require different amount of coordination.

16. Basic approaches to coordination:
 Corrective co ordinations are those coordinative
activities that rectify the present error or correct a
dysfunction in the organization.
 Preventive coordination comprises those coordinative
activities that are aimed at preventing the occurrence
of anticipated problems of coordination, or at least
minimizing the impact of these problems.
 Regulatory coordination comprises those
coordinative activities that are aimed at the
maintenance of existing structural and functional
arrangements in the organizations.
 Promotive coordination has those coordinative
activities that are aimed at attempting to improve the
articulation of the parts of the organization, or to
improve the existing organizational arrangements
without regard for specific problems.

17. 6. Controlling:
Controlling can be defined as the regulation of
activities in accordance with the requirements of
plans.
Steps of control:
The control function, whether it is applied to cash,
medical care, employee morale or anything else,
involves four steps.
1. Establishments of standards.
2. Measuring performance
3. Comparing the actual results with the standards.
4. Correcting deviations from standards.

18. 7. Reporting and recording:
Reports are oral or written exchanges of information
shared between caregivers or workers in a number of
ways. A report summarizes the services of the person,
personnel and of the agency. Reports are written usually
daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.
Purposes of reporting:
 To show the kind and amount of services rendered
over a specified period.
 To illustrate progress in reaching goals.
 As an aid in studying health conditions.
 As an aid in planning.
 To interpret services to the public and to the other
interested agencies.
 Records and reports must be functional, accurate,
complete, current organized and confidential.

19. 8. Budgeting:
Budgeting, though primarily recognized as a device for
controlling, becomes a major part of the planning process in
any organization. It is expressed in financial terms and based
on expected income and expenditure. Budget is the heart of
administrative management. It served as a powerful tool of
coordination and negatively an effective device of
eliminating duplicating and wastage.
Features of budget:
 Should be flexible.
 Should be synthesis of past, present and future.
 Should be product of joint venture & cooperation of
executives/ department heads at different levels of
management.
 It should be in the form of statistical standard laid down
in specific numerical terms.
 It should have support of top management throughout
the period of its planning and supplementation