art

Management is an Art

Art means application of knowledge and skills to bring about the desired results. Management is one of the must ‘creative art’ as it requires a vast knowledge and certain innovating, implementation and integrating skills in relation to goods, resources, techniques and results. In fact, the function of an art is to accomplished goals by deliberate efforts. The essential elements of art are as follows:

· Practical knowledge
· Personal skill
· Result-oriented approach
· Creativity
· Improvement through continuous practice

Management satisfies also the basic features of art. An artist must not only learn the theory but also its application in practice. Similarly, a person cannot become a successful manager simply by reading theory and getting a degree in management. He must also learn to apply his knowledge in solving managerial problems. It requires certain knowledge and skills to achieve desired results. A manager uses man, money, materials and machinery to promote the growth of his organization.
A manager is an artist because he applies the knowledge gained from the study of science of management for managing human and materials resources. A person cannot be called a manager if he does not have the skills to apply the knowledge of management. Hence, art is essential for success in management

science

Management as a Science

Science is a systematized body of knowledge gathered by observation and experiment which is verifiable. The essential features of science are as follows:

· Principles are universally applicable.
· Developed through scientific enquiry or experiments.
· Established cause-and-effect relationship between various factors.
· Their validity can be verified and predictable.

Management does satisfy the basic features of science. Management contains a systematized body of knowledge in the form of general principles, which can be universally applied. These principles are also based on scientific enquiry and investigation. They have been developed through experiments and practical experiences. The principles of management also establish cause and effect relationship between different variables. They can also be tested for their validity. Moreover, the future events can be predicted with reasonable accuracy by using scientific principles.

Thus, management is undoubtedly a science. However, it is not an exact science as physics, chemistry, and other physical sciences. This is because management deals with people and it is very difficult to predict accurately the behavior of human beings. Hence, management is behavior science. It is an inter-disciplinary science that has been developed with the aid of other disciplines such as economics, mathematics, psychology, etc. That is why management is a social science

levels

LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT

Levels of management mean dividing the authority and responsibility among the various managerial positions. Although all managers perform the same functions of planning, organizing, staffing, and controlling, there are levels among them.The levels of management depend upon its size, nature of organization, range of production, etc. Levels of management can be classified into three groups as descriped below:


· Top Management
Top management of an organization consists of Board of Directors, Chairman, Managing Director or Chief Executive or General Manager.They have the overall responsibility for the welfare and survival of the organization and establish overall organizational goals and strategies for their achievement.Top management is the ultimate source of the authority.


· Middle Management
Middle management consists of departmental, divisional and sectional heads attached to the different departments and sections. They are subordinates to the top managers and responsible for the first-line-managers. They usually have the responsibility for implementing and controlling plans and strategies as developed by the top management. They are responsible for all the activities of first-line-managers.


· Lower Management
Lower management consists of foreman, supervisors, sales officers, account officers, etc. First line managers are responsible for implementation and control of the operational plans developed by middle managers. Actual operations are the responsibility of this level of management. The operatives look to them for guidance and direction and they have the important role in implementation of the plans and policies.

elements

Elements of Management

Fayol regarded elements of management as its functions. He focused his work on managerial or administrative functions. According to fayol, to manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, to coordinate and controlling functions.

According to Fayol planning is the most important and difficult managerial task. Creation of organizational structure and commanding functions are necessary to make sure that everyone is working together, and control ensures that everything is proceeding according to plan.
Fayol’s principles are very important in the concept of management. It has been rightly stated that Fayol’s theory of management is “the first complete theory to be presented”. It incorporates proven principles, elements, procedures and techniques all based on his practical experience. He had also emphasized the need for teaching management in school and colleges.

advantage

Advantages of Management

Management aims to develop each man to his greatest efficiency and prosperity. Management results increasement in production and productivity, reduce costs of production and maximize prosperity.The advantages of management are given below:

· Higher Efficiency:
Management helps to improve the efficiency though work standardization, scientific task planning, specialization and work study.It ensures optimum utilization of available resources. Thus, higher output can be obtained from available resources.

· Lower Costs:
Management increases production by improving methods and machines. It also removes the wastage and inefficiency of every kind. Thus, it reduces cost of production.

· Wider Market:
Management helps to reduce cost , improve quality, and increase output to widen the market. This leads to increased profit and growth.

· Industrial Peace:
The concept of “Mental Revolution” has been evolved for developing close understanding, mutual trust and confidence between management and labour. This leads to reduction of industrial disputes and achievement of industrial peace.

· Selection and Training of Workers:
One of the main principles of management is that it adopts new selection, placement, and training of workers. In this matter, right type of worker is selected for the right type of job. It also provides necessary training to the workers to increase the efficiency.

function

Management function

As stated earlier, Management is what Management does. It points out the functional approach to Management and emphasizes the distinctive managerial functions. The main
reason for this is that the different organizations and from different angles. Some of the important classifications are given below:

Planning
Planning is the basic managerial function without which no others functions of management can be performed. It is concerned with the determination of goals to be achieved and the course of action to be followed to achieve them. Planning is thinking before doing. It involves selecting of goals and strategies, policies, programmes and procedures for achieving them.

Organizing
Organisation has a major role in implementing plans successfully. Organizing may be defined as identifying and grouping the activities to be performed, assigning them among individuals and creating authority-responsibility relationship among them. To organize a business is to provide it with everything useful to its functioning-raw materials, tools, capital, and personnel.

Staffing
Staffing is concerned with human resources. It aims to fit individuals and jobs in the organization structure by appointing competent and qualified persons for the jobs. An organization cannot be operated without personnel. The managerial function of staffing involves manning the organizational structure through proper and effective selection, appraisal and development of personnel to fill the roles designed into the structure.

Leading
Leading can be defined as the management function of directing, influencing, and motivating human resources towards the achievement of organizational goals. It involves directing, influencing, and motivating employees to perform essential tasks. The leading function focuses directly on the people in the organization, since it’s major purpose is to channel human behavior towards accomplishing organizational goals.

Controlling
Controlling is related to all other management functions. It is the process of measuring and comparing operating levels with the plans and taking corrective action when results deviate from plans. It is checking that the plans are carried out as per expectations. Control system provides standards for monitoring and evaluating the use of resources. Hence, it is essential for achieving organizational goals.

principal

PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT

A principle is a fundamental statement of truth that establishes a cause and effect relationship between two or more variables. It also serves as a guide to thought and action. On the basis of a principle we may say that if this or that thing is done, it will lead to certain result. To illustrate the concept of management principles, let us consider the principle of division of work. According to this principle, if the work is divided and only a part of the job is assigned to an individual ; human efficiency would increase. The nature of principles of management are given below:

· Universal
The principles of management are universal because they are general guidelines for management in practice. Thus, they are applicable universally to all types of organization, for example government service, business organization, hospitals, educational institutions , etc.

· Flexible
Management is a social science and its principles are flexible in nature. Thus, they are flexible and cannot be applied in all situations in the same way. Principles of management are flexible and not absolute, but must be utilized in the light of changing and special condition.

· Cause and Effect Relationship
The principles of management indicate the cause and effect relationship among various elements. Thus the principles indicate what will be the consequences of certain decisions. For example,according to the principle of division of work, specialization is the result.Here work division is the cause and specialization is the effect.

· Equal Importance
All principles of management are equally important. When compared no one principle is more important than the others.For example one cannot say that centralization is more important than decentralization or vice-versa.

· Human Aspect
Managers have to deal with human behavior because all work is done by human beings.Thus, principles of management have been designed to influence human behavior so that organizational goal is achieved.Since, human behavior is complex and unpredictable.

importance

Need and importance of Management Principles

· Increase in Efficiency
The principles of management provide guidelines as to how managers should work in different situations. These principles help to improve managerial efficiency.These principles enable managers to solve problems systematically with the guidelines.

· Highlight the nature of Management
Management principles enable the managers to understand the nature and scope of his job. They provide the framework within which managers have to work to achieve organizational goals and also fulfill personal goals.They also serves as criteria to judge the appropriateness of managerial decisions and actions.

· Aid to Training
In order to develop managerial talent, management should be taught in institutes and universities. Management principles provide a conceptual framework for systematic training and development of future managers. They suggest the areas in which training should be given.By this universities and professional institutions are able to impart knowledge and training in the theory and practice of management.

· Improvement of Research
Management principles cannot be as precise as principles of natural sciences. When any principle is developed that becomes the basis for future research. In the absence of principles research becomes difficult and knowledge cannot be explained.Principles of management indicate the areas for research to develop new guidelines and ascertain the validity of existing guidelines.

· Achievement of Social Goals
The living standard of people depends upon the quality of management.If management is efficient the resources of society are better utilized and quality of life is improved.Development of management principles helps in promotion of efficiency in the use of resources of a nation to improve the quality of its people.

features

Features of Management

Management is Goal-Oriented
Management is a means to achieve predetermined goals.All managerial activities are systematically directed in the accomplishment of such goals.The basic goal of management is to maximize efficiency and economy of human efforts.The success of management is measured by the extent to which the established goals are achieved.Hence, management is goal-oriented.
Management is a Group Activity
Management cannot be done in isolation. It always refers to group efforts. Whenever there is an organized group of people working towards a common goal, some type of management becomes essential.A group can easily and effectively attain the goals or objectives of an organization rather than an individual.
It is a Distinct Process
The chief function of the manager is “not to do” but to get things done through others. Mary Parker Follet has apt said, “Management is the art of getting things done through people.”
Management is a Universal Activity
The basic principles of management are applicable in business as well as in other organizations.These principles are flexible and are modified according to the needs and environment of the organizations
Management is an Integrating Process
The essence of management is integration of human and other resources for effective performance.The responsibility of management is welding the three factor men,methods and machinery into a single working factor.
Management is a Social Process
Management is a social process because it consists of getting things done through others. Management has a social obligation to make optimum use scarce resources for the benefit of the community as a whole.
Management is Both Science and Art
Management is a science because it has developed certain principles that are of universal application. It is also an art because the results of management depend upon the personal skill of managers.The art of manager is essential to make the best use of management sciences.Hence,it is both science and art.
Management is a Profession
Management is now regarded as a profession. It has a systematic and specialized body of knowledge,principles,and techniques, which can be taught as well as applied in practice.
Management is Multidisciplinary Discipline
Management draws knowledge and concepts from other disciplines such as economics,psychology,sociology,statistics,operation research as well as it integrates the ideas and concepts and uses them in managing the organization.
Management is Intangible
Management is unseen forces but its results are apparent.The effectiveness of management is judged on the basis of the end results although operations cannot be observed.

Introduction

Introduction
Groups can achieve their goals only when the efforts of the people working together are properly coordinated and controlled.thus, the task of achieving goals through coordinating and controlling the activities of other people is known as management.Peter Drucker believes that the work of management is to make people productive.Managerial
efficiency is essential for becoming competitive in national and international arena.

The word ‘management’ can be explained as’manage-men-t’.it means managing men tactfully to get things done.In order to manage men,one has to understand the unpredictable human nature tactfully.Hence, it is very complicated and challenging activity.The term management has been defined in several ways.Views differ on the subject and it is difficult to find out any uniformity among them.Management is also a discipline,which involves the study of certain principles and practices.There are also persons who regard management as a group of persons charged with the responsibility of running a business.In view of Mary Parker Follet : “Management is the art of getting things done through people”. Hence,these meanings of management of management reflect different concepts of management.

According to Harold Koontz,
Management is the art of getting things done through and with people in formally organized groups.

According to Donald J. Clough,
Management is the art and science of decision making and leadership.