4 Functions of Management - Paper
Functions of Management
MGT/330
Tracy Avery
January 9, 2013
Carrie Guerreiro
Functions of Management The process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizations’ goals is defined as management (Bateman & Snell, 2009). To make sure an organization is successful in the 21st century, they must be able to manage their resources and adapt to the ever-changing world of business. Organizations must employ individuals who can plan, organize, lead, and control while maintaining a successful organization. Therefore, I will define the four functions of management, which are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. I will relate how my former organization strategically employed these management functions to become one of the world’s leading producers of cereal and a leading producer of snacks and frozen foods (Kellogg Company, 2012). Planning is the most crucial function of management. The planning phase is establishing the goals that are achievable and determining beforehand the action required to accomplish those goals (Bateman & Snell, 2009). It is a purposeful effort directed and controlled by managers and often solicits knowledge and experience of employees throughout the organization. Even though plans are in place; they should be flexible enough to accommodate changing conditions. For example, my former company Kellogg’s has scheduling meetings on a weekly basis. In the scheduling meeting, it is determined rather each line is meeting its goals for the week and how to proceed for the next couple of weeks. If a line is behind schedule because of a break down, adjustments are made to the schedule to ensure that the customer’s orders are filled. This often means producing additional product by working overtime. On the other hand, organizing is an important management function as well, which consists of assembling, and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals
MGT/330
Tracy Avery
January 9, 2013
Carrie Guerreiro
Functions of Management The process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizations’ goals is defined as management (Bateman & Snell, 2009). To make sure an organization is successful in the 21st century, they must be able to manage their resources and adapt to the ever-changing world of business. Organizations must employ individuals who can plan, organize, lead, and control while maintaining a successful organization. Therefore, I will define the four functions of management, which are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. I will relate how my former organization strategically employed these management functions to become one of the world’s leading producers of cereal and a leading producer of snacks and frozen foods (Kellogg Company, 2012). Planning is the most crucial function of management. The planning phase is establishing the goals that are achievable and determining beforehand the action required to accomplish those goals (Bateman & Snell, 2009). It is a purposeful effort directed and controlled by managers and often solicits knowledge and experience of employees throughout the organization. Even though plans are in place; they should be flexible enough to accommodate changing conditions. For example, my former company Kellogg’s has scheduling meetings on a weekly basis. In the scheduling meeting, it is determined rather each line is meeting its goals for the week and how to proceed for the next couple of weeks. If a line is behind schedule because of a break down, adjustments are made to the schedule to ensure that the customer’s orders are filled. This often means producing additional product by working overtime. On the other hand, organizing is an important management function as well, which consists of assembling, and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals
References: Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2009). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World (8th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. Corporate Responsibility Report. (2011). Retrieved from http//:Kelloggcorporateresponsibilityreport.com/overview/company-profile