Management_Within_an_Organization

Introduction In this essay there will be an in-depth explanation of why management is so important within an organization and the roles that managers play within an organization. This essay shall look at the different managerial functions and the need for communication within an organization as well as how, having a manager can increase the efficiency of organizations and how in today’s open markets, the need for leadership is essential to the growth and effectiveness of an organization What is Management' Management is defined as the accomplishment of organizational goals through the conscious process of individual and group coordination (Duncan, 1983:7). Since the industrial revolution there have been organizations amassing throughout the world. An organization is a collection of people working together to achieve a common purpose (Hellriegel, Jackson, Locum, Staude, Amos, Klopper, Louw, Oosthuizen 2010:6). These organizations need structure, and thus there is a need for management. Organizations exist in order to satisfy human needs and wants. Due to competition in today’s markets, one of the most important roles of management is to increase efficiency, through the use of management principles and techniques, which can be developed and improved upon (Koontz, 1980:15). Efficiency is related to how well a goal is achieved which in turn maximizes profit through the high quality of products at low costs which results in effective profit and turnover (Hellriegel, 2008:8). Managers are essential for the running of competent staff by defining what needs to be done and motivating, thus ensuring productivity and flexibility. Managers are also responsible for the structure of the organizations and do this by putting systems in place to ensure all areas and departments run smoothly and achieve deadlines and goals that are set out. Therefore it is evident how essential it is for the running of the social aspect of an organization and the structure of the organization as a whole. Managerial Functions In order for their to be the ideal business manager the four managerial functions need to present. The first is planning which is a primary function and means that the manager must make strategic decisions from which objectives, policies, programs, and procedures follow (Haimann, 1982:11). For example, in this stage managers would plan on how they would use their resources in order to achieve a higher profit for the company. Once the planning stage is complete, managers then need to turn their plans into reality. This entails creating teams, hiring competent staff, assigning the workload in order to accomplish the organizational goals. For example, setting up divisions such as finance, marketing etc. By organizing the company, it helps managers with setting up steps in order for promotions and the hiring of future employees (Haimann, 1982:12). Thus by hiring the right staff in ensures that the right people, with the right skill levels, are handling the resources of the company. Once the organization has a goal and has the right people in achieving that goal in place, managers need to have the skills of leading their subordinates. This stage is all about motivation. With a high level or motivation within the organization, employees are satisfied, there is a higher morale within the company, and employees are more prone on concentrating on achieving the goals set forth by management (Haimann, 1982:12). The last stage includes controlling. This is the process where managers make sure that the plans that are in place are being followed through. This entails correcting any mistakes that may have been made, and that all events whether they are inside or outside of the organization are being monitored and controlled (Haimann, 1982:12). This is one of the most important steps for managers, since they need to use all there skills to ensure that the organization runs smoothly and orderly. Managerial competencies There are six managerial competencies required by managers: • Communication competency refers to the effective transfer and exchange of information that leads to understanding between yourself and others and includes informal communication, formal communication and negotiation (Hellriegel, et al. 2008:25). • Planning and administration competency involves deciding what tasks need to be done, determining how they can be done, allocating resources to enable them to be done, and then monitoring progress to ensure that they are done (Hellriegel, et al. 2008:26). • Teamwork competency involves accomplishing tasks through small groups of people who are collectively responsible and whose work is interdependent (Hellriegel, et al. 2008:27). Managers in enterprises who utilize teams can become more effective by designing teams properly, creating a supportive team environment, and managing team dynamics appropriately (Hellriegel, et al.2008: 27). • Strategic action competency involves understanding the overall mission and values of the organization and ensuring that your actions and those of the people you manage are aligned with them (Hellriegel, et al.2008: 29). This includes understanding the industry, understanding the organization and taking strategic actions (Hellriegel, et al.2008: 29). • Global awareness competency is required for the carrying out an organization’s managerial work by drawing on the human, financial, informational, and material resources from multiple countries, and serving markets that span multiple cultures (Hellriegel, et al.2008: 29). • Emotional intelligence is defined as the capacity to process emotional information accurately and efficiently, including the capacity to perceive, assimilate, understand, and manage emotion (Hellriegel, et al.2008: 32). These competencies help managers to be more efficient and effective when it comes to handling the everyday problems that occur when running an organization Interview with the MD of Twiga Chemicals Mr. Alnoor Jamal stated that an ideal business manager is someone who is able to get the job done and who knows what they need and want, how to develop an effective and efficient team, and to produce a healthy bottom line. In order to be a good manager, the following steps need mentioning; The first step was to be able to handle the problem of shipping and handling e.g. calcium hypochlorite. In order to bring this highly dangerous good, there was a need for a plan. The planning stage had to include, financial costs, training, different ways to ship dangerous cargo, and marketing and selling the product in the market. According to Mr. Jamal, the most important part of finding a good manager, was that the person should be able to meet deadlines and be efficient and effective at planning the organizations resources in such a way to improve the profits of the company. The second step according to Mr. Jamal, “managers should be able to not only be able to think of ideas in their heads, but to also be able to turn those ideas into reality”. The second step consists of organizing flexible teams who were able and willing to complete the different tasks assigned to them e.g. marketing, finance, and procurement. Managers should be able to use the resources at their disposal and be able to create the sixteenth chapel (Alnoor Jamal). The third and final step consists of being a good leader and being able to think outside the box for problems that may arise in the future. Managers have to be able to communicate and motivate their employees since without proper communication and motivation, employee’s moral drops and no one knows what they are meant to be doing. According to Mr. Jamal “There were obstacles that had to be overcome along the way including defining what had to be done, and finding staff that were the correct type of people for the job with the suitable skills, flexibility, personalities and experience. Once you have found the right type of people to run the business, you then need to motivate and inspire them, let them know what their functions as whole are, and by doing that you are also going to motivate them into reaching the desired goals set by management”. Therefore it is evident that Mr. Jamal is an ideal business manager, through effective measures taken to start the business, healthy relations with his employees, and effective systems and strategies in place to reach the goals he set in place. An ideal manager is someone who can see their way past problems and spot new opportunities even when times are rough (Alnoor Jamal). Conclusion This essay has given an in-depth explanation of why management is so important within an organization and the roles that managers play within an organization. It is clear, that without management, there is no order within the company. Managers are essential to the every day duties and tasks that are needed to achieve the organizational goals. References Alnoor Hasnali Shariff Jamal (Interview) DUNCAN, W.J., 1983. Management: Progressive Responsibility in Administration. New York: Random House, Inc. HAIMANN, T., Scott, W. G. and Conner, E.P., 1982. Management (4e). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. HELLRIEGEL, D., Jackson, S. E., Slocum, J., Staude, G., Amos, T., Klopper, H.B., Louw, L. and Oosthuizen, T., 2008. Management (3e). Cape Town: Oxford University Press Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd. KOONTZ, H., O’Donnell, C. and Weihrich, H., 1980. Management (7e). New York: McGraw-Hill.