1.0 INTRODUCTION
We will soon come to the end of this course. We are making rapid
and steady progress in the in the discussion of the important function that the manager needs to perform in
his attempt to obtain
excellence. And excellence is only obtained through
deliberate application of the principles and techniques of management which we are
discussing in these notes.
There is no way we can finish the discussion in just one course neither
can we cover the depth of these principles in just a course. As a result, we
will be discussing further principles of management in our second course which
is CPM 106 in our next semester.
Some of the principles that we have been exposed to in this
present course will also be further taken up too with deeper coverage. It is
well we do all these and nuse so that you can have a firm understanding and
value of what you are doing when you start to practice as a manager of
co-operative business or any other business organization.
But before we come to the second course discussing two functions
of management in these notes: co-ordinating and controlling co-ordinating is
always said to be the essence of management. It is the linking up of activities
to bring harmony and make the entire management process and indeed all the
activities in the organization unified on one direction.
We shall see, how this is possible. We will also look into the
issue of controlling. We have discussed this before even though slightly. We
will be looking at it in a greater detail, this time around.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this note, you shall be able to:
· Define, co-ordinating
· Explain what is co-ordinating
· Describe elements in co-ordinating
· Mention types of co-ordination
· Define controlling
· List the requirements for effective control
· List the signs of ineffective control
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 Definition of Co-ordinating
Co-orodinating is the process which concerns the relationships
between tasks or activities which must fit in both form and time into an integrated
accomplishment of a goal.
3.1.1 Explanation of
Co-ordinating
In the process of carrying out the management function of
coordination, we are concerned with one job or activity should be in relation
to another. We will never be concerned with just only one activity in process
of managing. All activities that are necessary must be identified. We then look
at how one activity is related to the next activity and how this next one is
again linked to another one and so no. this is why only the major or relevant
activities that should be identified.
All unnecessary activities should be identified and thrown away
because they constitute a drawn of organizational resources. But there are
still other things that need to be looked into beyond the identification of major
activities and the linkage. These activities must be further analyzed so as to
find out their contents that is, the content of jobs and when they are
performed, that is the timing of.
Remember in our very last note, we said that one thing a manager
should do before carrying out recruitment would be to analyze the job. Analysis
means breaking up. In proper co-coordinating, there should be breaking up so
that we know the contents of the job and when the contents of the job should be
performed with one activity linked to the other. To facilitate the process call
for co-ordination. In other words co-ordination is the process of facilitating
these linked actions.
3.1.2 Example of linked action
Let us consider the process of moulding blocks. There are
different workers. One may be mixing the sand and cement and another carrying the
mixer to the engine moulder. The operator is there and there may be another
worker there too. The mixer of the cement and sand does his job. On completion,
another one carries the mixture in a head pan to the engine moulder.
And when he finishes, the soft moulded blocks are taken to the
open field for drying. And once they are dried, another worker picks then and
pile them up neatly for sale. You can see that one activity is linked to
another activity through interaction and this is brought about through
communication.
3.2 Elements of Co-ordination
From what we have said so far, there are two essential elements of
coordination. These are the tables that must be performed and the timing of the
task through communication.
Consequently, tasks and timing constitute the major elements in
co-coordinating the efforts of workers. The tasks have already been worked out
in the process or organizing. It is then determined how much time it will take
for a task to be completed before the next one starts without any wastage.
That is to say once a task
is completed the next one should being with minimum delay. It is through the process of communication that the
necessary message is passed on the next worker for him to start his job in the
next phase, and as soon as he finishes, information is passed to the next
worker and so on until the final work is eventually completed.
3.3 Types of Co-ordination
There are basically two main types of co-ordination. We have the voluntary
co-ordination and the directed co-ordination.
3.3.1 Voluntary Co-ordination
This is when an individual or group of individuals sees a need,
find and performs a task as necessary. From the example of the block making we gave,
the sand and cement mixer sees the heaps of sand and bags of cement and has
been employed to do the job of making blocks.
He take his shovel and
starts action. And when he finishes the next person continues the next task and
so on. But to do each task well, each person must have some knowledge of the
goal (i.e. to make blocks), he must understand his position (either as the
mixer, or the one to carry the mixed content to the engine or the engine
operator or the one to carry the mixed content for drying or the one to line
them up for sale and so on.
3.3.2 Directed Co-ordination
This is when the individual or group receives directive as to what
to do when to do it. As one employee finishes a job his supervisor tells the next
one to pick it up and performs the next operation.
3.4 Controlling (Definition)
After planning and organizing, controlling tales place. It is the
process that measures current performance and guides it toward the accomplishment
of some objective. The essence of control lies in checking existing actions
against some desired results which have been determined in the planning
process.
We can summarize all this by saying that the two major parts of
control are:
· measuring performance against the plan and
· taking corrective action when needed.
This is why controlling requires plans. And the clearer, more
complete and more packaged the plans are the more effective controls are. 220 Measuring is the reserve of planning.
This is the plans which come out of planning become the standards by which
desired results are measured. Let us also one other thing concerning measuring.
And that is, it demands an organization structure.
You must know who is going to take action in the organization
concerning a situation when what is planned is not actually what is being
experienced.
3.5 Requirements for effective control
There are requirements which must exist for effective control to
take place.
3.5.1 Control should be tailored to plans. This means that control should
focus on result.
3.5.2 Control must provide useful and understandable information. Misunderstood
controls will not be applied properly. The system must be clear and simple.
3.5.3 Control should report deviation quickly. This is necessary necessary
effect of deviation.
3.5.4 Control must
be tailored to positions . This is necessary so that the right persons will
monitor activities in their own fields. The accounting checking activities in
the finance department, the Marketing manager, in the marketing department and
so on.
3.5.5 Control should be directed to strategic points. The strategic points
are those very sensitive areas. If results are not achieved in those areas it
would be very harmful to the organization.
3.5.6 Control should be economically realistic. This means that the cost
of implementing the control system must be less than the benefits derived from
the system.
3.5.7 Control should be flexible. This is important because of changes. Flexible
control can adjust for uncertainties..
3.5.8 Control system should indicate and lead to corrective action. Simply
uncovering and measuring deviation are not enough. Control system should point
out correcting action immediately.
3.5.9 Control must be simple but difficult to manipulate.
3.5.10Controls must be acceptable to all members of the organization.
3.6 Signs Showing that Control are inadequate or ineffective
There are outward signs which indicate that controls are
inadequate and ineffective. Management should be aware of them. These are the
following:
3.6.1 Late correction
When problems, unfavorable deviation or shortfalls are discovered
too late with the result that to correct them is medicine after death.
3.6.2 Taking unnecessary corrective action:
When the manager finds himself taking corrective action which
could have been avoided.
3.6.3 Unnecessary Excuses
When subordinates are frequently explaining, giving excuses and apologizing
for their actions on decisions.
3.6.4 When too much
time is focuses on control instead of the results to be obtained.
3.6.5 Trying to circulate control When subordinate
direct the efforts and energies toward circulating control, i.e. trying to make
control not to work in as indication that the control is not effective.
3.6.6 Always checking subordinates work When the manager
always mend a great deal of time checking and monitoring the work of the
subordinates.
4.0 CONCLUSION
We have treated two functions of management in this note. We
discussed co-coordinating, by defining it and explaining it as well. We looked
at the elements of coordination, which are the tasks or the work to be done and
the time and co-ordination is facilitated by communicating. We talked about
firms of co-ordaining which is voluntary and directed coordination.
Thereafter, we moved to controlling. We gave a definition of
controlling and the requirements for effective control. Finally, we pointed out
the symptoms of ineffective or inadequate control system.
5.0 SUMMARY We have
discussed two functions of management. These are cocoordinating and
controlling. We looked at their definitions and how we can apply them in places
of work. We shall take the last management function which concerns directing
and leading. And that will be the last note for this course.
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