Management is the management of an entity, whether it’s a private company, a government agency, or an independent organization. It is the art and science of governing resources. Managers are experts in coordinating all aspects of the day-to-day operations of a company or organization and making sure that the processes flow smoothly with no noticeable disruptions. Some of the major activities that managers are responsible for include planning, organizing, staffing, leading, directing, and controlling. There are also other tasks that management is responsible for, including planning, leading, and implementing strategies.
The top level management, also known as management personnel, is often called the senior managers. At times, the term senior manager is used in place of manager. Senior managers are held responsible for the overall management policies of the organization and have authority to hire and fire staff, make decisions on behalf of the senior managers, and determine the organization’s goals and objectives. In addition, they are usually the ones who delegate most of the tasks to their staff members.
The broader definition of management is “the ability to coordinate and control the activities of all people working within an organizational structure.” In other words, it covers a wide array of responsibilities and functions. The most common examples of managers are the president, the CEO, the CFO, and the department heads, who are often referred to as the executive team. There are different types of managers, including the cost management, the human resources manager, and the strategic, planning, and scheduling managers, who are accountable for ensuring that the organization’s resources are used efficiently.
Besides defining management per se, the definition also tends to oversimplify the concept of management by downplaying its many aspects. For instance, one may compare the role of management with that of a janitorial services supervisor. The janitorial services supervisor is responsible for cleaning the office space, while the manager is involved in coordinating and overseeing the various aspects of organizing the space in such a way as to maximize productivity and reduce costs. In truth, though, there are many different facets of managerial function that contribute to both the achievement of organizational goals and the efficiency with which they are managed.
Among the most complex facets of managerial function is that of planning. In other words, the true nature of management functions often gets left out of contemporary discussions on management by lumping it in with strategic planning, public administration, and financial management. A proper definition of management must take into account all of these different managerial functions in order to properly define what it really is.
One very important aspect of a proper definition is that it needs to take into consideration the directness of its function. Directing is one of the most important aspects of management, as it involves the power to influence or direction others in a way that will increase their effectiveness and productivity. Thus, it would be a mistake to simply define management as having the ability to direct. Instead, such a definition should also take into consideration the indirect forms of direction, such as influencing the workforce or providing the resources necessary for the employees themselves to effectively perform their tasks.