Functions of Business Management

The success of an organization is determined by four essential functions of management: controlling, leading, organizing, and planning. Controlling involves directing and monitoring the progress of employees. Controlling employees and the work environment helps employees to stay focused on goals set by the management. Management must provide superior leadership skills by making their presence known in the work environment. Employees have a basic need of having contact on a daily basis with management. By leading managers motivate their employees and increase efficiency. Management makes an organization successful by organizing all aspects of business which would include business functions; creating organizational charts, setting goals, creating an action plan, and figuring out the logistics to make sure goals are achieved.

Controlling

Management must use the function of control to stabilize employee performance and the work environment. Control is always viewed as a negative term because employees think of being restricted. However, controls are placed for the benefit of everyone, without a controlled organization there would be chaos. Within my organization, management maintains control by setting clear guidelines each employee must obey. "Managers expect people in an organization to change their behavior in response to control" (Erven, 1994). Since my colleagues and I work as independent contractors everyone has the power to choose their own schedule. Management controls the environment by making everyone adhere to the set schedule by 75% or better. When contractors meet their commitment, they are rewarded with a pay incentive. Prior to this policy being enforced, performance was lower, since this control has been in place performance has increased dramatically.

Leading