Meaning and Definition of Management
Table of Content
Definition of management
Management is the process of planning, organizing, leading and controlling people and other resources so that an organization’s goals are achieved efficiently and effectively.
Put even more simply: getting things done through other people, in an organised way, to achieve goals.
Core elements found in most definitions
Every definition emphasizes some or all of these points:
- Goal orientation: Management exists to achieve clearly defined objectives.
- People/Group activity: Work gets done through groups of people; management coordinates those group efforts.
- Process/Functions: Management involves a set of related functions (planning, organizing, directing/leading, controlling).
- Resources: Management uses human, financial, material and information resources.
- Efficiency and effectiveness: Doing things right (efficiency) and doing the right things (effectiveness) are both important.
- Continuous activity: Management is ongoing, it is not a one-time act.
Key Definitions of Management by Eminent Thinkers
To truly understand management, we must look at how classical and modern management thinkers have defined it over the years. Different experts have focused on different dimensions of management, such as the "people dimension" or the "process dimension".
Below is a structured classification of the most important definitions you must remember:
| Management Thinker | Definition Provided | Key Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Parker Follett | "Management is the art of getting things done through the efforts of others." | The accomplishment of the task and the people dimension. |
| Harold Koontz and O’Donnel | "Management is the process of getting things done through organized group efforts." | Elaborates on Follett's idea by adding the focus of an "organized group" rather than just individuals. |
| Harold Koontz | "Management means Manage Men tactfully" (Often labeled as Manage/Men/T). | Highly focused on the people dimension and the interpersonal tact required by a leader. |
| F. W. Taylor | "Management as the art of knowing what you want to do in the best and cheapest way." | Focuses heavily on the process, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. |
The Ultimate Essence of Management
In summary, regardless of which definition you prefer, the true essence of management revolves around managing people and other resources in an organization. These resources can be both internal (like employees, machinery, and company funds) and external (like suppliers and market forces). Effectively bringing all these factors together leads directly to the achievement of the objectives of the organization.
Examples and Practical Applications
Daily Life Application (Managing a Messy Situation): Imagine you are hosting a family wedding. It is initially a "messy situation" with hundreds of tasks: catering, decorations, guest lists, and budgets. By dealing with this situation in a planned and organized way, coordinating with different family members (the organized group), you manage the event to ensure a successful wedding (goal accomplishment).
Applying F.W. Taylor’s Definition: A student given a tight budget to build a science project must figure out how to gather the best materials at the lowest cost. This directly reflects Taylor's view of management as the art of knowing exactly what to do in the "best and cheapest way".
Applying Koontz’s "Tactful" Management: A college club president has team members who are unmotivated to prepare for an upcoming fest. By speaking to them politely, understanding their problems, and encouraging them, the president "Manages Men tactfully" to get the work done without causing conflicts.
Quick Revision Summary
- Everyone acts as a manager in daily life by organizing messy situations to achieve goals.
- Management is fundamentally about goal accomplishment, results orientation, and interacting with people in an organization.
- Mary Parker Follett focused on getting things done through others.
- Koontz and O’Donnel focused on getting things done through organized group efforts.
- Harold Koontz famously broke it down to "Manage Men tactfully" (Manage/Men/T).
- F. W. Taylor defined it as doing things in the best and cheapest way (process focus).
- Management is too dynamic to have one single, universally accepted definition.
- The core essence of management is utilizing internal and external resources alongside people to achieve organizational objectives.