Management - meaning and scope
It is very difficult to accurately define management. There is no universally accepteddefinition of management. Management involves both acquisition and application ofknowledge. It does not go by rule of thumb or intuition alone even though it isconsidered to be an extension of common sense. Hence, management is acombination of both an art and a science. The scientific approach lies in decision-making, planning and in the appropriate use of technology. The artistic approach tomanagement can be found in the tasks of communicating, leadership and goal-setting.A few commonly used definitions of management are given below:
- Managing is an art or process of getting things done through the efforts of other people.
- Managing is the art of creating and maintenance of an internal environment in an enterprise where individuals, working together in groups, can perform efficiently and effectively towards the attainment of group goals.
- Management is the process of setting and achieving goals through the execution of five basic management functions (i.e. Planning, Organising, Staffing, Directing and Controlling) that utilise human, financial and material resources.
- Management is a process or an activity that brings together several varied resources like persons, materials, techniques and technologies to accomplish a task or. tasks.
- Management, as a distinct field of study, is also the body of organised knowledge which underlies the art of management.
The above definitions and a study of management literature would reveal the following characteristics of management.
- Managing is an activity or process (not a person or group of persons);
- Management refers to both the discipline as the well as group which manages the oganisation;
- It makes things happen (and not let things happen);
- It is purposeful i.e., the achievement of the organisation's goals and objectives is the supreme purpose;
- It uses available resources economically to maximise outputs;
- The organisation's objectives are accomplished by, with and through the efforts of others (group activity);
- Managing implies using certain skills, knowledge and practices to bring effectiveness;
- It is aided and not replaced by the computer; and
- It is intangible.