Presenting Management as a Profession

Management is not a science in and of itself. In contrast to chemistry or algebra, where there is often a correct answer, management is fluid and subjective, with differing perspectives on how to apply its principles. But what is management, exactly? Most scholars have different definitions of the term, but they all include the use of resources to accomplish a goal. A manager, according to Lussier (2021), is “the individual responsible for achieving organisational objectives through efficient and effective resource utilisation” . The issue with this definition is that it implies that a manager must be both efficient and effective, which rules out the possibility of having a bad manager. We can all probably refute this definition with an example from our own lives. 

What is management?

The coordination and administration of tasks to achieve a goal is referred to as management. Such administration activities include developing the organization’s strategy and coordinating staff efforts to achieve these goals through the use of available resources. Management can also refer to the seniority structure of employees within a company.

Management as a profession

Management is made up of well-defined and systematic knowledge that is taught to people who want to be managers. This knowledge grew over time and is constantly changing and expanding. These ideas and principles are then applied to real-world business situations. This knowledge is taught at various institutes and colleges, as well as through books and journals. The IIM, for example, is a management institute that teaches this knowledge. Finally, admission to these institutes is by examination. As previously stated, a profession has limited entry. However, management does not meet this condition satisfactorily. Medicine, for example, necessitates the presence of a practising doctor. Surprisingly, such conditions do not exist in the managerial domain. In an organisation, anyone can be referred to as a manager regardless of their position. Furthermore, there is no specific degree that a person must have in order to be considered a manager. Having educational knowledge from reputable management colleges is another important aspect and desired quality.

Function of management

There are commonly five functions of management which are given below: –

• Planning

Planning is forward-thinking and determines the direction of an organisation. It is a rational and systematic approach to making decisions today that will affect the company’s future. It is a combination of organised foresight and corrective hindsight. It entails forecasting the future as well as attempting to control events. It entails the ability to predict the long-term consequences of current actions. An effective planning programme considers the impact of both external and internal factors. External factors include capital and material resource shortages, general economic trends in terms of interest rates and inflation, dynamic technological advancements, increased governmental regulation of community interests, international political environments, and etc.

• Organizing

Organizing necessitates a formal structure of authority, as well as the direction and flow of such authority, through which work subdivisions are well-defined, arranged, and synchronized in such a way that each part relates to the other part in a united and coherent manner in order to achieve the prearranged objectives.

According to Henry Fayol, “organising a business means providing it with everything necessary for its operation, such as raw materials, tools, capital, and personnel.”

1. Identifying the tasks that must be completed and grouping them as needed
2. Conveying these tasks to personnel while demarcating their authority and responsibilities.
3. Giving these employees this authority
4. Creating a link between authority and responsibility
5. These activities are being coordinated.

• Staffing

Staffing is the function of hiring and retaining a suitable work force for the organisation at both managerial and non-managerial levels. It entails the process of recruiting, training, developing, reimbursing, and evaluating employees, as well as motivating and retaining this workforce. Because the human element is the most crucial component in the management process, it is critical to hire the right people.

• Directing

The directing function is concerned with leadership, communication, motivation, and supervision so that employees perform their tasks as efficiently as possible in order to achieve the desired results. The leadership component entails issuing instructions and guiding subordinates on procedures and methods. Communication has to be two-way in order for information to flow on to supervisors and feedback to be received from them.

• Controlling

Control activities are those that have been carried out to ensure that events do not deviate from the pre-planned plans. The activities include establishing work performance targets, measuring performance and comparing it to these standards, and taking appropriate measures as needed to correct any deviations.

Conclusion

Employees must not only be knowledgeable about their profession and have prior experience, but they must also be easily adaptable to the organisational culture in order to achieve high productivity, quality performance, and healthy profits. Aside from hiring the right employee, managers should periodically review their human management skills in dealing with employment issues in order to keep talented employees in a changing labour market and working environment. They must recognise that the employee is capable of working in an innovative manner, and that technological advancement will never be able to replace that person’s ability. The challenge of developing a strategic mindset among employees is critical because managers must use their strengths to overcome weaknesses while also attempting to turn threats into opportunities.