Principles and process of management
Management runs as a cycle: plan, organize, control, evaluate. Evaluation feeds the next plan, and principles such as order and division of work guide every step.
The management cycle
- back to Planning
Decision making runs through every step. The arrow from evaluating back to planning makes management a continuous cycle.
Each step in detail
| Step | What it means | At home |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Planning | Deciding in advance what to do, how, when and by whom. A mental step: set the goal, collect facts, think of alternatives, choose one. | Planning the Pongal menu and shopping list a week ahead |
| 2. Organizing | Arranging the people and resources needed: dividing tasks, assigning responsibility, gathering materials and coordinating. | Mother cooks, father shops, the children clean and draw the kolam |
| 3. Controlling | Putting the plan into action and guiding it. Three parts: energizing (starting and keeping going), checking (comparing progress with the plan) and adjusting (changing the plan when needed). | Checking at 11 am that cooking is on time; asking a neighbour to help when guests arrive early |
| 4. Evaluating | Judging the results, and the process, against goals and standards. It may be general (overall satisfaction) or detailed (step by step). The lessons go into the next plan. | After the festival: what went well, what cost too much, what to change next year |
Principles of management at home (from Henri Fayol)
| Principle | Meaning | At home |
|---|---|---|
| Division of work | Split the work so each person does what they do best | One child sets the table, another washes the plates |
| Authority and responsibility | The right to decide should go with the duty given | The person who shops chooses the brand within the budget |
| Unity of direction | One plan for all activities with the same goal | One shared plan for a family function, not separate plans |
| Order | A place for everything and everything in its place | Spices kept in the same labelled jars near the stove |
| Equity | Fair and kind treatment of everyone | Chores shared fairly between sons and daughters |
| Esprit de corps | Team spirit and unity | The whole family works together and enjoys the result |
A hospital diet kitchen runs on the same cycle. Planning: therapeutic menus and food indents. Organizing: duty rosters for cooks and diet assistants. Controlling: checking portion sizes and tray timings. Evaluating: plate waste and patient feedback, which shape the next menu.
2 marks: “Name the steps in the process of management.” Planning, organizing, controlling and evaluating.
5 marks: “What is controlling? Explain its phases.” Define controlling as guiding the plan in action, then explain energizing, checking and adjusting with one home example each.
10 marks: “Explain the process of management with a neat diagram.” Draw the cycle, explain the four steps with a home example each, show evaluation feeding back into planning, and add two or three principles.
P-O-C-E: Plan, Organize, Control, Evaluate, then back to Plan. Controlling has its own three: energize, check, adjust.