Process of Management A process is a systematic way of doing things.

We refer to management as a proce ss to emphasis that all managers, irrespective of their aptitude or skill, engag e in some inter related functions in order to achieve their desired goals. Now w e will briefly describe the function that comprises the process of management. Planning: Planning may be defined as making decisions in advance as to what is t o be done in the future. Planning includes setting organizational goals. This is usually done by higher-level managers in an organization. As a part of the plan ning process, the manager then develops strategies for achieving the goals of th e organization. In order to implement the strategies, resources will be needed a nd must be acquired. The planners must also then determine the standards, or lev els of quality, that need to be met in completing the tasks. Planning involves selecting missions and objectives and the actions to achieve t hem, it requires decision making choosing future courses of action from among al ternatives. Planning can be strategic planning, tactical planning, or contingenc y planning. Strategic planning is long-range planning that is normally completed by top-level managers in an organization. Short-range or tactical planning is d one for the benefit of lower-level managers, since it is the process of developi ng very detailed strategies about what needs to be done, who should do it, and h ow it should be done. Contingency planning allows for alternative courses of act ion when the primary plans that have been developed don't achieve the goals of t he organization. Organizing: Organizing refers to the way the organization allocates resources, assigns tasks, and goes about accomplishing its goals. In the process of organiz ing, managers arrange a framework that links all workers, tasks, and resources t ogether so the organizational goals can be achieved. The framework is called org anizational structure, which is discussed extensively in another article. Organi zational structure is shown by an organizational chart, also discussed extensive ly in another article. The organizational chart that depicts the structure of th e organization shows positions in the organization, usually beginning with the t op-level manager (normally the president) at the top of the chart. Other manager s are shown below the president. There are many ways to structure an organization, which are discussed extensivel y in the articles referred to previously. It is important to note that the choic e of structure is important for the type of organization, its clientele, and the products or services it provides all which influence the goals of the organizatio n. Staffing: Staffing is a term that refers to the management of employee schedules . For many retail businesses, staffing is monitored hourly because the cost of e mployee paychecks is a significant cost driver for the organization. It is the p rocess of management that used for recruiting, selecting, training and developin g organizational personal. Staffing has been an important aspect in all types of organizations' development. More and more companies have noticed a good staff ing plan could increase productivity and reduce operation costs in terms of lowe r turnover rate and transition costs. Good staffing could be able to minimize cost in order to maximize profit, because it could assist the company to stay mo re competitive within the industry. According to the definition by Dr. Green, "staff is the process of identifying work requirements within an organization; d etermining the number of people and the skills necessary to do the work; and rec ruiting, selecting and promoting the qualified candidates. It is the selection process of screening and hiring new employees, which includes functions like re sume reviewing, interview, drug testing, assessment testing, and background chec k" (Green, 2003). Different companies have different strategies in how to sele ct their candidates. Depending on the size, geographic and industry etc, so th at their strategies could be very different. Therefore, one specific staffing plan might work for one company, but it might not work for another. Directing: Directing is the process that many people would most relate to managi ng. It is supervising, or leading workers to accomplish the goals of the organiz ation. In many organizations, directing involves making assignments, assisting w orkers to carry out assignments, interpreting organizational policies, and infor

ming workers of how well they are performing. To effectively carry out this func tion, managers must have leadership skills in order to get workers to perform ef fectively. Some managers direct by empowering workers. This means that the manager doesn't stand like a taskmaster over the workers barking out orders and correcting mista kes. Empowered workers usually work in teams and are given the authority to make decisions about what plans will be carried out and how. Empowered workers have the support of managers who will assist them to make sure the goals of the organ ization are being met. It is generally thought that workers who are involved wit h the decision-making process feel more of a sense of ownership in their work, t ake more pride in their work, and are better performers on the job. Controlling: The controlling function involves the evaluation activities that ma nagers must perform. It is the process of determining if the company's goals and objectives are being met. This process also includes correcting situations in w hich the goals and objectives are not being met. There are several activities th at are a part of the controlling function. Managers must first set standards of performance for workers. These standards ar e levels of performance that should be met. For example, in the modular home ass embly process, the standard might be to have a home completed in eight working d ays as it moves through the construction line. This is a standard that must then be communicated to managers who are supervising workers, and then to the worker s so they know what is expected of them.