Co-Ordination And Controlling

Coordinating and Controlling

What is co-ordination?
In every organization, different types of work are performed by different groups and no single group can be expected to achieve the goals of an organization as a whole. Hence, it becomes essential that the activities of different work groups and departments should be harmonized. This function is known as co-ordination.
What is the importance of co-ordination?
Co-ordination ensures harmony in carrying out different activities and functions so as to achieve the organizational goals effectively. In other words, co-ordination is the orderly arrangement of individual and groups efforts to provide unity of action in the pursuit of a common goal.
What is the definition provided by Brech for co-ordination?
According to Brech, co-ordination is balancing and keeping together the team by ensuring suitable allocation of tasks to the various members and seeing that the tasks are performed with harmony among the members themselves.
What is the significance of co-ordination?
The significance of co-ordination as a function of management mainly arises from the fact that the work performed by different groups, units or departments form integral part of the total work for which an organization is established.
What is the importance of co-ordination in an organization?
Co-ordination plays a very important role in an organization. The role played are –

  1. When there is growth in the size and the volume of work, there will be more people and work groups. So, there is a greater possibility of people working at cross purposes as a unit and sub-unit goals may be considered more important by them than the organizational goals. Not only that, the large size may also lead problems of the supervision and communication. Hence, coordinating the activities in a large concern becomes a major task for the managers.
  2. Large organizations generally tend to have activities located at different places, which may not permit frequent and close interactions among people. Hence, the need for co-ordination becomes greater and it becomes a major responsibility for the managers.
  3. Growth size of an organization is often combined with diversification of business activities. This may be due to new unrelated products being added to the existing products. As a result, there may be more division and sub-division of activities. At the same time, there is an increase in the number of managerial levels and vertical division of responsibilities. All these make coordination more difficult as well as important.
Who is responsible for co-ordination in an organization?
It is a function of managers in all departments and branches of an organization and applies to all levels of management.
How does co-ordination helps the organization?
Co-ordination helps in reconciliation of goals, total accomplishment of business objectives, maintenance of harmonious relationships between different groups and ensuring economy and efficiency in an organization.
What do managerial plans result it?
Managerial planning results in the framing of objectives and laying down of targets.
What is the controlling function?
To achieve the objectives, a proper organizational structure is designed; people are assigned the various tasks, and are directed to perform their respective jobs. The actual performance is then assessed from time to time to ensure that what is achieved is in conformity with the plans and targets. This is called controlling functions.
What is controlling as a function of management refers to?
Controlling as a function of management refers to the evaluation of actual performance of work against planned or standard performance and taking the corrective action, if necessary.
What is the definition of control as per Henri Fayol?
According to Henry Fayol, Control consists in verifying whether everything occurs in conformity with the plan adopted, the instructions issued and principles established.
What is control as per Brech?
According to Brech, control is checking current performance against the pre-determined standards contained in the plans, with a view to ensure adequate progress and satisfactory performance and also recording the experience gained from working of these plans as guide to possible future needs.
How are planning and controlling related to each other?
Planning and controlling are closely related and depend on each other. Controlling depends upon planning because planning planning provides the targets or standards against which actual performance can be compared. Controlling on the other hand, appraises planning. It brings out the shortcomings of planning and helps to improve upon the plans.
What are the steps involved in controlling?
Following are the steps involved in controlling –

  • knowing the nature, quantum and time frame of the work.
  • comparing the peformance with the plan.
  • analyzing deviation if any
  • taking corrective steps.
  • suggesting rivision of plans if necessary.
  • What are the characteristics of control?
    Following are the characteristics of control –

    1. Planning is the basis of control – Control is said to be checking performance as per what has been planned. So, planning precedes controlling and sets the standards and targets of performance.
    2. Control is a continious process – It is an ongoing and dynamic function of management. It involves a continuous review of performance and is not a one time exercise. The period of control normally depends upon the nature of work, the amount of work and the policies of management.
    3. Control is all pervasive – Control is exercised at all levels of management and is done in every functional area and at each unit or department. Thus control is all pervasive.
    4. Action is the essence of control – Control is an action oriented process. The very purpose of control is defeated if corrective action is not taken for improvement of performance or the revision of plans.
    5. Control is a forward looking : Control is futuristic in nature. It measures current performance and provides guidelines for the corrective action. This ensure future performance as per plans. Thus it is forward looking.
    What is the importance of control in an organization?
    Controlling is one of the important functions of management. It pinpoints the deviations on the basis of which managers can take corrective steps. If no control is exercised, work may not be done as desired and inefficiencies may remain undetected.
    Why is the importance of control has increased in recent times?
    The importance of control has increased tremendously due to several reasons .

    1. There is a greater competition in the market among different producers and sellers. Hence, the managers have to maintain and continuously improve efficiency of the operations.
    2. Regular checking of work is very important. This may help in minimizing the cost and wastage.
    3. It is also necessary that targets of achievement are raised from time to time and employees duly reward for better performance of work.
    How does controlling helps the organization?
    Controlling helps in the following ways –

    1. helps in achieving targets.
    2. helps in taking corrective actions on time.
    3. helps in monitoring and improving employees performance.
    4. helps in achieving better coordination.
    5. helps in better planning.
    6. helps in minimizing errors.
    7. facilitates decision making.
    8. simplifies supervision.
    What are the differences between control and planning?
    Control Planning
    Planning fixes the goals or standard to be achieved. Planning fixes the criteria for controlling. Controlling checks the annual performance with the standards fixed. The
    Planning sets the course of actions. Planning is fruitful when control is exercised. Control compares the actual course and the planned course. Control identifies the deviations from the course and initiates corrective actions. Planning is fruitful when control is exercised.
    What are the similarity between controlling and planning?
    Both controlling and planning are forward and backward looking. Planning is forward looking as all plans are prepared for future. But it looks ahead on the basis of past data. So we can say planning is both backward and forward looking. Controlling is forward looking because it involves comparing the actual performance with the planned performance. Controlling is backward looking because manager looks back at previous year performance to find the deviations from the standard.
    What are the steps involved in control process?
    Following are the steps involved in control process –

    1. Establishment of standards
    2. Measurement of performance
    3. Comparision of performance of standards.
    4. detecting the reasons for deviations
    5. taking corrective measures
    How are standards established in the process of controlling?
    Setting standards is the first requirement of control.
    How do standards arise?
    Standards arise out of plans and provide basis of comparison.
    What are the different types of standards?
    There are different types of standards, e.g., number of units to be produced per hour, cost
    of production per unit, permissible quantity of scrap and wastage per day, quality
    of the products and so on.
    What are quantitative standards?
    A quantitative standard provides a concrete measure and helps in comparison.
    What is the importance of having realistic goals?
    Realistic goals should be realistic and attainable. They should be neither too high nor too low. If these are too high, employees will be discouraged. On the other hand, if these are too low,the organization will be operating at a lower efficiency leading to higher cost.
    What is the next step after standards have been set?
    When standards are established the next step is to measure performance at regular intervals .
    How can performance be measured?
    Performance can be measured by observations, inspections and reporting.
    How is performance measured at lower levels?
    At lower levels, a detailed control is exercised at frequent intervals on the basis of observation and inspection.
    How is performance measured at higher levels?
    For higher levels of management, reports are prepared at regular intervals. Performance should be measured as early as possible so that if corrective action is called for it may be taken in time.
    What are the possibilities of comparison of actual and standard performance ?
    Comparision of actual and standard performance may lead to three possible outcomes –

    1. equal to
    2. more than
    3. less than the standard
    What is the importance of managers in terms of performance?
    If actual performance is equal to the standard, managers need not take any action but where the deviations are noticed, corrective actions becomes necessary. The managers should ascertain whether these deviations are within the permissible range or outside it. Corrective action becomes necessary only for deviations which fall outside the permissible range.
    In what ways are the reasons detected for the deviations caused in the performance of the workers?
    Before taking any corrective action, managers should try to ascertain the reason for each occurrence of deviations. The fault may be that standards fixed were unattainable rather than the subordinates inefficiency. Again, the deviation might have been caused by the nature of instructions issued by the manager rather than the due to the sub ordinate’s mistake. Hence, it is essential that the reasons which caused the deviation be ascertained to determine the appropriate corrective actions.
    What is the next step after the cause of deviation becomes known?
    Once the cause for deviation is known, the next step is to to for in corrective action which involve revision of standards, changing the methods of selection and training of workers or providing better motivation.

    Happy Learning 🙂



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