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Functions
of administration
Last
updated on 28.9.08
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Introduction
Management
is a generic function that includes similar basic tasks in every
discipline and in every society. Management and administration
sometimes appear to be synonymous, but they are not synonymous terms.
If we consider the administration as one side of the coin, the
management is the other side of the same coin. To translate any policy
into action people need structure, that is organization, when
structure is there, there are some functions to be performed to
accomplish goals, that functional aspect of organization is dealt by
management.
Definition
Management
may be defined as the art of securing maximum results with a minimum
of effort so as to secure maximum prosperity and happiness for both
employer and employee and give the public the best possible service
(John Mee, 1963)
Functions
of management: Usually
the actions of the manager (planning, organizing, directing,
coordinating and controlling) are referred to in the management
literature as the functions of the management process.
1. Planning:
Planning
means to decide in advance what is to be done. It charts a course of
actions for the future. It is an intellectual process and it aims to
achieve a coordinated and consistent set of operations aimed at
desired objectives.
Essentials
of good planning:
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Good
planning
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Yields
reasonable organizational objectives and develops alternative
approaches to meet these objectives.
-
Helps
to eliminate or reduce the future uncertainty and chance.
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Helps
to gain economical operations.
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Lays
the foundation for organizing.
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Facilitates
co-ordination.
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Helps
to facilitate control.
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Dictates
those activities to which employers are directed.
The
main activities in the planning are the formulation of strategies and
setting the objectives. Strategy is the set of decisions that
determine the character (size, scope and mix of services) of a health
services organization and give it the direction in the market place.
In a real sense objectives are the key to the entire management
process.
2. Organizing:
Once
the objectives have been established through planning, management
concern must turn to developing an organization that is capable of
carrying them out. The management function of organizing can be
defined as ,”relating people and things to each other in such a way
that they are all combined and interrelated into a unit capable of
being directed toward the organizational objectives.”
The
most basic premise of organization is
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Division
of work (is essential for efficiency)
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Work
activities required for the organizational performance are
separated through
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Horizontal
differentiation (i.e..
Dividing the organization into operational units for more
effective and efficient performance.)
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Vertical
differentiation
(i.e.. Establishes the hierarchy and the number of levels in the
organization
The
formal organization depends on two basic principles:
a) Responsibility:
responsibility
n an organization is divided among available personnel by grouping
the functions that are similar in objectives and content. This
should be done in a manner that avoids overlaps and gaps as much as
possible. Responsibility may be continuing or it may be terminated
by the accomplishment of a single action.
b) Authority:
when responsibility is given to a person, he must also be given the
authority to make commitments, use resources and take the actions
necessary to carry out his responsibilities.
3. Staffing
Staffing
is the selection, training, motivating and retaining of a personnel in
the organization. Before selection we have to make analysis of the
particular job, which is required in the organization., then comes the
selection of the personnel. It involves manpower planning to have the
right person in the right place and avoid “square peg in the round
hole”.
Manpower
planning involves the following steps.
1. Scrutiny
of present personnel strength.
2. Anticipation
of manpower needs.
3. Investigation
of turnover of personnel.
4. Planning
job requirements and job descriptions.
4. Directing
Directing
means the issuance of orders, assignments and instructions that permit
the subordinate to understand what is expected of him, and the
guidance and overseeing of the subordinate so that he can contribute
effectively and efficiently to the attainment of organizational
objectives.
Directing
includes the following activities
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Giving
orders
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Making
supervision
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Leading
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Motivating
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Communicating
Giving
orders:
the central task in directing is giving orders. The order is the
technical means through which a subordinate understands what is to
be done. To facilitate this there are certain characteristics of
good orders which manager should be aware of:
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The
order should be clear, concise and consistent to give sufficient
information to ensure understanding
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Order
should be based on obvious demands of a particular situation, it
seems logical to the subordinates and not just an arbitrary whim
of the manager.
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The
tone of the order is very important. The manner in which the
manager delivers the order has a great deal to do with its
acceptance by the subordinate.
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Whenever
possible, the reason for the order should be given. A
subordinate will accept an order more readily if he understands
the need for it.
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In
some instances the manager uses delegation of authority instead
of issuance of orders for avoiding too many specific orders.
Supervision:
Supervision
is the activity of the management that is concerned with the
training and discipline of the work force. It includes follow up to
assure the prompt and proper execution of orders.
Supervision
is the art of overseeing, watching and directing with authority, the
work and behaviour of other.
Leading:
Leadership
is the ability to inspire and influence others to contribute to the
attainment of the objectives. Successful leadership is the result of
interaction between the leader and his subordinates in a particular
organizational situation.
There
are number of styles of leadership that have been identified such as
autocratic, democratic participative leadership.
The
continuum of leadership styles, ranges from the completely
authoritarian situation with no subordinate participation to a
maximum degree of democratic leadership, enabling the subordinate to
participate in all phases of the decision making process.
Motivating:
Motivation
refers to the way in which the needs (urges, aspirations, desires)
control, direct or explain the behaviour of human beings. The
manager must motivate, or cause, the employee to follow directives.
Communicating:
Communication
is the passing of information and understanding from a sender to
receiver.
Communication
is vital to the directing function of the management, one way to
visualise this importance is to view the manager on one side of a
barrier and the work group on the other. Communication is the means
the manager has of reaching through the barrier to attain work group
activity.
5.
Coordinating:
It
is the act of synchronising people and activities so that they
function smoothly in the attainment of organization objectives.
Coordination is more important in the health services organization,
because functionally they are departmentalized. Different kinds of
organization require different amount of coordination.
Basic
approaches to coordination:
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Corrective
co ordinations are those coordinative activities that rectify the
present error or correct a dysfunction in the organization.
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Preventive
coordination comprises those coordinative activities that are
aimed at preventing the occurrence of anticipated problems of
coordination, or at least minimizing the impact of these problems.
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Regulatory
coordination comprises those coordinative activities that are
aimed at the maintenance of existing structural and functional
arrangements in the organizations.
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Promotive
coordination has those coordinative activities that are aimed at
attempting to improve the articulation of the parts of the
organization, or to improve the existing organizational
arrangements without regard for specific problems.
6.
Controlling:
Controlling
can be defined as the regulation of activities in accordance with the
requirements of plans.
Steps
of control:
The
control function, whether it is applied to cash, medical care,
employee morale or anything else, involves four steps.
1. Establishments
of standards.
2. Measuring
performance
3. Comparing
the actual results with the standards.
4. Correcting
deviations from standards.
7.
Reporting and recording:
Reports
are oral or written exchanges of information shared
between caregivers or workers in a number of ways. A report summarizes
the services of the person, personnel and of the agency. Reports are
written usually daily, weekly, monthly or yearly.
Purposes
of reporting:
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To
show the kind and amount of services rendered over a specified
period.
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To
illustrate progress in reaching goals.
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As
an aid in studying health conditions.
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As
an aid in planning.
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To
interpret services to the public and to the other interested
agencies.
Records
and reports must be functional, accurate, complete, current organized
and confidential.
8.
Budgeting:
Budgeting,
though primarily recognized as a device for controlling, becomes a
major part of the planning process in any organization. It is
expressed in financial terms and based on expected income and
expenditure. Budget is the heart of administrative management. It
served as a powerful tool of coordination and negatively an effective
device of eliminating duplicating and wastage.
Features
of budget:
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Should
be flexible.
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Should
be synthesis of past, present and future.
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Should
be product of joint venture & cooperation of executives/
department heads at different levels of management.
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It
should be in the form of statistical standard laid down in
specific numerical terms.
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It
should have support of top management throughout the period of its
planning and supplementation
In
a nutshell the functions of a manager by Drucker include:
1.
Establishes
and communicates goals and objectives.
2.
Organizes,
analyzes and divides work into tasks.
3.
Motivates
and communicates.
4.
Analyzes,
appraises and interprets performance and measurements.
5.
Develops
people including self.
Research
Input
1. Nurse
executives, perspectives on succession planning
Six
nursing executives from 5 settings were interviewed to learn more
about how succession planning is being applied in today’s
practice. Their experiences, presented in this article provide a
snapshot of ways succession planning can be applied in different
organizations. Interviewees share their personal philosophy,
concepts, and approaches to succession planning. Although these
nurse executives approach succession planning differently they share
a belief that succession planning is key to sustaining quality
nursing practice.
2. Leadership
and nurse retention: the pivotal role of nurse managers
This
article describes the views of 32 nurse managers regarding their
roles and the characteristics they need to promote retention.
The purpose of the study was to describe the roles and skills of
nurse managers, whether they posses these skills, the
characteristics of the nurse managers that facilitate or serve as a
barrier to nurse retention. A sample of 39 nurse managers was
selected for the study. Data was collected by using 4 focus group
discussions. First line managers are in the best position to impact
retention because they have firsthand knowledge of issues and
challenges important nurses and care delivery.
Conclusion:
Managers
address complex issues by planning, budgeting, and setting target
goals. They meet their goals by organizing, staffing, controlling and
problem solving. The nurse manager can assist the staff to think
strategically about what it is doing and what it should be doing for
its clients , for example, in today’s world of cost containment,
examining what clients pay for the care they receive from the health
care professionals.
References:
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Basavanthappa
B T. Nursing administration. Ist edn. New Delhi: Jaypee brothers
medical publishers (p) ltd; 2000.
-
Wise
P S. Leading and managing in nursing. Ist edn. Philadelphia: Mosby
publications; 1995.
-
Koontz
H & Weihrich H . Essentials of management an international
perspective. (Ist edn). New Delhi: Tata Mc Graw Hill publishers;
2007.
-
Koontz
H & Weihrich H. Management a global perspective. 1st edn.
New Delhi: Tata Mc. Graw Hill publishers;2001.
-
Anthony
M K, Theresa S, JoAnn Glick, Martha Duffy and Fran Paschall.
Leadership and nurse retention, the pivotal role of nurse
managers. JONA. Vol 35, Mar 2005.
-
Beyers
Marjorie. Nurse executives’ perspectives on succession planning.
JONA. Vol 36. June 2006.
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