Features and Levels of Management

Features of Management

Management is an activity concerned with guiding human and physical resources such that organizational goals can be achieved. Nature of management can be highlighted as: -

1. Management is Goal-Oriented: The success of any management activity is assessed by its achievement of the predetermined goals or objective. Management is a purposeful activity. It is a tool which helps use of human & physical resources to fulfill the pre-determined goals. For example, the goal of an enterprise is maximum consumer satisfaction by producing quality goods and at reasonable prices. This can be achieved by employing efficient persons and making better use of scarce resources.
2. Management integrates Human, Physical and Financial Resources: In an organization, human beings work with non-human resources like machines. Materials, financial assets, buildings etc. Management integrates human efforts to those resources. It brings harmony among the human, physical and financial resources.
3. Management is Continuous: Management is an ongoing process. It involves continuous handling of problems and issues. It is concerned with identifying the problem and taking appropriate steps to solve it. E.g. the target of a company is maximum production. For achieving this target various policies have to be framed but this is not the end. Marketing and Advertising is also to be done. For this policies have to be again framed. Hence this is an ongoing process.
4. Management is all Pervasive: Management is required in all types of organizations whether it is political, social, cultural or business because it helps and directs various efforts towards a definite purpose. Thus clubs, hospitals, political parties, colleges, hospitals, business firms all require management. When ever more than one person is engaged in working for a common goal, management is necessary. Whether it is a small business firm which may be engaged in trading or a large firm like Tata Iron & Steel, management is required everywhere irrespective of size or type of activity.
5. Management is a Group Activity: Management is very much less concerned with individual’s efforts. It is more concerned with groups. It involves the use of group effort to achieve predetermined goal of management of ABC & Co. is good refers to a group of persons managing the enterprise.

Levels of Management

The term “Levels of Management’ refers to a line of demarcation between various managerial positions in an organization. The number of levels in management increases when the size of the business and work force increases and vice versa. The level of management determines a chain of command, the amount of authority & status enjoyed by any managerial position. The levels of management can be classified in three broad categories:

1. Top level / Administrative level
2. Middle level / Executory
3. Low level / Supervisory / Operative / First-line managers

Managers at all these levels perform different functions:

Top Level of Management

It consists of board of directors, chief executive or managing director. The top management is the ultimate source of authority and it manages goals and policies for an enterprise. It devotes more time on planning and coordinating functions.

The role of the top management can be summarized as follows -

• Top management lays down the objectives and broad policies of the enterprise.
• It issues necessary instructions for preparation of department budgets, procedures, schedules etc.
• It prepares strategic plans & policies for the enterprise.
• It appoints the executive for middle level i.e. departmental managers.
• It controls & coordinates the activities of all the departments.
• It is also responsible for maintaining a contact with the outside world.
• It provides guidance and direction.
• The top management is also responsible towards the shareholders for the performance of the enterprise

Middle Level of Management

The branch managers and departmental managers constitute middle level. They are responsible to the top management for the functioning of their department. They devote more time to organizational and directional functions. In small organization, there is only one layer of middle level of management but in big enterprises, there may be senior and junior middle level management. Their role can be emphasized as -

• They execute the plans of the organization in accordance with the policies and directives of the top management.
• They make plans for the sub-units of the organization.
• They participate in employment & training of lower level management.
• They interpret and explain policies from top level management to lower level.
• They are responsible for coordinating the activities within the division or department.
• It also sends important reports and other important data to top level management.
• They evaluate performance of junior managers.
• They are also responsible for inspiring lower level managers towards better performance.

Lower Level of Management

Lower level is also known as supervisory / operative level of management. It consists of supervisors, foreman, section officers, superintendent etc. According to R.C. Davis, “Supervisory management refers to those executives whose work has to be largely with personal oversight and direction of operative employees”. In other words, they are concerned with direction and controlling function of management. Their activities include -

• Assigning of jobs and tasks to various workers.
• They guide and instruct workers for day to day activities.
• They are responsible for the quality as well as quantity of production.
• They are also entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining good relation in the organization.
• They communicate workers problems, suggestions, and re-commendatory appeals etc to the higher level and higher level goals and objectives to the workers.
• They help to solve the grievances of the workers.
• They supervise & guide the sub-ordinates.
• They are responsible for providing training to the workers.
• They arrange necessary materials, machines, tools etc for getting the things done.
• They prepare periodical reports about the performance of the workers.
• They ensure discipline in the enterprise.
• They motivate workers.
• They are the image builders of the enterprise because they are in direct contact with the workers.