Commerce students who take up management honours pursue courses ranging from entrepreneurship, Human resources management, business communication to auditing and more. However, if we were to actually take a closer look at Management, then we would see it touch almost every aspect of our lives. Management skills are needed not only for the business professional but the church leader, the parent and the student.
Management: It’s Not Just About Business
Every individual or organisation has their own goals and desires which can be achieved only through efficient and effective management. Management in simple words means managing things (men, time, finance, resources) tactfully. Management refers to all those activities which are concerned with the formulation of objectives, plans and policies. According to Mary Parker Follett, a great management thinker’, “Management is the art of getting things done through others”. . Henry Fayol, another great management thinker believes that to manage is, “to forecast, to plan, to organise, to command, to co-ordinate, and to control.” Management is also a process (defined as a systematic way of doing activities to achieve the objectives) consisting of inter-related functions like planning, organising, staffing, directing and controlling.. Proper implementation of management makes a person or an organisation stand tallest amongst all. The word ‘Management’ is a huge subject. It carries different meanings, depending on the context in which it is used. Here, I would like to stress on some areas which will be important for an individual in achieving its goal and its contribution towards the society or organisation.
The need for an importance of management to become successful in life, assumes great significance. It requires a special skill and knowledge to seek the fullest co-operation to achieve one’s objectives set by an individual or an organisation. Management is important for an individual or an organisation because it helps in achieving its goals and objectives through effective utilisation of time and different resources. Those organisations that perform management functions effectively, survives. The success of an organisation, both formal and informal, depends largely on how well the various activities and resources are managed, planned and organised. Likewise, the success of an individual depends on how effectively he/she manages the activities of life.
Management exists everywhere. In fact, each one of us practices management in every walk of our life, but the fact is, we don’t actually realise it. When we hear the word ‘management’, the first thing that comes to our mind is business or managing money or finance or human resources. We must realise that management is not only for institutions, organisations or companies but it is also related to our personal life. When I mention this, some of us will question how do I exercise managerial functions? But the fact is, everyone, irrespective of our different profession, job or position, performs management, starting from our own doorstep. As rightly defined by Louis Allen, ‘Management is what a manager does’. Every individual is responsible for one’s own life, depending on how one decides, plans and implements its objectives. We are all managers of our own life as we are all managing our life in our own way. Our success will be determined by how effective we use our management skills in dealing with different situations of life.
Parents have the responsibility of bringing up their children as well as managing their activities. Parents perform managerial activities to a large extend. They have to manage their time for their work, for their children, and other social responsibilities as well. Parents should guide their children in a way that they get the right thing at the right time, and also at the right place. If their managing skill is effective, their children will grow up to be responsible citizens, else the wheel will turn the other way round. Parents should realise the interests and capabilities of their children, nurture them and point them to the right direction, where they best fit.
Students are the ones who need proper management in every aspect of life. Every morning, they manage themselves by standing in front of the mirror, to groom themselves and make sure that their uniforms are immaculately put on for the class. If all these formalities are not taken care of, the whole thing will be a mess. In order to be a better performer, one needs to be a responsible student. They need to know how to manage their time, studies and other co-curricular activities. In the end, those students who manage well will excel in every area of life, for instance, in academic, sports or in any other co-curricular activities.
Even teachers, preachers, bankers, businessman, administrators, social workers or any other profession requires management so as to flourish in his/her work, as well as in personal life. They should manage their time and resources (human and non-human) efficiently in order to achieve the desired goals. Proper planning, organising, executing and controlling are mandatory in attaining greater heights of goals.
Management is, therefore, basically concerned with getting things done at a right time with the right resources and at the right place. Ultimately, it is understood that a meticulous manager is on the absolute track of attaining the goals without any delay.