FUNCTIONS OF THE MANAGER

BYEDWARD PHIRI

FUNCTIONS OF MANAGERS

There are a number of functions of mangers and these differ from one organisation to the other. The other reason why there is this difference is that the application will also be different under different circumstances. This power point presentation will discuss the following functions of managers as applied at Hillside Teachers’ College. Planning, Coordinating, Organising, Leading, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating , Budgeting and Reporting

Planning• It is a management functions that sets the

objectives of the organisation , maps the strategies to be used in the implementation and puts in place ways of monitoring the plans. Gomez-Meia et al (2008:15)Defines planning as a, “Management function that is to assess the management environment to set the future objectives and map out activities to achieve the objectives”.

• As such from the definition of planning is putting down the objectives and the methods or strategies that one is going to use in the implementation so as to achieve the organisational goals or results.

Planning cont.• This is a management function that is responsible

for the continuous task of making decisions and embodying them in specific and general orders and instructions and serving as a leading in the enterprise.

• Planning includes setting future objectives and mapping out the activities necessary to achieve those objectives that have been set by the management.

Planning at Hillside Teachers’ College

• Planning at Hillside Teachers’ College is done at various level. Firstly using the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education ,Science and Technology Development strategic plan as a guide , we formulate the Hillside Teachers’ College strategic plans. The Strategic plans are broken into finer details for implementation by all the departments to achieve the planned objective. The objectives are both short term and long term are then implemented by all the various relevant departments. The bench marks are used to measure progress on a termly basis.

ORGANISATION• Acording to “Gomez-Meia et al (2008:15)

Organising is also a Mangement function that determines how the firm’s human , financial , physical, information and technical resources are arranged and coordinated to perform tasks to achieve desired goals, the deployment of resources to achieve the strategic general plan”.

• To organise as a management functions means putting together all those resources that are required to and seeing to it that the plans and implementation with be possible.

Organisation at H.T.C• At hillside Teachers’ College the human resource

that is needed for the implementation of the aims and objectives are,

• 1.Mnagement staff, Lecturers to teach the student, the student teachers to learn, Administration staff, Catering staff, Security and Grounds staff.

• 2. Physical fixtures these will be classrooms, lecture theatre, tutorial rooms, laboratories, furniture and fixtures in the rooms.

Organisation cont.• Other materials that are needed include books,

stationery , equipment like computers, pens, files, electrical gadgets like digital projectors cameras Syllabi etc

• Schools were student teachers can go and do their teaching practice and have experienced teachers (mentors) to guide them.

• Financial resources, Money from the students as tuition fees, levies, Grants from Government, Examination fees, Teaching Practice Levy to finance the College activities

LEADING

• Leading demands that there be a leader. The person on the front who gives orders and directs people in the organisation. The leader is the director. Gomez-Meia et al (2008:15)“Leading is that aspect of Management function that energises people to contribute their best individually and cooperatively with other people”

• The contribution by individuals in the organisation is aimed at achieving the planned goals of the organisation.

LEADING AT Hillside Teachers’ College• Leadership at Hillside teachers’ College is done by

selected and appointed individuals. These individuals act as line managers and lead different sections of the Hillside Teachers’ College. The team leaders are the supervisors of the Grounds, Security, Administration and Catering staff. On the Academic side we have the Heads of Departments, Lecturers In Charge and Heads of Subjects.

• The Principal and the Vice Principal are the top management at Hillside and are able assisted in the Administration by Heads of Departments.

Leading cont. Subject heads form and make up the leadership that

directs operations at Hillside Teachers’ College. The leadership of the academic subject all belong to the supreme body of leadership of Hillside Teachers’ College ACADEMIC BOARD.

• The Academic Board leads the whole institution as far as the academic issues are concerned. They are overall control the procedures in the academic cycles.

• There is the Finance Committee responsible for the financial resources of the College, all expenditure and income.

CONTROLLING

• This is a management function that measures performance compares it to the objectives , implements the necessary changes and monitors progress. Gomez-Mejia et al (2008)The control of the process can occur in a number of areas. The Kitchen leadership will control the stock and the quantities being prepared. College Administration will look at the numbers that we employ. The Academic leadership will monitor the learning and supervision of student teachers.

Controlling cont.• The Security supervisors will control the movement

of College assets, vehicles and guard the whole complex from thieves.

• The Administration working with the Procurement and the Finance Committee will also look at the control of expenditure in the institution

• The Supervisor of the grounds staff will control and monitor usage of consumables in that area and control the usage that results in wastage .

Coordinating

• This is the overall management function of putting together all the various facets into one function unit. The mangement duty is to ensure that the various systems of the organisation are brought together for the common good , that of achieving the set goals.

• The getting of the various pieces to work together is called coordinating. It is inter-relating all those parts so that they work together to achieve the common objectives.

Directing• It is continuous task of making decisions and

embodying them with specific and general orders and instruction and also having to serve as a leader in the organisation.

• Directing is a daily process that ensures that the organisation is on the right track and monitoring is seen and guided accordingly.

• Leadership within the organisation is ensured and that the employees are doing the right thing

Directing cont.• DIRECTING is said to be a process in which the

managers instruct, guide and oversee the performance of the workers to achieve predetermined goals. Directing is said to be the heart of management process

• it can be described as providing guidance to workers is doing work. In field of management, direction is said to be all those activities which are designed to encourage the subordinates to work effectively and efficiently

• http://managementstudyguide.com

Directing cont.

• At Hillside the directing of activities is left to the supervisors of the different departments.

• The shop floor-managers are responsible for the implementation of the day to day activities.

• Some of the leaders in some departments have to demonstrate to their subordinate , this is a way directing.

• On the overall most managers actually supervise and direct the operation of their department at Hillside Teachers’ College

Directing cont

• “Directing consists of process or technique by which instruction can be issued and operations can be carried out as originally planned” http://managementstudyguide.com

• Therefore, Directing is the function of guiding, inspiring, overseeing and instructing people towards accomplishment of organizational goals

staffing

• Staffing is the engaging of new staff members to be part of the enterprise. The whole personnel functions of bringing in and remaining in and training people and the maintenance of favourable conditions of work.

• the employment and firing of new staff is an on-going process with people in the organisation retiring, some resigning and some being fired for various reason, so management must be able to staff the organisation with the right people.

Staffing cont.• The hiring of staff at Hillside Teachers’ College is

done by Administration in consultation with the Civil Service Commission as a government institution.

• The College Administration identifies thevacant post and then apply to the Head Office who inturn inform the Civil Service Commission who then gives the green light to advertise, interview and engage. The Civil Service Commission attends the interview session together with Head Office and the College Administration

REPORTING• THIS IS A PROCESS OF keeping all hose to whom

the executive reports to informed about the happenings. It includes what is happening, keeping the manager and the subordinates informed, keeping records and research on the current improvements

• Communication of vital information from the management and from the workers to the management. Communication with clientele is also very crucial at all times, keeping them informed and get feedback from them

Reporting cont.• This is a two way process in almost all departments

at Hillside Teachers’ College where the managers of the departments pass information from the Ministry, Administration and from Head Office.

• Also information comes from the workers to the management and the process is generally known as the bottom- up approach.

• Circulars ,directives and above all other minutes that come from higher offices to the departments

BUDGETING• Budgeting is the process of creating a plan to

spend your money. Creating this spending plan allows you to determine in advance whether you will have enough money to do the things you need to do or would like to do. (mymoneycoach.com)

• It is planning on how the financial resources within an organisation will be spent. It also includes planning on the income for the institution.

• The income should always match the expenditure or should be more to avoid debts.

Budgeting cont.

• Budgeting at Hilside teachers College is dione by the Finance Committee. It allocates various department money that they would need for the year.

• It bases its allocation on the requests that the various departments make.

• The procurement Committee is the biggest beneficiary of this alloaction as all major items that are bought are procured by this commiittee.

References• Stoner. J.A.F and Freeman. R.E (1992) Management

5th Edition , Prentice Hall Int: London• Peter P.J and Donnelly Jr .J.A (2012) Marketing

Mangement: Knowledge and Skills: Longman: London

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Reference cont.

• http://managementstudyguide.com• http://www.capacitybuildingonline.com• http://www.reliefweb.int/training/613985/

human-resource-management-online• www.wikipedia.com