Written by Management is an essential element of any organization, be it a business, government agency, non-profit organization, or even in our personal lives.
To define it, management is the effective and efficient use of the resources of an organization in the achievement of organizational goals.
It involves the coordination of resources and people to achieve specific goals and objectives.
In this post, we will be looking at ten characteristics of management.
Table of Contents
1. Management is goal-oriented
Management is a goal-oriented and purposeful activity.
It is all about achieving objectives.
Whether it’s increasing sales, improving efficiency, or expanding market share, managers set objectives and coordinate individuals’ efforts toward achieving the objectives.
So, in short, management is a goal-oriented activity since it aims to achieve the pre-established objectives.
2. Management is Pervasive
Management is needed in all kinds of organizations, whether it is a business, social, political, or cultural organization.
For example, a hospital, a school, a club, and a company all require management to function effectively.
Management is not limited by the size, type, or nature of the organization.
As long as there is a group of individuals striving to achieve a goal, management is required.
3. Management is a Group Activity
Management is a group activity because organizations typically consist of a group of people.
This means that management requires the collaboration and coordination of many people to achieve a common goal.
In fact, management only exists when there is a group effort to achieve an objective.
If only one person is working to achieve a goal, management is not needed.
But when many people are collectively working towards achieving a goal, then management is necessary.
4. Management is Continuous
Management is a continuous and never-ending process.
Management is not a one-time activity that can be completed and forgotten, but rather a dynamic and cyclical process that needs to be repeated and improved over time.
For example, a manager may need to plan the activities and resources for a project, organize his team, lead the team, and monitor the team’s progress and performance
However, the manager cannot stop there. He has to revisit the plan, adjust the organization, modify its leadership style, and revise the control measures according to the changing circumstances and feedback.
So, management is a continuous activity.
5. Management is intangible
Management is not a physical object that can be seen or touched.
It is an invisible force that can only be felt by its effects on the organization.
For example, when we observe orderliness, discipline, and increased productivity in the organization, we often attribute it to good management.
So, management is intangible but its effects can be seen.
6. Management has a Derived Demand
Like labor and other factors of production, management has a derived demand.
The demand for management is derived because management is not demanded for its own sake.
It is only demanded for the organizational objectives that can be attained through it.
7. Management is a Social Process
Management involves interacting and relating with people within an organization.
Even though people are just one of the many resources that can be available to an organization, management must also deal with people.
Management is not only concerned with the management of financial resources or physical resources. It is also concerned with the management of people.
This perhaps explains why Mary Parker Follett defined Management as “the art of getting things done through people”.
8. Management is both an art and a science
Management is considered an art and science.
Management is an art because it involves the application of knowledge and general principles.
Management is also a science because it embodies a systematic body of knowledge based on some universally applicable principles.
9. Management Involves decision making
Decision-making is yet another important characteristic of management.
There are usually many courses of action that an organization might take to achieve its objective. So, managers must make decisions on the best course of action to take.
However, the ultimate objective of management decisions is to take the most efficient and effective course of action to achieve the overall objectives of the organization.
10. Management is an integrative force
Management is an integrative force that brings together all the resources of an organization to achieve a common goal.
It coordinates and harmonizes the activities of different individuals and groups to achieve a common goal.
Management integrates the human, financial, physical, and technological resources of an organization in the pursuit of an objective
Without management, these resources won’t be integrated and, as a result, won’t be able to accomplish organizational goals.
In addition to that, management also aligns individual goals with organizational goals for the smooth working of the organization in order to achieve organizational goals.
In fact, managers serve as the unifying force between personal and organizational objectives.
