3. Do you agree that management has just a control function?

Management does not have just a control function. The four key functions of management

are: 1) planning, 2) organizing, 3) directing, and 4) controlling.

Planning includes setting organizational goals and developing strategies for achieving the

goals of the organization.

Organizing refers to the way the organisation allocates resources and goes about

accomplishing its goals.

Directing is the process most relate to managing. It is supervising, or leading workers to

accomplish the goals of the organization.

The controlling function involves the evaluation activities that managers must perform. It

is the process of determining if the company's goals and objectives are being met.

4. What are the main functions of a manager?

Managers are the people who are thought to achieve the goals of an organization through the key functions of 1) planning, 2) organizing, 3) directing, and 4) controlling. Planning could include setting organizational goals. This is usually done by higher-level managers in an organization. As a part of the planning process, the manager develops strategies for achieving the goals of the organization. Strategic planning is long-range planning that is normally completed by top-level managers in an organization. Short-range or tactical planning is done by lower-level managers, since it is the process of developing very detailed strategies about what needs to be done, who should do it, and how it should be done.

In the process of organising, managers arrange a framework (organizational structure) that links all workers, tasks and resources together so the organization goals can be achieved. Organizational structure is shown by an organizational chart that depicts positions in the organization, usually beginning with the top-level manager (normally the president) at the top of the chart.

Directing involves making assignments, assisting workers to carry out assignments, interpreting organizational policies and informing workers of how well they are performing. The manager must find a way to get workers to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently.

The controlling function involves the evaluation activities that managers must perform. The manager sees if the company's goals and objectives are being met. He also corrects situations in which the goals and objectives are not being met. There are several activities that are a part of the controlling fijnction. Managers must first set standards of performance for workers. These standards are levels of performance that should be met. This standard must be communicated to the workers so they know what is expected of them. After the standards have been set and communicated, it is the manager's responsibility to monitor performance to see that the standards are being met. Whatever the problem, corrective action should be taken by the manager. Of all the skills that a manager needs, none is more important than managing the conflicts that inevitably arise in any organisation. And it is the manager's task to seek a resolution of it. So, managers, at no matter what level of the organization, typically have basic responsibilities: direct employees toward objectives, oversee the work efforts of employees, deal with immediate problems, and report on the progress of work to their superiors. Managers' primary responsibilities are to examine tasks, problems, or opportunities in relationship to the company's short- and long-range goals. They must be quick to identify areas of potential problems, continually search for solutions, and be alert to new opportunities and ways to take advantages of the best ones. How effectively goals and objectives are accomplished depends on how well the company goals are broken down into jobs and assignments and how well these are identified and communicated throughout the organization.

5. What is marketing? One of the areas of management is marketing. Marketing is the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods, and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organizational objectives.

Marketing makes products available where customers want them by transferring the ownership of products to buyers. The entire business organization is involved in a dual process of satisfying customer needs and achieving organizational goals. Implementation of marketing concept begins and ends with marketing information about customers — first to determine what customers need, and later to evaluate how well the firm is meeting those needs.

A market consists of people with their needs, the ability to buy, and the desire and ability to sell. Markets are classified as consumer and industrial markets.