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Business Administration Articles

Administrative functions in a business environment

Administrative functions in a business environment

Administrative functions in a business environment are handled by services managers. They also have
the responsibility to coordinate and direct the support services so that organizations can operate
efficiently.
These administrative functions are performed by different types of managers according to their level of
responsibility and authority. In a business environment, administrators are assigned common set of functions to
meet the organization's goals which are:
Planning
The most important administrative function in a business environment is planning. Planning is defined by the
decision made at the initial level at which the administrator has to decide what to do to fulfill a goal. What are the
different ways and means to do it and who are the right person to perform that job. In planning, the first step is to
arrange the functions, people or components involved into a proper working order. The next thing is to find out the
specific steps the people involved must take to complete the job. The planning part should also include the details
of the equipment, time and manpower needed for a particular job.
The planning administrator should identify the entire problem that can arise due to circumstances so that solutions
can be provided immediately if the problem comes up. The resources and manpower, skill availability to complete a
particular task is also checked in this part. The planning phase should clearly specify the order in which sub tasks
have to be performed to complete a job successfully. By deciding the order in which the plans have to be carried
out, a complete plan of action has to be decided before hand. Overall, a plan of action specifies the tasks in an
order for a particular period of time. If the planning is done by taking certain steps in the right direction then it is
possible to complete the task without interruptions so that it is possible to complete the given task most efficiently
and effectively:
1. At first step, all the actions have to be identified along with the resources required so that all the problems
are identified before starting the work.
2. A planned time line sheet to complete the tasks in an order.
3. Define the priorities for various tasks so that it helps in mapping the path from where the organization is to
where it wants to be.
Depending upon the nature of the problem to be handled, the planning can be both short-range and long-range.
Organization
Organizing means the administrator has to identify various jobs and the right person which can perform those jobs
efficiently. The administrator has to identify which can take the responsibility and can manage a team of people to
complete a job. Such responsible persons are further grouped together to create departments or divisions. Such
different departments are combined together or inter related to each other to create a bigger division. Such
departments interact with each other in an organized manner to complete various tasks. The organized divisions
should coordinate with each other so that different tasks can be performed easily.
In organization, the administrator has to define the responsibilities and authority clearly so that there is no crossing

of lines while working in coordination. The concept of delegation of authority is very important in an organized
department. It helps the people to perform better because it includes assigning responsibility to a person to
complete a task. The delegated person has sufficient authority to manage the resources to do a particular task and
also has the right to decide how that task will be completed with time.
Staffing
This administrative function is very important in a business environment because it deals with filling up of job
positions in an organization. The job positions should be filled by taking care of the requirement, time and the type
of man power required. The administrator should check the staffing needs from time to time so that number of
employees are always sufficient and up to the mark. The staff requirements are identified by the staffing
administrators and then suitable job descriptions are designed. The recruitment process is also organized at
different levels by these administrators to screen the candidates so that suitable candidates are recruited.
Directing
It is very important for organization because it deals with handling people in such a way so that they help in every
possible way to achieve the goals of the organization. To make the direction efficient, it is important that the
allocation of resources is done very carefully. It also helps the system to perform better by providing a complete
and effective support and backup system at the backend. Such administrators look after the preparation, analysis,
negotiation, and review of jobs related to the purchase or sale of equipment, materials, products and services. The
administrators fulfilling the direction role should have strong communication skills and has the conviction to judge
and convince people in a positive way. They have to keep a perfect balance between the requirements and
financial status of the organization.
Controlling
Controlling is the function which deals with the continuous evaluation of the organization goals. If the goals are not
achieved then controlling administrator has to detect potential or actual difference in the achieved and original plan
of the organization. This helps in improving the system for betterment so that deviation in the goal achieved is
minimum. By controlling information management it is possible to measure the performance of the system and to
apply corrective actions to increase the efficiency. There are many types of controlling functions which are
associated with evaluations in organizations. Some of the examples are: evaluation of marketing efforts,
evaluation of employee performance and program evaluations.
Budgeting
After the jobs are planned and resources are organized, the next important administrative function in business
environment is to manage the funds efficiently. Budgeting administrators are responsible for analyzing the
requirements of funds for the resources and man power to achieve goals and tasks. All the financial statements are
monitored and checked from time to time to avoid any financial problems. All types of financial statements like
balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statements are prepared, checked and managed by the
administrator.