The Four Functions of

Management
Andrea Tracy
University of Phoenix
Mgt 340
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Abstract

Management is about people working together with the available resources to achieve the

goals of that organization. In order for successful companies to meet their goals they must

encompass all four functions of management. Keeping up with the objectives, goals and vision

can be a challenge to the managers of that company or organization which is why the four

functions of management: planning, organizing, leading and controlling are used.

Each of the functions described above are highly inter-dependent on each other. For

example, without planning it would be difficult to organize or lead as no one would know where

to focus. A successful organization must be effective and efficient in these functions. In

addition, an organization that is successful in the future must find ways to perform these

functions while encouraging innovation, change and new ideas to flourish.

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The Four Functions of Management

“Management is best understood as a unified group of functions made up of specialized

activities which are measurable and transferable” (Creswell, 1998). Management is also about

people working together with the available resources to achieve the goals of that organization. In

order for successful companies to meet their goals they must encompass all four functions of

management. Keeping up with the objectives, goals and vision can be a challenge to the

managers of that company or organization which is why the four functions of management:

planning, organizing, leading and controlling are used.

The first function of management is planning. Planning is the foundation which involves

deciding which goals should be attained and how those goal will be accomplished. Managers

start the planning process by analyzing finances, looking at future trends, shopping competition,

assessing at current practices that do not work as well as those that do and much more.

The second function of management, organizing, can be defined as allocating and

configuring all the resources available to the organization in order to achieve its goals.

Resources such as money, people, information, and hard assets should be included. “Organizing

is assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources

needed to achieve goals” (Bateman & Snell, 2009, p20).

The third function of management is leading. During the leading stage of management,

managers are able to direct the employees in order to accomplish the goals of the company and

support them in their own career and personal goals. Leading can be defined as motivating,

directing, building trust and communicating with employees with the objective to create

accomplishment. “Today and in the future, managers must be good at mobilizing people to
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contribute their ideas” (Bateman & Snell, 2009, p20). Although much has been written about

what it takes to make a leader and how to motivate people the future will require a manager who

can provide a setting where people can collaborate across company or organizational boundaries

to create innovation and new ideas. However, the best way to lead a team or associates is by

setting the example. .

The final function of management, controlling can be defined as monitoring

performance of the planning, organizing, and leading functions making changes where

necessary. Monitoring is an important aspect of controlling to ensure that what is happening is

consistent with the goals of the company. Future managers will need to find ways to achieve

goals that will allow for flexibility if the established controls.

Each of the management functions described is inter-dependent on each other. A business

or organization would not be a success with the use of all four functions. Planning the goals,

organizing the activities to accomplish the goals, leading people with positive motivation and

monitor performance will achieve the goals and make the organization a success.

I have been in a management position in every company I have worked for in the last 20

years. When I worked for Burger King I was an assistant manager as well as a restaurant

manager. I had to apply all four functions of management on a daily basis. I had to plan my day

by prioritizing what had to be accomplished by the end of my shift I accomplished this the night

before. I would have to organize my crew members so that I had the right people in the right

place at the right time to serve our guests quickly and accurately. Leading was done by setting

the pace and motivating the employees to meet our speed of service goal of 150 seconds and

assigning additional tasks and looking at those employees who showed initiative as possible shift
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supervisors and managers. Controlling the quality of the food was done by following the daily

checklist. Labor control was done by checking and recording sales and sales per man hour every

half hour throughout the day. The product waste is counted and recorded five times a day.

Adjustments were made a necessary by sending employees on lunch break or home, decreasing

the amount of cooked product and proper training.

I currently work as a customer service manager at Wal-Mart and although I do not use the

four functions as extensively I still use them to some degree. Planning and organizing are used

in deciding where to place cashiers so that they are evenly spaced, when they need to have their

breaks and lunches and placing those starting their shift with those leaving. Leading is done by

being available for questions, customer assistance, assigning additional tasks, and making sure

computer based learning is completed on time. The control function is somewhat limited to

making adjustments in placement and breaks of the front end associates due to those that have

changed departments, called in or just failed to come in.

However, the functions of management are used most is in my daily life as a single

mother who works full time and goes to school full time. I have to plan my day almost down to

the minute and make adjustments when necessary such as a change in my work schedule, my

child being sick, doctors appointment being changed or forgotten, family emergency and of

course, homework. Being a parent is probably the one job where planning, organizing, leading

and controlling are used the most everyday and they have to learn to master them all.
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References

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(8th Ed.) McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Retrieved October 28, 2008, from University of Phoenix

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Creswell, Thomas J. (1988, December). Safety And The Management Function. Occupational

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(Document ID: 698247).

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Skills: Using Time Effectively; Types of Management Activity; Delegation. (1992). The

International Journal of Bank Marketing, 10(3), 17. Retrieved October 27, 2008, from

ABI/INFORM Global database. (Document ID: 1120778).

Staley, Grant (1999, July). The building blocks of management. Dental Economics, 89(7), 67-

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