Why should we look at Management as a process?

Many people think that Management is a one Stop solution and you can find solutions to problems very quickly. However, management is not as simple as that and this is why we think it is best that you consider Management as a Process.

The reason we call it Management as a process is because most top companies and top management executives already know that to manage is to do the same things repeatedly and over and over until you get it right.

If you look at the five functions of management, you will find that all of them are interdependent.

For your reference, the five functions of management are

Planning
Organizing
Staffing
Directing and
Controlling

All of the above functions are interdependent. When you plan stuff, you bring in processes which will ensure the implementation of your plans. However, what happens when your plans fail or don’t give as many results as you expected? In that case, you again go back to the planning stage.

Thus management is a process which goes on and on. You plan stuff, organize the plan, and implement it. If things don’t go as per the plan, then you go back to the planning stage.

Imagine you are managing a retail store. A customer walks in, you have to arrange a sales executive to attend the customer. The customer now wants a product. You have to ensure that the product is on display and in stock. Now the customer wants to do the payment. You have to ensure the financials are in place.

In the above example – you have to ensure everything is in place for every single customer that visits the store. So can you be done with management in one single go? No, you cannot. Which is why management is considered as a process.

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Why Management should be considered as a process?

1) It helps with consistency

The number one reason management has to be a process is because processes generally have standard operations. Standard operations help a company to scale up. If you were working in a haphazard manner, you can never scale up. But if your firm wants to become larger, then you need standard operating procedures in place. This is the reason you have to consider management as a process.

2) It removes redundancy

Doing the same thing, again and again, can become a problem for the firm. However, in management you are doing one thing which is above all else – You are focusing on results and goals. If the results and goals are not achieved, you have to change the plan. This reduces redundancy and helps the firm stay active.

3) It helps efficiency and productivity

As a process, the work of management is to remove all inefficient processes and activities. This is why concepts like Kaizen and Lean management were used. These concepts are all focused on the efficiency of an organization and this is where management plays a crucial role.