Management

tenth edition

Stephen P. Robbins

Chapter

17

Mary Coulter

Introduction
to
Controlling

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171

What Is Control?
Controlling
The process of monitoring activities to ensure that
they are being accomplished as planned and of
correcting any significant deviations.

The Purpose of Control

To ensure that activities are completed in ways that
lead to accomplishment of organizational goals.

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172

Why Is Control Important?

As the final link in management functions:
Planning

Controls let managers know whether their goals and plans

are on target and what future actions to take.

Empowering employees

Control systems provide managers with information and

feedback on employee performance.

Protecting the workplace

Controls enhance physical security and help minimize

workplace disruptions.

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173

Exhibit 171 The PlanningControlling Link

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174

The Control Process

The Process of Control
1. Measuring actual
performance.
2. Comparing actual
performance against a
standard.
3. Taking action to correct
deviations or inadequate
standards.

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175

Exhibit 172

The Control Process

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176

Measuring: How and What We

Measure
Sources of
Information (How)
Personal observation

Control Criteria
(What)
Employees

Statistical reports

Satisfaction

Oral reports

Turnover

Absenteeism

Written reports

Budgets

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Costs

Output

Sales
177

Exhibit 173

Common Sources of Information for

Measuring Performance

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178

Comparing
Determining the degree of variation between
actual performance and the standard.
Significance of variation is determined by:

The acceptable range of variation from the standard (forecast

or budget).

The size (large or small) and direction (over or under) of the

variation from the standard (forecast or budget).

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179

Exhibit 174

Defining the Acceptable Range of

Variation

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1710

Taking Managerial Action

Courses of Action
Doing nothing

Only if deviation is judged to be insignificant.

Correcting actual (current) performance

Immediate corrective action to correct the problem at once.
Basic corrective action to locate and to correct the source of
the deviation.
Corrective Actions
Change strategy, structure, compensation scheme, or
training programs; redesign jobs; or fire employees

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1711

Taking Managerial Action

Courses of Action (contd)
Revising the standard

Examining the standard to ascertain whether or not the

standard is realistic, fair, and achievable.
Upholding the validity of the standard.
Resetting goals that were initially set too low or too high.

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1712

Exhibit 176

Managerial Decisions in the Control

Process

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1713

Tools for Measuring

Organizational Performance
Feedforward Control
A control that prevents anticipated problems before
actual occurrences of the problem.
Building in quality through design.
Requiring suppliers conform to ISO 9002.

Concurrent Control
A control that takes place while the monitored activity
is in progress.

Direct supervision: management by walking around.

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1714

Tools for Measuring

Organizational Performance
(contd)
Feedback Control
A control that takes place after an activity is done.

Corrective action is after-the-fact, when the problem has

already occurred.

Advantages of feedback controls:

Provide managers with information on the effectiveness of

their planning efforts.

Enhance employee motivation by providing them with

information on how well they are doing.

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1715

Exhibit 178

Types of Control

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1716

Directing

Concept
Activity that deals with the steps a manager
takes to get subordinates and others to carryout
plans. ( Newman & Warren)
Direction consists of process and techniques
utilizing in issuing instruction and making certain
that operations are carried out as planned.
( Haimann)

Features of this function

Important since action oriented
Performed at every levels of management
Continuous process
Top down
Integrates efforts of employees

Techniques
Orders and instructions
Follow up orders and instructions
Standard practices and procedures
Behavioral pattern
Autocratic, democratic, participative, free-reign

Coordination
Coordination is the orderly synchronizing of
efforts of the subordinates to provide the proper
amount, timing and quality of execution so that
their unified efforts lead to the achievement of
the stated objective, namely the common
purpose of the enterprise
- Theo Haimann

Coordination
IS a set of human and structural mechanism
designed to link the parts of enterprise together
to help achieve the specified objectives
-- Glueck

Features
Relevant to group
Continuous and dynamic
Emphasis unity of effort
Higher integration of functions = higher
coordination = higher possibility of achievement
of objectives

Types of coordination
Internal
Vertical and horizontal coordination
Substantative ( what to do) and procedural ( How to
do)

External

Techniques
Chain of command
Leadership
Committee
Staff Meetings
Special coordinators
Self coordination

Management
tenth edition

Stephen P. Robbins

Chapter

10

Mary Coulter

Managing
Human
Resources

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1026

The Importance of Human

Resource Management (HRM)
As a significant source of competitive advantage
People-oriented HR creates superior shareholder
value

As an important strategic tool

Achieve competitive success through people by
treating employees as partners

To improve organizational performance

High performance work practices lead to both high
individual and high organizational performance.

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1027

The HRM Process

Functions of the HRM Process
Ensuring that competent employees are identified and
selected.
Providing employees with up-to-date knowledge and
skills to do their jobs.
Ensuring that the organization retains competent and
high-performing employees.

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1028

Exhibit 102 Human Resource Management Process

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1029