What is Management?

What is management?

Most people are involved with a manager in some way. If one has a job, more than likely there is a manager in that place of employment. Even in the home, one individual, usually an adult manages the schedule and activities of the entire family. Everyone manages something in some way. It does not have to be in a corporate environment. Something as simple as managing time is management. Managing a diet, managing homework, or even managing the clothing in one’s wardrobe is a form of management. So, what is management? Management is simply the process of dealing with or handling things and/or people based on already developed standards. In the daily life of the average person, a lot of management is done.

Things have to be managed in an efficient manner. In a corporate environment, the manager is usually the person in charge. He or she gives out instructions, handles customers, and directs the regular routine of the place of work. When an employee or customer has an inquiry, the manager is the one usually addressed. In order to manage all of these people, the manager has to be efficient with time, and has to handle finances as well. He or she also has to have employees working in a productive manner. In this case, management is the effective handling of a place of business to achieve maximum productiveness to increase profit for the business. In a clothing retailer, for example, the manager is the one who controls how the store is run. He or she makes sure inventory is handled and customers are satisfied. The manager also keeps the employees working to the best of their abilities.  The manager makes major decisions based on the set standards of the business, as well as his or her own knowledge. But as much as a manager must know how to make decisions alone, he or she must also know how and when to take suggestions from subordinates.

In the routine of daily life, management is the handling of basic daily tasks based on standards set by the individual. When one manages time, one does things as quickly or as slowly as needed depending on the level of efficiency desired to be achieved. If one has a busy schedule, time has to be managed so that much can be done in as little time as possible. Otherwise, time needs to be managed in such a way that things get done at the appropriate times. Everyone manages time to some extent. Time is not the only things managed on a daily basis. If one is the head of the family, he or she must manage those beneath, which will most likely be children. A parent must managed their children’s time, behavior, food, and schedule. A husband or wife may have to do the same for one another.

Even something as trivial as what shows are watched on television must be managed. If two-desired television shows are on at once, one must manage which show to watch at any given time, for example, when one show is on a commercial break. Whatever we do, management will play a role no matter how small.